Erin Condren Life Planner – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: Erin Condren Life Planner

Why I Stopped Planning | The Unofficial End of #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Adventures in Polishland

Almost five years ago, I discovered the online world of planners through the YouTuber Elle Fowler. Elle made videos about her Erin Condren LifePlanner, and I quickly fell in love with the idea of creating fun planner spreads that were not only functional, but that allowed me to use stickers, washi tape, and other crafting supplies to organize my life. After months of deliberation, I splurged on a LifePlanner of my very own, and I began documenting the entire planning process on this blog and my YouTube channel. With my planner in hand, I quickly dove into the planner community online. For a few years, I hauled stickers, decorated my planner, and interacted with other planner lovers. It was a lot of fun, but I slowly found that I wasn’t enjoying my planner any longer, thus making my YouTube videos obsolete. Today I want to share with you some of the reasons I stopped planning, and thank you for the support you showed me while I shared this hobby with you.

Why I Stopped Planning | The Unofficial End of #PlanWithPolishland

Please note that I do discuss money and the environment in this blog post. It is not my intention to pass judgment on others, and I only bring up these topics in reference to myself.

The quick answer to why I stopped planning is simply because I didn’t enjoy it anymore. When I first got my planner, I was in my most hectic season of life so far – studying for the bar exam! I needed a lot of structure, and since I was under a lot of stress, decorating a planner was a great way to plan out my day while also having a bit of “me time.” Yet once I took (and passed!) my exam, I began searching for jobs, spending more time at home, and not doing anything that really required extensive to-do lists. When I started working, I really didn’t need my planner. My days were fully structured and any spare time was dedicated to errands, chores, and relaxing. I just didn’t need my Erin Condren like I used to, and I felt no desire to return to it. I tried to figure out if other methods of planning would work for me. I spend a few months in a traveler’s notebook system, another few in a monthly planner, but in the end I decided to put the planner down and just go forth without one.

Moreover, my planning habit also died due to changes I made in my personal budget. In the few years I was using my Erin Condren, I spent hundreds of dollars on my planner and all of the supplies that came with it. Planning can be a very expensive hobby, and although I liked to tell myself I was keeping it affordable, I really wasn’t. Yes, I bought things on sale, used coupons, and even received a lot of stickers for free from brands, but I was still overspending. While it is absolutely possible to be a planner on a budget, it can be difficult to look around the community and see coveted “No White Space” weekly kits be priced at nearly $30.00 from the popular shops. As my love for planning fell by the wayside, and my desire to save money became a priority, I quickly realized how unsustainable this hobby was for me.

Similarly, I also began to have concerns about the environmental impact of my planning. Since I liked to decorate my planner, I went through a lot of sticker sheets that most likely could not be recycled. If I was putting all my stickers to use, I didn’t feel as guilty. But oftentimes I didn’t like all of the stickers included with a kit, and found myself with stacks of sticker scraps I didn’t want. While I did giveaways and shared these stickers with others, I still realized that planning can be a very wasteful hobby. In fact, almost every planner supply I’ve come across is in disposable plastic packaging. As I began to learn more about the environment, I couldn’t enjoy planning as much.

In the end, I’m truly grateful for the time I spent in the planner community. Not only was planning a great source of joy for me, but I was able to connect with so many people online through this hobby. I really appreciate those of you who watched my YouTube videos, followed my planner Instagram account, and shared my few #PlanWithPolishland blog posts. At this point in my life, I have no desire to return to planner decorating, but, of course, that may change, which is why I am calling this the “unofficial” end of #PlanWithPolishland. Thank you so much for following this planning journey of mine!

Erin Condren Life Planner Monthly Color Comparison 2016 vs 2017 | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on July 16, 2016July 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I’m here with a quick #PlanWithPolishland blog post to share a color comparison between the 2016 and 2017 Erin Condren Life Planners. I purchased the Horizontal Life Planner for both 2016 and 2017, and I noticed that the colors in the planners are the same, just in a different order. I thought this information would be really helpful for all of you who, like me, purchase stickers in the monthly colors. That way you can easily figure out which stickers from last year go with the 2017 planner! First I will show you the planners side-by-side in video form, and then provide you with a shareable graphic. If you would like to learn more about the 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner, you can see my unboxing and review HERE.

As you can see in the video, the 2017 monthly colors are the same as the 2016 colors, with a very minor change on the Monthly Calendar. This is the case if you own the 2016 Horizontal or Hourly planner, but not the Vertical planner. While all of the new 2017 Life Planners in the Watercolor color scheme share the same color palette, the old Vertical planners had different colors. Thus, only the colors in the 2016 Horizontal and Hourly match with the new 2017 color scheme.

