Set Up Your New Planner for a Fresh Start in 2020

I’m excited to share how I switch from one planner to another. While I’d love a redo on all of 2020 (can I get an amen?), I’ll settle for a fresh start for the second half of the year. Do you want to join me? Shop the Week on One Page format now and learn how to set up your new planner that runs from July 2020 – June 2021!

This is the most comprehensive list of how to set up a new planner. I’ve also included a few tips and tricks for keeping organized throughout the year. A few intentional habits throughout the year will make you so happy when it’s time to transition to your next next planner!

Let’s jump in! If you’re like me, you may find it a little difficult to make that first mark in your new planner. It’s just so crisp and clean. Don’t you just LOVE a new planner?  The old one always gets messy (which is the whole point of a planner), but starting fresh means a blank slate.

Now, you may be asking yourself why I’m starting a new planner, seeing as I just switched to the Week on One Page last January. Remember when I debuted the new Whitney English planners? It’s still surreal to have started another planner company but different seasons call for different systems and I LOVE this format. I don’t have a ton of appointments so the week on one-page aspect is perfect. I do have a million to-dos so having ample room for weekly to-do lists and categorized notes is a lifesaver!

Back to the question at hand. I’m going to start a new planner for a couple of reasons. Reason number one: 2020. Need I say more? Reason number two: It turns out we are going to be remodeling a house in the second half of the year (check out my announcement here) and I would love to keep all of that information in one place.

Here’s what you need to set up your new planner and transfer from the old to the new!

Step 1. Gather your supplies.  
Here are the supplies I’m using to set up my new planner. I encourage you to set aside some time to pull all these pieces together and jump into setting up your new planner.

• New planner and old planner
• Colored pens and a pencil or an erasable pen (we have the cutest pen if you need a recommendation!)
• ALL THE BIG LISTS: dream list, master list, and monthly projects lists
• Calendars and schedules: work calendars (for me that’s at least a product calendar, a launch calendar, and marketing calendar), doctor’s appointments, school, church, volunteer, bills, life and family calendars
• An A5 Notebook to use as an index

Step 2. Index your previous planner.
The next step is to ensure you can find the information in your old planner so you can easily access it throughout the next year. I use my planner for a lot of list-making. Index everything to keep track of the information (lists, to-dos, notes, etc.) you may need in the future. Last year I kept a list of Christmas ideas for David and the kids. I’ll use the index to note which page those ideas are listed in my planner. It might come in handy next year to jog my memories for future gift ideas!

Step 3. Transition your lists.
The next step is to go through my old planner and transfer everything from my Dream List (my bucket list) and the Master List page. Just as I went through indexing the various notes from my previous planner, I’ll do the same thing with my lists. A quick note on lists: The Master List is full of the things that are going to get me to the things on my Dream List. These are the projects I’m not currently working on, but ones I want to keep front of mind.

Step 4. Add important dates and deadlines.
Take your gathered calendars and start plugging in dates. While COVID-19 means there is a lot up in the air for the rest of the year, I’m still adding important dates to my planner. This is a great time to use a pencil or erasable pen so you can easily adjust things as needed.

Step 5. Get started.
Now, you dive in! While it can be stressful to make that aforementioned first mark in your planner, cherish the opportunity to start fresh. I’m excited to transition to an Academic Year planner, especially in the middle of big projects. Something that also helps me a ton is our Project Planner Notepad. Because we have two big projects happening (moving and remodeling our new home), I need a place to wrap my head around all the big and small tasks that need to be accomplished.

I’m leaning on the quadrant list pages as a way to categorize my day-to-day to-dos along with chipping away at those big projects. As I’m writing this, I have sections on my to-do list for new house errands, moving prep, marketing for work to-dos, and meal prep (which can be a bit challenging when you’re trying to keep the kitchen super tidy for showings). The quadrant list section is the way to keep even the most chaotic of to-do lists in check!

As a bonus, here are a few things that if done throughout the year will help you easily transition to your next planner! Trust us, your future self with thank you.

Index everything.
The index section in the Week on One Page planner was designed to help you categorize and record your lists and notes. Don’t you want easy access to important information you add to my planner (like contacts, dream lists, important dates) year after year? Every one of our planners come with a beautiful storage box so you can shelve and store your planner after use. I love knowing I can reference the material quickly and easily from my planner shelf.

Develop a system for color-coding.
I love using colored pens in my planner. It helps me get a quick, overall picture of where I’m spending my time. Create a color-coding system in the front of your planner so you have easy access to it. This makes me feel like I’m more efficient and it keeps the information organized in a visual way.

Keep notepads and notebooks handy for easy access.
Notepads and notebooks are great for scratch paper. I keep both close by for notes, a place to index lists and to-dos, and a spot for additional list-making. I like adding the big projects I’m working on to the monthly spreads. I use the column on the left-hand side as a quick reference to help me stay on track. It’s a great quick reference for days when I need help finding focus.

Let’s make sure you have a planner to keep life’s chaos a little more organized. Academic Year planners are in stock and shipping right away! CLICK HERE to get your Whitney English planner that starts on July 1st.