sprung: It's all about the tables with me. That is how I get any of the layouts done.

I have figured out how to use Microsoft Outlook for my planners!! (I'm so elated, really!)

As far as calendars go, you go under File/Page Setup/whatever style you like, I go for one week per page. Once you choose your "weekly" or whatever, you go under the Paper tab and select Letter Half. They have names for paper orientations to Day-Timer/Day Runner/Franklin Covey planner systems but basically they're just full page or half page.

Thanks guys! You helped me finally figure out what to make my sister for Christmas. This she will love!

ETA: I will add a list of museums & art galleries with upcoming exhibits in it

I just found a VERY good website for select fast foos restaurants, and their nutrition information. >http://www.nutri-facts.com/fastfood.asp
If you go there, select from the list, and you can choose whichever restaurant you want and get quite a few menu items and their statistics. Hope this helps :)

figwit, thanks a million for the old thread.

and your planner is sweet! what do you have in the top margins of the week pages? and what program did you use to create all your weekly/monthly pages? (sorry if you said it already, i forgot to look before i started typing this!)

ETA: i started trying to make my weekly calendars in word, that didn't work. so i got something going in paint, but the margins ended up being waaay off. so i downloaded a really nice desktop publishing program for free. if anyone's looking for one, and can't afford adobe pagemaker ($500, yeah right!) check out>http://www.freeserifsoftware.com and download PagePlus5.0
i've used desktop publishing briefly in school for yearbook, but never anything even as complex as this project (and this is apparently really "simple". i like pageplus because it's really easy to use, so far at least. and i just downloaded some of my own fonts, so i have cute ones to use. (if anyone wants a quick lesson on downloading fonts, let me know. it's seriously really easy, you could probably figure it out on your own, but let me know). i also made up a couple templates tonite in pageplus, so if you really can't figure out how to start from scratch, i can ship those off to you too.

damn it feels good to be organized.
ok so i'm not really organized. but i feel like this is a really great first step. plus i feel like this book will be really important to me and i'll be more apt to use it because i put so much into it (plus the more i use it, the more opportunities for compliments, hooray!)

oh wow this was a long random post, i haven't slept tonite, and it's already 6:30 in the am here, so i should get to bed. what is going on?!?! ahhhhh

Hmm, you know, if anyone has windows XP I could send them Word files....do you think that would work? Ok....let me answer some questions:

1. The top margins go from left to right including: a) the month and year, b) a quote, from famous people I love, c) priorities, which are religious and include moon phases, holidays, etc., d) a small calender of the entire month

2. I used my baby microsoft word to make all the pages....I must have tried a million ways before formatting a single page to be half size, and then just working with 2 pages at once instead of having a whole sheet with 2 columns (the margins never worked out totally on those). Margins are a touchy subject, I seem to have perfected them with word with a formatted half sheet. If anyone wants to have some email discussions, I can get into detail. I have been working this thing for over a year now...I have pages from last august! woo hoooo!

Any other questions about formatting...I can try to answer. Microsoft word is better than it looks! Use tables and formatted half sheets, its the best way I've found :)

Have fun with dayplanner making everyone!

Figwit, I would love to see pictures of what you have done.

Here is what I have so far:

calendar (yearly and monthly)
spending log
want/needs list
due date list
cd list
movie list
book list
workout/walking log
Sharks schedule
Hockey Terminology
Knitting Terms/Needle Sizes

Figwit, I have XP and was wondering if you could me the Word files for your planner.

I would love to be able to figure it out for myself, but I just don't have the physical strengh to do that at the moment. Any help from you would be super.

Do you print double sided? My email is mommymolds@hotmail.com

Thanks so much. Good luck to everyone else!

I'm feeling incredibly stupid here... I've tried and tried and tried to make the half-size page templates in Word, and I just can't get them to work! I can't figure it out. =o( Can anyone help me out? How did you make your templates?

