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Hi, friend!

If you’ve landed here, chances are good that you’ve signed up to receive your own complimentary copy of The Waiting Well Planner! (And if not, you can get one right here.) Printable planners have some great features about them: they’re usually inexpensive (in this case, FREE!), simple to use, and fairly lightweight.

However, when it comes to assembling them, things aren’t quite as straight forward!

You have the option of getting them bound at a place like Kinko’s - usually quick and inexpensive, but not the prettiest, either.

You can put them in a traditional 3-ring binder with clear sleeves - also relatively inexpensive, but it can take time to insert all the pages into the sleeves and doesn’t look as attractive as other options. (I’ve found my local Wal-Mart to have the best prices on 3-ring binders.)

My favorite method is the disc-bound system. You can disc bind your planner relatively inexpensively or go all out with high-end discs and easy-to-use punchers.

Inexpensive options include:

• Discs

• Disc hole punch (or even borrow one from a friend!)

• Simple sticker tabs

Fancier options might include:

• Metallic discs (so pretty!)

• Easy-to-use disc hole punch

• Pretty sticker tabs

Optional items that are tons of fun but certainly not crucial:

• Washi tape (I also love Brilliant Business Moms’ washi tape and planner stickers!)

• Planner stickers

• Planner clips (these simple, inexpensive ones are my favorite!)

• Snap-in ruler

• Snap-in pencil holder

• Planner pens (I recommend these types):

  • Fine Liner Pens

  • Frixion Erasable Pens

  • Pilot Pens (I prefer the .5 size)

There are other amazing options on Etsy as well. A quick search will pull up almost anything planner-related that you can think of! The hardest part is not going overboard on your planner bling. If you spend all your time decorating and personalizing your planner but don’t actually USE your planner, it won’t be the helping hand you need to overcome overwhelm, better manage your time, and make room for what’s most important in your life.

Whether you’re a planner lover who goes all out with stickers, highlighters, and planner clips or you keep things on the simpler side like I do, a planner can be pivotal to helping you keep track of and get the most out of life all while ensuring you have enough margin in your day.

If you’re using The Waiting Well Planner, be sure to snap a photo and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #waitingwellplanner so we can see it! Using a different planner? Still share it with us using hashtag #hallwayinitiative!