Plan With Polishland – Page 2 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Plan With Polishland

Is Erin Condren Worth the Price? | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have a new #PlanWithPolishland post for all of you, and I am really excited about it. I’ve been using my Erin Condren Life Planner for a little over two months now, and I am really loving it. I can honestly say it’s helped me make a change in my life, and I’m so glad I invested in it. You can learn more about the planner I purchased HERE, but today I want to talk about whether or not the Erin Condren Life Planner is worth the money. A standard 12-month Life Planner costs $50, and that price tag sounds quite expensive at a first glance. Let me show you how the Erin Condren breaks down in terms of cost, and share my thoughts on whether I think it is worth the price.

ERIN CONDREN LIFE PLANNER BY THE NUMBERS

First and foremost, let’s break down the price of the Erin Condren Life Planner (“ECLP”). For this post I will be basing my numbers off of the 12-month Ready to Ship Life Planner purchased by a first-time Erin Condren customer. If you are debating about whether or not the ECLP is for you, I’m assuming you are a first time purchaser. If not, these numbers will need to be adjusted a bit, but you are still getting a fantastic deal! The ECLP retails for $50.00, and shipping is $9.95. However, you can receive a $10 off coupon for your first Erin Condren purchase by signing up for a free Erin Condren account using my referral link HERE. Once you create your free account, you will receive an email with your coupon code. Your $59.95 purchase is already down to $49.95!

Next up, let’s take a look at all of the freebies and accessories included with every Ready to Ship Life Planner! These add up to a retail value of $22.70!

Perpetual Calendar – $5.00 [LINK]
Party Pops Snap-In Bookmark – $4.00 [LINK]
3 Compliment Cards – $1.50 [LINK]
Do-it-All Dots Sampler Sheet – $0.67 [LINK]
1 CoilClip Connecter – $0.58 [LINK]
Coupon for a FREE Cover – $10.95 [LINK to the cover design I chose]

Your first order from Erin Condren will also include two additional freebies! They have a retail value of $20.87.

Coupon Code – $10.00
10 Gift Labels – $10.87 [LINK]

If you’ve been keeping track, so far all of the freebies and accessories add up to a total retail value of $43.57. Every Erin Condren Life Planner purchase also comes with a free sticker and postcard. I would estimate the value of these goodies at about $1.00-1.50. That makes the total amount of freebies included worth $45.00! That is an excellent investment considering you only paid $49.95 out of pocket!

ERIN CONDREN LIFE PLANNER QUALITY & USAGE

Of course, the price of the Erin Condren means nothing if the quality of the planner isn’t good. Take it from me – the quality is amazing. The covers are very sturdy and laminated, and snap in and out of the planner easily. The pages are very thick and sturdy as well. The tabs included on the side for separating the months are also laminated, so I haven’t had any issues with those bending or getting damaged. Finally, the coil is very strong, too – it doesn’t bend or get messed up like regular notebooks. As you can see, the quality is top notch!

In the end, I think the Erin Condren Life Planner is 100% worth the price so long as you are going to use it! Make your planner your new best friend, and it will treat you well. After just two months of using my planner, I find that I am more organized than ever. I immediately add appointments, bills, and events to my planner, and that way I never forget about them. I also use the notes pages for shopping lists, and the monthly calendar to track my blog and YouTube posts. I am so happy I finally made the investment in an Erin Condren Life Planner. If you’ve been thinking about it, DO IT! You will not regret it.

Do you use an Erin Condren Life Planner? Tell me how in the comments or use #PlanWithPolishland on social media!

Back to School Week | How to Use the Erin Condren Life Planner for College

Posted on August 29, 2015August 26, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today is the last day of Back to School Week, and to finish things off I’m sharing how I would use my Erin Condren Life Planner for college. I’ve seen so many people on Facebook asking how to use the planner for school, so I thought I would go ahead and share a mock Plan With Me video with all of you. To go along with the video, I wanted to talk a bit more about the items I recommend here on the blog. Let’s get started!

WHAT YOU NEED

I want to begin by saying that you don’t necessarily need any of these things in particular to use a planner in college. Many colleges give out free planners, or you can buy one very inexpensively at your local office supply store. That being said, I highly recommend the following:

Erin Condren Life Planner in the Horizontal Layout – $50; save $10 on your first purchase using my referral link HERE
Erin Condren Snap-In To Do List – $4
Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Markers – $6.49 for the 12-pack shown on Amazon HERE
Colored Pens, my favorite being THESE from InkJoy (not pictured)
Darice Sticker Books – $1, find at your local Michaels Crafts

PLANNING ROUTINE

As you can see, it is really easy to use the Erin Condren Life Planner for college. The horizontal layout has tons of space to write down all of your assignments and other life events. The Snap-In To Do List really makes all the difference, and is a great $4 investment. I hope you found this post and video helpful as the school year begins! Of course, let me know your planning tips and tricks in the comments!

