My Kikki-K Lilac Small Time Planner Review

I have had my new lilac and gold foil small time planner from Kikki-K for a few weeks now. I do love it for the most part. It is so cute! Read on to find out what I like and do not like about this planner. I will post my setup of this planner as my wallet soon well!

The Feel

It feels pretty sturdy. It is a little stiff but is nice & soft. It is the perfect size for my purse and fits in my hand perfectly. 

However, I don't like how it closes! I have it stuffed with my cards, but not a whole lot of inserts or anything. It looks very bulky, a little awkward and not secure. It bulges a bit in the middle. This would be perfect if I kept a slim planner but I can never keep it slim. 

Looks like a bulging belly!

Ring Size

The gold rings are beautiful but boy are they tiny. The Filofax ring sizes are about 15mm to 22mm in diameter, I'm not sure exactly of Kikki-K's rings size however. Here is a comparison of the rings in the Kikki-K small planner and my pocket sized Filofax patent duck egg, look at that difference!

Ring Size Comparison

Gold Rings!

Still fits a lot of inserts though!

Pockets 

There's just enough pockets for some main cards and a secretarial pocket for more storage! 

Elastic Band

This is probably the most annoying part of the planner for me. Especially when I have a pen in the pen loop. It's not hard or anything just annoying. Having to wrap it around the whole planner. I'd rather much prefer the snap closure. 

Inserts 

The dividers and inserts it came with are for 2015 but I probably won't be using them anyhow since I use a pocket as a wallet. The dividers are a pale pink color and comes with three - a monthly view, weekly view and dividers. They are so cute and the pages aren't too thick or thin.

Dividers 

Monthly view

 Weekly view 

 Addresses

It also has a notepad in the back!

So there you have it. The small Kikki-K time planner. I love the color and design of this planner. Though I love the space, the feel and ease of snapping my pocket Filofax much more. I'm giving it a chance though since it looks cute. 

Section Heading Stickers for Erin Condren Planners

I've made new stickers! I am so excited to share with you all these section header stickers! You can use these to place on the side bar of your EC planners or you can replace the morning/day/night sections! I have tried to come up with as many section headings as I could. I also left a whole column blank for you to write your own as well. The colors are all over the place but I tried to make them match their category, kind of. Anyways...

My fiance was quite thrilled to help me with this project since I used Excel. It was so easy and if you guys would like more colors or different fonts and headings please comment below! If there is enough feedback I would gladly make a whole new set! I hope you all can use these. Enjoy!

Download:
Section Heading Stickers

To Use:

• Print on sticker paper or regular printing paper
• Use a paper cutter and trim each column then trim each row
• Peel sticker paper by cutting the back using an exacto knife or razor (more here)
• Or use a sticker maker or glue stick

For more details on how to use my printables to make stickers click here!

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog #mswenduhh

Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

Week on Two Pages with Meals & Notes

Here is a weekly page with a place to meal plan! I also have Saturday and Sunday on the second page. It's a bit different from most inserts I like the open feel of it though. Lots of room to decorate too! To do and to go on top, weekdays on one page, and lots of lines for notes!

Downloads:
A5
Personal
A6

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog

Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

Filofax vs. Kikki-K Planner Sizes

I have recently talked to one of my followers on Instagram and saw that she was printing personal sized printables for her "personal" Kikki-K planner. Except her Kikki-K was actually A5 sized!

Planner sizes can be confusing, especially if you are totally new to the filofax and planner world!

I am hopefully going to show you the different sizes and how they compare to each other!

Common Filofax Sizes

Personally I don't know all of the sizes but these are what I do know:

• A5  - this is the bigger desk size planner  ( 235mm x 195mm x 43mm)
• Personal  - this is the medium sized planner (190mm x 135mm)
• Compact - these are the same size as a personal just with smaller, tighter rings.
• Pocket  - the small cute squarish planner ( 150mm x 115mm)
• & Mini  - even smaller!

A5 size

Kikki-K Personal Berry vs. Personal Size

Kikki-K Time Planner Small vs Filofax Pocket

Kikki-K Sizes

Kikki-K has their "Personal Planners" line but don't confuse it with personal size! These planners come with the snap closure and are in the berry, grey, mint, lilac, black, and gold colors (as of right now). I have the "Berry Personal Planner" and these planners are all A5 sized!