I created this graphic so you can have an easy-to-use list of the matching colors. Feel free to share it on Pinterest or social media, or print out a copy to keep in your planner! You can also place this in your sticker collection as a cheat sheet if needed!

That wraps up today’s #PlanWithPolishland blog post! I hope you found it helpful if you purchased the new 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner in the Watercolor color scheme. I know many sticker shops put their monthly colors on sale at the end of every month, so take advantage of the affordable pricing and stock up on stickers for next year. Of course, if you are a new Erin Condren shopper, please use my referral link HERE to save $10 off your first purchase! Let me know in the comments what you think of the Erin Condren color scheme – do you love it, or do you prefer the neutral (black and white) planner? I would love to hear your thoughts!

2017 Erin Condren Life Planner Unboxing & Review | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on June 25, 2016June 25, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am beyond excited to share with you my purchases from the 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner Launch. I can’t believe it’s now been an entire year that I’ve been using my current Life Planner. It really has made my life better in so many ways – I’m more organized than ever before, but I also truly enjoy the creative outlet that planning is for me. While I don’t need a new planner until 2017 begins, I wanted to join in on Erin Condren’s Launch Day and purchase my new planner right away. In this blog post I will share an unboxing of the goodies I purchased on Launch Day, and share my thoughts on the launch and the updated planners.

UNBOXING

I filmed an unboxing video for my YouTube Channel, which is included in this post so you can see me open the box and show you the products “in person.” If you aren’t subscribed to my channel yet, please do so HERE! I post planner videos every Tuesday and Saturday, and sometimes on bonus days, too. If you love Plan With Mes, sticker hauls, and other organizational DIY videos, definitely subscribe (it’s free!).

Here are photos of everything I received so you can get a closer look. I will include direct links to each product on Erin Condren’s website, but if you are new, please use my referral link HERE. Not only will you save $10 off your first Erin Condren purchase, but I earn a $10 reward as well. I really appreciate it when you support me in that way!

Freebies – VIP Cover, Postcard, Sticker

Erin Condren always includes a free postcard and sticker with every order. This is a great way to spread the positive messages Erin Condren supports with your friends and family. Plus, who doesn’t like a freebie, even if its small? This year Erin Condren did something really special. There was an opportunity to sign up for a VIP list for free a few months ago. VIPs receive emails with sneak peeks about new products, but we also got a free, metallic cover with our launch purchases! This is a $10.00 value, and very much appreciated. I don’t know if you can join the VIP list at this point in time, but here is a detailed look at the cover.

Here is what the front and back of the VIP cover looks like. It is a beautiful blue with metallic blue foil. I did want to mention that my cover came punched, but not cut. I easily took some scissors to cut it myself. Since this cover was free and the issue easily fixable, I did not feel the need to contact customer service. The inside covers are brand new with this launch, and are now formatted to act as dry-erase lists. Erin Condren now sells some wet erase markers, but I plan on using a regular Sharpie. You can learn how to erase Sharpie in THIS quick YouTube video.

Moving onto the products I purchased, I decided to get two accessories. First, I picked up the Rose Gold Metallic Snap-In Dashboard (LINK) because I wanted my order to total $100 so I could get free shipping. It was either pay $10 for shipping, or $5 for a dashboard. It was a no-brainer to get the dashboard! I also purchased the new Designer Sticker Book in the Classic Collection Edition 2 (LINK). I’ve really enjoyed the Erin Condren sticker books I’ve purchased in the past, and this one is even prettier than the older ones! You can see photos of each and every page in the sticker book on my Facebook Page HERE.

Now it’s time to talk about the Life Planner! This year Erin Condren is doing something quite different. Instead of buying a planner that is already put together, you build your own planner. You get to choose the coil color (Platinum, Gold, Rose Gold, or Black), the layout (Vertical, Horizontal, or Hourly), the color scheme (Neutral or Watercolor), the cover, and any cover personalization. While I really like the ability to create the perfect planner for me, the planner got more expensive than ever due to certain customizations being considered ‘upgrades.’ I’ll talk more about that in a minute. The cover I chose is called the In Bloom Metallic (LINK), and on the left you can see the new Plan for It Pouch that comes with each planner.

Here is a look at the Plan for It Pouch and the goodies you’ll find in it. In the past, the pouch used to be attached to the Life Planner in the back. Now you can choose where to put it, or even if you want to put it in your planner. I’m not going to use the pouch, as it bulks up my planner and I don’t use it anyway. Included is a Coil Clip, 3 Compliment Cards, 2 20% off coupons, and a sample sticker book. I love that we get some goodies with every Life Planner!

