The Great Debate: Paper vs. Digital Planners

Is it really a debate, or can they work together? As a professional organizer, I work with clients who are trying to create more order in their lives. One of the most common challenges is keeping track of everything—work schedules, appointments, family commitments, and personal goals. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed without a home organization system in place.

That’s where planners come in. And I LOVE planners!

Planners — whether paper or digital — help create structure, keep tasks from slipping through the cracks, and provide a sense of control. But when choosing a planning system, many people feel like they have to pick a side: paper vs. digital planning.

The reality is, you don’t have to choose just one! Each has its strengths, and the most effective time management system is often a combination of both. By integrating paper and digital organization methods, you can create a system that supports your needs while keeping your schedule organized and your mind clear. I was firmly in the paper-only camp until I started this job. Now I love the combination of the two!

Paper Planner Strengths

There’s something about physically writing things down that helps us process and remember information. Not to mention the joy of putting pen (or pencil in my case) to paper. Paper planners are especially useful for:

• Setting intentions and gentle goals. Writing down what you want to focus on—whether it’s a daily priority or a long-term project—can help clarify your intentions and keep you on track.

• Big-picture planning. A paper planner allows you to see your week or month at a glance without scrolling through screens. It’s helpful for mapping out plans and commitments in a way that feels more tangible.

• Minimizing digital distractions. With a home organization planner, you don’t run the risk of opening your phone to check your calendar and getting sidetracked by emails or social media.

• Personalization. Paper planners allow for flexibility—whether you prefer structured templates, bullet journaling, or simple to-do lists. You can tailor your system to fit your style.

The Challenges of Paper Planners

While paper-based home organization offers many benefits, it also has limitations. Paper planners don’t send reminders, they can’t sync with other devices, and if you misplace them, you lose access to all of your notes and plans. They also require regular upkeep—if you forget to update your planner, tasks and appointments can be overlooked.

Digital Planning Strengths

Digital planning tools, whether in the form of calendar apps, task managers, or note-taking apps, offer convenience and automation that home organization professionals often recommend. They are particularly helpful for:

• Reminders and notifications. Digital planners ensure you don’t forget important deadlines, meetings, or commitments by sending alerts at the right time.

• Keeping everything in one place. With a digital system, you don’t have to carry a notebook or planner with you—your phone or computer gives you access to all your plans wherever you go.

• Collaboration and sharing. Digital calendars allow you to share events with family members, coworkers, or teams, making coordination easier.

• Recurring tasks and automation. If you have routine tasks—like paying bills or scheduling check-ins—digital planning apps can help automate those reminders so you don’t have to remember them manually.

The Challenges of Digital Planning

Despite their efficiency, digital planners for home organization aren’t perfect. If you prefer writing things down, a digital system can feel impersonal and easy to ignore. Over-reliance on digital tools can also contribute to screen fatigue, and some people find that tasks feel less concrete when they’re only stored in an app.

How to Integrate Paper and Digital Planning

Rather than viewing paper and digital planners as competing options, consider how they can work together. A hybrid planning system allows you to take advantage of the strengths of both while minimizing their drawbacks. Here are a few ways to integrate them effectively:

1. Use a paper planner for planning and a digital system for execution.

A paper-based planner is great for outlining your week, setting intentions and goals, and keeping track of important tasks. Once you’ve mapped things out, use a digital calendar app to schedule reminders and appointments.

2. Keep a master to-do list on paper, but schedule time-sensitive tasks digitally.

If you like writing down daily or weekly to-do lists, a home organization planner can be a great tool. However, for appointments, deadlines, and time-sensitive tasks, set digital reminders to ensure nothing gets missed.

3. Review and sync weekly.

Set aside a few minutes at the beginning or end of the week to update both systems. Transfer any key dates from your Google Calendar or Apple Calendar to your paper planner and vice versa.

4. Use paper for reflection and digital for logistics.

If you like journaling, tracking progress, or jotting down ideas, a paper planner for home organization provides space for that kind of reflection. Meanwhile, a digital organization tool can help with managing schedules, meetings, and structured commitments.

