Category: Podcast

This week, we're celebrating the podcast’s first year!  In this special episode, we're tackling YOUR most burning questions about organization and productivity. 

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In this episode we talk about:

• When your feeling overwhelmed by the mountain of “stuff”
• What storage solutions should you use
• Sustainable systems for long lasting order
• Digital Clutter vs. Physical Clutter
• Dealing with family resistance to organizing

Mentioned in this Episode:

Episode 001: 7 Steps to Organizing (almost) Anything

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/7-steps-to-organizing/

Episode 024: Step 5: Contain. What Types of Containers Should You Get?

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/24-step-5-contain-what-types-of-containers-should-you-get/

Episode 053: Getting Organized vs. Staying Organized Explained

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/53-getting-organized-vs-staying-organized-explained/

Episode 007 Digital Space vs. Physical Space Organizing

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/2-digital-space-vs-physical-space-organizing

Episode 016: Living with an Unorganized Partner: How to Avoid Frustration

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/16-step-3-decluttering-decluttering-your-home-for-a-happier-healthier-you/

—

The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!

Review full show notes and resources at

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast

Join our weekly email newsletter for all-things organizing & productivity delivered right to your inbox

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/quicklinks

Download your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss

Review the Transcript:

Hey there, welcome to our one year anniversary episode. Okay, if you are counting and following along, you probably noticed that this episode is labeled episode 54. And there's 52 weeks in the year. So how is this the one year anniversary episode? Well, we are calling our air date or episode, anniversary date, and that was January 30, of 2023. And this one is airing on January 29 2024. So this is as close as we get to the official one year of the podcast being released. So that is why this one is the one year and I'm so excited, I cannot believe it's been a whole year really, truly just went by so fast. We have now recorded 54 episodes, all original, we have not had any reruns. So truly, this entire year has all been original material. And we have we had 14 Total guests, we did a showcase of all of our 2023 guests back in the episode that got aired earlier, actually later in 2023. So you can go back to that. And it gives you a glimpse of all of the guests that we had for 2023. And there are topics for the entire year. So if you want a quick rundown of what topics we touched with our, with our guests, then you can head on over there and listen to that episode. I'll also put it in the show notes. So for this episode, since we already did a showcase of all of our guests, we're actually doing the top six questions that I had been asked in the last year from our community, people that messaged us to from the podcast, all of you listeners, some of you will message us and ask us for either tips or follow ups from some of the conversations. And so I picked, I basically put them all in one worksheet and then grabbed the top six ones that were asked the most. So I'm going to read through the questions, real quick questions, and then give you my take on that. And that's how we're going to celebrate this one year anniversary episode. Thank you all so much for being here. And being part of our community. And being a listener. We are a top 100 episodes, podcast in our field and in our industry, which is so exciting. And every week, I see the downloads just growing and growing. So I am forever thankful for all of you who have been here from the get go, but also the ones that have shared our episodes with your family, friends community and have joined us along the way. So thank you so much. You can always find us at the organized Flamingo over on the social media webs interwebs and say hello there. And hope I get to meet some of you in person as well. All right, so let's get to our top six questions that have come from all of you. Here we go. Welcome to the organized and productive podcast with organized Flamingo. I'm your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert, ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you. Yeah,

