InDIY, organization, planner

My DIY Blog Planner + A Free Post Planner Printable!

DIY Blog Planner

Hello friends!

Today’s post is all about how to make a DIY Blog Planner. If you love planners as much as I do, you might find yourself in the situation of having more than one in your possession for the year… Or is that just me? Although I’ve definitely drooled over legitimate blog planners on Etsy, I find that the blogging process is very personal, and I wanted to make my own system that works for me.

(Also, please ignore the poor quality of these photos. Lighting in the PNW can be a bit tricky this time of year! With that being said, click on any of the images below for a closer, zoom-able view.)

DIY Blog Planner MonthlyLuckily, I had an adorable Ban.do planner that was waiting for a project to call it’s own. I used this planner throughout the fall, and then switched into a different one when the new year started. I tried turning this one into a health journal, but it didn’t really catch on. But now that I’ve started using it as a blog planner, I’ve fallen in love with its colorful look and open design.

On the monthly pages, I create an editorial calendar for the month. I use sticky-note tabs to write down my post ideas, so that I can switch them around (and even from month-to-month) if needed. I also mark down important notes, the dates my newsletter goes out, and holidays so that I’m always on top of my blog calendar.

DIY Planner Close Up

As you can see, I leave some days blank and plan as I go.

Ban.do PlannerThe weekly spreads are quite roomy, so this is where I make a detailed to-do for each post.

DIY Planner Materials

For the most part, I use the same handful of stamps:

  • checkboxes (I love the set of five!)
  • cameras
  • hearts
  • plus-signs
  • geo-pins (or whatever they’re called!)
  • clock
  • hashtag
  • envelope

With a variety of stamp pads, just a few stamps can go a long way.

DIY Blog Planner Week

I start with the checkboxes, using a set of five. I stamp twice on each day that I have a blog post scheduled to publish, and once on the rest of the days.

DIY Blog Planner IconsThen, I add the icons! For the camera and plus-sign, I layered a light gray ink-pad with the solid shape, under a dark gray ink-pad with the outline.

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And, of course, I add a little bit of decoration at the top of the page and in empty spaces.

DIY Blog Planner

Lastly, I fill in all the to-dos and use a thick marker to write in the scheduled post idea. For each post, I have ten tasks listed that get checked off as I complete them. The rest of the days, I mark events (like Twitter Chats) and other tasks I want to get done.

If you prefer to work in a batch-schedule, this kind of planner might not work for you. But I find that having a to-do list for each post is incredibly helpful when you’re working day-to-day and creating as you go.

Now, I know that not everyone shares my love for stamps, or has a spare planner laying around. So I went ahead and created a printable version of my blog post planner just for you! Click here or the image below to download this printable (it even comes in two colors!)

diy-2

And because one printable is never enough, I’m offering a WHOLE planner kit to my BrightMail subscribers! It includes the Blog Post Planner, a Weekly Blogging Schedule, and a Social Media To-Do Chart, ALL in three different color options (ooh la la!). If you’re already subscribed, you can access it in the WBT Library. And if you’re not already a subscriber, click here or the image below to get your VIP Pass to the WBT Printable Party!

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Whether you’re planning to make a DIY Blog Planner or use some of the WBT Printables, I hope this post gave you some organization inspiration to keep you moving forward with your blog!

Thanks for reading.

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A planner should work for you, and a blog planner should work for your blog! See how I DIY my own Blog Planner, and download a printable version of my post planner too! Looking for a Blog Post Planner? This simple and minimal post planner is perfect for all types of bloggers. Click through for a free download!
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8 Comments

  • Marcy

    This was so so helpful! It got me really inspired and with all these ideas!! By the way, your planner is soooooo cute, I’m in love!!

    February 8, 2016 at 10:14 am Reply
    • Haley

      Thank you so much Marcy!
      xo, Haley

      February 8, 2016 at 10:18 am Reply
  • Michelle

    Haley, this planner came at the right time. I have been looking for a planner for two months now. I even bought 3 of them from e-bay only to find out that they are not what I was looking for. Thank you so much for the informative posts and also for the free download.

    It looks really cute and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.. Thank you ?

    February 8, 2016 at 1:12 pm Reply
    • Haley

      I’m so glad you like it! Buying a planner online can be tricky – without looking at it, you don’t always know exactly what you’re getting. Let me know how my printable works for you – I’d be glad to make more versions if I know they’re helpful for my fellow bloggers!
      Thanks for reading 🙂
      xo, Haley

      February 8, 2016 at 1:43 pm Reply
  • Kristin

    This is an awesome tutorial! I’ve been trying to separate blog life from life planner and been terrible at it. Thank you!

    February 8, 2016 at 2:53 pm Reply
    • Haley

      I’m so glad it’s been helpful to you! Wishing you a super fun blog planning session 🙂
      xo, Haley

      February 8, 2016 at 3:39 pm Reply
  • Anne

    Your planner is amazing! (and I’m a really sucker for pretty planners haha) 🙂

    – Anne | annesmiles

    February 15, 2016 at 1:02 pm Reply
    • Haley

      Thank you Anne!
      xo, Haley

      February 15, 2016 at 3:13 pm Reply

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