Planning to {UN}hurry

On Tuesday I joined 69 other bloggers in declaring my {UN}word for 2014, {UN}hurry.  I talked about how slowing down and making time and space for my family to journey through our days was going to require a shift in thinking.  For me, that also includes a shift in planning.  I need to plan my days substantially better, so that I can focus on what absolutely must get done each day and, hopefully, free up larger chunks of free time for my family.

Enter Whitney English's head-over-heels-gorgeous Day Designer.



I've had my eye on this planner since 2012.  And I didn't spring for it in 2013.  As 2014 approached I found myself going back and forth, adding it to my Etsy cart, and then taking it out again.  I knew I desperately needed to get organized, but it's not an inexpensive planner, and I tend to have a hard time splurging on things for myself.  In the end, it was my husband who surprised me and bought the planner.



It came beautifully packaged.  I think I squealed a little when I opened it.



I loved all the thoughtful details Whitney put into designing this planner.  And the planner itself does not disappoint.  It is, by far, the most well laid out planner I've ever used.  Each day gets its very own page, which is hard to find in a planner.  In the past, I've used a plain spiral notebook as a planner for this reason alone.  But a spiral notebook isn't indexed, doesn't have calendars, and well...it's just not as pretty.

In the end, it's up to me to plan, no matter how pretty the planner.  But I'm a visual person, and the appeal of using something so beautiful to plan my days seems to have tricked me into becoming better organized.

What about you?  Do you have a favorite planner?  Any tips for getting organized or planning out your days?