5 Simple Planner Hacks to Make Your Day Easier

I love using my planners, but sometimes the way I use them can make the difference between sticking with it and letting it gather dust. Today I want to share some of my favorite planner hacks—little tweaks and tricks that don’t take much effort but can save time, keep things organized, and make planning more fun.

Hack 1: Sticky Notes for Flexibility

They’re probably my favorite planning accessory. One way I use them is instead of writing tasks directly on my planner pages, I use sticky notes for recurring or “maybe” tasks. This way I can move them from day to day without making my planner messy.

Hack 2: Color Code Everything

Assign different colors to different areas of your life—family, work, church, finances. A quick glance and you’ll instantly know where your time is going. For example, I use green to mark monthly bills or anything I might need to pay, and church-related things are always purple. 

Hack 3: Use Washi Tape for Quick Tabs

Washi tape makes great temporary tabs. Use a strip on the edge of pages you want to find quickly—for me, it’s my weekly bill &balance tracker and my "today" page on my weekly inserts.

Hack 4: Create a Planner Dashboard

Slip a laminated sheet or clear pocket folder at the front of your planner. Use it for sticky notes, important reminders, or even a mini vision board. I sometimes use the first divider in my planner, which is laminated, as my dashboard. I keep an “add to the grocery list” note there, as well as any quick, temporary information I need at my fingertips.

Hack 5: Build a “Planner Go Bag”

Keep a small pouch with your favorite pens, sticky notes, washi tape, and scissors. That way, your planner time can happen anywhere—at the kitchen table, the doctor’s office, or in the car. This is a hack I no longer use, but only because I’m not out and about as much as I was when the boys were growing up.

Bonus Hack: Never Skip Tasks

This is something I learned from Giftie. Anytime you write something in your planner that you need to do, add a checkbox or a circle.

○ Make chiro appointment for Chiro  
- Katie had her baby – it’s a boy!  
○ Send congratulations card  

Whenever you see a list, watch for the circle or checkbox—it’s a simple way to remind yourself to follow through.

These hacks are simple, but they make a huge difference in how I use my planner. They’ve helped me keep things flexible, colorful, and easy to manage. Planning should be enjoyable, not overwhelming, and these little tweaks keep me coming back to my planner day after day.

Do you have a favorite planner hack I didn’t mention? Share it in the comments—I’d love to hear new ideas to try!