This post includes some affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

DIY Washi Tape Storage | Birchbox Upcycling Project | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on August 8, 2015August 7, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have an exciting #PlanWithPolishland post to share with you! I don’t know about you, but whenever I get a new hobby a get a little too excited and buy all the goodies I can get my hands on. This is definitely true with my new planner obsession! Just take a look at all the hauls I’ve posted on my YouTube Channel if you don’t believe me. Well, if I’m going to have a planner supplies collection I want to make sure it’s organized. Washi tape is one of the new-to-me products I’ve been collecting, and I wanted a cute yet functional way to store it. I saw a video on YouTube by Xao Vang that really inspired me to make my own washi organizer. In her video, she transformed an entire desk drawer into her washi storage. That didn’t fit my needs, so I grabbed an old Birchbox and decided to put it to use!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS!

If you don’t have a Birchbox, feel free to use any sturdy cardboard box you own. The dimensions of a Birchbox are around 7″ x 5″ x 2″. In the DIY video I also mention a gold washi tape. It can be purchased on Etsy HERE.

As you can see, it is super easy to create this washi tape storage box! I created it about a month ago now, and it fits my needs well. Not only does my washi stay organized, but it was easy to pack during my move. I currently store the box on a crafting bookshelf in my bedroom, but carry it down to the kitchen or family room to do my actual planning. I never need to worry about the tape being lost or damaged, and I have plenty of room to grow my collection if I want to in the future. There is no need to spend money on a washi tape organizer when you can make one yourself!

That brings us to the end of another #PlanWithPolishland blog post! I hope you enjoyed this simple DIY. If you make one, use the hashtag #PlanWithPolishland on social media so I can find your post. I would love to see how you decorate your washi storage! If you would like more planner content, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel HERE where I do planner related videos 2-4 times per week. I also have a planner Instagram account HERE where you can see photos of my weekly spreads and hauls. Stay tuned for more #PlanWithPolishland blog posts on Saturdays!

How to Use the Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on July 25, 2015July 25, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am excited to bring you another #PlanWithPolishland post featuring my Erin Condren Life Planner. Every Life Planner comes with a Perpetual Calendar, which is a little book with a line for every day of the year. The calendar was originally designed to mark down birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates that reoccur every year. That way, you can mark down these special days once in your Perpetual Calendar and carry it in your planner from year to year. I wanted to put my Perpetual Calendar to use, but I didn’t think its traditional purpose would work for me. Let me go ahead and show you how I’m using the Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar, and share some other ideas I have with you!

Here is a quick peek at the Perpetual Calendar. You can find it in the Keep it Together folder at the back of your Erin Condren Life Planner. I love this year’s cute design, and was inspired by the “Celebrate Someone or Something Everyday,” headline. I’ve decided to use my Perpetual Calendar as a happiness journal, in which I write down one thing every day, no matter how big or small, that made me happy. Here is a peek inside my journal for the month of June – I started as soon as my Erin Condren order arrived!

I really like how my happiness journal is turning out, and you can definitely feel free to use your Perpetual Calendar in the same way. I often see people in the We Love EC group on Facebook asking others for inspiration on how to use the calendar, so I thought I would share some more ideas with you. Let’s jump right in!

Gratitude Journal
Fitness Journal / Meal Planner / Weight Tracker
Quote Journal
Reading List
Weather Log
Budget Book
Fun & Silly Holidays (i.e. National Donut Day)
Top News Story of the Day
Song of the Day List
Cleaning Log / Chore List
…any combination of the above!

These are just some of the ways you can put your Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar to use! I hope these gave you a bit of inspiration. Even if you don’t use any of these ideas, perhaps they helped you think of another use for your Perpetual Calendar. I’m really loving my happiness journal, but maybe that’s not the right system for you, and that’s okay! Find what works, and don’t be afraid to experiment! If you’d like to get a Perpetual Calendar separate from the Life Planner, they are only $5 on the Erin Condren website! Please sign-up using my referral link HERE to score $10 off your first purchase!

Show me how you use your Perpetual Calendar with the hashtag #PlanWithPolishland! You can also follow my NEW planner Instagram @PlanWithPolishland HERE.

