16 IHeart a Free Printable: Goal Setting!

How is your week going?  So far mine has been extremely productive, and I am hoping to ride that wave for the next few days!  Preston's room is thisclose to being done and for some reason I just can't let it be; I keep tweaking something here and moving something there... That said, my goal is to share it with you this week.  So let's cross our fingers that my final small projects are as easy peasy as I think they will be.  Of course, he was happy with it weeks ago which is really all that matters.


Earlier this year I decided to try something different with my goal setting, resolutions and "to do" lists.   So far, I have been liking the shift I made, and today I wanted to share a happy printable that has helped me make some positive adjustments with my planning.

"I just can't seem to get ahead, or even catch up."

"When one area of my life flourishes, another flounders."

"My 'to-do' list is daunting and never ending..."


These are all things I have said in the past year, and also things I would say frequently.  But at the beginning of this year, I started to ask myself, "Get ahead of what?  Or caught up to what?  This unrealistic bar that I had set?"

I decided it was time to be done with those feelings.  I will never be caught up with email, laundry, dishes, reading, DVR and my business expense tracking all at the same time.  And that is OK.  I have always been the type of person to be too hard on myself, and maybe that is why I started to crash and burn last year.  But this year I am forcing myself to practice patience, to be forgiving if I don't check everything off my list, to focus on what I did accomplish and to make time for... me.

Although I am letting loose a little, I still have lofty goals and ideas.  That will never change.

That said, the document I am sharing with you today could definitely act as another checklist if you wish.  It is versatile enough to be used in a variety of ways, really.  But this little form of mine, is how I have been setting some realistic goals for myself for the year, and also for each week as I sit down to do my weekly planning sessions.

I have been receiving some requests to review the Kikki-K planner binder I have been using, and also share more details on how I use my planner in general.  That post is in the works, so today I am only going to focus on this Goal Setting gem.

At the beginning of the year, I wrote down some very generic goals for each category shown on the printable; Family, Home, Work & Life.  Although I am not going to publicly share my specific personal goals for this year, here are a few general examples of how I broke apart each category.

• FAMILY: These are goals specific to our family dynamic.  Some examples would be less tech time, more park time, equal chore sharing, family game nights, eating dinner together x number of nights/week, putting in x number of volunteer hours, trying something new together, etc... 
• HOME: Given that we are always working on our home, this one is a biggie.  This is where I put down improvements we would like to make, goals of using our home more than working on it, cleaning/chore goals, etc...
• WORK: This category is for stating long term business goals.  Where do I see myself at the end of the year?  Where do I want the blog to go?  And my shop?  Are there specific risks I want to take or new technology to try?  Partnerships I wish to seek? Do I have social media ambitions?  
• LIFE: And this is where I wrote down my goals for living a better personal life.  Goals to meditate, financial plans, personal relationship goals with family and friends and goals for eating/sleeping better and taking better care of my health. 

The idea here was to be very vague and broad and just select a few goals for each.  I stayed between 3-5 within each category, to be sure I don't easily lose my way over the course of the year.  I stuck the goals in the front of my planner so I can reference them on a weekly basis.

Those goals come in to play each Sunday when I sit down to plan out my week.  I like to take 30 minutes each week to fill this sheet out again, this time breaking down those goals into the time I have available.

When I plan each week, I plan our meals, bills that need to be paid, children's school events and activities, appointments, work tasks, etc...  After I look at the week ahead and have an idea of what is in store, I start to jot down 1-3 goals for the week under each category (as they relate to our plans and schedule, and also making sure they tie back to my general annual goals).  A few examples:

• FAMILY: Read together for 30 minutes three nights of the week, bake a snack together one day after school, no tech for one night of the week...
• HOME: 15 minute nightly pick-up sessions, keep counters clean in kitchen and main bathrooms, catch up on laundry, finish assembling printer cart, etc...
• WORK: Catch up on e-mail, get through November's expenses, release new printable in shop, contact a specific brand....
• LIFE: Prep week's worth of healthy snacks on Sunday, finish reading a book, go on a lunch date with a friend or my husband, volunteer at the kid's school....

Occassionally I will place those goals on to specific days in my planner during my weekly planning session, but generally I try to take things one day at a time and add a few of the goals to my planner a day in advance or the actual morning of.  This document is really helping me keep my bigger picture goals in mind, with everything I work on during the week (and also knowing when it is right to say 'yes' and 'no').  It also helps me focus on 1-3 things in all areas of my life each week, vs. my previous all or nothing mentality.

Again, I didn't create check boxes on this form as it is not for crossing things off; it is only to act as a reminder and to help me prioritize a few goals for the week.  I still make lists as I need to each day if under specific deadlines, while project planning, for household chores and shopping trips... that will never change. #listmakerforlife

Best of all, the colors make me happy and encourage me to do this exercise frequently.  So while some people love to use technology to manage goals, calendars and time; I find I am most successful, mindful and motivated when I write things down.

