Well Planned Day Planner Review

**Disclaimer: I received a free product for my review. The opinions here are my honest and true evaluation. I would not recommend something that I would not use myself. This post also contains affiliate links. Thanks for stopping by!**

For several years now, the Well Planned day planner has been my planner of choice. I have always used the Family Homeschool Planner.  

This year's planner has a few changes:

• monthly calendar on a 2 page layout
• I really like the 2 page monthly layout.  I like to place my husband's days off on this calendar so I can quickly see at a glance what days he is off for the upcoming month.

• monthly tabs 
• I love tabs on a planner!  I purchased the binder with tabs for my last 2 planners but I didn't feel that the planner fit as well as I would like in those.  I was excited to see the tabs included with this planner.  They are still not my favorite though.  They are inserted which to me are harder to see and really defeat the purpose of tabs.  I like for mine to stick out so that I can quickly see where I want to go and get there with as little effort as possible.  If you like for your planner to be streamlined with nothing sticking out then you might like these.  I added my own tabs so they would stick out.  :)
• bolder and brighter colors
• You can probably tell already that I am a very visual person so the colors just make me smile!

This planner has everything that I want my planner to have. Each month includes the monthly planner, sections to record books that you have read or books you would like to read, section to record field trips, and my all time favorite section for monthly bills including amount, due dates, and check box to mark when paid.  I LOVE to check boxes.  :)  Every month also includes 6 small shopping list pages with easy to tear out perforations.  One of the most encouraging parts of the monthly layout are the articles included.  I cannot tell you how much I look forward to beginning a new month just to read the article included for that month.  Sure, I could read ahead when I get my planner but I make myself wait for that refreshment and encouragement monthly.  

I also love the roomy layout of the weekly planning pages which are also on a 2 page layout and include places for planning by subject, check boxes, Bible verses, quotes, weekly Catechism question and answers, menu planning space, and a weekly priority section.

Other forms included in this planner are:

• 4 blank report cards
• 4 student attendance reports for 1st semester and 2nd semester
• progress reports for 4 children for each semester
• monthly sheet to write birthdays, anniversaries, or other dates and a check box to mark when you send a card
• budget form
• household duties sheet to write down weekly and monthly chores
• address section
• a my responsibilities and a my education sheet for 4 children
• 1st & 2nd semester goals sheets
• 2 yearly at a glance calendars - one for 2013-2014 and one for 2014-2015
• future planning and notes sheet
• student schedule and class planning sheet for 4 children
• teacher schedule and class planning sheet

The planner is 8 1/2 x 11 in size and comes in a sturdy spiral bound format.  I really love the size of this planner because it allows me to keep up with everything I need to in one place.  It is also 3 hole punched and I have taken the spiral binding off and used the calendar in a binder as well.  I like both formats and vary from year to year on what I do.  Guess I like change.  :)  The front and back covers have a strong, durable laminated finish helping them to stay in tact throughout much wear and tear!  At least for me anyway - I'm rough on planners!

How I make this planner work for me.

I use my planner a little differently so let me give you a tour of how I make this planner work for me.  I mainly use it for my personal planner.  

The first thing I do is pull out the 1st and 2nd semester attendance sheets and progress reports and place them inside my homeschool brain. (this picture is from last year's planner)  I also pull out the teacher schedule and place it inside my brain.  I fill out the student schedule sheets and give them to each child to place inside their binders.

When I receive my planner, I go ahead and mark my husband's days off on the monthly and weekly sections (see the blue stickers below).  Whenever we receive other schedules such as dance, soccer, school trips, clubs, field trips, etc, I mark those in as well.  The monthly calendar also includes verses to read through the Bible in a year.

Monthly, I write in our bills and due dates.  I choose to write in our books read after we have completed them.  I also read the monthly article included.  

Weekly (usually on Saturday's), I plan out my week using the weekly planning pages.  I use the grids for our scheduled activities as well as my daily and weekly to do's and not for subject planning.  I also begin my week by reading the quotes, Bible verses, and weekly catechism question and answers.  I have used those as a part of our weekly memorization before as well.  Another feature I like is that the week begins on Monday so Monday-Thursday have larger planning areas than the weekend.

For me, this planner has everything I need and it is easily customized!  The Family Homeschool Planner can be purchased online for $24.95 and runs from July, 2013-June, 2014.  For me, it is worth every penny!

But guess what, Home Educating Family has been so kind as to give one of my readers their very own Family Homeschool Planner!!  I think this is one my most exciting giveaways ever!! Just follow the guidelines below for your chance to win!  Contest ends Sunday, 6/2/13 and winner will be picked on Monday, 6/3/13!

**Giveaway now closed - congratulations Jennifer!  I have emailed you!**