well, then let's go. For our first question, we've got the one on one of organizing questions, the one that I get asked the most, not just from the last year, but probably throughout my entire career. And the reason most people you know, end up hiring us, but even if they don't hire us, this is the part that really where people get really gets stuck. And that is where do I even start? And my answer to this is that this is such a classic for overwhelmed clients and people that are new to the organizing process, that I would suggest to break down the big task, the one that's overwhelming you. And big really is whatever it biggest for you. For some of you. A big organizing task is physically large, like a large room, a large area, like maybe a garage or a whole basement, maybe you're decluttering for your family and you're downsizing, big can be also a drawer. So whatever big and overwhelming feels to you that is something you're going to break down in smaller manageable steps, and then prioritize those projects based on what your needs are. We have here at the organized swimming go, we have our seven steps of organizing almost anything. And it is our framework that helps you answer this very question like how do I even break this down? So I am putting the seven steps of organizing almost anything in the show notes. Please listen to that episode if you if this question was relevant to you. And then from there, each of the steps we have seven steps. Each one has its own podcast, a podcast episode devoted to it. So step one, assessing step two, step three, all of them will have its own entire breakdown. But if anything, at least listen to the overview one and that will help you figure out So how can you break down this really large task and make it into more manageable steps? So it doesn't feel so overwhelming, and then go from there? The second question that we get asked the most, and God asked the most last year was, what storage solutions should I use? Oh, my goodness, if I showed you my inbox, especially the social media inboxes, where people will, you know, kind of just message you on a whim. You would be not surprised, maybe surprised at how many people ask this very question like, Okay, what is your most favorite? If you had to choose one? Storage Solution, one container? Which one? Would it be? Oh, my goodness, I cannot answer that in just a simple answer. Because it really depends, as a whole. So in the seven steps of organizing almost anything, we devote an entire step to containers and storage solutions, because of this very top question that gets asked, the short answer is, of course, that it depends. But just know that your storage solutions can and will probably change throughout your your life. Okay, so don't get so stuck on having one thing. What one of my top tips that I have for this, though, is because knowing that most people do change, organizing sort of illusions and containers, sometimes because they just wither away, especially in those areas, maybe outside areas, I mean, we hope that you get a really good item, right that like lasts forever and ever. But because a lot of these products do wither away my top, my top tip is just get something that is of good quality. Because even if they wither away, it's going to last you a long time. So that's a plus. But even if you are ready for change, and you don't necessarily need it to live a long life, that way you can resell it, either resell it or give it away and it just won't end up in the in the trash or landfill so easily. When you have a good quality product when it comes to storage solutions, you can at least get it get some value back in some way, shape or form, whether it's because you resold it, or you gifted it or gave it to somebody else that could use it again and again. So that would be one of my top answers for this. Get something of good quality that is within your budget that is within your needs. But that will last you as long as possible. The third question is how can I stay organized in the long run. So this actually came in very timely because we are doing our get versus stay organized series. As as I'm recording this, there is a concept called getting getting organized versus staying organized, which is two very different distinct actions when you're getting organized. Where getting organized is more project based. It's it's a short. It's a short project, I mean doesn't, it could be a long time project. But it's it has a middle, beginning, a middle and an end, right. It's a project where versus staying organized is all about habits and staying organized in the long run. So it's less project and more habits and more light, like the way that you live your life, the everyday actions that you make to stay organized versus just like a quick fix. So listen in on that it should be we are airing this in the one year anniversary and the get and stay organized series is within these episodes. So you should be easily able to find it. I'll also put it in the show notes. But to answer this question in this short episode, it basically has everything to do with developing sustainable systems that fit within your lifestyle, which is also known as habits, things that are very organic to the way that you move the way that you live. So what that means is don't necessarily force a system or a it's like something that you're trying to be if it doesn't feel natural, and if you don't think it's sustainable for you to keep up the habits. An example of this is we just talked about containers, right? Sometimes for trend, you know, for trend purposes, there's going to be a container or a style that's very, very popular. And let's say clear bins right for a long time, and those have been around for a long time. But they became they really got popularized in the last couple of years and so everybody loved them. But if you are someone that gets overwhelmed easily with visual clutter, then for you that might not work because that's just a lot a lot for you to to look at all the time and it overwhelms you instead of helping you get organized. Another example is for those of you who like having a labeling system that's very, that tells you where things go where things are supposed to go back to but for some People that is overwhelming, especially if you didn't create the system, then a label doesn't mean much for you, you have to actually embrace the label, understand what it means and then use it right or else that just won't mean anything. So that is my biggest tip for how to stay organized in the long run, develop something that is sustainable, that really works with your natural habits, and then build off of that over BJ Fogg in his book, and also atomic habits by James clear, BJ Fogg has the tiny habits. And both of those books are great books to pick up the top all about habit stacking, and really just doing little by little, which is something that we have tried and we understand, really is helpful when you build upon the habit like little by little by little, and then it just becomes part of who you are. Our first question is all about digital clutter. And someone like the someone specifically asked, How do I handle digital clutter. And then the other questions were a, like a branch off of that. So we'll just talk about digital clutter as a whole, right? digital clutter is very, very similar to physical clutter. And it means that you have so much stuff that you can't find what you need easily when you need it. And if you are at that place, then you have clutter, and it could be physical or digital clutter. And when it comes to digital clutter, it's such a, it's a hard one to see the, the red flags of you becoming clutter cluttered, because you can't see it, because digital files digital stuff doesn't really accumulate the same way visually, the way that physical stuff does. And there's actually an entire episode where we talk about physical clutter versus digital clutter. So I'll put that in the show notes as well. But because of that, you can really, really, that could like really start to accumulate in you don't even know it, there are no Telling Signs, until your program or your computer or your phone or your device says to you, hey, you ran out of storage, or something breaks because you just it's been running so hard. So how do you handle digital clutter, I would this is one of those places where I would really encourage you to have a maintenance calendar, and check in on your memory, and your hardware. So do this every quarter and commit to deleting say, you know, certain amount of files or getting to a certain amount of storage every single quarter. So let's say you know, your storage is one gig. So just make sure that every quarter, you are like no more than 75% of that, right. So that or whatever that magic number is depending it works a little different if you're using your phone versus your computer and stuff, but come up with something that that works for you and do a maintenance every so often and make sure you're under that threshold. So it doesn't all of a sudden surprise you and then you feel like you have to throw stuff away that you weren't even prepared to do so. And then also so it doesn't creep up so fast. And you can actually see where all your files are, you can do some quick decluttering by going to what your biggest files are, and then delete from there. That's obviously a really quick way you can also look for duplicates, of files of words, and then you know, declutter from there. So that would be my biggest step, have a maintenance schedule for your digital files, because those are the things that you don't see until they become a problem. Okay, the next question number five, was, and is one of our top questions. But I'm not fully equipped to answer it. But I'm including it in the podcast because we have a podcast episode from last year with Dr. Dar that talks about this, and we will address it again later this year with another guest. But the question is how can I deal with family resistance to change and the reason so we are equipped to work with the family unit. But once people hire us, it's because the family unit has agreed to get help. And to declutter and to clear out. We worked with a lot of families in that sandwich generation where there's a multigenerational decluttering going on, you know, they either inherited stuff from their family members are starting to inherit stuff, downsize, and they have their own stuff as well. That's the sandwich generation, you're kind of in the middle between raising your own family, yourself and then also your loved ones that may be like your older parents or elders. And so you're just kind of stuck in the middle and there's just a lot a lot of stuff. And when it comes to family resistance, so we we work with those types of families, but in order for all of the parties to come into a place where they're ready for this, there's a lot of pre work that happens and so that's why That's the part that we're not necessarily equipped to talk about. But I will give you one piece of advice that I have seen is very important. And the over 20 years of me doing this, right, and that is that you cannot force people to do things that they don't want to do. Especially if you're trying to make them change long term, you might push somebody to declutter throw away something in the near term, like in the short term, but their tendencies will come back, whether it's hoarding tendencies, whether it's, they just weren't ready emotionally to let go of stuff that will come back. And then you will be in the same cycle over and over unless you get to the root of the problem. So, you know, setting boundaries is really important telling your loved ones, hey, you know, these are my boundaries. But like I said, there is a whole episode where we talk about this with somebody who, who studies relationships and can guide you through that. But my tip as a pro organizer is don't force anybody do not hire somebody to help someone else that is not ready to get the help. When it comes to getting rid of their stuff, stuff has a lot of emotional value tied to it. So when they're not ready to let go of it, and you hire somebody that they don't even know, they may not be familiar with, that may make the whole problem worse. So I just don't want you to get stuck in that. So that would be my biggest advice for this question. The last question is, is there a magic organizing formula? And I chuckled. When I saw this question, it was the first time that I've gotten it, labeled like this, like, is there a magic organizing formula? And I chuckled, because I was like, I really like how that sounds, you know, just like this, like little magical, like God parent that comes in and just does it all? Okay? No, of course there is that. Here's the thing about organizing, organizing is sometimes mistaken as getting clean or getting tidy. Organizing does not mean you're clean, so that because of that, there's no just let's go and clean it all and make it sparkle. And it's all done and ready. Organizing is an action that will either need to be practice, you're not really born with it. Some of you have stronger tendencies to be more organized. Type as some of you call. And sure there is that. But to stay organized long term, it is a skill that needs to be practiced, learned and then practiced. So there is no one size fits all solution. There's no fairy godparent that comes in and just makes it all better. That's not quite how that works. Now organizers in our field and like pro organizers, we help you personalize and help you figure out something that will work for you. And that is our specialty, that is our talent. We find you know systems and create systems that will fit your very unique needs, which is something that sometimes you can't do on your own. So that's kind of like our magic, our magic formula, if you will, but it's not something that we can just bestow and it just goes away on like cleaning your stuff on like, getting rid of stuff just like that. I mean, that is just a junk Hall. And that is not organizing, that is a way to get to get more organized. But that is not organizing. So no, there is no one magic organizing formula. Some of us have created steps, like the seven steps of organizing almost anything that we have to help you. You know, break it down into smaller, smaller steps so that it just becomes easier to follow. But it's not a one size fits all type of

