#4 4 Rookie Mistakes In Organization

Welcome to the fourth post in the Createyou86 Soar Into Summer July Blog Series.  Today's post is all about the mistakes we make as rookie planning and organization lovers.

1.) Using someone else's setup. 
We have probably all done this when we first start planning.  We search YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest for setups that we think are beautiful, and we think "That is so pretty it'll surely work for me." So......we buy the planner inserts, same stickers, even the same planner. The worst part of this is that yes these particular planner are beautiful, but the person using the system has probably already established exactly how it works for them.  Just because it works for them doesn't mean it will for you. Moral: Try your own system.

2.) Spending too much time thinking, over thinking, and planning.
I love those (number) planners!  Which color am I going to get?  Which sale is the best? Am i collecting planners for a "maybe moment"?  (maybe I'll use this in six months for my chia pet collection planning).  Which setup will I use?  Which stickers do I need to buy?  Where will I store it?  Which pen case do I need?  This type of thinking can cause excitement or anxiety.  If you aren't making decisions about which planner to purchase will you ever start planning? Moral: Don't over think your planning beginning or you may never begin.

3.) Not using what you already have.
Can you afford an $80.00 Erin Condren Life Planner?  Can you afford a $150.00 Filofax?   Or could you be using a Dollar Tree planner, or a planner from Target that is more in your price range for the time being until you have saved up enough money to get the "planner of your dreams"?  Can you create a DIY planner from a relatively large notebook that you already have?  I started out using an Avery for Target brand planner, and I loved it.  It was a simple, and very affordable planning system to use, and see if I even enjoyed planning because I never had before.  I would highly recommend starting with an affordable planner, and working your way up to a more expensive planner if need be.  You may end up loving a more affordable planner.  Do you have stickers that you used to use for scrapbooking, or you saved from art that you used to do?  Do you have children? Use some of their stickers to get yourself started with decorating, and maybe buy 1 or 2 washi to get started.  Again, try your own methods to see what you like.  Moral: Use what you have to begin your planning journey.  You don't have to spend a ton of money to begin planning.

4.) All-in, and lost steam.
We buy our planner, and begin the setup process.  We figure out which planner inserts we need, or maybe we made our own planner, what our dividers will be, and the decorating begins.  You have spent some money, and jumped in with both feet, but how long will the planning truly last?  Sometimes the meer setup of a planner can burn us out.  Do you have your goals for planning choosen? Making planning goals or choosing a specific goal for your planner, and planning accordingly can help prevent planner burn out.  Are you using your planner for school?  Bring you planner with you in your bookbag or purse.  This will help you stay up to date with your planning, and if you need to make appointments, reminders or even if you just have an idea you will have a place to write it down.  You can always look for inspiration in other places if you need it. 

Thanks for checking out this post. Be sure to check out Emilie's Blog and
MaryEllen's Blog for their take on this post. 
What is the biggest mistake you made as a beginning planner?  Let us know in the comments below!