Are you new to using planners?

"Listening to many speakers and looking at other women's schedules and organizers just made me feel like their lives were too perfect and they couldn't possibly relate to me."
- Susie

The Staff at The Busy Woman's Daily Planner knows better. We use the Busy Woman system on a daily basis to help us bring order to our busy and sometimes chaotic, less than perfect lives.

Welcome to the wonderful world of organization! Here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction whether you've already purchased a planner and don't know where to start or you're thinking of purchasing a planner:

Take our personality quiz to find out what type personality you are: A Compulsive; A Casual; B Motivated; B Messy. Take Quiz, CLICK HERE! When you're done, come back here.

If you're an Type A personality the master filler with binder would make a good start.
If you're a Type B personality then the Busy Woman Basics starter pack is what is recommended.

Only put in what you absolutely need. Remember you are carrying this with you. If you're a Type B, only purchase a handful of pages when you first start out. Our recommendations are:

• Cover/Special Occasions Pages
• Monthly Tabs
• Daily OR Weekly Pages
  (but not both unless you're a seasoned planner user)
• Section Tabs
• Note Pages
• Personal Medical Information Page
• Child Information Pages (if you have children)
• Page Turner
• Vinyl Zipper Pouch
• Address Tabs
• Address Pages

Monthly Tabs - Only put in up to six months at a time.

Daily Pages - Start off trying 7 pages behind only the month you are in when you get your planner. (That will give you 14 days, back and front)

Weekly Pages - Start off trying 2 weekly pages in that first month as well. (Alternate between whatever pages you choose.)

Section Tabs - These have pages to match 5 of the tabs. Then we added 3 plain tabs to let you get creative. Make your own tabs, or take out tabs you don't use. No need to lug around the extra weight. Personal, Medical & Child Information Pages usually go under personal. (If you need to put your personal numbers like, bank, social security, or license numbers in your book, try putting them into a code that only you can read, whether you put them in reverse order or some other way. Don't make it easier for someone to use your information if you're purse gets stolen.)
In the different sections, only put in a few pages of each kind until you learn what pages work best for you. After about a month, maybe less, you will be able to ascertain what pages you need more of and what you need less of. Put those that you're not going to use right now in the box that usually comes with your master filler, up in your closet above where you hang your clothes.

If you reorder pages you already have, but forgot about or can't find them, we'll usually be able to help you. Because we try to tell everyone about our suggested place to house your planner pages that aren't used yet, we'll know where they are if you took our advice. It's something that's been implemented since 1999 and it's working quite well for those who need it.

Keep it SIMPLE!

What's left? A LOT! However, try getting used to the basics before you purchase every page you think you need or want. We don't want this planner added to the closet floor with the rest. (wink) We see this WAY too often. Put the money you save by purchasing our daily planner in the bank.

The Busy Woman's Daily Planner is all about helping women Simplify Their Lives, by keeping everything at their fingertips. We're not here to get rich quick! We're here to guide you. Many women are creatures of habit. So you may not need to change what you're using. This is me. Though, chances are that if you're here reading this, you need a change.

Many women change their planners around to suit their needs. I've seen many phases of a woman's life, from working and having no children, to staying home with one or more little ones, to having older children who all attend different sports or lessons. Now I'm in the grandma phase!

Our pages aren't dated so when your phase of life changes, you don't have to throw any pages away. You can save them in a box up in your closet above where you hang your clothes to retrieve when you need them at a later time.

When you decide you need a change because the pages you're using aren't working for the phase of life you're in, try some of our other pages. There will come a time, maybe in two years, maybe in five years... that you will want to use those old pages again. Amazingly enough, I've see it happen often.

Get a nice cup of your favorite drink and/or a snack. Sit down in a pleasant atmosphere and enjoy starting fresh in your new planner. Schedule in FUN TIME! Make it bright, bold and clearly visible. You need something to look forward to. Schedule in dates with family members and dear friends to nurture those relationships.

If you wonder what size day planner you need or want, answer these questions:
Do you have large writing? Buy the Classic Size daily planner.
Do you have small writing or can you learn to write small (because you want it a little lighter)? Buy the Compact Size daily planner.

Now off you go to The Busy Woman STORE and if you still need help, get our NEW CD, How To Put Your Planner Together. It's like having private time with Susie and her friend Katie helping you set up your planner and giving you tips for using different planner pages.
Or, call 800-848-7715 for your FREE consultation.

Sincerely,

The Women at The Busy Woman's Daily Planner®
Copyright © 1999 Susie Glennan

Susie Glennan has been happily married since 1982, is mom to 3, and is a Home Maker, Nurturer, Teacher, Author, Professional Speaker, Toastmaster, President of The Busy Woman, Inc., DBA - The Busy Woman's Daily Planner®. She teaches time management seminars, offers FREE consultations with your order, and will help you set up a schedule that's right for you. 800-848-7715 ­ www.thebusywoman.com