problem fixing here. Okay, so, So short answer no. But yes, some of us will have educational blogs and content that can help you so that you can understand it, you can embrace it, we can help you with some tips on how to get there on your own faster than if you were experimenting all over the place. So hopefully we can give you that and especially here at the organist when we know that is our hope for you to figure out a way that feels good for you that is sustainable in the long run. All right, so those are our top six questions of the year. Hope you enjoyed the this episode. A big shout out here to a couple of people really quick. This is like my academy award winning speech. So you know, feel free to stop the podcast here. But I think it is important. If you've been following us for a long time or even if you're new, just know that these are the people that make this podcast happen and the people that I'm really eternally grateful for who have supported us throughout the way and who encouraged us to keep going and encourage us to give you all of this amazing content, the first being Gaffin creative and Haley and her team who helped us out it and produce this podcast. They're just amazing. And we have Amanda Warfield who has helped me and introduced me to Haley and her team, but who has helped me with the content and just making sure that the content is what you want to hear and making sure that it flows and that it's relevant topics that are coming in, when you need them the most. So thank you so much, Amanda. And then, uh, my family and my friends, my husband, I mean, he, I think this whole process of recording a podcast is also something new for the people that are around you, especially to like, live with you, right? Because here, I am always telling him don't open the garage door, because you can hear it when I'm recording or, Hey, I'm recording between this and this hour, can you not use the internet, so make sure that the guest and I have the best audio, you know, all these things. So he is he's along on the journey with me. So thanks to him so much, and love import, and my besties who are always encouraging me giving me some new ideas on what to talk about how to talk about it. So thank you, thank you so much. Yeah, and to all of you, our awesome community that downloads the podcast that comes back and encourage us encourages us to keep going who head on over the blog post and read. You know all about our guests and about what we talked about. Thank you so much for your visits for your downloads for your encouragement. We are so excited here at the organized Flamingo to continue this podcast. For however long you'll have us and to continue helping you in your organizing journey. So with that being said, Have a great day until next week. Happy organizing. Thank you for listening to the organized and productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here are full show notes and resources head on over to the organized flamingo.com/podcast Happy organizing

In this special episode, we take a reflective journey through the insightful conversations we've had this year with our guests.  We revisit the highlights and key takeaways from our esteemed guests who shared their wisdom on productivity, organizing, and the pursuit of a fulfilling lifestyle.

We hope these conversations continue to inspire you on your journey towards a more intentional, organized, and fulfilling life.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Suzanne Orlando: 

Episode 003: Mental Health and Organizing with Suzanne Orlando 

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/3-mental-health-and-organizing-with-suzanne-orlando/

Caroline Bower:

Episode 005: Set Yourself Up for Success With a Capsule Wardrobe

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/5-set-yourself-up-for-success-with-a-capsule-wardrobe

Tomesha Campbell:

Episode 007: Organize  Your Way to a Healthier Kitchen with Tomesha Campbell

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/organize-your-way-to-a-healthier-kitchen-with-tomesha-campbell/

Magdalena Mendez

Episode 009: Organization with flair: How to have a stylish and tidy home

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/9-organization-with-flair-how-to-have-a-stylish-and-tidy-home/

Susie Castellanos Hansley

Episode 011: The Science of Procrastination: Why We do It and How to Stop It with Susie Castellanos Hansley

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/11-the-science-of-procrastination-why-we-do-it-and-how-to-stop-with-susie-castellanos-hansley/

Kate Hufnagel

Episode 013: Untangling the Web: How to Practice Good Digital Hygiene

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/13-untangling-the-web-how-to-practice-good-digital-hygiene/

Kristy Krugh

Episode 015: The Pros and Cons of Subscribing to Email Lists

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/15-the-pros-cons-of-subscribing-to-email-lists/

Dr. Dar

Episode 017: Living with an Unorganized Partner: How to Avoid Frustration

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/17-living-with-an-unorganized-partner-how-to-avoid-frustration/

Eboni Creighton

Episode 019: Finding Your Summer Groove: Staying Organized During the Long Break

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/19-finding-your-summer-groove-staying-organized-during-the-long-break/

Jennifer Bassman

Episode 021: Avoiding Burnout and Achieving Mindful Organization with Jennifer Bassman

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/21-avoiding-burnout-and-achieving-mindful-organization-with-jennifer-bassman

Adria Thompson

Episode 023: Navigating Dementia: Practical Organizing Tips for Caregivers

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/23-navigating-dementia-practical-organizing-tips-for-caregivers/

Sabrina Runbeck

Episode 025: Defining Productivity: Actionable Steps from Sabrina Runbeck

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/25-defining-productivity-actionable-steps-from-sabrina-runbeck

Monica Monfre

Episode 030: Teacher Talk: Monica Monfre’s Advice for Staying Organized in the Classroom

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/30-teacher-talk-monica-monfres-advice-for-staying-organized-in-the-classroom/

Julie Hood

Episode 047: Setting Your Workspace Up for Success with Julie Hood 

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/47-setting-your-workspace-up-for-success-with-julie-hood/

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The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!

Review full show notes and resources at

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast

Join our weekly email newsletter for all-things organizing & productivity delivered right to your inbox

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/quicklinksDownload your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss

This week, Stephanie dives into her favorite products of the year. As a certified professional organizer, Stephanie shares her top 10 products that have either changed her perspective or have been consistently effective in her organizing work. From versatile bins to space-saving storage solutions, Stephanie covers a range of items that she has found invaluable in helping people create efficient systems in their lives. Whether it's for the garage, small living spaces, hobbies, the kitchen, digital organization, or other universal needs, Stephanie provides insightful recommendations for products that have stood out in 2023. 

In this episode we talk about:

• Must-Have Items for a Clutter-Free Space
• Tried and trusted products we found during this year
• Recommendations for products of good quality and practicality for reuse

Mentioned in this Episode:

Please note that we may earn commissions when you purchase through our links.  We only suggest, refer and recommend products we actually use or would recommend to our closest friends.  

Google Referral Program

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/GoogleWorkspace

Our Amazon Storefront

www.amazon.com/shop/theorganizedflamingo

—

The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or are constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!