They also have the "Time Planners" that come out about once a year in the fall. Last year's were the mint and gold dots. Their newest line this year are the lilac and gold diamonds time planners. These come with an elastic strap.

These Time Planners come in these sizes:

• Large (240mm x 190mm)
• Medium (188mm x 145mm)
• Small (141mm x 108mm)

Comparing Sizes

They vary in sizes from planner to planner but in general they are all the same. Look at the table below to compare the sizes.

Here is a picture of the A5 - Personal - & Pocket side by side

If you are looking to put your Erin Condren Planner inside of a ring binder the A5 size,  Kikki-K Large Time Planner or the Kikki-K Personal Planner will all work. Here is how I did it

I hope this helped you out a bit! Good Luck and Happy Planning!

How To Make Printables into Stickers

I post a lot of free printable stickers on my blog. All are listed on the bottom of this post.  I also have explained how I make them into stickers but I don't like posting it again and again on every sticker printable post I make. So here is an in depth tutorial on how to turn my printables or any you find and make them into stickers for your planner!

Depending on what you have available to you, here are three options on how you can make your stickers, and the pros and cons of each.

Option 1: Sticker Paper

Print using full adhesive sticker sheets. You can find these label sheets at Walmart, office supply stores, some arts & crafts stores or Amazon

I think this 100 labels for $12 is a great price!

   

These are easy and perfect for making stickers. It can be hard to peel off the sticker after you cut them though. Luckily I have a quick and easy tip for that problem here.

Another drawback for this is the price and availability of these sticker sheets. It can get quite expensive buying lots of sticker paper. Most come in a pack of 10 for about $12! They also aren't sold in most stores like Target! But if you scour the internet you can probably find a way better deal , but then you have to wait for shipping..

Option 2: Sticker Maker

Print on either white paper or cardstock paper, if you'd like them more sturdy, and run by rolling them through your sticker maker. You can get the little X Xyron sticker maker for about $6 with a 40% coupon from hobby lobby, Joann's or Michael's. If you need help with how to use the small Xyron sticker makercheck out this video by Itsaplannerthing!

 I have the Xyron 250 which only cost $13 (with the 40% off coupon) and is wider and you don't have to peel anything! You can find the coupons on the store's website easily. Or download their app. Amazon has them too for around the same price! Here are the different sizes:

I love using this method! The only thing is the cartridge is only 20ft long and sometimes it goes in crooked so cutting it one by one can get a little tricky. But it is easy to peel and very user friendly! Cartridges are only $7 too after coupon. 

Option 3: Glue Stick/Adhesive

Print on regular paper and simply use some adhesive such as double sided tape, glue dots, or a glue stick.

Save all your printables and cut them out into strips and use when you need them by just adding some adhesive!

This is so easy and simple. But you would have to carry around adhesive with you at all times to use a sticker. 

Cutting:

I recommend using a paper cutter and cutting each section first on the edges then using scissors for the more detailed sections. I like to keep a strip without cutting them until I use them so I don't have a bunch of tiny stickers everywhere.

Take a look here for some of my printable planner stickers:

Decorative colorful patterned flag stickers
Event flags stickers
Heart checklists stickers
Custom planner stickers - (pay day, anniversary, exam, date day)
College stickers -(quizzes, hw, final, read, study etc.)
Custom mom planner stickers - (appointments, cleaning day, football, payday, bill due, anniversary, workout, early dismissal, garbage day, holiday, shopping, cheer practice, birthdays, and mommy time)
Banner planner events stickers
EC planner stickers - (H20, Laundry Days, Appointments, Workouts, Grocery Shopping, To Buy, Mommy Time, To Write)
Daily workout stickers
30 day fitness challenge stickers
Steps fitbit tracker stickers
Colorful check box flags stickers
EC squares - hearts/lines
EC squares - health/fitness
EC squares - school/work
EC squares - banners/todo

EC Squares: School & Work

Here is the last of my EC Squares! This is great for those who need to keep track of work hours & scheduling, or school assignments and homework. There are a variety of styles and lists.

