My Favorite Planner Accessories and How I Use Them!
Are you overwhelmed with the abundance of pens, markers, stickers, and other supplies that are available at the craft stores? Walking into Michaels or Joanns can definitely feel stressful if you don’t know what you are looking for. Have no fear! I am here to help guide you as you start your journey. When it comes to planning and journaling, it’s always important to have supplies that make you happy. If you are not excited and happy to use your planner, then you won’t reach for it. Am I right? But let’s be honest, finding the right planner accessories can be daunting… There are SO many different things to choose from that it often gets overwhelming.
planner accessories
Before I buy anything I always make sure to do as much research as possible. I don’t like spending money on subpar notebooks or pens and I want to make sure that you are confident when deciding what will work best for you! Here is a list of my must-have supplies for journaling and planning:
1. Erin Condren petite planner notebooks
These are my favorite planner notebooks for putting into my A5 traveler’s notebook from ChicSparrow! The paper is very good quality and the A5 size is just right for my needs. Before I entered the journaling/planning community, I never realized how many notebooks there were in such a variety of sizes! Finding what works for you is important. I find that the A5 size is perfect! Erin Condren has created her own Petite Planner System along with notebook covers. What’s great about traveler’s notebooks is that there is always something for everyone!
2. Pilot G-2 pens – extra fine point – black ink
These are my all-time favorite pens! I use them for everything from grading my students’ papers to writing in my journal every night. I enjoy using the extra fine tip pens (0.5mm). They always write comfortably and lay down smooth consistent ink.
3. Tombow dual brush pens
Brush pens are so much fun to use! At first, they can be a bit tricky, but after a bit of practice, they add a special flair to your planning and journaling. I love to use them to create headers or to accent certain important words/phrases. My favorites are Tombow Dual Brush pens. There are so many colors to choose from and they have been very reliable.
To learn how to use them, I picked up “Hand Lettering: An Interactive Guide to the Art of Drawing Letters” at my local Barnes and Noble. Megan Wells gives a fun introduction to Hand Lettering that is perfect for any beginner! I never knew how much fun it was to play around with drawing letters in different ways!
4. Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens
If you are looking for a fine line marker, then look no further. These German water-based markers come in a large range of bright and neutral colors and go down like butter on the page. I use these pens to write in titles and to color code my monthly calendar. I use a different color of each part of my life to help me stay organized. The super-fine tip on these markers is perfect for using in the tiny boxes of my calendar.
5. Pen/Pencil Pack with Elastic (to hold my supplies)
For on the go planning and journaling, a pencil/pen pouch is a necessity! As a teacher, I need to tote around my planner to and from school and meetings. Having a small bag that attaches to my traveler’s notebook is extremely helpful! I like to have a variety of pens, pencils, and markers with me at all times. I love using my Erin Condren Planny pack!
6. Colorful Stickers (any kind that calls to you!)
Stickers! Oh, what a joyful word! If you love color and bling, then stickers are the perfect accessory. I use stickers to decorate my planner and my journals. Stickers really make everything better! The more colorful, the better. Any stickers will do and you can often find them in the sale section of stores like Target and Michael. Go for what calls to you!
7. Monthly Adhesive Tabs (They help me to easily access each month!)
One of my new favorite things to use in my planner is monthly adhesive tabs. These little tabs mark the page of the start of each month. It’s a great way to stay organized and helps you to easily find the page you are looking for. You can easily find them on Amazon, Etsy, or you can make your own using post-it page flags!
8. Magnetic Page Markers
I often find that traditional bookmarks get bent or lost easily in my bag. The solution… Magnetic page markers! They make finding the page you need super easy and add a splash of color to your journal or planner! You can find these anywhere… I love mine from Barnes and Noble and Erin Condren!
9. Erin Condren Snap-in To-Do List Dashboard
I use my Snap-in To-DO list dashboard in my traveler’s notebook planner. While I don’t have the LifePlanner that it is intended for, it still works well for my needs! I cut off the spiral part where it would attach the rings of the planner and then use it as a large bookmark. The wonderful thing about it is it is already laminated and is very sturdy. It pokes out of my planner so I can easily access it to keep track of my week.
While at work I leave it on my desk to remind me of the important things I need to get done that week. I simply use a fine point sharpie to plan out my week and then on Sunday I clean it off to prepare for the upcoming week. (TIP: to remove the sharpie, simply go over the writing with a regular dry-erase marker and then wipe it off with a tissue. Ta-da!)
There you have it! I would love to hear what supplies you enjoy using! Let me know in the comments below!
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For more information on planning, check out these posts!