Review full show notes and resources at

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast

Join our weekly email newsletter for all-things organizing & productivity delivered right to your inbox

https://theorganizedflamingo.com/quicklinks
Download your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss

Review the Transcript:

Hey organized and productive listeners and community. Welcome to our next episode here of the podcast. I'm Stephanie, your host, and welcome. If anybody is new welcome, I'm so happy that you're here. Today we are talking all about my favorite products of 2023. But more specifically, the you know, I'm not, I'm not in the business of influencing you to use a particular product. I'm actually the opposite of that. I am a CPO, Certified Professional Organizer. My whole goal and my values lie on making sure that that whatever systems you use are optimal to how you lead your life like he's had doesn't have to be with a product, I am also not married to one particular product or brand, I actually make it a very strong point to not be influenced by that because I never want that to be the reason that I suggest a product to you, or don't suggest one at all. So this list is all about my favorites that either are new to me this year that I have, like changed the way that I think about something, or I've been using through and through. And they just made the list again this year. Okay.

So these are all products that I use in the organizing world, whether with my clients or myself. And there's just happened to be my favorites for this year. So let's get to it. Welcome to the organized and productive podcast with organized Flamingo. I'm your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert, ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you. Yeah, well, then let's go. So in typical format, I like to give you a table of contents, if you will, so that you know what's coming for the episode. So for this year, I've got 10 products that I'd like to highlight. And these are in no particular order. So I've got the 10 that I'll talk to you about. I've got them labeled and organized in the typical area or spot that you would normally like use them under or in. But some of these products that I'll talk about it when I talk about each of them can be used in multiple rooms, it just happens to be the you know, I'll I'll kind of name it off based on the area that you would normally use that product in. And but again, these can be interchanged for different things. And I'll talk about that. And there's 10 total. So let's go first one is going to be bins and the bins, I actually didn't put them under a space because you can use bins wherever. And my favorite bin for this year, there's actually two.

One is the black bin like the black and yellow bins at Costco, I'm not going to name the brand because each region area changes a little bit. Right now I think they've got a consistent to Maker production company that makes them but it's not always the case. So I just don't want to name off that brand. Because if you listen to this a couple months later, and they decide to use a different brand than it won't be the same and you will be looking for something that doesn't exist. But basically the black and yellow lids, their black bins and then yellow lids from Costco. If you don't have a Costco membership, or in your region, you just don't have one at all. Really, honestly, most black bins with the yellow lids are really good. And I recommend them for multiuse. But here's what I want you to look for, which is why I like the Costco ones, the food grade because they can be interchanged for so many different things.

You can put your food in there, you could you know, if you go camping, you can use it to organize your stuff in your garage, just the critters will be less likely to get in there because they just the material is a little bit hardier. They're meant as food grey types, so you can use them in your kitchen in your restaurant. There's just so many uses for these. I'm also a big proponent of purchasing items that are of good quality. And if they're priced, right, that's a big bonus but good quality so that if you need to resell it, or reuse it or give it away to somebody else, there's still some life in it. And it just doesn't end up in the landfill right away. And so these types of bins tend to be in that in that category where they can be just used and reused. I've had I've had some my own personal ones for years. So you know highly recommend them under the same category of bins and bins that I would recommend Are any of the clear totes that already have the lids attached to the bin. Costco happens to have some as well but they don't have to be from Costco. Several stores carry these. I love them because you don't have to lug around the lid. You know so many lids get lost this way. So I'm a big proponent of any of those clear bins that you can just fold they have two sides of a lid and then you could just fold them in. I will say that the reason I have two bins this year is because these types of bins that I just talked about that Have more of the hinges and you close in and out.

They're not as weatherproof or critter proof if you will, because there's gaps in the hinges of the lids right they don't just snap on the way that the other more conventional one lid and it just has a snap on the sides type of bins do these will inevitably have more cracks that the elements can get into. So that's why you just want to make sure you have two types of choices. But what I love about this is if you have the type of space where you're always losing bins or you need a little bit more wiggle room because some of your items are taller and you can't close the lid and so then some of you will put the lid to the side and then it gets lost this way you can play around with the items inside the bin. If you can't close it, that's okay you're not going to lose the lid. So that's what I want to give you two types of options this year. A product that I really would recommend and that I you know you could check out and see which one works for you. Our next section here is the garage and or shed or any space where you keep your sporting equipment and more specifically, there is a product a bike pulley product that we ended up using this year that I absolutely loved it we use it on a personal basis I have seen it in clients is spaces as well. So I can attest that other people have used it as well but we installed it for ourselves and I love it. It also goes in line with going vertical I'm always talking about use your vertical space don't just think about shelving and the floor think about what can you hang from your ceiling or roof or top areas. Of course making sure that you have you can do that and you have the space and the sturdiness of of the walls and the ceilings to do that.

But always think vertical like can you hang something can you take something from the top and then that way eliminating having to put clutter the flooring space in the shelving space So always think vertical if you can and this is one of those products that covers that space. We are using it for two adult bikes and three adult bikes excuse me, and they're wonderful. They've they've stood there for a couple of weeks now I have seen it in other clients as house where they used it for adult heavier bikes and it worked great. So this police system that I have in the shownotes is the one that I'm recommending for this year. Okay next up in the small spaces RV living room or anywhere you want to maximize the space category is our two items.

One is this automatic storage that is collapsible, I'm sure maybe you've seen them around. But this one I got at The Container Store you if you don't have a Container Store, you can also get one at Amazon. But this one in particular I loved because I think they've started they've perfected I just remember getting some of these Ottomans in the past and they were very flimsy. You couldn't even stay sit on it. And I think they've just they've been perfecting their formula on building these types of Ottomans and I'm very happy with them this year. We I used him for a client where we set his RV up and it was great because it's lightweight. So you know heavier furniture in RV is not always great because you have to lug around your RV or you have to pull it so the more weight that you add to the RV, the less efficient it will be so you really do want to keep it as lightweight as possible but yet sturdy. And this Ottoman fit that category and also they could just put like you know extra stuff in the in the storage area because it's a sit down like an ottoman type of sit down.

They come in single squares or rectangle like a little bit bigger. So they come in different sizes and it was just wonderful because then you can also collapse it when you're on the road you can put it away so it's up to you. A lot of uses with this automate. I'll put it in the show notes. I got mine, the one for this client at The Container Store. But I know there's a few variations of it on Amazon and other websites as well. And then the second one under the same category is a shoe holder for this one we got from IKEA but you can again get it for most places. Now I will say that this shoe holder cabinet is the plastic type. It's very lightweight. I've only been able to see it like here. I don't know if they have a patent on it or something but the only one that I saw that was this lightweight and didn't get like the lids didn't get stuck was the one at IKEA. And so you can put it wherever to store your shoes.

