Does Size Matter

[kctris]

I am stuck between planners. I like the portability of the Classic size, but using letter sized paper has pushed me towards Monarch. I hate flip flopping from one planner to the next ( I have used the classic for one day, then switched back to the Monarch). I'm in sales and visit customers every day. I usually use the monarch size when I visit accounts because it accommodates our company literature, directions, etc. But, by the end of the day, my planner is overflowing with paper, and it weighs a ton. Sometimes I carry both planners and duplicate appts. and notes. How crazy is that.
Anyone else have these days? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Kc

 

[Barry]

Pick just one and stick to it for a month. Either one would be better than both, even if it is not the "perfect" one for you.

The classic size seems like an ideal compromise between portability and usefulness for most people. It also has the feature that a full sheet, when folded in half, fits and can even be hole-punched that way if necessary. There are monthly calendars available for the Classic that allow two pages per month, which is nice. The classic size probably looks a little more professional than the full notebook size of the monarch.

For company literature, you can use a separate portfolio that accomodates full sheets of paper. This would be carried in addition to your planner.

The monarch size is also fine, the main thing is to stop using two. If it is too heavy by the end of the day, it is time to empty it into your inbox and process the "stuff."

So, no, size does not matter.

 

[MzUnderstanding]

I like to use the UnCalendar (uncalendar.com). It allows room for my notes and 'doodles' and still provides me with room for appointments and lists.

 

[cornell]

Hi Kc. Your post made me think of those jam-packed planners stuffed so full of paper they can barely close - maybe only with the help of a giant rubber band My thinking is the planner should only be used for the four key action categories (calendar and lists - projects, actions, and waiting for), plus maybe your addresses and a few photos. I keep everything else (project plans, action support, sales call information, directions, etc.) in letter-size folders that I carry with me. This keeps the planner compact (I also only carry three months of daily or weekly pages, plus two fold-out yearly overviews), and accommodates the ubiquitous letter size paper.

 

[WebR0ver]

But, by the end of the day, my planner is overflowing with paper, and it weighs a ton.

Suggestion - don't put any paper from your meetings into your planner. Carry David Allen's Traveling File folders:
IN
Return to (office)
Read/Review
Action Support
Data Entry

As you get items, distribute them to the appropriate folder, if you can. If you don't have the time/place to sort them, put them into the IN folder. Then when you get back to the office, put the contents of the IN folder into your in-box. It's now in your system to process as you would anything else in IN. If you find everything ends up in IN, then you only need to carry that folder and the folder for your specific meeting (with brochures, etc. as suggested above).

 

[MrsSanders]

Solution to Multiple Size Pages

Hi, KCTRIS

I have a similar problem: I prefer the Classic size day planner, but when my life is peaceful I need LESS space (Portable), and when it's chaotic I need MORE space (Monarch). So I find myself changing sizes several times a year. I used to think "What is WRONG with me???" then decided just to accept that it was perfectly reasonable to need different sizes to fill different needs.

Then I came across the "Circa" system from Levenger (www.levenger.com). I've never wanted to spend the bucks that system costs, but for my birthday this year my husband bought me a Rollabind hole punch and some rings and I went to town. Created notebooks for college classes, and brought order out of chaos in the address book department!

The great thing about the Rollabind system is that the ring spacing is uniform no matter what size paper is used so you can bind your 8.5x11, your Classic size, and any other size, including address card/business cards all in one notebook!! Worked like a charm for my address book.

The "Circa" system has won an award from the National Association of Professional Organizers, precisely, I believe because it can hold different sizes on one set of rings.

I have had a problem getting the rings to stay on the address book, but I think that's probably because a)I didn't do a careful job of hole punching and b) the address book gets lots of wear and tear going in and out of my purse/tote bag/etc. Also, it was made out of regular 20# paper, and the Levenger "Circa" system uses 60# paper.

The papers can be pulled out and rearranged easily with a minimum amount of effort, but don't normally come off the rings on their own if punched correctly. This means you could clean out your notebook every night and move all the papers to wherever they needed to go.

The regular binder companies could make a mint if they'd go to the same idea: just use the same space between rings for all sizes from 3x5 up to Monarch/A5 and we'd all bless them forever. But they haven't caught on yet, not to mention having to re-tool everything, so going direct to Rollabind (www.rollabind.com) is the next best thing.

I do like the idea of Allen's five folders that someone else mentioned. I think those combined with a Rollabind notebook with your own cover on it might just solve your problem. And, nope, I don't have a connection with the Rollabind company, just like their products! Oh yes: I recommend adding a WOOAF to the list of folders. WOOAF stands for "Waiting on Other's Actions File" - a bit more fun to say than "pending" and always makes me think of my dog waiting on me to take action and give her a tidbit!