This is more of a minimalist concept & it's wonderful. Sometimes you really don't have the time to worry about stickers & washi.

RESPECT for the honesty about the reason for the downgrading as well as the mindset shift that it's adulting... i couldnt afford the planner so i used printables and now i use a bullet journal ,, so yes i'm "adulting" too, but also because i'd just use it more efficiently if it's affordable and simple :D

I love notebooks. My aunt used to have them stacked in her basement and I never understand why. Now that I am older I get it. I hate to throw them away heheehee

Love how you say , we don’t always need the frills , stickers .. this does take the pressure off because we still need to plan.

I am the world’s worst planner! I am so happy to run into this video this morning as I will be applying this very simple, but seemingly effective method to my life. I’ve bought many planners in the past that are still unused in a drawer somewhere. I think this will be easy to keep up with. Thank you 😊

Yes, I'm reducing my spending on everything. I love the simple notebook planning videos. 😊

Hi there! I just want to thank you for this video! I have had a planner that I just didn't like. I just couldn't get into it. Then, I watched this video. This has changed the game completely! I went to The $1.25 Tree and got a little journal with the grid layout instead of lines and set it up similar to how you showed us in this video. It works for me! It is simple and so organized. Thank you from one teacher to another!! I can't wait to continue using this system next year! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Hapy Summer! :)

Great idea and can be tangible. Thank you for sharing your ideas… I have about 6 of these .50 centers that my daughter never ended up needing from when in school. ( all different colors. Red, blue, black & even yellow boo. 👍) Thanks again. 😃

Thank you for this video since it's not overwhelming but will help me to organize my time and tame my chaos. It brought up a lot of emotion.

I love your method and your simple clarity. Thank you💝💝💝💝

I immediately feel calmer upon the commencement of your video . Thank you. Only recently gotten into consistent journaling notebook use mostly for getting etter organised . Your vied realy helped . I am in Australia stuff is just getting more and more expensive here too .

Loved seeing how you use your planner and your hand writing is so nice! Love your nails too!!

WOW Cat I’m so proud of your accomplishments your channel is growing so much

Awesome - I love planners/notebooks/calendars- have to get the Dotter - you have great penmanship

Notebooks are totally planners! I can plan on my phone, a notebook, whatever. If it helps me get through the stress of life it's a planner! I love how you showed how your style might change with life. The system still works! Also I hav not bought a sticker since January 5th. lol. I'm thinking I might splurge for my birthday in June. YES Burn out is real! Between school and parent care taking it has been a wild month!

I’m obsessed with cheap notebooks that are available anywhere - currently going through a comp notebook phase too. I discovered that they can be cut down to any size, too, so 9”x6 1/2” is my jam because it’s more portable for me. I get them cut for a small fee at an office supply store, round the corners, and cover with clear Contact film or clear shipping tape (avoiding the spine). It works beautifully to make them super durable! The plastic film also makes a good base to store sticky notes. 😊

Good setup.

I love simple basic notebooks too. I have also incorporated the index card method into my life too. Keep them with me in my pocketbook for when I need to do a "brain dump". Good stuff, great video ❤

Enjoyed this video. Began using a composition book as a planner last week after seeing your other video. I love the idea because I need lists and "life" notes to keep me organized. I bought a small calendar at Dollar Tree, tore off the current month, and glued it into my book so that I have a month-at-glance page. My page format includes daily to-do lists and leaving space for notes of things that happen, as well as meal planning. Also, I made a page at the very back called "Facebook Marketplace" where I list things I am looking for. The blank notebook pages have endless possibilities.

I love notebooks too. Simple and so affordable, gets the work done ✅ Thanks for sharing ❤️

Love this!❤ Thank you for sharing!

omg the subscribe button lit up when she said subscribe

Love this system. Works perfectly for me. I am retired and both kids are on their own so I don't need all the stuff in traditional planners.

🙋🏾‍♀️ 🗣️ B U R N T O U T ‼️ Patiently waiting on final exam week 🤞🏾

I like your "handy work", pun intended.

Your voice is so calming… and it’s a great idea to use an inexpensive notebook! I get bogged down with too much structure in a planner and even though I buy at least one each year, I tend to revert to a notebook by spring!

Burn out is real, Cat! I'm a former middle school teacher. After spring break was when the idea of solitary confinement sounded like paradise! I'm LOVING this series! Would you discuss how youre keeping up with weekly tasks, how you plan projects and forward planning in your composition notebook? Thank you for considering❤

Love it. 💕

This year I started a low buy for stationery, skincare, body care, and hair care items.

I used to use EC then tried a custom planner purchased from Etsy for Goodnotes but ultimately I was too tired to plan because of all the effort it took to decorate which lead to poor money management and chaos. I saw your video a few weeks ago and it’s made quite the difference ❤

You are such a kind woman. God bless you, I am right with you on watching spending.

Hi, Cat! I love me some notebooks. As you know, I'm using a notebook as a planner this year and I love it so much I may never buy another pre-printed planner again! I like that I can design a different layout each week if I want to. So far, my favorite layout is a combination of an Alastair Method task list on half of one page with a list of appointments on the other half. The second page is all notes with a little month calendar in the bottom corner. I got rid of "habit trackers" completely. I didn't see any benefit to tracking habits at all. Things that are important to me, like going to the gym or taking my pills, go on the task list. All the planning goodies are so tempting, but I have goals to achieve, so this year, for sure, I will spend nothing on planning. Thanks for sharing your love of planning and showing alternatives that people may not have considered. Have a lovely week, Cat!

I love going back to basics sometimes. Plus, I’ve found it gives me a chance to see what planning system actually works for me, so I don’t waste money on a planner that simply isn’t compatible with my needs 💛

I feel worn out but this month is also my birthday month (21st) so that helps! Happy Birthday!!!

