DIY Washi Tape Planner

Call me old-fashioned, but I just can't seem to function without a real, I-can-write-things-down-with-a-pencil-and-flip-through-the-pages, paper planner.  I'm not sure if it's the technologies' fault or my own (I swear, sometimes my tech devices have minds of their own) but whenever I try to use electronic calendars I just end up missing Oliver's beauty appointments or showing up to my cello lessons on the wrong day or having some other catastrophic scheduling meltdown.  It's just such a comfort to be able to physically flip through my schedule and see everything laid out in front of me, and I can't seem to do it any other way.  

So this brings up the real dilemma: it's really, really hard to find a passably cute day planner that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  Most of the time when I need one I scour store after store, searching for the perfect planner (it's a bit like looking for the Holy Grail, if you ask me) and I end up having to pick one up at the last minute for much more than I wanted to pay just because it's becoming unacceptable for me to be missing so many appointments.  In order to preemptively avoid this with the start of the coming scholastic year, I just DIY'ed a little solution for myself, with a plain black day planner (it cost less than $4!) and some Washi tape that I picked up for about a dollar a roll.  Simplest solution ever.  Makes you wonder what else could be vastly improved by slapping on a couple of strips of Washi tape…Hope you enjoy this little project!

This project is so simple, this hardly counts as a "tutorial," but sometimes the simpler the project, the better.  One that is so instantly gratifying, in addition to being useful, well that's something worth celebrating.  (ice cream, anyone?)

To do this project, you will need: 

Planner or journal to be covered
Washi tape (I used two contrasting patterns, but feel free to go crazy!)
Scissors
Clear contact paper (optional)

Ready?  Let's go!

1:  Starting from the top, lay a strip of your tape down, from left to right, lining up the top edges evenly.   Press it down firmly to your cover.  

2:  When you get to the end (the right side) cut the tape to be neatly even with the edge of your planner.

3: Repeat until the entire front of your planner is covered, creating whatever patterns your little heart desires.  I went with stripes, alternating strips of chevron and flowery tapes.

4:  Admire your work.  Then, press down all of the tape firmly, to make sure there aren't any air bubbles camping out under there.  

5.  If you are working from a  large roll of contact paper, cut it so that it is just larger than your planner cover.  Line your contact paper up with the left edges of your tape lines, making sure to not stick it on top of your binding.  Adhere the contact paper to the front of your planner, pressing firmly and evenly, to make sure it goes on smoothly.  You should have some overhang on the top, bottom, and right side, so just wrap that around, and press the ends down neatly on the inside of your planner cover.  The contact paper isn't absolutely necessary, but since I'm in this for the long haul (and have a history of mildly mistreating my planners) I needed to know I wouldn't be losing pieces of my planner cover all over Cleveland.

6.  You've just DIY'ed yourself a new planner, so go get yourself scheduled and organized.  After that celebratory ice cream, of course. 

This post would just seem incomplete without at least one little dog picture, since they really help me so much with all of my projects (and by help, I mean run around like maniacs, and then curl up on my lap and go to sleep.)  What else are puppies for?

   

Happy Wednesday!