Let’s talk about my new Life Planner in more detail! I’ll share how I built my planner, and any coordinating prices.

Life Planner – $50
Rose Gold Coil – $10
Rose Gold Cover – $10
Personalized Cover – $5
Horizontal Layout – n/a
Colorful Color Scheme – n/a
6 Months of 2016 – $5

TOTAL: $80

If you’ve been following my #PlanWithPolishland posts since last year, you’ll know this is $5 more than I spent on my first Life Planner. The price increase is due to the $5 cost for personalization. I find this charge completely unnecessary, because personalized metallic covers are sold separately for $10 total. I don’t understand why I need to pay $5 extra for personalization when it comes on a planner, and not on its own. I did decide to get the personalization because it’s what I wanted, but I did want to point out my disappointment with this charge in particular. I am otherwise very happy with the added options for the Life Planner this year.

I want to show you a quick example of my Life Planner. Here is what a month looks like! This is January.

Each month you get a Notes Page and a Quote Page in the monthly colors.

That is followed by the Monthly Calendar.

Finally, here is what the Weekly Pages look like. It is very similar to last year’s Horizontal, but features the watercolor effect instead of the geometric print at the top of the page. I am loving it!

MY THOUGHTS ON LAUNCH DAY

I wanted to close out this blog post with my thoughts on Launch Day and my experience. I am very thankful that my Launch Day, June 1, was very successful. I logged into my Erin Condren account early, and had my order submitted two minutes before the official launch even began. I know there were a lot of technological issues on Launch Day, but I can only speak to my own personal experience. I had zero issues while ordering and received my confirmation email immediately after placing my order.

My order shipped on June 16, which was five days before my estimated ship time of June 21. I was a bit frustrated that people who placed orders days after me, and even weeks after me, got their orders before I did. I know I was one of the first to order, so it doesn’t make any sense why people who ordered so long after me received their packages before me. I don’t know what was going on at Erin Condren, but it felt like they were using a ‘last in, first out’ method instead of ‘first in, first out,’ when it came to shipping orders. Nonetheless, I can’t (and won’t!) complain too much because my order shipped out on time, and I received it in time for the start of the planner (June 27th).

The only issue I had with my Launch Day order was very miniscule. My tracking number never updated, and for five business days read “Order Processed” only. This means that the shipping label was created, but UPS never received the package. I emailed Erin Condren’s customer service team to find out what was going on, and it turns out I was given an incorrect tracking number. Not only was my email responded to in just over two hours, but the representative was very polite and helpful.

My order arrived on June 23, and everything was just perfect besides the little mistake with my VIP cover. I am beyond pleased with my Launch Day experience! I know that there were a lot of hiccups on launch day, and that many orders arrived damaged or with multiple errors. Again, I can only share my personal Erin Condren experience, and I am very happy to report that everything went quite smoothly for me this year! That is why I continue to purchase from and recommend Erin Condren. The products are amazing quality, and I think the customer service is great. Any issues I’ve ever had were always resolved in a timely manner.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

That brings us to the end of this very long and detailed blog post! I hope you found this post helpful if you are considering an Erin Condren Life Planner. If you have any #PlanWithPolishland blog post or video requests, feel free to leave them in the comments of this post. I am so excited to use my new goodies!

Please share your thoughts on Erin Condren’s 2017 Launch Day with me in the comments! Did it go smoothly for you? Did you experience any issues? Let me know!

Erin Condren Gift Guide | 10 Presents for Planner Lovers

Posted on November 28, 2015November 20, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! The holiday season is in full swing, and I thought I would share some gift ideas for one of my favorite online stores, Erin Condren. If you’ve been following my blog or YouTube Channel for the past five months, you’ll know that I invested in an Erin Condren Life Planner. I absolutely love it, and I’ve also discovered many other items on Erin Condren’s website that are amazing quality. If you have a planner or stationary lover in your life, I highly recommend purchasing some Erin Condren goodies for her. While they are a bit more expensive, they make excellent gifts. I put together a gift guide of the top ten products on Erin Condren’s website that I think make the perfect presents for planner lovers!

Erin Condren Gift Guide | 10 Presents for Planner Lovers — *All images in this blog post are courtesy of ErinCondren.com.*

First things first, I just want to remind all of you that new Erin Condren customers can save $10 off their first order by signing up for a free Erin Condren account using my referral link HERE. When you sign up, Erin Condren will then email you a coupon code worth $10. It’s a great way to save a bit, or offset the cost of shipping. Plus, it helps me out when you use my referral link – totally a win-win situation! Now, let’s jump right into the gift guide!