Download Here

Check out my other EC Squares:

• Hearts with Lines
• Health/Fitness
• Banner To Do Lists

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

EC Squares: Banner To Do Lists

Here are some more EC Squares for you to use! These have banners and say To Do or To Go and also a blank one with some lines and circle check lists! They fit perfectly in the Erin Condren Squares and are a great to way to write your lists down!

Download Here

Check out my other EC Squares here:

• Hearts with Lines
• Health/Fitness
• School/Work

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog

 Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

EC Squares: 30 Day Workout & Meals and Fitness Tracker

Here are some EC Squares for those trying to get fit & healthy! The 30 day challenge stickers fit perfectly on the lines at the bottom of the EC pages underneath the exercise-thoughts-inspiration-meals section. I have previously posted these but this is a b&w version.

The other row of squares are to track your workouts and meals! This is great if you use your planner solely for fitness and health.

In the workout box you can write down what activity you did, the number of sets/reps you did, how long you ran/walked or the distance, and keep track of your water intake!

In the meals box just write down your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, & snacks. Whether you meal plan or just like to see what you've eaten!.

Here is the download!

Check out my other EC Squares:

• Hearts with Lines
• School/Work
• To Do Banners

 If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

EC Squares: Colored Hearts with Lines

I have a bunch of Erin Condren Squares that I have made and can't wait to share with you all! I will be posting the work/school squares soon, as well as a basic to do/to go/blank with banners EC squares.

This here is an EC Square with colorful hearts and dotted lines. They fit perfectly inside one of the Erin Condren Squares. The hearts are checklists for you and the lines help you write neater and straighter. Each square measures 1.5 in by 1.9 in.

This is what it looks like:

I hope you guys like these and stay tuned for more EC Squares!

Download:
EC Square Colored Hearts with Lines  

Be on the look out for my other EC Squares:

• Health/Fitness
• Banner To Do Lists 
• School/Work

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog

Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

Quick Tip: Peeling Cut Sticker Sheets Easily

Here is a quick tip for today! Thanks to one of my Instagram followers for asking this question!

When printing on the full sheets of sticker paper it can be hard to peel the backing off.

I was stuck trying to get a corner to peel off then the next, then the next and still failing! I noticed that the full sticker sheet as a diagonal slit on the back. But if you cut your sheet some parts you won't be able to peel that part off!

To resolve this pesky issue all you need is some kind of razor or blade.

I used an exacto knife. All you have to do is slice the back of your cut sticker in half (straight or diagonal doesn't matter) with your blade, gently but firmly, as to not cut the actual sticker. And that's it! Just curve and peel your backing off to use your DIY stickers!

 

How to Master Your To-Do List & Plan Effectively

If you are into planners, you are probably a to-do list enthusiast as well. These are some of my tips on how I stay on top of my to do lists

Types of Lists To Use
I have a Master To Do List, Weekly To Do Lists and a daily To Do Lists that I use in my weekly planner.

For my master to do list, I put the things I would like to get done but doesn't really have to be done at any certain time. Just things that I do not want to forget, but I need to write down. Most of these things are big projects too that would take a lot of time. I use this to-do list for my master list so I know if I started on one of these long projects! I have a section for this list in my personal planner. Having this long term goals list to refer back to can help you in working towards these goals in your daily to do lists.

 

click here to find this to do list

My weekly to do lists are part of my weekly view in my erin condren planner.   I write these down every week on the side where it says "weekly goals and notes". Alternatively, you can use a journaling card or post it notes. These are things that I must get done this week. Usually they are things that I want to clean out that require more time than a typical daily task.

Finally, the daily to-do's, every night, I write down 3-5 things that I MUST get done for the next day. You can also do this the morning of. These things are usually just daily chores like laundry, cleaning the bathroom, etc. Sometimes I take one or two things from my weekly to do list and write them in my daily to do list. You can organize this by morning-day-night, by sections like home, work, kids, shcool etc. or by urgency level - from highest to lowest priority.

