How I’m Using the 2015 Start Fresh Workbook & Planner

Productivity Advice

Yesterday I cleared my desk of lists, water glasses Diet Coke cans, and coloring pages to begin the process of assembling my own 2015 Start Fresh Workbook & Planner. Hole-punch in hand, I set off to turn paper into a tool I will rely on throughout the year.

How I'm Using the Start Fresh Planner

I printed the Standard Edition planner (i.e. 8.5×11) double-sided on this 32 lb. Hammersmith paper. It is buttery smooth with enough heft to withstand a year’s worth of use. I then punched holes three pages at a time, just to be careful about it.

How I'm Using the Start Fresh Planner

My annual albums are all from We R Memory Keepers, in the vanilla faux leather. This year I’m planning to scrapbook primarily in 8.5×11 or smaller – and my planner will live along side my layouts and pocket pages.

While I will also be working on (i.e. finishing) other projects, this album will hold my 2015 memories. It is my home base, my scrapbooking hub, for the year. I could think of no better location for these planning pages to live than right here!

The page protectors you see include the nine pocket and full page 8.5×11 options from We R Memory Keepers as well as the new line of 6×8 Handbook page protectors from Studio Calico. I’m excited to experiment with this configuration and see what I can create with it, but you’ll hear more about that plan later this month!

How I'm Using the Start Fresh Planner

Inside, the planner includes everything I need to keep track of my scrapbooking projects including four pages of flexible calendaring, listing, and goal setting for each month. (See sample page.) From capturing stories I want to tell to planning the step-by-step of my next photo book, the resource pages will be especially indispensable.

How I'm Using the Start Fresh Planner

I love the physical process of preparing an album for the new year, of sitting down with clear space and starting the year off right. I always know that the little bit of effort I put in now will pay dividends over the next 12 months. Projects will be prioritized. New ideas will be captured. Tasks will be scheduled.

Planning is worth it!

How I'm Using the Start Fresh Planner

I shared a few peeks into my planner last year, but this time around I want to make a public commitment to documenting my progress monthly. You’ll get to follow along as I create an album for the year (plus work on other projects) with the support of this tool! Keep me honest, OK?

You can get your copy of the 2015 Workbook & Planner, in four sizes and configurations, when you register for Start Fresh.

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29 Comments

  1. Renate Olsen

    Fantastic, Jennifer!! I am really struggling with how to use the planner, in what format, how and where to store it so it get used… And what kind of documentation to do inside the planner… So I will SO be following your documenting journey! Hope to be inspired by you!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      I think things will be a lot more clear during the event this week. I’ll have a completed example, plus guided audios for the workbook and a walk-through video of the planning pages.

      Reply
  2. Gabrielle McCann

    I’m so excited to get started. I printed mine out and put it in a binder today. I’m going with the smaller size. I will actually be leaving to go on holidays on the 7th but will take my planner with me!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Great! I’ll have a DIY package you can download when you return.

      Reply
  3. Francine Seal

    I’m using two Martha Stewart 5X7 binders for the planner/workbook. One is specific to scrapbooking – I’m not sure about the other. I’ve been taking pictures every day so far this month (but it’s only day 4 so we’ll see if I keep it up.) I’ve also been making or finishing one card each day. I have so many card kits by Hunky Dory that I committed to one card a day until they’re all used (not necessarily used up – some designs just don’t sing to me.) Also committed not to buy any more until I’m at the all used stage as well. I might even have enough material to make 365 cards, not all Christmas but quite a few are. Also curbing my buying of scrap supplies – both digital and physical.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      I would definitely include spending limits or freeezes as part of your month goals. Depending on what motivates you best, you also might look at “using up” as the real challenge.