And it's very slim. It's very thin, so efficient with space you can put it in hallways and areas like those. And so this shoe Holder was my favorite. Again you can use it you can get it at different places. But when it comes to whether RVs or small spaces you want to think about the efficiency of the space and how much the item actual actually weighs. All right, so let's move right along to hobbies. And this one item I really enjoyed. We've we've personally been using this item I've seen it been being used in different ways. But the puzzle storing system like a place where you can store your puzzle pieces, when you're not working on the puzzle, I loved them, I really thought it was a very like now the felt like they come in different sizes. And I just think there's just more variations to them. And again, kind of like the ottoman, I think this is a product that has been gone has gone through different reiterations. And this year, or as of lately, those products just seem to be better. And so I think for all of you who have hobbies, like puzzles, like you're like to build things, and you need to put them away, at the end of the day, or at the end of whatever you're working on that item I think like a table like this, that you can put something over it like a map or something like a cover over it and you can safely put it away so you can come back to it whenever is a great system to help you stay organized.

And you're not just having to always have to like put everything away at the end of the day and then not know where things are or you're using random places or you're occupying, you know, different boxes and things in little pieces get lost. I think this is this type of table is really good for Legos and puzzles and arts and crafts. So you just put the cover over it, put it away, it's very sleek, very thin, so it fits under, most like under like most furniture pieces like if you need to put them away for the evening, under the coffee table or wherever it may be. All right, we've got three more areas to cover with four products. First is the kitchen for the kitchen. My favorite product of this year was the M design. Standing the stackable bottle storage rack. It goes by different names. But basically it's this organizer where you can organize all of the those around, drink like containers. So water bottles, you can do you can do wine, you can put them in the fridge, you can utilize it for almost anything that's round, the drinkable kind of containers that are always running around and like in your cabinet.

Loved this product this year, there are different variations of it online, different makers make this so you will probably need to play around with the type of product that you like and would be best for your cabinet. But the reason I'm highlighting em designs is because it was the sturdiest. And for me that's really important for clients. Because well, you don't want things to be wobbly or feel like it's cheap material, you know. So this was by far the the kind of the best product for the price and for most cabinets. Now let's shift over to the digital world, though digital side of organizing. And I'm going to highlight one particular set of products that I really enjoyed and would recommend, there were my favorite for 2023. And that's the Google workspace lineup of family of products. Very important here. I do work with different types of digital spaces and products and platforms. Microsoft Office, Google workspace, some clients have their just have their own. And so I'm familiar with the you know, the popular ones out there. But the reason I'm highlighting the Google products is because they're really doing a good job with linking each of their products together so that they work. Even for even with people that don't have the platform.

So you tie like your spreadsheets together, or maybe your Word document to another, the Google Sheets or for your notes page, right. So they all can actually interchangeably work together, you can link them together. I used it a lot to organize my podcast actually. So I loved it. I loved using it for my own personal preferences. But I really do think that they've done a great job of tying all of their products together. And it's accessible to those that don't necessarily, you know, have the paid version. So somebody that just uses the regular Google free account, can use it as much as the person who uses it for business and pays for the for the workspace and for the business platform side of it. So I love any product that allows people to use it regardless of if they have a paid version or not.

So for me, Google just has done a really good job with that. I'm not recommending it now. But I do want to say something really quick that I'm not just recommending it because I'm in the referral program. I actually became I got into the referral program because I liked this aspect of Google. So really for for this, the digital product recommendation is really, for me, it's just all about accessibility, and making it available to anyone and everyone just regardless of what type of device that they use. Regardless of, you know if they're due if they have a paid version or not, so that to me is really important, especially in the digital world that it's accessible to all as much as possible. So good job for the Google products. That is my preferred one for this are the 2023. And going into 2024, under Project Management, and digital organizing. Remember, they

do have everything from Google, like Google Photos, where you can store or you can store your digital files as well, not just photos, but like your digital files.

So you can use it for files for work like spreadsheets, and they got their docks and so the list goes on. But you can they have, you don't have to use them all. And you can also use them independently of each other. All right, so under the category of other and just very universal type of products that I would recommend and wear my favorite for this year are. One is the acrylic tape that I've actually talked about this product for many, many years. It acrylic tape is a double sided tape that you can use to tape things to things to things to walls to do you know physical products, physical places. The reason I like this acrylic tape is it's the one that is most versatile, depending regardless of where what temperature you're using it in. So you know, if you're especially in Arby's, or maybe in garages, or places where the weather fluctuates a lot, this type of acrylic tape is great. So if you it's more I prefer this one more than your typical double sided like three M type of tape. Sorry, three M, I know you have a great product and love your hooks, but your tape, oh man, the one that comes with the hooks. Not the best, not the greatest.

So I really prefer the acrylic tape, I have a link in the show notes where you can find that different brands have it available. But it's just dirtier and it's easy to peel off to and weatherproof. So it's a win win for me. So that's one of my favorite products. And I know it's not technically an organizing product. But it is because if you're you know you're adhering things to the walls or the you know, you need it to like your hooks and to organize some of the products that you use to organize. So it's kind of like related, so that's why I put it under the other category. And for the last product, it's these extra large storage bags. I've actually been using these bags for numerous years. If you're following us on Instagram, I've talked about these bags for many years now. It's these oversized moving bags, they're technically I guess, they are known to be used as moving bags.

They're heavy duty, they're like square rectangle really big. And they just have become more mainstream. And people have used them a little bit more for multiple uses, uses like storing things, not just carrying and moving things. But these have been my favorites for a long time. Because they're sturdy, they're reusable, they're easy to clean. I've just had really good luck with them. My clients have loved them, when they move they get them they're very lightweight, they're multifunctional, usable, so they can use them for sporting events. But then if they need to move, they just use these bags. Also for our viewers, it's great because you can fold it on like storage bins that you know, they take up more more room, they're sturdy, you don't like heavier, they're not really collapsible. And then also remember how I said earlier than in small spaces and or like RVs weight has a lot to do with it like weight in the space. So these are just lightweight, you can just fold them and put it away in a cabinet and then then take them out when you need them. So these extra large storage bags, they're waterproof. They're just really sturdy. The thing that you want to look into is that the seems that the stitching is really well done. That's kind of one of like the secret sauce, if you will of these types of bags versus other type of like plastic tote bags.