5 Ways to Save Money on Etsy | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on July 11, 2015July 1, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Welcome back to another #PlanWithPolishland post! Thank you for all the support on my Erin Condren Life Planner Unboxing & Review (see it HERE if you missed it). Today I wanted to share some helpful tips on how to save money on Etsy. When I first joined the nail polish community, I was amazed with all of the indie nail polish makers. Now, as I explore the planner world, I am blown away by the stickers that are specifically made for the Erin Condren Life Planner (hereinafter “ECLP”). One of the reasons I wanted an ECLP was because I wanted to make my planner a hobby – I wanted it to be functional and helpful, but also a creative outlet. Stickers are a great way to dress up your planner, so I did a ton of research to decide which shops I was going to place orders with right off the bat. The only issue is, stickers can get really expensive, especially when buying from Etsy shops. I didn’t want to give up such cute stickers, so I came up with a plan to make this new sticker habit both fabulous and affordable!

1. Earn Cash Back on Ebates

If you’re a longtime Adventures in Polishland reader, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the website Ebates. Ebates is a reputable website that allows you to earn cash back on many of the purchases you make online. All you have to do is sign up, log in to Ebates, and click on the store from which you’d like to purchase. Then Ebates tracks your order and gives you money! Etsy was recently added to Ebates, and you can earn 1% cash back on all Etsy orders. While 1% may not seem like a lot, it’s still money back in your pocket. I highly recommend signing up for Ebates, and if you use my referral link by clicking on the Ebates banner above, I get credit for you!

2. Always Use a Coupon Code

Etsy sticker shops are really great with coupon codes. There is almost always an active code available, and it’s really easy to find them! Make sure you are following Etsy shops on social media, specifically Instagram. Many shops have an Instagram specific coupon code listed on their profile. In addition, a lot of shops have Facebook groups that keep you informed of upcoming releases and sales. I highly recommend joining those groups. Not only will you get money-saving coupons, but you’ll get to know the shop owner and other planner lovers. If you’re not personally on social media, you can still visit a shop’s Instagram page through your web browser or do a classic Google search. Those few extra minutes of looking online could save you a few dollars!

3. Buy More Less Often

An added expense to shopping online is always shipping. This is especially true if you are located in a different country than the store from which you are purchasing. Thus, plan out your purchases and buy more stickers less often. This will ensure you pay the lowest shipping price, and you will get enough stickers to last you a long time. To keep track of the stickers you want to buy, keep a Pinterest Board or add stickers to your Etsy cart for later purchase. Focus on buying a large order from one shop at a time, and make use of those stickers before buying anything else.

4. Only Buy What You Will Use

This sounds very straightforward, but sometimes this is not an easy rule to follow. There are so many cute stickers on Etsy, and I would love to buy them all. However, I have no need for stickers that are purely decorative. Sure, it would be fun to have macarons or princesses all over my planner, but I focus on buying stickers that are functional. That’s my personal planning style right now. How many times have you heard someone say, “I have no idea when I’ll use this, but I just had to have it!” Don’t be that person! We’re on a budget here! If you want those princess stickers make sure you have a use for them, even if it’s just to decorate. Be honest with yourself and realize that once you click that purchase button you can’t get that money back.

5. Get a Planner Buddy

Last but not least, find a friend with similar interests! I highly recommend having a planner buddy who is local. This will allow you to split shipping costs with her, and you can also split sticker sheets. For example, some shops have sampler sheets with a variety of different stickers, but you might only want to use half of them. See if your planner buddy will use the other half. If so, you just saved 50% on your purchase! A planner buddy will also hold you accountable for your purchases, and is someone who can share your hobby with you.

That brings us to the end of this #PlanWithPolishland post! I hope you found these tips helpful. The best part is, all five of these tips can be combined to save you the most amount of money possible. I’ll admit I’ve already made a few Etsy sticker purchases, but I’ve followed these steps and feel like each purchase is justified. I am uploading all of my sticker hauls on my YouTube channel, so make sure to SUBSCRIBE to know when those videos go live. My first haul will be embedded in this video below for your convenience!

Do you shop on Etsy? How do you save money? What are your favorite shops? Tell me in the comments!

Welcome to #PlanWithPolishland! | Erin Condren Life Planner Ready to Ship Rose Gold Horizontal Unboxing & Review

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am beyond excited to share a new adventure in my life with all of you. About a year ago, I first heard of the Erin Condren Life Planner. It seemed great, but when I visited Erin Condren’s website, I couldn’t believe how expensive the planners were. I put them out of my mind until a few months ago when Elle Fowler of AllThatGlitters21 created a new planner-based Instagram. After seeing her posts, I started to do some heavy research on the Erin Condren Life Planner. I watched Plan With Me videos, browsed tons of Etsy shops, and thought of how I would incorporate the planner into my life. I finally decided that it was 100% worth the investment for me to get this amazing planner, especially considering that I will be using it for the next 18 months of my life. Thus, #PlanWithPolishland was born, and today I’m showing you everything I purchased during the Erin Condren launch this month, and how I plan to use it.

