There is a common group of things that many people start thinking about when the new year hits. Call them resolutions if you want, but that word just sets me up for failure. I like to think of it as a renewed focus. For you, maybe it's all about working out and getting healthy, or coaxing your finances back in shape after the holidays. My very favorite is getting organized. Those plastic container sales in January have me rubbing my hands together like a b-movie villain.
In order to get my ducks in a row I have to plan ahead, and there's no better way to do that than with a planner. Since I couldn't find a full-sized (as in 8 1/2 by 11") version that I liked last year I made my own, and I'm back with an updated model for 2018.
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In addition to the full page for each week, I have yearly calendar pages for 2017 through 2020. You can't move forward without looking back sometimes, right? And maybe I'd like to know what day of the week Christmas will fall on three years from now...you never know.
I like being able to see the entire month at a glance, so those are included as well.
Menu planning is just the next level of organization, so I included a page you can print for each week with a daily menu to fill in and an attached shopping list.
There are two pages that are opposites of each other, so if you print it two-sided you can remove the shopping lists and keep the menu in your planner. If you'd like to be able to tear out the shopping list to take with you, you can use a serrated tracing wheel to run a dotted line down the center. You can just fold it on that line and tear it away.
To put this together, I used 32 pound paper, which is a little thicker than normal. I print everything double-sided and it keeps the page on the opposite side from showing through and holds up better throughout the year.
When I made this one last year I found monthly dividers on Amazon. Those seem to be a little scarce this year, but this set is numbered 1 - 12, so it would work just as well.
To hold it all, I went with a 1" view binder. That gave me the chance to put the date on the front (which you'll find in the Yearly Calendars file below) and have a couple of pockets on the inside cover.
Now for the pages. You can click each line below to download the associated PDF. Here's to an organized 2018!