Okay, so these are some of our favorites that really stood out in 2023. That if you'd like to try out or you are in search or need of maybe look into these and see if they would work for you. If you have a product that you want us to try. You haven't yet you've heard things about it, let us know. I'm always trying out things for clients. And for people in the community. Like if they say, Hey, have you used this? And if I haven't, I will put it up to the test and let you know what I think so if you have a recommendation, let us know send us a message at Hello at the organized flamingo.com. You can also head on over to Instagram, the socials, all the things and reach us there. So with that being said, we're off. Until next time. Thank you for listening to the organized and productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here. For full show notes and resources head on over to the organized flamingo.com/ This podcast Have you organizing.

This week we dive into the world of planners and help you find the perfect one for your needs. We explore the different types of planners, whether digital or paper, and share essential factors and considerations to keep in mind when choosing the right planner. Whether you're a seasoned planner or a beginner looking to get organized, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help you make the most out of your planning journey. Let's get started on this organized and productive adventure!

In this episode we talk about:

• Characteristics of Paper Planners and Digital Planners
• Making the Most out of Your Planner
• The Importance of Habits in Using a Planner

Mentioned in this Episode:

Episode 010: Note-Taking Made Easy: The Different Styles You Need to Know

Episode 002: Digital Space vs. Physical Space Organizing

Episode 007: 7 Steps to Organizing (almost) Anything

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The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!

Review full show notes and resources at

Join our weekly email newsletter for all-things organizing & productivity delivered right to your inbox

Download your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss

Review the Transcript:

Hey friends, welcome to organized and productive the Podcast. Today we are diving into the world of planners. This is one of those tools that everyone knows about in the organizing industry, that people just correlate as Oh, you're organized, you probably have a planner, or oh, I need to get organized, I probably need a planner. So this is an important tool as part of the organizing journey. It's also not a necessary tool. But if you are getting one, you do love one or you're thinking about one, then this episode is for you. So whether you're a seasoned planner, or someone stepping into the world of organization, for the first time, choosing the right planner is going to be a game changer. But you also just need to ask yourself the questions if you even need one. And in this episode, we are going to cover that we are also going to cover both digital planner versions and paper planner versions. So we are talking about both. And also a very important note, I don't want you to miss it, it has to do with habits. Okay, so make sure you listen to the whole episode. And let's get right to it. Welcome to the organized and productive podcast with organized Flamingo. I'm your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert, ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you. Yeah, well, then let's go.

For our new listeners, we usually like to start these solo episodes with a table of contents. So I just give you a heads up on what's to come. So that way you can plan accordingly. And you know, there's a flow. I mean, we're organized people here. So it's in our nature. So we'll start a little bit with one of those like introductions just so that you know what we're talking about today. And we're all starting on the same page. No pun intended, then we will talk about the types of planners will talk about the factors to consider the factors and considerations of the characteristics of a planner, and will slightly very quickly touch upon the making the most out of your planner, this is actually an entirely like a whole conversation that I want to reserve for one of our upcoming guests. Okay, so I'll touch about on that really quick. But I'll just just know that there's a bigger conversation with that. And then there's a tip here in the quick thing about habits and I don't want you to miss. So we'll talk about that. And then right after that, we'll do a recap of the episode. Okay, so first things first is picking how like why is it so important to pick the right planner? Why is there so many of them? I don't know about you. But I'm sure you've noticed, I know, I've noticed that there has been a growth and the number of planners, both digital and paper that are available to us. There's different versions, sometimes they're very similar, it's just some have a different vibe, a different look, visually, they feel different.

So now there's so much more to choose from, so that it fits your personality. And that really is why there's so many out there. At the core, the planner has some very some essentials, which I'll talk about in the next section here. But there's so many out there and it has grown in how many careers we don't make one because it's supposed to fit your personality, it's supposed to act as a tool that fits into your lifestyle. So you're not forcing yourself to a planner, it's supposed to be the other way around. The tool is supposed to work for you according to your life, the life that you're in right now the one that you are trying to goal or plan for and your personality, it's supposed to be, you know, encouraging, and whatnot. So that's why there's so many because everyone has a different personality, and we're all being faced, or we're going through very different parts of our lives. So just naturally, based off of that, we all don't fit into just one box, or two or three. So now we have options. But with options comes overwhelmed. And that is what I'm trying to avoid. That's what I'm trying to help you with, so that you pick the right one that fits your needs.

Because I think choices are amazing and wonderful. And we should have plenty of them. It's up to you to make sure that you know what you're looking for so that it doesn't become overwhelming. So what should you look for in a planter? More, I'm actually going to talk less about my opinion, like what I think you should because there's a lot of you that listen to this. So I don't know you on a personal basis. So I'm going to give you more of the characteristics that are out there. And then you just listen in and take note of what what you're gravitating towards based on your personality or what your goals are, and then go from there. Of course if we if you want me to help you cure aid or pick a planner for you, then let me know, send us a message. And then we can help you with that on a more one on one basis. So this is just more, hey, this is what's out there, I'll kind of insert some of my tidbits of opinion. But there really is no right or wrong, it's just options. So the first is going to be the size in. And actually, let's let me back up for just a second, I'm going to start with the characteristics of a paper planner.

And then I'm going to name the characteristics of a digital planner. And then I will end with the commonalities of characteristics that I think you should look for, regardless of what type of planner you get sidenote really quick is we do have a an episode where we talked about digital space versus physical space organizing. And we actually talked about this very thing as part of the podcast where what are things that you should look out for when you're going back and forth between the physical paper world and the digital world. So if you're interested in this, I will put it in the show notes. And then yeah, that this will help with this conversation too. So first is going to be the size for a paper planner. There's you know, paper comes in different sizes, it could be a range to what you're looking for, there's everything from the pocket, like the mini the pocket, you know, the ones that go in a pocket like a T shirt or shirt pocket. Very well known for project management construction, people that are out and about all of you creatives that are paper napkin idea, writers, you know, you need something really quick, those are the types of planners that that are meant for you, you know, they go into a pocket, they go into your pants pocket or whatever, maybe you've got your your mini so your medium pockets, or that you've got your personal planners, you've got like an a five, and then from there, we go into like the a five, a four here in the US, which are sizes of paper.

Basically, if a print shop can print it, that is an option for you. Okay, so there's everything from the letter from the legal size, there are endless amounts, but but take into consideration the size, it will fit wherever you need it to go. Well, you know, if you want to put it in your pocket, you won't be getting a big notebook, it doesn't make sense. And so on and so forth. So take the size into consideration. Second on our list is the paper style or the planner style? Which means Do you want a ring binder? Do you want a notebook? Do you want it to be spire like a hardcover? Do you want it to have to be binded on the side on this top? So it's really all about the style and how you like to open it? How do you naturally do you like to rip out the pages if so you will need it to be perforated and things like that. So think about the paperwork style number three and number four out of our six for paper planners are going to be the same but different. And it's about weight. One is specific to paper weight, and the other is the total weight.