Let’s begin with a quick overview of what I purchased. I filmed an unboxing video so you could see the items in depth, but I will include photos in this post, too.

Ready to Ship Life Planner in Rose Gold – Horizontal Layout $75 (+$5 for extra 6 months) [LINK]
Life Planner Launch Bundle $25 [LINK]

As you might have noticed in my video, I was very nervous upon opening the box. I joined a Facebook group of Erin Condren fans, and as people began to receive their planners a plethora of issues came up. Some planners arrived with small issues such as a sheet missing or a scratched cover, while others had a messed up coil that wouldn’t allow the planner to lay flat. Worst of all, some people were receiving completely wrong orders or missing items. I am very thankful that my purchase arrived unscathed! Everything is in perfect working order, and I’m happy to report the quality is amazing.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that “Ready to Ship” does not actually mean ready to ship. Erin Condren’s website allows you to see every step of your order process, which I found really helpful. However, I got to see my planner being printed. It took six days for my planner to actually be ready to ship, and another four days for me to receive it. If you are interested in the Ready to Ship design, know that it will be printed especially for you, and factor that time into the process.

The last gripe I have with my first Erin Condren experience is that I paid an extra $5 for the 18 month planner in contrast with the standard 12 months. Many people who ordered the regular 12 month planner got the 18 month free of charge. That was really frustrating for me, but unfortunately that’s not something I can complain to customer service about. I just feel like I got ripped off by paying the extra $5 when it seems those who didn’t still got an 18 month planner. This is definitely nitpicking my otherwise amazing experience, but I wanted to share all of my thoughts on this process with you!

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHS

Life Planner – Horizontal Layout

The Rose Gold Ready to Ship comes with this beautiful rose gold coil, and a lilac purple cover with rose gold lettering. I love that Erin Condren’s theme is adventure. It goes perfectly with my blog, and also with my goal to make every day an adventure even when things aren’t going so well.
I wanted to show you an example of a monthly layout. The first page of each month includes a lined notebook paper and then a quoted page with a stunning geode print in the month’s colors.
Then there is a monthly calendar with decent size boxes with plenty of room to add in events, birthdays, and anything else. There is also a section for your monthly goals, which you can certainly customize with stickers based on your needs.
Finally, the weekly layouts are very spacious, with a lot of room to right down your to do lists. There is a notes section at the bottom, which I’m going to use as a weekly to do list. I love the simplistic design, and the font is just stunning. Plus, the monthly colors are beautiful. I could not be happier with the quality of the planner or its stunning look!

Life Planner Launch Bundle

Because this is my first planner purchase, I wanted to start out with some stickers. Erin Condren offered this Launch Bundle for $25, which includes the Designer Clutch, Sticker Book, and Party Pops Markers. This is a $37 value, so I figured it was worth it. I know I will be using this sticker book! Let me show you a few of the different sticker designs inside. These are just a few of the sticker pages inside. They can be used in your planner, in cards, as gift labels, etc. I love the colors and messages, and these stickers are really high quality. I highly recommend this book if you are new to planning and want some stickers to begin your journey.

HOW I PLAN TO USE MY LIFE PLANNER – #PlanWithPolishland

Now that my Life Planner is here I couldn’t be more excited to start my planning journey. I’ve never been successful at keeping a planner in the past. In fact, I stopped buying planners in college because I never used them. However, as I type this blog post, I look around my desk and see five different to do lists. They are disorganized, and they aren’t very helpful. I’m hoping that if I set the time aside to plan my weeks, I will be more organized and put together. Plus, I think this will help me become more creative and also act as a journaling exercise. I hope you are excited to join my journey with my new #PlanWithPolishland series!

Speaking of which, my plans for #PlanWishPolishland are still a bit up in the air, and I want your suggestions. Right now I am thinking about doing blog posts here 3-4 times per month, and Plan With Me videos whenever I get the chance. I also wanted to ask if you wanted a separate Instagram page for my planning journey. Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!

SAVE $10 AT ERINCONDREN.COM!

Investing in an Erin Condren Life Planner was definitely a hard choice for me, and I know it can be for anyone who is on a tight budget. I justified my purchase by knowing that this is something I can use for a full 18 months, and it will hopefully help me improve my life a great deal. I also used a $10 off coupon, and you guys can, too! If you sign up with my referral link HERE you will get a $10 coupon code emailed to you, and I will earn $10 as well. Every bit of savings is a huge help!

Are you a planner? Let me know in the comments!