Erin Condren Good to Go Life Planner – $50 [BUY]

Of course, Erin Condren is known for its Life Planner. I absolutely love my Life Planner – it has changed my life! A lot of people don’t want to splurge on this planner, but it makes the perfect gift. The quality is beyond amazing, and I highly recommend this planner for anyone on your list. I think the Good to Go (formally known as Ready to Ship) is the best option for a gift, because it comes with a coupon code for a free customizable cover. That way the gift recipient can create her own cover down the road. If you want to learn more about what comes with the Good to Go Life Planner, please read THIS blog post.

Erin Condren Carry-All Clutch – $32 [BUY]

If you know someone who already has a Life Planner, this next item is a great present! The Carry-All Clutch is a case made out of neoprene to keep the Life Planner safe inside a larger backpack or purse. It is available in two sizes, and a variety of patterns and colors. The clutch can also be used to tote around tablets or other supplies, so it’s a versatile gift!

Erin Condren Snap-In StylizedSticky Notes – $10 [BUY]

A more affordable gift option is this snap-in dashboard complete with sticky notes. I absolutely love these sticky notes because they are great quality, and they are sized to fit the Life Planner. Plus, the plastic dashboard is reusable, so once the sticky notes are used up there is still value in this product. Gift this alone, or paired with other planner accessories!

Erin Condren Designer Sticker Book – $15 [BUY]

Another affordable option that is great on its own or with other goodies is the Designer Sticker Book. I have this and absolutely love it! The stickers work perfectly inside the Life Planner, and also on stationary or gifts. Even if your planner lover already has this, I can guarantee she will be happy with another one. You can’t go wrong with a sticker book!

Erin Condren Polaroid Zip Bundle – $149 [BUY]

A more extravagant purchase is the Polaroid Zip Bundle, which includes the Polaroid Zip Instant Photoprinter, a Carry-All Clutch, and a sticker to decorate the printer. This printer takes planning, scrapbooking, and journaling to the next level because you can instantly print out photos directly from your cell phone. It’s definitely on the expensive side, but it is an incredible item to have!

Erin Condren Notepad – $15 [BUY]

In addition to planner supplies, Erin Condren offers other stationary products. There are a variety of notepads from which to choose, ranging in size and color. I haven’t tried these yet, but I’ve heard the paper quality is amazing. You can also personalize the notepads for the recipient. This is a great product that many people would like, but perhaps wouldn’t purchase for themselves.

Erin Condren Good to Go Stationary Set – $15 [BUY]

One unique item for stationary lovers is the Good to Go Stationary Set. For just $15, you get ten notecards, ten envelopes, and ten labels all inside a reusable pouch. This is a great all-in-one set for that someone in your life who loves to send snail mail! I love the price and the products, too.

Erin Condren Do-it-All Desk Set – $25 [BUY]

Another great all-in-one item is the new Do-it-All Desk Set! It includes sticky notes, paperclips, washi tape, pencils, and more, all in a sturdy box with magnetic closure. This is perfect for your friends at the office, as well as your planner lovers. It comes in the colorful design shown here, but also in a metallic design. With this gift the recipient will feel like she can really do it all!

Erin Condren Jot Your Thought Journal Trio – $18 [BUY]

Erin Condren recently released this trio of stunning journals. Each has a metallic foil, and the paper inside is really nice quality. You can give these journals as a set, or break them up to gift to different people. I got a trio and can’t wait to begin using it! It’s always great to have a spare notebook hanging around.

Erin Condren Gift Card – [BUY]

Last but not least, you can always purchase an Erin Condren Gift Card if you’re stuck on what to buy your planner lover this holiday season. I can assure to you that receiving an Erin Condren Gift Card is an amazing feeling, and it is truly appreciated. You can choose from a few different denominations when you buy a gift card, so you can be sure to gift one in your budget.

That brings us to the end of this Erin Condren Gift Guide! I hope you found this post helpful, whether you’re purchasing a gift for the planner lover in your life, or simply trying to learn more about Erin Condren. I’ve really been loving my Life Planner, and definitely encourage others to purchase one as well. With 2016 just around the corner, this is the perfect time to raid the Erin Condren website!

Will you be purchasing from Erin Condren this holiday season? Let me know in the comments!

All of the photographs used in this post are property of ErinCondren.com. This post includes a referral link that is properly disclosed. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

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!