I love the simplicity of your planning. ❤

I knew you were a teacher as soon as I saw the handwriting! 😊 I'm in Canada pinching pennies but I love planners so I'll save this for when my 2024 planner is finished.

Happy Belated Birthday, Cat! Thank you for your ideas!

LOVE a simple, plain lined notebook 📒! 💜💜💜 Thanks for these tips, they’re very realistic and doable. And I LOVE your handwriting ✍🏽😍

What a great video, thanks it was really helpful. By the way, you have a lovely calm voice x

Love using my notebooks!!! Happy belated friend.

I love your voice and new channel, CAT. I first got introduced to you following your teacher/teaching journal. I love organizational tools so I may give this a try! 😊 TFS and continue success!

Tried with sticker, washi tape, etc., but I found I lost the actual info like appointments, to does, that I use to run my life. Thought I wasn't doing it right if I didn't do the pretty, pretty! Love your approach! Made me realise that it's the info and control of my life that's important. I'm wit you -Keep It Simple, Sister!!

I love notebooks but I have been having a hard time keeping up with making weekly, daily, monthly spreads. I am happy I seen your video because you reminded me to just keep it simple. Especially when life is " lifein" lol

I'm so glad I found your channel today!! This is the inspiration I need. I absolutely feel bogged down by all of the things in the planner world and just want to use my notebook, lol! Can't wait to check out more of your content!

Very nice planner, I like your categories.

Really great idea! I love the simplicity. Happy Birthday!

Actually not that much detail but I have always used a large cute wall calendar. Like seeing a month in advance 😁Retired teacher here !!

I've always used a notebook for planning. I just live the simplicity of it

Notebook 📓 Nerd! Right here! And I hate premade planners. I always feel bad because of the unused sections! Love this idea.

I always go back to a composition book and my basic planner from target I take my composition book to work bc it doesn't have everything I need in there for budgeting and planning but have everything i do need lol it doesn't have sensitive information but weekly stuff and good for making notes I can rewrite in my actual planner if it needs to be transferred

I am a lister too!

New subscriber! Loved this video!❤️

I love that the notebook is working! I am definitely feeling the burnout this school year.

Your channel is great!!!! I am a planner too for years and sometimes just planning not doing..hahaha😅. You will get to 100K soon because your content is GOLD, GOLD Ms. Planning Calm. Matcha for you, thank you.🍵🎏

❤❤❤

Hi!😊 I love this video! This looks like such a great system and I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! I love 🥰🥰🥰 notebooks! I can’t explain it, I’ve just always been a stationery lover, pens, notebooks, all of it! When I feel overwhelmed or even just busier than usual, I like simple pen, paper, list. It just helps for some reason, let’s me focus on the important parts instead of searching for the perfect sticker I guess lol sometimes going through stickers looking for the right one is so relaxing and sometimes I feel frayed and frazzle and that’s the final straw, I hadn’t realized that before! Stationery items at my local thrift shops are hit and miss but I love it when they have things like that and think it’s definitely a great way to get cute items for a super deal!! Thank you so, so much and I’m excited for your next one!!❤

Love this and love your calming voice! You are so pleasant to listen to! Some people talk so fast and loud that it gives me anxiety 😆

I have found some planner items ( a three-ring A5 sized agenda cover) for $5 at Value Village. It looks like a small purse and has a ton of pockets so I was beyond thrilled! But I also have a knock off traveller notebook so I can carry whichever one I feel like as I plan in both. Then I don’t feel the need to constantly buy new ones. As with my purses, if I get bored with what I’m carrying, I shop my closet so I don’t feel like buying more.

I have been using notebooks at work every since I started working in 1999. 5 star notebooks have been my go to sometimes full size 8.5 x 11,sometimes the smaller 9.5 x 6-always coiled college ruled or graph paper. I have tried the regular notepad paper at work as well and it just didn't work for me. There's just something about a notebook-I don't know if it's the crinkle of the paper and the gel pen whatever it always worked for me. Some might find it strange to be at a meeting with a spiral notebook with all this digital stuff but I just feel comfort in knowing that if i need to find what happened when, look for something I made note of, I can find it. I'm also one of those people that writes each day or every few days in a different color ink. It helps to attract my eye and keep me interested because you know everything for work is not that interesting. I also find writing things down helps to declutter the brain, work things out and remember things better. I have stacks of them from prior jobs, its interesting to flip through them but its amazing to see how many they are. i really like how you are using yours for planning and the way you have it setup is why simpler and attractive then the bullet journal format. Love your voice and your videos!

I’m in a planner my friend got me, but I sometimes have a hard time keeping up with it daily. I have a TON of notebooks though. I like them for journaling, and I’ve done some bullet journaling in the past, mostly for work…which is a bit less intimidating than a planner because if you aren’t in your notebook for a few days (or a few weeks), there are no empty dated pages taunting you. You just continue where you left off.🤷🏾‍♀️ Your notebook looks like a modified bullet journal…the original BuJo, not what IG would have people believe is BuJo. Those elaborate layouts are beautiful, but a little intimidating for someone who wants a fast and simple way to manage their time. Thanks for sharing! I spent months in a notebook with a pencil, and it was so relaxing. No fuss.

If it's got paper, I'll use it! I like your to-do list of 'file taxes.' 'find new accountant' LOL

Happy belated birthday 🎉 Would love to know the dot markers you use!

burn out.... Many years ago, when I tried homeschooled my only child, i was a mess, during those years, it;s not my recomendation for an only son, sociabilization is sooooooo important!

Pen only is all I can handle. Guess that means I stay burnt out:)

🥵 burnt