So the paper weight will it has to do with the paper type. So heavier paper will obviously be heavier when you add it all up. But the reason I separate them is because there are planners out there that will have dit for the different sections and the different sections like the maybe the monthly calendar versus the daily calendar section of your planner, they might be different weights in you just have to decide if that's important to you. Some of you are paper aficionados like you know your paper and you know the pen to paper combination, and you know what you like you'd like it to feel a certain way to sound a certain way. So if you're that type of person, then paper weight is going to be really important. And then if you want it to be all the same, or are you okay if different sections of your planner have a different weight to the paper, so that's going to be important. The fourth is also about weight but now we're talking about the total weight and that means just what it sounds like How heavy are you wanting this thing to be?

Naturally for the most part desktop type of calendars and planners like the you know, the really the big ones will be heavier because they they stay on your desk on your table so that you know weight will be less probably important. Then for some of you who are always on the go and you need your planner to go with you at all times. So weight will be very important. This is where you get to decide also with the size with the first tip that I mentioned, how big do you want it to be? There are some beautiful heavy paper type of planners that are very small. So one does not affect the other like it could be a very light, bigger spiral tie As a planner, and it can be very light because the the paper is thin, you know, it's thinner. And then there's also planners that are small and mini and pocket that have heavy paper that are heavier than you would expect. Because some people choose to have, you know, nicer, heavier style paper. So that's all, that's what we're talking about when we talk about paper weight versus the total weight. Okay, I talked very quickly about this under our number two with paper style, but it's all about the binding. What type of binding Do you like, for some of you, you that's going to be very important because if you're putting it in your backpack, or your briefcase, and you get a spiral planner that has very thick, you know, binding, then it might not work, it might not close, it might be uncomfortable.

If you're left handed, and the binder has a spirals that kind of getting in the way when you're writing, that's going to be a problem. Now, speaking of which hand you which is your dominant hand, pay attention to that, because well, that's obviously important. You don't want it to get in the way, most of you left handers. You This is not new to you, you probably understand this very well. But just wanted to mention it, just as you're picking up the right planner that that that may be important. So it's all about binding, do you want it if you live in a hot climate, I'll tell you something. I've had a couple clients like CEO level clients, we were shopping for planners, so it was very important to them. And we went out and they decided to get a binder that you could tear out the pages like glued type of binder, and planner, and it it didn't melt fully, but they went to a very hot place like the beach type of place. And they left it in the sun and the glue started to melt. Not fully but just enough that it was awkward.

And now you know just kind of damage the shape. So pay attention to those types of things. Same thing with the binding. If you have a spiral, like, like has wires on it, and they get hot to the touch, if it has accessories that get hot to the touch that might be important to you. So take that into consideration with binding. And if that's going to be important. The last part for our paper section of things to consider is all about boundaries, meaning separators and tabs. boundaries for some people are important separation is important. You want to separate the different sections of your planner, they don't all come with tabs and separators. Sometimes you will have to add your own, is that important to you? Does it need to be part of the binding? Does it need to come with it, there are planners out there that don't come with any separators. And some people like to add their own with some sticky notes or some sticky tabs that they create on their own.

That is of course up to you. But take that into consideration because there are some planners that get bound together. And then it's really hard to add, you know, anything that you may need to separate it with. So take that into consideration. Okay, so now let's talk about your digital type of planners, and what to consider, I've got four tips on what you should look out for when you're shopping around and picking for the right digital planner. And then at the end of this, I have one tip that applies to both the paper and digital. Okay, so the first thing is all about access with digital organizing anything digital applications, digital tools, it's all about how are you going to access it because not everything will be accessible to you. If you're not connected to the internet. For instance, if you are in different countries, different locations, that will red flag, your app app or application or whatever it may be, you might not be able to get into it. So consider your location and consider if you will need some kind of internet and how you will be accessing it like is it on an iPad, like a tablet type more of your phone or your computer? Which is the three most popular ways to access digital planners? And which one of those what do you need access on all of them? And so think about that, like how are you accessing this planner?

There are planners out there that you can buy their templates, and then they fit into the application that you're using whatever it may be OneNote, Evernote, there's countless of them out there. So how are you you know, or you will download it and then they will create a template for you or are you creating your own, but whatever however it is that you're accessing it just that's the thing you need to consider like how do I need internet? Do I need to be at a desktop to download it and upload it? So think about that. How are you going to access it? Our next section is about size. And it's very different than your paper planner because this type of size and story It is all about how much storage and size it takes on the device you will be using something to think about, is it something that you will need to download, and therefore it occupies space on your tablet, your phone, your computer? Or is it web based, this is a very important part of you choosing your digital planner, right? Sometimes, some of these types of planners, they come with these really cool fine ways for you to adorn and make it all fun and cool and to your personality.

But all of those gifts and stickers, and different colors and brushes, they all add up to using storage. So take that into consideration, you might not have enough or it may your phone or your tablet, especially those two will give you errors because you may not have enough storage on your computer to but you know, those are the ones that I see the airs on the most. So take that into consideration. How much space will this digital planner take? And are you okay with that? Are you prepared? Do you have enough? This next tip are number three out of the four for digital planners is all about what are your options with printing or and or accessing outside of the digital space. Now, before you roll your eyes and say to me, but wait, this is a digital planner, I don't want a paper, I don't want the paper. That is exactly the point. I understand that I do. The thing about technology and paper to To be frank, is that it's still a little bit unpredictable. So if you were to lose the data on your planner, do you have some kind of backup? Do you need to print the important stuff, appointments or whatever confirmations that you're putting in the planner?

So that's kind of what I'm talking about. So it's almost like your options for backup really. So maybe it's not options for printing, but it's options for a backup? What do you have? In the end? Do you even need to back it up? Okay, there's a whole conversation we will have on a different episode about important making the most out of your planner and the important things out of making the most out of your planner, we will talk about storage and backing it up back in your data both for your your paper planner and your digital planner. So we'll go into detail then. But until we get to that episode, I just want you to at least consider what happens if the data gets lost? Or is it? Is it a big deal to you. And if it is let's talk about option B and C and D. The last tip for the digital planners is how are you navigating it. So something I want you to consider is that for a digital planner, it unlike its cousin, the plan, the paper planner, it's really one page at a time or one screen at a time. I know there's planners out there that you can zoom out and see the bigger picture. But it's only one screen. Whereas with paper planners, you can kind of quickly go from one to the other, you know the pages or you can you can print them out and lay them out if you need to and or perforate or cut it. So with the digital version, you don't have as much of that necessarily.