Tips 

"Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail" 

You know that quote right? Well it is so true! You have to set aside some time every night or morning to plan your days. If you don't you'll be running around all day thinking of what you needed to do or get done. Have a daily planning session where you make and prioritize your daily to do list. Your goal for this planning session is to plan the upcoming day's activities and develop a plan of attack to carry them out.

Prioritize
The key to mastering your to do lists is to just write down your top must do tasks. Rethink your priorities. If you have a list with way too many things to do, it can become overwhelming and you may not get any of it done.You have to be realistic with the time you have and write down tasks that you know you can do.

But don't get mad at yourself if you don't finish a few things on your list, just move it to the next day & try again! & if you find yourself not finishing your list everyday maybe you need to rethink your list and shorten it a bit to be more manageable!

Write it Down & Check it Off
When you write things down and plan ahead, you know you will get to check it off as soon as you do it. It is the most rewarding part! Check off your completed tasks and review any remaining uncompleted tasks. When you don't write down your to do list it can be harder for you to get things done. So write that list down every day, every week!

Check Back Often Throughout the Day
Be sure to keep your to do list in sight. Put your planner in a place where you can easily access and check back on it throughout the day.

Don't let your to do lists get messy and overwhelming! Use these tips to stay on top of things, regroup and refocus on what is important and be happy with checking off things everyday!

Week On Two Pages - Vertical Box Style Inserts

I love the erin condren planner so much! The weekly pages are gorgeous and functional. However I could not always work with their morning day and night sections, and I like having a "must do" section! Hence I created this printable!

I have yet to try to these out, but will update as soon as I do! And I know a ton of you use personal sized filofaxes, so I finally was able to make these in that size as well. I don't know if this layout would be too small for a personal, but we'll see!

It is a vertical week on two pages with  boxed sections, a water tracker, and hearts!
On the side there is also a section for a quote you can write, weekly to do's, to go's and to buy.

& on the bottom are extra lines to write anything you want! You can write your meals here, or exercise or daily gratitude, whatever you want. 

I currently have these sections for download below, if you would like custom sections or even colored boxes I can customize one especially for you for a small fee, if you just email me at mswenduhh@gmail.com, I can discuss it further with you.

Other weekly inserts I have include these simple heart ones,  checklist version & a pastel wo2p too!

Download:
A5 - home, work, personal
A5 - home, kids, personal
Personal - home, work, personal
A6 - home, kids, personal

If you do end up using these I would love to see pictures. Tag me on Instagram @wenduhh_plans or #mswenduhhblog

 Please do NOT share the actual file or file link. Instead please send your friends here to download my free printables, thank you.

Getting Started with Planners & Filofaxes

So you want to become a planner nerd like the rest of us eh? It's a fun and rewarding hobby. A very useful one too. So welcome to the world of organizing & planning, in style!

My cousin is a newbie and I am currently helping her out. I am in the process of setting up her very first filofax. I found an A5 daytimer and it would be perfect for her! Anyways, here are some tips for all you who want to get started.

Get used to the idea of writing things down

Get into the habit of writing everything down! When you write things down you remember more. If you have something to do, somewhere to go, something you need to buy, or make write it down! If it stays on your mind, it will get lost and never accomplished until the next time you think about it.

Write down all of your appointments, birthdays, special events, all contacts, everything you'd write in your phone put it in your planner. 

Take your planner everywhere with you! Whenever you have an appointment write it in your planner right away. If you've got an idea you want to remember don't trust yourself to remember haha just write it down! If you have something you need to do, write it down in your to do list! 

Have something you need to reference constantly? Put that in your planner! Quotes, inspiration, relevant information, pay days, etc., anything and everything! 

Think of your planner as your brain dump! Once you get the hang of writing everything down you will get used to using your planner daily. I always tell myself oh I'll remember that or I'll just put it in my phone and write it later. But I never do. And I never really remember that I wrote it in my notes section in my phone. 

How I Got Started:

I needed some routine and schedule. I have two baby boys and am home alone with them all day. Things can get crazy and hectic and whiny when there was no routine! I needed to get organized and get things done around the house while still entertaining two babies! When I first started I had a tiny little planner. It was not enough room for me to write everything down. & it was not cute! I had no motivation to write in it everyday. I did not use it as much as I should. Then I ordered my very first Erin Condren Planner. It was cute and functional with plenty of space for me to plan out my days!

my pretty Erin Condren planner cover inside of a Kikki-K planner!

