How I'm Staying Organized in 2020 -- The Life She Wanders

If there is one thing I’ve always loved and cannot get enough of it is planners and notebooks and office supplies. Even with the rise of technology, I still resort back to physically writing things down a majority of the time. There is just something so rewarding when you physically cross something off your to do list or motivational when you write down a goal for the year.

I’m very specific in what I look for when getting new planners at the beginning of the year or new notebooks, pens and more. It is so important that these tools work for you so that you can stay on track and as organized as possible.

Don’t get me wrong, as much as I love physically writing things down, the ease of technology is also a huge organization life saver. From Google Calendar and Google Docs, to Planoly and beyond, incorporating tech and automation in 2020 is going to be a priority. It provides so much ease and helps free up time for you to get more things done and enjoy life itself. Organization is going to be top of mind for me this year. So much so that I’m thinking an organization/priorities type of mini series might be on the horizon later this year!

Last January I shared how I was staying organized in 2019 and it was one of the most popular posts y’all read! Pair that with my love for organization and I knew a 2020 post on organization had to be done. So without further ado, here’s how I’m staying organized in 2020!

PLANNER

I love having a planner that has both the monthly and weekly view. It allows me to see the month at a glance but also hone in on the week to focus on the most important tasks at hand. I’ve always been a fan of Sugar Paper and love the simplistic yet professional and feminine designs they have. After trying to branch out and find something new, I realized that my organization heart kept being drawn back to Sugar Paper!

I ended up ordering the 2020 Large Spiral Planner in black and it’s a beauty! The weekly view is a bit different from what I typically gravitate towards but I loved the added organization it provided. The left side has sections for to do, to email, to call, to buy and additional spaces for notes and lists. The right side provides the weekly view with blank space for meetings, appointments, reminders and more. I think this layout is really going to take my organization to the next level!

This Sugar Paper planner is a bit more expensive than I typically have spent on a planner so if you’re looking for something a little bit more economical and in your budget, here’s some great options…

If you’re more of just a monthly calendar view planner type of person, I’ve used this one from Sugar Paper in the past and loved it!

*PLANNER REVIEW

Now that I’ve been using my new Sugar Paper planner for a couple of weeks, I wanted to add in a review and share my thoughts on it. Overall, I absolutely love it!! I was hesitant to change from the layout I’m typically drawn to but I’m so glad that I did. It’s given me an extra sense of organization and accountability which is a win-win!

So let’s dive into the planner and everything it includes. It has so many great features that I want to highlight so you really get a feel for what it’s like in case you’re still on the hunt for a 2020 planner, or aren’t loving the one you got.

When you open the front cover, you are greeted by motivational words in gold foil that read “Start each day with a grateful heart.” It’s such a simple touch but something that always leaves me with a smile when I open my planner. Following that, it has two pages of a yearly calendar and a list of holidays for both 2020 and 2021. These are great for looking ahead and future planning both personally and in your work life.

After the opening pages, the planner dives into separate tabs for each month. There is a monthly view at the beginning of each tab and more motivation with a powerful quote at the top. I love these little sprinkles of motivation and encouragement throughout the entire planner! Next after the monthly view, there is a page for monthly notes followed by a page for you to break down all of your monthly goals, important dates, key things to focus on, etc. There are spaces for personal goals, health goals, work goals and financial goals. Since money and personal finances has become so important to me, I loved seeing the financial goal section at the start of each month. I think this will help keep me even more focused on my financial goals and truly keep track of my spending and savings.

Next comes the weekly breakdown. This is where the layout really changed for me compared to planners I have used in the past but it is amazing! On the left side there is a task breakdown for that current week. It includes space for a to do list along with sections for calls, emails and things to buy. There is a small box for things not to forget that week. I’ve loved using this space for a few words of encouragement during the week like “YOU CAN DO THIS!” or “STAY CONFIDENT!” I like that as the weeks and year goes on, I can make this don’t forget space whatever is most beneficial for me. Lastly there is a larger box titled “etc” where you can put any overflow items from the sections above or key reminders.