So just think about that. If you're one of those people that needs to flip back and forth often, then make sure that the digital planner allows you to do that. For instance, with Google, their planner like calendar, there are different tabs that you can open at the same time if you're on the desktop version. If you have their app versions, sometimes you have to download the sister applications and apps so that you can see multiple things at once. So just consider how are you going from one page to the other? And does that feel good to you? For our last tip that applies to both the digital and paper versions is thinking about the layout what type of layout Do you want? This no matter what type of planner you will need to think about this? Do you want it to be a daily planner a monthly a day you know, an hourly minutes, etc? How do you want it to lay out there's also bullet journals and blank journals which are a planner type of journal meaning you can then create draw or in import if it's a digital one, the sections that you want and even for the paper ones you can just buy that either stickers or templates that paste you can just cut and paste or glue or in a spiral you can just insert like the Happy Planner they have the inserts where they come in perforated or already you pick your binding and they just kind of clip in. So that is going to be really important because that will help you figure out what type of planner is out there.

There are some creators that make planners that are the way they are. You know they don't change they're not Really, I mean, they have a couple of options for you to pick from, you can pick from the daily the monthly, but the layout of the entire planner is set in stone. So instead of stone, I say that loosely because you can always make whatever you want out of your planner, but you know, it's meant to be used as prompts, they kind of navigate the planner for you. And the next steps for you, especially in goal oriented type of planners. So those are kind of set in stone, whereas a blank or bullet journal has way more flexibility. But if that seems exhausting to you, you need prompts. You don't want to be creating your own planner here, you're just you're you need it to have the boxes and the calendar and the outline. If you need that, then obviously that will be important. So think about the layout, which what do you need for your goals, and then go from there, as part of this section slash kind of like getting towards the end. And what I mentioned earlier about a really important note, I want you to think about okay, and that is about the habit of using a journal planner, calendar type of situation. Okay, so for a second to last section here, let's talk about creating the most or making the most out of your planner, I have a whole entire episode that's coming up about this with someone who is a professional in this area. And so I don't want to go too deep into it. So I was almost thinking, you know, this is just like sidenote, and behind the scenes. I almost took this whole section out out of this conversation, because if I'm not going to talk about it, then why even talk about it or mention it, but I think it's important, okay, so I at least want you to have like a little sticky note about this of something to consider. And that means that the planner is supposed to be a tool that you use for your goals and to plan out plan out whatever XYZ fill in the blank.

So consider things like time blocking, or you at a time blocker type of person, you're looking for more productivity planner, do you need it to be more of a reminders like you need it to remind you on the hour every hour, 15 minutes before it meeting starts for the digital planners, etc. Think about those types of things, okay? Because that will be really important when you're picking a planner, you also want to be setting yourself up with realistic goals and prioritizing your tasks on this planner. So that is going to be an important factor in when you're trying to pick one. You know, is this for a project? Is this for like a more like a travel savings type of planner in journal? Or is this your everyday go to lifeline type of planner, the one that you go to as soon as you wake up, you start your day? Or is this more of a project. So think about the goals you will be trying to achieve with this planner and go from there as a continuation of what I just talked about. And making the most out of your planner is this next section before our recap or reminder, and this is what I didn't want you to miss from this episode. If you take anything away from today's episode, it's going to be this. And that is that your planner is supposed to be a tool that helps you achieve XYZ goal, fill in the blank goal. As part of using any tool for your goals.

There is also the habit that you need to create to use that tool for your goal. If that makes sense. It can get a little confusing sometimes for people like Wait, isn't this supposed to make me more organized? And yes, in theory, but there's a very important step that comes well before that. And that is you need to understand that you need to create a habit of using this planner so that it can work for you. Because if not then the other the other side will happen where you are tied to this planner that isn't helping you achieve anything in particular and when you're sometimes using it and sometimes not and you don't have any emotional connection to it, you will stop using it which is what I see all the time and it bums me out because I know how much people want to be able to use a planner and have it be it's you know their lifeline to whatever project they're trying to achieve a goal. But if you don't have a clear goal as to why you're using the planner and a plan on how you will be using this planner, then it will it will fail on you.

This is where I insert the hashtag habits or category of habits. Learning to use a a planner properly requires you to make a habit of it. If you bought the planner that looks really pretty and cute you download did whatever method you're using. And you're, you're watching yourself really not not using it after a while, it's because you didn't create a habit to begin with. So there's two, there's two things that I would, I would give you suggestions for this one, if you don't want to be creating a holding habit, like it just seems like a lot of work. Figure out what your natural tendencies are, we talk about this in the seven steps of organizing almost anything, and really a big framework for us here at the organized Flamingo. And that's working with the natural movements and the natural lifestyle that you lead. So if you are always at a desktop, or like a desk, using a desktop, then for you, that is naturally how you do like, why would you get something that goes against that if naturally, you're at your desk all the time? If you're always on the go, then why would you get something that ties you down to a desk, you will never create a habit of opening that really heavy planner, because you don't have a place to put it. It's heavy, it's cumbersome, you're always forgetting it. So create the habit first, or just use whatever habits you're already using now, like what is part of your daily life, if you're trying to create a new habit, that's an entirely different conversation.

This really comes into play with planners that have to do with physical health, mental health, those types of planners, those are the types that you have to remember to take action on something. So it's almost like you're planning to use the planner, which is really funny, because you might need a planner to plan to plan with the planner inside the planner, you know, but that's a different conversation. And that is all about creating new habits. So if you want to go down that rabbit hole, definitely low, you know, do some research, we've got some habit experts that are coming in to the podcast in the next couple of episodes and for 2024. So hang on tight for that one. But if you can't wait, then you know and you see yourself, always failing to use the planner, you might need to create a new habit and work on that first. And then use the tool to help you achieve your goals. And or go with your natural tendencies. If you don't have the time, patience or desire to be creating new habits. Watch yourself what do you naturally do and use? And make sure you're picking a planner that works with your natural tendencies.

All right. So that's it for our all about planners conversation today. Let me know what you think. What planners are you using? I would love to see what your planners look like or which one you picked? Or are you a digital planner person or paper planner person. I love this is like one of my favorite things to look at it because it reflects the personality of the person using it. So I love seeing what everybody picks. So tag us over on social media send me a picture. I'd love to see it and cheer you on. Thank you for listening to the organized and productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here are full show notes and resources head on over to the organized flamingo.com/podcast Happy organizing.