 

Erin Condren planner

But then I wanted something more versatile so I uncoiled it and put it into a binder - my berry Kikki-k planner! 

Then that got too big for me to lug around everywhere so I came across a smaller Filofax - the pocket, but it was too small for me and I found the perfect planner - my mulberry!

Now I use all three, but that's another story. #planneraddict

Some Alternatives to Filofax Binders

If you think you are ready for a Filofax but don't want to spend a fortune you can find some cute and affordable ones from Paperchase or Kikki-K. Barnes and Nobles has the punctuate planner for very cheap as well! You can also find some Filofaxes on eBay.

Update:

Just found out about happie scrappie's shop - http://happiescrappie.bigcartel.com/product/rainbow-color-planner-personal-sized-free-ship. She has cute personal sized planners starting at $45.99 and come in such cute colors! It also comes with a memo pad, a set of dividers, a plastic ruler / today marker and a zipper pouch. So awesome for a beginner! I'd love to order a yellow one come mid-October! They are up for presale and if you check her blog out you can get 10% off! http://happie-scrappie.blogspot.com/2014/09/happie-plannerreveal-day-for-september.html?m=1

some kikki-k planners and my mulberry

Inserts

Next step is to find the perfect inserts! You can find some free printables on my blog or you can buy some.  Find some free printables and see how you like to plan first. Do you like planning every week? every day? Do you like seeing everything at a glance like a monthly view? Or maybe all three! Test it out first! If you buy from filofax, paperchase or kikki-k they usually come with weekly and monthly inserts. Use that for a while, then if you don't like those you can order some cute ones from piaric on facebook, find some on wo2p inserts on etsy or try some free printables online.You can use this to help you print your free printables.

Use the monthly view as your story board for the month. Jot down all of your important appointments, due dates, bills etc. 

Use the weekly or daily to jot down all your tasks for the day or week that you'd like to get done. The Erin condren planner has 3 different sections which I think really helps you split up your to do lists.

weekly view

monthly view

insert view of my erin condren

You can find other useful inserts to use in your planner on my blog as well, such as to-do lists, wish lists, budgeting, expenses, appointments, and many many more printables!

my free printables

schedule those appointments

Stationery Goodies

Personalize it & make it fun! 

Get a nice pen, some stickers, some washi tape, anything to keep you interested in your planner. Decorate and plan happily! 

When you have your planner, you can start decorating. Most people buy all these planner goodies while waiting on their planner! Get some sticky notes, pens, paperclips, washi tape, journaling cards and other cute stationery extras. You can get these from arts and crafts stores, etsy shops, or print your own like these stickers here! These help keep you motivated to stay organized with a planner, all while still being functional! You can find inspiration on how to decorate pages on instagram, YouTube or pinterest!

Some cute online shops for pencil cases and clips and more:

Www.coolpencilcase.com

Www.jetpens.com

This fakus pencil case and sentimental circus paper clip were both from coolpencilcase!! 

washi tape, project life cards, corner rounder and others!

stickers from online shops

bookmarks and stick flags!

Dividers/Sections

Decide on sections in your Filofax. Make your own cute dividers or buy some on etsy! Some common sections in a Filofax include:

• Info
• Calendar - Yearly/Monthly
• Weekly (diary)
• To Do
• Notes
• Inspiration/Lists
• Addresses/Contacts

It all really depends on your lifestyle. If you are a student, a stay at home mom, a blogger, or working every day. Make sections relevant to your life. What do you need to reference all the time? What do you need to write down to remember?

After a few weeks or days of using this system, you’ll be able to see what is working for you or not. Change them up as you need. Starting a planner is a lot of trial and error until you find your niche!

Start using that planner as much as you can! Keep your planner open and in sight. You'll use it way more if it's in view and get things done too! You know the saying "out of sight, out of mind". So find a spot for your planner where you can constantly see your plans and start planning!