On the right side is the weekly breakdown from Monday to Sunday. I was afraid there wouldn’t be space for me to write things in but it has worked out perfectly! I’m able to note key dates for meetings, appointments, birthdays, events, etc. It’s a great snapshot at what is current that week compared to the monthly view.

At the back of the planner there are probably 20+ lined pages for notes which I think is a great addition! If you’re heading to a meeting or appointment but don’t want to bring your planner, notebook, laptop, all the things, you can just bring this planner and take notes in the back and schedule the next follow-up meeting or appointment, too. There are also some pockets in the back, like a built-in folder, so you can keep any important documents or files with you at all times.

So as you can see, I absolutely LOVE this planner and highly recommend it! As I said before it does cost more than I’ve typically sent in the past but I think it is worth every penny. The front and back cover are super sturdy and durable, and the pages inside are a great weight/thickness so you don’t have to worry about the tearing or falling out. It’s the planner of my dreams!

NOTEBOOK

One thing I’m trying to work on in 2020 is to keep less mental notes and actually get them down onto paper. Having too many notes in my brain keeps my brain turned on at all times which in turn keeps me awake at night with my head spinning of things to remember, ideas, etc.

I’ve used this spiral notebook from Target in the past and still love it to this day. It’s the perfect size [7”x9”] and the line spacing is perfect IMO. It’s also made from 60% premium recycled paper which is an added bonus.

I take this with me when I work from a coffee shop, keep it next to my bed in case my head starts spinning in the middle of the night, and love bringing it with me when I meet people for coffee to jot down any notes or questions. It’s like the notebook is my sidekick lol

PENS

You’ve got the planners to stay organized, now you need all the pens to do the writing! I like to use a regular black ink pen to write all of my notes and to do lists and then use colored pens to accent important things and to cross items off my to do list once completed.

I’ve been using these Paper Mate Flare Marker Pens (16ct - $15.99) for as long as I can remember (probably since college) and absolutely love them! They come in so many great colors and write very clean and smoothly.

I’ve also been using these Pilot G2 “Gel” Pens (3ct - $4.49) for just about as long and are a staple. I love the deep black ink and how smooth the pens write. They are also a comfortable pen to hold…the little things that are important! I like the .7mm ones and find they are the perfect point size for all my writing needs.

ALL THINGS GOOGLE

Let’s be honest, Google is the world’s BFF. For years and years and years we’ve turned to Google to help us with anything and everything, and now they’ve become our - well my - organization go to. I love using Google Docs and Google Sheets to organize all sorts of things like personal finances, blog topic ideas, books to read, and anything in between. I love how easy it is to share documents with others, something I use as a recap tool after my therapy sessions.

I also love using Google Drive to store the endless amounts of photos I have so that I know I will always have them. I’ve had far too many issues with iCloud or hard drives crashing and losing everything, and I love the security and simplicity of Google Drive. Along with photos, I also store important files that I want to hold on to for the time being.

PLANOLY

I started using Planoly last year to help plan and layout my Instagram content and instantly fell in love. Towards the end of last year, I started using the schedule feature as well to auto-post some of my content for timing purposes. I’ve absolutely loved using it and it is extremely user-friendly and easy to use. I switch between the desktop version and mobile app depending on where I am or what I’m doing. You are able to write your caption, tag brands/companies, add a geo-tag location, and even add the first comment to the post [typically where I put any hashtags so it doesn’t clutter the caption]. It’s so great! They also have a stories planner and Pinterest planner, both of which I’ll be diving into more this year, while also testing out Tailwind for Pinterest.

There you have it, a round-up of how I’m staying organized in 2020. Do you still use a physical planner or are you fully digital? Share below in the comments!

How I'm Staying Organized in 2020