I used the page setup to set each page to 5.5" x 8.5", portrait orientation.

does that help?

That kind of helps... and thank you for your super-fast reply!

So now my next question... how do you get it to print 2 per 8.5x11 page? Or do you trim your paper before you print it?

I trim it first. I use an inkjet printer so it's easier for me. but even if you use a laser printer, it should work.

Ok, so I tried trimming my paper first, and the printer didn't like it. =op I use an inkjet printer too. I'll keep trying.

Sorry to be so full of questions, but where did you find a 3-hole punch that was the right size? I tried adjusting the 8.5" long 3-hole punch that I already had, and it didn't work... the top and bottom margins were all off, and the 3 holes were kind of wonky as well.

what brand of inkjet are you using. I make sure I have a stack of the paper in the tray so that the paper feeds easier.

I just adjusted a regular 3 hole punch. I made sure I marked the lines on the hole punch first. that way everything lines us.

Keep asking away.

Thanks again for all the help lilyblue... I really appreciate it. =o)

I'm using an Epson Stylus CX5400... brand new today. Before that I was using an older Epson. Didn't have any luck with it either. I keep trying to line the 5.5x8.5 paper up by the right side paper guide, but the printer doesn't like it... if I have the half-size sheets on top of regular size sheets, it prints partially on the small sheet, and partially on the regular sheet. If I just have the half-size sheets loaded, the little error screen pops up and says the printer is out of paper. Mr. Glitterfairy13 keeps telling me that I'll have to print them in landscape, 2 pages per sheet, and then trim them later... but I can't get the margins the way I want them that way, and I'm afraid that my paper trimmer won't work the way I want it to, and I keep getting more and more frustrated! =op I actually made (well, started) page templates back when Dawn's original thread was still active, but never finished because I couldn't fix the stupid printing/size issues. Okay. Now that you have the whole saga, I think this entry is done. ;o)

I checked the specs for your printer. It should do half sized pages. I suggest checking your manual to see how you load smaller papers.

At office max they have some little post-it notes that can be used as index dividers -- you can write on them and they are reusable. I've used them to mark categories when I'm not sure if the categories will later change (in my highly disorganized fashion.)

Yesterday I managed to print out 'masters' of all my lists (I'm a compulsive list-maker, scattered currently throughout 3! notebooks) I'm putting in my planner. I d/l some clipart from microsoft, so each page has a symbol rather than a 'title':To Do (calendar), To Read (book), To Watch (popcorn box), To Surf/websites (big chain link), To Buy (wallet), To Listen (record player), To Make (pin cushion), General Ideas/notes (lightbulb).

I also printed out my monthly calendar pages (blank, I'll just fill in the dates by hand), and a price book page, because I also compulsively comparison-shop (clothes, craft supplies, etc).

I scored at my local Kinkos; I won't pay $8 for a ream of same-colored paper because I want my pages to be sectioned into different colors. So I picked out a variety of colors to see what I can 'live with', and the cashier told me to just leave with them, saving me about $5 in paper. Yay, nice cashier!

I'm also using a half-sized binder that some unfortunate student left in our office last year. I held onto it for about 6 months, but s/he never came back for it. So I fought one of my co-workers for it (I'm younger, I could take her LOL). It's a clear plastic binder with this cool diagonal-pinstripe detail. I put a giant Grateful Dead dancing bear on the cover, so now it's mine!

Also, if anyone is looking for 'plain' half-sized binders, Office Depot has them in their backtoschool area. They come in colors.

Keep this thread going, for all of us organizers!
peace
monstergirl

What about a list of free stuff to do in your town? I'm making a list of all of the free museum days, with times and locations, so if I have nothing to do on a Tuesday afternoon I remember that I have the pick of Chicago's best museums for free! Reading over the complaints about MSWord, in MSOffice you can make a two-panel brochure--I think that would work pretty well as a template for 5 x 8 planners. Maybe go over to the local Kinko's and use their paper cutter for free to cut it down to size.

