OK, so I don’t have a pda, iphone, ipad, blackberry…or even a cell phone…and I can’t even think of the names of the comparable technical organizers out there. From the days of Architecture school, I always have a bound sketchbook or at least a spiral notebook for my attempts at keeping track of upcoming conferences, future projects, Arma Dei products including inventory, children’s weights and heights, doctor’s appointments, important contacts, wishlists, bibliographies, to do lists…you name it.
I know, old-school.
What I finally realized…after years of cracking open a fresh notebook and re-recording the most important info…is I need to do this once, and just replace and refill pages. It’s pretty obvious, and mysteriously like an old-fashioned paper daytimer…the kind my husband used to have, with refill calendar pages that I just recently remembered are really expensive!!
After looking at the $5 specially hole-punched package of 30 sheets of ‘note’ paper for the $25-$50 leather bound daytimers, I realized (finally!) I can make this!
I found an 8.5″x5.5″ binder. Yes, for some reason I need a ‘smaller’ notebook to carry with me and write in. My next life-changing discovery was that my 3-hole-punch is indeed adjustable! I can specially-hole-punch my own pages. My paper cutter comes in handy, cutting all those letter size papers in half to fit the 8.5″x5.5″ binder. I bet if you don’t have a fancy paper cutter, you could get your local print shop to make one cut in a stack of paper…if not, an X-acto and a cutting mat and steel ruler would do the trick!
I borrowed certain pages including the dividers from an old daytimer….but I’m confident I could make my own dividers too. With a little extra work, I can even make the handy tabs that stick out. It’s on my to do list.
I found a free calendar-making template site to print my 2011 and 2012 calendars.
I also photocopied an open 8.5″x5.5″ notebook, just for the lines for my own notepaper. Pretty extravagant, eh?
I then photocopied the most important pages from my last 4 notebooks and sketchbooks. I also photocopied our phone list (that normal people probably have in their phones), our family perpetual calendar for important dates and some of Kelly’s Comics, because I like to show them off.
I think someday….after Easter, after the NCEA (that I’m supposed to be packing for!), after a couple family birthdays…I may even cover my new little binder with fabric, to further customize my ‘daytimer’. Which fabric would you choose?
I love this idea. I am a paper person too, and only have a cell phone for emergencies. Most the time I forget to charge it anyway. Thank you for sharing this and will be borrowing this idea soon. BTW I like the brown/yellow patterned material, never liked stripes. =)