A New Year, a New Diary

For a stationery addict like me just the thought of a brand new year sends shivers down my spine because a new year means a new diary.

A whole book, just waiting for me to fill in the blanks, map out plans for  the coming twelve months, set schedules and goals and stay organised.

I love my diary. It's nothing flash - I always use a school diary - they have enough space to write appointments and jot down notes, they are a week to a view, and have all the school and public holidays marked, as well as having space to note special projects, planning etc. But best of all they're sturdy and cheap, and fit neatly in my bag. So much better than any other diary I've tried over the years, and I've tried a few different brands and versions.

Last year I was given a beautiful planner, that has a removable cover, so the old planner has been slipped out and my new diary slipped in. It's pretty and makes me smile, and looks so much more grown-up than my little school diary. It has a nifty little slot for a pen (and yes, I have favourite pens too!) and pockets on the inside of the cover for important stuff like receipts that need to be filed.

One of my very favourite New Year's Eve traditions is shifting  information from my old diary to my new diary.

I mark in birthdays and other special events.

I add the work timetable for The Cheapskates Club.

I add my goals for the year (we have quite a few as a family, Wayne and I have some as a couple and I have some just for me).

I use the yearly planner section to keep track of important dates like birthdays, annual leave, special events etc. so I can see at a glance what's happening if I need to.

To keep it pretty, because I like pretty things, I use coloured markers and stickers to highlight different dates and important events.

Best of all, I use this diary. Every. Single. Day. Of. The. Year.  Because there's no point in taking the time on New Year's Eve to set up a lovely new diary/planner and not use it.

So do you get excited at the thought of a new diary?