      Reply
    • Libby Wiers

      I, too, am trying to take a ‘use what I have’ approach for 2015 (hubby was beginning to growl over craft expenses…). We’ll see how that goes, but if it is in the planner…

      Reply
  4. Kay Gregory-Clark

    Jennifer, these planner pages are just what I need. I’ve often used a similar method, but nothing as nice looking & organized as these. Thank you so much! A question, now: I registered & downloaded the compact size because I use a wonderful leather binder my husband made me. But when I reduce these 8.5×11 “extra” (i.e., your January sample page) they are SO small. Barely readable, much less room to write. Any suggestions? I want to keep everything together in my binder.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Kay, I’ve got a Compact Edition (5.5×8.5) of the entire planner that was manually adjusted for the smaller format without reducing the type as much.

      Reply
      • Kay Gregory-Clark

        Is this available to members? I did not see it listed as an option.

        Reply
        • Kay Gregory-Clark

          DUH! I finally found the compact size. I’m not sure where I got it from, but what I had downloaded last week was not the full planner & was named 2014 Planner. So now I’m ready to go!

          Reply
          • Jennifer Wilson

            Glad you found it. Please feel free to contact us at help@simplescrapper.com if you have any further problems.

  5. Catherine Gervais

    I really like the idea of monthly check-ins, as well as the smaller sized pages. Excited to see how it unfolds!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Me too!

      Reply
  6. Nancy

    Still wondering when those of us who signed up for Start Fresh but are not Simple Scrapper members will get access to the workbook and planner pages? I was hoping to get it printed out and set up this weekend before starting back to work on Monday…now the weekend is nearly over. : (
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Hi Nancy, I sent an email out on Friday with the download links. I’ll go forward it to you again. Sorry for the frustration!

      Reply
  7. Nancy

    Shoot. I didn’t get the email on Friday but I have it now. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      No problem! Glad we could get it resolved quickly.

      Reply
  8. Donna Hagan

    I am really looking forward to this starting. I really, really need a Fresh Start and to be more organized. I am a newbie and need all the help I can get. I have been a scrapper for some time now but have gotten away from it. I am a Grammy and now watching my 19 and 4 month old granddaughters! So I need to be very organized and need “me” time so I figured this would be a great place to get me back on track….also less looking at FB and Blogs and more doing!!
    So as you can see I need all the help I can get!!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Online browsing can certainly be part of an enjoyable and fulfilling hobby, so don’t beat yourself up. A simple mindfulness about your behaviors will help you better balance doing and consuming. So glad you’re here Donna!

      Reply
  9. Nancy

    Donna, I am right there with you in regards to the time I spend on FB and blogs. Really need to spend more time DOING!

    Reply
  10. Emily Adams

    I printed the pages out and use my Arc planner hole punch to make my planner. I’m looking forward to mapping out what I want to scrapbook – I usually have a million ideas until I have time… then I can’t decide what to make. I love To Do lists, so I think this will work really well.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      Ooh, the Arc binding system is so cool! I can’t wait to see you succeed with this Emily.

      Reply
    • Cheryl Walker

      Hi Emily, I am interested in the Arc planner. I went to the Staples website but didn’t see what size paper it uses. Which Arc planner do you use? What size planner do you print out? How many pages does your planner hold?Thanks in advance.

      Reply
  11. Donna Hagan

    Emily, where did you get the Arc hole punch? I just purchased a planner and would like to add to it.

    Reply
  12. Deanna Anthony

    I printed mine out and had it spiral bound, but now wonder if I should have just put it in a binder. No biggie, though! I can print more planner pages if I need them! Looking forward to Starting Fresh!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      I think spiral bound will be great. Write in the margins and get it messy if you need a little more space!

      Reply
  13. Libby Wiers

    While I love the idea of the planner and the year’s album all in one place, I so seldom scrap with any sort of real chronology (although LOs are filed that way in the end), that I’ve put my planner in a re-purposed 3-ring binder that I decorated last year for the planner. I began well, but did not consistently follow through (typical), some months not even printing the month’s calendar. With all of it there to plan ahead with, I may do better in 2015.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wilson

      That was one of my hopes Libby, that sharing it all at once will be helpful for advance planning!

      In terms of the album, one thing that I do is keep things together during the year, but when it gets a little too full I move layouts to more topical albums.

      Reply

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