5. Experiment to find what works best for you.

There’s no one-size-fits-all system. Some people prefer to use a physical planner for personal life and a digital system for work. Others use paper for weekly planning but rely on digital to-do lists for daily tasks. The key is to find a combination that feels intuitive and helps you stay organized without feeling overwhelmed.

Creating a System That Works for You

Ultimately, planners—whether paper planners or digital planning tools—are meant to support your life, not create more stress. Whether you use paper, digital, or a mix of both, the goal is to develop a time management system that keeps you organized, reduces stress, and gives you a sense of clarity about your priorities.

The most important thing is to be intentional about your planning process. A planner for home organization should help you stay on top of what matters without adding extra pressure. If a method isn’t working for you, adjust it. Your home organizing system should be flexible enough to evolve as your needs change.

So, by integrating paper planning and digital organization, you can create a balanced approach that keeps you on track while allowing for both structure and creativity. My personal favorite combo is my Simplified Planner, Google Calendar and a dry erase wall calendar. What works for you?

This blog may contain affiliate links- meaning I get a small kickback from the retailer if you shop using my link at no cost to you. Thank you for the support!

Time Management For Women – Yes, It’s Different!

Lately, I’ve been kind of obsessed with time management- always thinking I could be more efficient with my time and wanting to learn new strategies to teach my clients. I’ve been reading or listening to lots of books on the topic. There are many good ones and I’ve taken bits and pieces from all of them. But my latest (and possibly favorite so far!) is The Plan- Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius. She’s an absolute organization and time management guru and so relatable! Turns out, time management for women is very different than for men.

My first introduction to Kendra’s brilliance was her podcast – The Lazy Genius. Then I read her first book, The Lazy Genius Way.  She teaches you to be “a genius about things that matter and lazy about things that don’t.” In other words, you don’t have to strive for perfection in everything you do. That just leads to burnout and frustration. Instead, decide what really matters to you and make those things the priority. Everything else can take less effort and time.  Kendra applies this same philosophy to planning and time management in The Plan.

My top five takeaways from The Plan:

1.     93% of time management books are written by men so the advice that’s being given is for men by men and women are just expected to make it work. As she says, the current productivity paradigm doesn’t work for women or account for the fact that we typically run a household, take care of family members and have hormonal fluctuations. She advocates planning your time with compassion, not striving for greatness with unreasonable and unattainable goals.

2.     Start where you are, not where you want to go. Don’t start with a huge goal and then reverse-engineer your way to accomplish it. You have a more accurate and even joyful perspective about your future when you stay rooted in your present circumstances. Begin with what matters to you right now in this season of life, paying attention to the present and honoring the life in front of you. It’s not about trying one new planner after another hoping that the next one will be the one that works for you and makes you more productive and efficient. (I’m definitely guilty of that!)

3.     PLAN is an acronym and is shaped like a pyramid with the point being Live. It’s not a linear system so it’s meant to allow you to pivot when life inevitably challenges you in some way.

·      Prepare like a Lazy Genius, go in the right order.

·      Live like a Lazy Genius, live in your current season.

·      Adjust like a Lazy Genius, start small.

·      Notice like a Lazy Genius, be kind to yourself.

4.     When planning your day, start with TODAY -  another cool acronym with two distinctly different meanings. If your day begins with you feeling full of energy, think of the items on your to-do list with this framework:

·      Tricky – what on your schedule will require more creativity and problem solving?

·      Optional – what on your list doesn’t matter whether it gets accomplished or not?

·      Delightful – what on your list is joyful or fun?

·      Active – what on your list needs work or completion?

·      Yes – what of these four things will you say yes to, aka what matters most?

But if your day begins with zero energy or ambition, try this one:

·      Tender – what feels tender to you today?

·      Output – what is your realistic output today?

·      Delegate – what can you delegate to someone else?

·      Accept – what do you need to accept about today?

·      Yes – what are you going to say yes to?

5.     Life should be thought of more like painting a picture than completing a puzzle. You’re not repeatedly trying to create an image by putting pieces into their correct places. Instead you have a palette of moods, needs and hopes with a brush to gently and smoothly create a painting with the ability to adjust when necessary.