More ideas:

I just printed off a copy of the Dewey Decimal Classification System and pasted it onto my "Media" tab. I spend a lot of time just browsing around in the library, so this is a good resource for me.

I've been making a note of when I begin and end books that I read. I just jot this down on the calendar squares.

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I've got mini-collages in progress on all of my divider tabs.

Do you like those little things that allow you to keep Post-it notes and flags in your binder? Make your own by punching holes into a nice piece of cardstock and attach your own Post-it pads.

I never remember the speed dial numbers on my cell phone, so I wrote them down in the phone book section.

Laminate cardstock tabs with packing tape or regular tape.

Look through any Day-timer (or similar) catalog for more ideas. I mean, they sell things like packages of grid paper and blank note paper - why not just buy big pads of paper and cut them down to size? Use the money you save on stuff like that to splurge on the super-deluxe binder. :O)

Dawn: I am all for collages in the planner!

I used postcards as dividers: you just punch holes in since and attach tabs to (since they're already the right size). I used pictures from old cookbooks, I also included the lyrics to mr. roboto on one page...

Hooray for making yourself smile when looking at your planner!

I just have to brag:

I just found not one, but *three* half-sized binders at the thrift store for 45 cents each! Whoo hoo! I'd *just* left OfficeMax, too, where the half binders are $5 each. Score for me! I'm planning to decorate my new binders and use them as archives for old planner pages and storage for blank pages. I already know I want to cover one with cancelled postage stamps; don't know about the rest. I like the idea of using postcards and greeting cards somehow.

Another cute idea that I saw when browsing planners for sale: sheets of tear-off notes - you'd tear one off if you wanted to write a quick note for a friend or something. You could probably make the same thing with a spiked tracing wheel.

:o)

or even better, set your sewing machine onto a wide stitch, and stitch thro pages. it preforates, tho i do think it'll dull the needle *fast*
we did these for fashion show tickets. it was fun...

does anyone know of where i could get JUST the ring part of the binder? like the haf sized ones. or would i have to buy a half size one an tear out the ring part?
or better yet, anyone have an extra one they woulnd't mind trading for? =)
all the 1/2 sized binders here have rings that are too small. im looking for a bigger size.. so i can fit more junk in ther ^^
thanx!

I love this topic!
After spilling chocolate sauce on my storebought planner last week...not intentional, I promise!... I can now start creating one beginning not from January but from NOW! Yeah!
I'm using Printmaster to create 8.5 x 11 weekly pages (1 week per 2 pages....I've gotten used to the size & it works well for me).

In addition to the calendar and address/phone pages; I'm also adding....
fast food nutrition info (thanks Figwit for the link!)
Grocery Item checkoff list by category
"Things I have to work on this week" chores list
"Things to do before I die"...lots of great ideas at http://www.austinsilentmarket.com/1K_list.html Although it sounds a little morbid...it's pretty motivating to see all the 'things' and try to check off as many as you can!
"Books to read"....organized by author, name of book and a quick description of the book (cut & pasted from www.amazon.com)
"Things to stop tolerating" list....like 'My desk is full of stacks of papers' and 'I am tolerating unsorted boxes of stuff in my closet' and 'I am tolerating not making enough money for years to afford what I want', etc...
"Life Balance Index" to help me remember to play as hard as I work!
"Mood Meter" which kind of ties in w the Balance Index

There are also some cutie printable calendars at http://www.janbrett.com/interactive_main.htm

I think that I'll cover a regular 3-ring binder w some cool upholstry fabric using a pattern like this.... http://www.butterick.com/bhc/pages/articles/kidspgs/covers/covers.htm

Everyone has such great ideas...what a great thread..I'm still re-reading thru all the posts for more things to add!

HTH, Jolie

Mithridatechild.....Have you tried looking at some of the office supply stores for the metal part of the binder? Seems like you might be able to find them at an Office Depot or Staples, etc.