Kickstart Your Year: Essential Tips for Preparing Your Happy Planner or Erin Condren Planner 🤍

Starting a new year with a fresh planner can set the tone for your entire year. Whether you use a Happy Planner or an Erin Condren planner, preparing it thoughtfully helps you stay organized, motivated, and on track with your goals. This post offers practical steps to get your planner ready, from clearing out old pages to personalizing your planner with stickers and accessories. Follow these tips to create a planner that feels inspiring and easy to use all year long.

Preparing a Happy Planner or Erin Condren planner with accessories

Organizing and Decluttering Old Pages

Before you dive into planning the new year, start by clearing out the clutter from last year’s planner. This step helps you create space for fresh ideas and prevents overwhelm.

• Remove outdated pages: Flip through your planner and take out any pages from the previous year that you no longer need. This might include past monthly spreads, weekly layouts, or notes.

• Sort important notes: If you have valuable information like contacts, passwords, or project ideas, transfer them to a dedicated notebook or digital file. Keep only what’s necessary in your planner.

• Use a storage folder: For pages you want to keep but don’t need daily access to, store them in a folder or binder. This keeps your planner light and focused.

• Clean your planner cover: Wipe down your custom planner cover or replace it if it’s worn out. A fresh cover can boost your motivation to use your planner regularly.

  
  

This decluttering process refreshes your planner and makes it easier to focus on what matters for the new year.

Choosing a Theme or Color Scheme for the New Year

Picking a theme or color scheme gives your planner a cohesive look and makes planning more enjoyable. It also helps you visually organize different areas of your life.

• Reflect on your goals: Think about what you want to focus on this year—work, health, creativity, or family. Choose colors that inspire those goals. For example, calming blues for mindfulness or bright yellows for energy.

• Pick a consistent palette: Limit your color choices to 3-5 shades to keep your planner visually balanced. Use these colors for headings, highlights, and stickers.

• Create monthly themes: Assign a different color or motif to each month. For example, green for spring growth or warm tones for autumn. This adds variety without chaos.

• Use washi tape and markers: These tools help you apply your theme easily across pages. Washi tape can mark important sections, while colored markers highlight tasks or events.

  
  

A clear theme makes your planner feel like a personal project and encourages you to open it daily.

Adding Important Dates and Goals

Once your planner is clean and themed, add the key dates and goals that will guide your year.

• Mark fixed dates first: Include birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and appointments. This creates a framework for your planning.

• Set quarterly goals: Break your big goals into smaller, manageable chunks. Write these in your monthly or weekly spreads to track progress.

• Add reminders for habits: Use your planner to build habits like exercise, reading, or budgeting. Schedule these regularly to build consistency.

• Include motivational quotes: Write or print quotes that inspire you. Place them on monthly cover pages or weekly layouts for encouragement.

  
  

Writing down your goals and dates makes them real and helps you stay accountable.

Handwritten goals and colorful stickers in a planner

Incorporating Stickers and Accessories for Personalization

Stickers and accessories add personality and fun to your planner, making it a tool you want to use every day.

• Choose functional stickers: Look for stickers that highlight appointments, deadlines, or to-do lists. These help you organize visually.

• Add decorative stickers: Use icons, shapes, or themed stickers to brighten your pages and reflect your style.

• Use tabs and bookmarks: These make it easier to flip to important sections quickly.

• Try planner clips and charms: These small accessories add flair and keep your planner secure.

• Mix and match: Combine stickers from Happy Planner and Erin Condren collections to create a unique look.

  
  

Personalizing your planner turns it into a creative outlet and a practical tool.

Tips for Maintaining Planner Consistency Throughout the Year

Keeping up with your planner can be challenging. These tips help you build a habit and keep your planner useful all year.

• Set a weekly planning time: Dedicate 10-15 minutes each week to update your planner. Treat it like an appointment.

• Keep your planner visible: Leave it on your desk or another easy-to-reach spot to remind you to use it.

• Use a pen you love: Writing with a favorite pen makes planning more enjoyable.

• Review and adjust goals regularly: Check your progress monthly and tweak your plans as needed.

• Celebrate small wins: Use stickers or notes to mark achievements. This keeps motivation high.

  
  

Consistency turns your planner from a nice idea into a powerful tool for your success.

Decorated planner with colorful pens and a custom planner cover on a desk