There’s SO much more to this book- I’ve barely scratched the surface here! I highly recommend you read it to fully understand her revolutionary perspective on how women should think about time management compassionately. Her other books and podcast are also full of wisdom and fantastic practical tips to help you live life with kindness and compassion for yourself.

To purchase The Plan by Kendra Adachi click here

To purchase The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi click here

To purchase The Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi click here

This blog may contain affiliate links- meaning I get a small kickback from the retailer if you shop using my link at no cost to you. Thank you for the support!

Entering 2025 With a Shift in Perspective

I have always loved the new year- setting up my brand-new planner and determining my yearly resolutions has always been a favorite activity during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Until now.

I have a new mindset after talking with my wise and wonderful client, Linda, about it.

“Ugh- I don’t like the word resolution! It has such a negative connotation.”

Startled, I replied, “Well what about goals?”

“Nope. That’s not any better.”

As a retired therapist, she has an insightful alternative perspective.

“Instead of New Year’s resolutions, think of it as more of a transition. Set intentions for yourself. Be gentle.”

I admit, I’ve been faithfully setting my resolutions and goals every January 1st for as long as I can remember. I’d carefully write the (usually long) list in the back of my planner and then rarely look at it until the next new year rolled around. For the most part, these resolutions were not achieved so I’d end up just copying them into the new planner and so the pattern continued. This past October I read somewhere that it’s helpful to set goals (or intentions) for shorter periods of time- like quarterly instead of yearly. This way you are more likely to keep these intentions at the top of your mind and therefore achieve them. So I tried it for the 4th quarter of 2024. I made lists of personal and business goals (intentions). And I’m proud to report that I’ve actually been able to accomplish most of what I set out to do! By keeping both the timeframe and my list shorter I could really focus on each one and be sure I was taking small steps toward achieving them.

As I was listening to a recent business coaching podcast, the host was talking about New Year’s resolutions. Her idea is to work toward becoming your favorite version of yourself instead of the “best version.” Reminding us to have a growth mindset about the vision we have for ourselves and think of it as a work in progress. This seems like a gentler approach that aligns nicely with Linda’s intentions.

So as I enter 2025 I plan to combine these ideas and set intentions to work toward becoming my favorite version of myself. These intentions will be set quarterly, not for the whole year. I’m looking forward to making slow and steady progress and seeing this new favorite version of myself! Will you join me??

4 Tips from a Pro Organizer for a Simple, Strategic Holiday Season

What does your ideal holiday season look like? Are all the decorations in organized bins ready to put up? Does every event go as planned? Are you feeling so calm and relaxed that you can easily enjoy the magic of the season? If that’s not your reality I’ve got 4 tips to help you get to your ideal season and relax by the fire with your favorite beverage!

Tip #1: Embrace the End Goal

Let’s reverse engineer the season. Think about what your end goal is for the holidays and what is most important to you this year- do you want your shopping/wrapping to be completed ahead of time? Do you want a perfectly decorated home? Or is it a feeling you want your family and guests to experience? Keep your most important goals in mind as you do your planning.

Tip #2: Forget the Frustrations

Think back to previous years’ holidays and what you found most frustrating. Were there things you wanted to do but didn’t get to? One thing I recommend is having a holiday season Bucket List for yourself and your family. Have everyone share a few things that they’d like to do – make cookies together, watch Elf as a family, go ice skating, etc. and put them on a big list. You can even post it where everyone can see and check off activities once completed.

Tip #3: Schedule Out the Season

Now that you have your Bucket List filled in it’s time to schedule the events on your calendar. Whether you use a digital calendar or a paper planner, setting a date for your events and activities will help ensure that you actually get to them. Be sure to schedule tasks you need to accomplish as well, like decorating, shopping, wrapping and cooking. You can always work backward from the event date to plan out what needs to be done leading up to it.

Tip #4: Phone the Professionals

As an organizer I help busy people get their holiday tasks accomplished so they are able to relax and enjoy the season with family and friends. From decluttering before the influx of gifts to getting the house ready for guests, I can assist with it all. I can even help manage time to make sure you get to all the items on that Bucket List!