And now you can as well!  Snag your free pretty printable below:

Download your FREE Goal Setting Printable HERE - Jr. Size Available HERE

Please note - the link above will take you to a hosting site where the displayed printable image is inaccurate.  The image above is a true depiction of the final product.  Be sure to download the form from the hosting site and open/print using Adobe PDF Reader.

48 The 2016 iHeart Planner is HERE! Let's Celebrate with a GIVEAWAY!

Today is a really exciting day for me and also one that I have personally been looking forward to all year long.  First, I want to thank you all again for your continued patience while I take a little time to focus on other areas of my business behind the blog scenes.  Not only am I officially a .COM!! now, I also finally finished designing, photographing and listing my 2016 Planner Printables in my Etsy shop!

I still have a slew of blog housekeeping to take care of (updating the old project gallery, setting up a dedicated e-commerce site, upgrading my ad networks...), but today I am all about focusing on my accomplishments and celebrating these beautiful new planner pages!

You can find every last detail over on my 2016 Planner FAQ page here, but some highlights include fresh colors and new graphics...

As well as a entirely new A5 page size option!

That means planner pages are now available in:

• Standard Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
• Junior Half Page Size (5.5" x 8.5")
• A5 Size (5.83" x 8.27") 

All three sizes make my heart happy and offer many of the same great features as previous planner editions, along with a few new added bonuses.

Just as I did last year, to celebrate the release of the planner I have asked my favorite companies to put together a little THANK YOU giveaway for my super fabulous readers.  And once again, they really came through for you guys!

One of the reasons I love creating and using printables for organizing, is the flexibility they offer to print as needed on demand.  I love having the option to print a new grocery list each week or a new page for my planner should something spill on it or if I have a bad handwriting day.  But what I really crush on is the versatility and ability to mix the printables with different binders and organizers until I find something that completely suites my daily needs.

Poppin has been my first stop for office supplies since I met them a few years back.  I have purchased their pens, highlighters, rulers, spiral notebooks {big and small} and many more accessories to make my desk a happy place to work.  They offer items in a rainbow of colors and they are always coming out with new products that make my organizing heart leap for joy.  Although I especially enjoy their ballpoint pens with my planner pages, you will also find their stapler on my desk next to a pencil pouch filled with my favorite planner supplies.  Oh!  And their small sticky notepads are always tucked inside the front pocket of my planner.

To celebrate the release of the 2016 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $100 Gift Certificate to Poppin.com!

Girl of all Work is no stranger around here.  I discovered them I was assembling my second edition planner a few years ago and I have never looked back.  I especially adore the calendar stickers, which allow me to mark down special dates and occasions in the cutest of ways.  And the monthly re-usable sticky tabs are the perfect solution for dividing up the monthly sections of the planner pages.  In fact, I just moved my tabs from last year's planner to this year's version without having to purchase anything new!

To celebrate the release of the 2016 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to girlofallwork.com!  

I find myself heading to Staples more than I like to admit.  #officesupplyobsessed  I go there for Poppin products.  I go there for ARC products.  I go there for printer ink and for having my printables spiral bound.  I go there a lot.  And their discbound systems really has been life changing in how I organize many areas of my personal and business life.  I continue to use the ARC system primarily for budgeting and blog planning purposes.

To celebrate the release of the 2016 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, they are giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to Staples!   

Although I don't put acrylic organizers directly inside of my planner, I do use them all over our house to stay organized each day.  I especially love to pair acrylic pieces with my planner and coordinating office supplies.  I have long believed that drawers are prettier with decorative paper showing through an acrylic divider, and that everyday work tools are a bit more exciting when placed inside beautiful desktop organizers.  #foreverfavorite

To celebrate the release of the 2016 iHeart Organizing Planner Printables, US Acrylic is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to Amazom.com!   

OK guys, now that you know what I love and why, it is time for me to show my gratitude and give back to YOU!  Along with my great giveaway sponsors, I am also personally tossing in 15 Planner Printable PDF files which will be provided digitally with a personalized coversheet of the winner's choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To celebrate this big IHeart milestone, I am offering 20% off of everything in my shop through Friday, November 20th.  Just be sure to use code 2016IHEARTPLANNER at checkout (not valid on previous purchases).  Also, if you have already purchased this year's planner pages and your name is selected as one of the giveaway winners, your planner purchase will be refunded once the drawing is complete and the winners have all been notified and confirmed.


From the bottom of my overflowing heart, thank you once again all for your continued love and support!  Each time I receive an order, an email with a testimonial or planner story, a thumbs up Etsy review, or you tag me on Instagram showing me how you are using your printables, I am filled with so much encouragement and warmth.  In fact, very few things bring me more joy than seeing IHeart printables being used and scribbled on.  It's is so rewarding to know you all are finding joy in organizing for your families, homes and lives.

IHeart Organizing official giveaway entry rules can always be found here.  A huge thank you to Staples, Girl Of All Work, Poppin and US Acrylic for sponsoring this incredible giveaway.

