Women's Interest Archives - Page 41 of 64

In Business & Blogging, Planners / Organisers, Stationery, Women's Interest

My Current Planner / Organiser Set Up

Nicki CawoodApril 14, 2015

I like to run a tight ship and with two children and a business I find being organised is the only way to make sure everyone is where they should be, with what they need and that all calls are made and deadlines met in good time. It doesn’t hurt that I’m something of a planner tart, with a slight obsession with stationery, notebooks and especially planners, organisers and diaries.

Last year I had no fewer than six diaries as I simply couldn’t find a system that worked for me. This year I’m being more pro-active about finding a set up that does what I need it to and brings with it the planner related joy I crave.

I started the year with my old faithful Ranger Personal Filofax and a page a day diary insert. I’ve been using this as a bullet journal of sorts for work tasks, calls and emails with a section at the bottom of the page for appointments and reminders.

Filofax, personal Filofax, Diary, Page a Day, Planner, organiser — My Personal-sized Ranger Filofax aka Old Faithful. (Click to enlarge)

The page a day insert meant that all of the other papers in my Personal needed to be removed as there simply wasn’t room and so I did what any self-respecting planner-fiend would do, I bought a new Filofax.

My second planner / organiser is an A5 Identity Planner in Black. This is my first A5 and so far I like it. I’ve set this up with client information, business “stuff”, goal setting pages, my A-Z, finance and more. I’m still tinkering with getting the format right although have started to customise it so that it looks and feels like something I want to use, not have to use.

A5 Filofax, Filofax, Diary, Planner, Filofax identity — My A5 Identity. My first A5 but I’m liking the size. (Click to enlarge)

Between these two you’d think I’d be set however the page a day diary just isn’t enough. It doesn’t inspire me, it looks messy at times (although not so much since Roy bought me Frixion pens that erase beautifully, damn that man knows me so well) and it just isn’t right. After spending days searching the net, reading reviews and watching stationery porn on YouTube I’ve bitten the bullet and bought myself an Erin Condren Life Planner. This is a big step for me because firstly it isn’t a Filofax and secondly it wasn’t cheap and I have to wait for it be custom printed and arrive from the US. Honestly, I think it will most definitely be worth it and look forward to it arriving in time for me to start using it in May.

I will of course be doing a full write up and maybe even a video (maybe) of how the Erin Condren I’ve chosen looks and feels so keep your eyes open. In the meantime I’m setting up my poor discarded Ranger Filofax as a finance / budget planner with some extras. I can’t bear for it be left in a drawer abandoned as it’s been a faithful friend for many years however I’ve simply outgrown it as a diary.

For those wondering what Frixion pens are they are fantastic! These are “proper” pens and yet are easy to rub out using the Frixion rubber on the other end of the pen. Well worth investing in for me.

Fingers crossed the Erin Condren tick all the boxes! What do you use as a diary / planner? Feel free to comment below and make me jealous!

In Family Time, Women's Interest

Looking For Solo (No Kids) Travel Adventures

Nicki CawoodApril 8, 2015May 8, 2015

I’m all about confessions at the moment and so here is another one. I’ve never been abroad. Not once!

I don’t even have a passport at the moment. I never felt the urge to travel abroad before the kids. We were too busy working, getting married and enjoying ourselves and once the boys arrived any ideas regarding foreign travel went right out the window. Right now we are staycationers, with the boys getting as much out of Whitby beach and our fabulous UK as they would a similar (if not warmer!) beach abroad.

I’m not saying that we won’t travel as a family as we do plan to, when they are both a little older and able to fully appreciate where we go and what we do (we are walkers and history buffs so with the youngest being only four we’d like him to be a little older before we show him the world). We’ve considered a driving holiday (through the Euro Tunnel) and beyond, camping as we go as well as single destination hols where we can plan in advance everything we want the boys to see and enjoy with us.

Right now though we browse the internet and enjoy planning our own adventures, the ones that Roy and I plan to take (on our own) when the boys are older / otherwise occupied! I’ve posted before about the idea of a cruise and I have to say that the idea really does appeal. I’ve seen other bloggers review cruise holidays and was astounded to see the inside of some of the cabins and the range of activities and what not on board. I have to say that this option really does look perfect.

Even better the cruises look easy to customise if that makes sense. I love the fact that there are so many activities and options for a cruise holiday however when Roy and I plan to start solo holidays the boys will be older and have left home so we’ll be likely to be looking at Saga cruise around Europe and therefore will likely be looking at some of the more relaxing (and luxurious!) options available.

Cruise holidays to me look like they tick all of the boxes as you are enjoying your holiday while someone else is doing all of the travel-related work for you, depositing you in fabulous cities around the world. This allows you to take in the sights, enjoy local foods, shows and more before going back aboard to your now familiar and comfortable cabin and setting off in a leisurely fashion to your next destination.

I love the idea of European exploration especially, as does Roy as there are so many fabulous cities to see and we are both architecture and history buffs so will be able to plan in advance what we want to see and do (looking for more authentic experiences rather than touristy ones) before moving on.

Until then our family travel plans are fairly open however we do have definite plans to really enjoy exploring just the two of us later on, no doubt causing mischief wherever we go and loving every minute of it. What about you? Do you have plans to travel the world later or are you already enjoying exploring? Perhaps we shouldn’t hold off so long and bite the expensive bullet that comes with organising passports for us all. What do you think?

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Original content here is published under these license terms:		X

License Type:	Read Only

License Abstract:	You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). No other copying or use is permitted without written agreement from the author.