My 2013 Daily Planner!

This year I decided to stick with regular Jen fashion and create my own daily planner vs. scouring online shops and stores until I found the one that fits my daily needs perfectly. 

I have tried all sorts of different planners and I often switch things up from year to year since our needs are always changing.  Last year, I decided to go the digital route, but I found that I was less organized than usual with our daily schedules and planning.  I would go into the calendar to input dates, but it wasn't my cup of tea when it came time to do my weekly planning and look at my Day at a Glance.

What can I say, I simply like to write things down, carry my planner, and be able to open it up and jot goals and notes and meal plans all on one happy and colorful place. 

So, I created a 2013 planner pages printable, which you can find in my Etsy shop here.

Here is a look at what the printable includes:

Personalized Planner Cover

Special Dates Page

12 Dated Monthly Calendar Pages

52 Weeks of Daily Dated Pages

Notes Page

Weekly Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping Page

The pages can be printed {I have them set up to easily print front/back duplex style}, and used within a binder, professional bound {like I did with my blog planner}, or used with the Discbound system from Staples, which is what I ultimately went with.

Ready to see her all up close and personal?

As I mentioned, I decided to ultimately go with the Discbound system {found at Staples}.  You all actually introduced it to me and thought it would be something that would tickle my fancy, and boy have I been smitten since!  So THANK YOU!  I love that I can easily mix and match items to insert, reuse everything from year to year and just swap out pages that need updating, and basically customize it to fit my personal needs!  LOVE doesn't begin to describe it.  New baseball schedule?  Just punch it and pop it in!  Mess up a page?  Just reprint and pop it in!  Special notes and reminders?  Punch and pop.  Fantastic.  And I also adore that it makes it smaller than the typical binder. 

Inside the cover makes me grin ear to ear every time I open it!

On the left, I have color coded stickers, a sticky note pad for quick note jotting, calendar stickers, page tabs and some of my business cards.

And on the right is my coversheet, which I laminated like a pro....

Inside, there is a clear pocket to hold things such as important notes, birthday cards, invites, etc... along with our Special Dates printable.

I used sticky tabs combined with my label maker to divide each month.

And decided I would try the color coding method, so each family gets a special color inside.

Behind the monthly calendar, is where the magic really happens.  I printed everything two sided to save paper and for ease of use.  So, the next pages are a side by side view of the entire week:

Each week is pre-labeled with the specific dates.

And since we are big meal planners, I wanted to jot down the meals for the week inside each day.

On the other side, I included a spot to set some goals/to dos for the week.

And in the back, I printed off a bunch of blank note pages since I am always thinking up things that need a place to live.

Oooh la la lovely right?  Keeping a family of five on the same page can be a challenge, so here is hoping this planner will act as our glue this year.  And all of the colors keep me excited to clutch it day after day!

Cheers to the New Year and happy planning!!

Personalized blog planner printable pages can be found in my Etsy shop here.

Updated Planner FAQ's:

• The paper I printed on is standard letter size, 8 1/2" x 11.  98 bright & 32 lb from Staples.
• When printing, be sure to print a few test pages ahead of time to be sure to understand your printer setup.  Unfortunately, every printer is different and has different settings and options.  What worked best for ours was to select "double sided printing" and to be sure that the "Auto Rotate Pages" box was selected since some are portrait and others are landscape.  Our printer settings allows us to print different page sizes, but it requires us to feed the paper of that size in manually.  
• The pages are designed to be printed on standard letter 8.5" x 11" paper.  The files are in PDF format which open best with Adobe Reader which can be downloaded for free here.
• Here is the link to the binder cover I purchased {I removed the sheets from the inside and replaced with my own}.
• Here is the link to the discbound paper punch I purchased and used {yes, it is compatible with both the Martha Stewart discbound system and the Staples Arc system}.  A reader mentioned that a less expensive option that also worked for her was this Levenger punch.
• Here is the link to the notepad in the front cover.
• Here is the link to the sticky tabs.
• Here is the link to the calendar stickers.
• I use Papermate Flair Porous Ultra Fine Point pens and I love them.  Great writing and no bleeding.  
•  Since I plan on reusing the cover year after year, the title was added with vinyl I cut with my Silhouette {the vinyl can be removed}.
• The planner is 129 pages of prefilled dates/calendars.  Plus a Special Dates, Notes & Meal Planning doc.  I printed double sided so I used half that in paper.
• Staples does offer a printing service and binding service {or you can print at home and just have staples bind it for you}.  You would have to contact your local Staples to confirm their services as they may vary from store to store.
• Here is the link to my label maker.
• In the front cover, the stickers slide into the pouch and the notepad was originally stuck there, but didn't stay so I may try a command strip to hold it better.
• I am not affiliated with Staples in any way to share their services/items, I went there based on your recommendations and my love for the Martha Stewart line. 

 

 

WAHOO!!!  2014 Planner Printable is HERE!