An Ode to My Craft Planner

How I Use It and Why I Love It

I’ve been using a dedicated craft planner since March 2024. One year on, I can safely say I’ll never scrapbook without it.

Beyond its obvious practical uses, I love the ritual of setting up each month, writing my crafty to-do list, and slowly ticking things off. Talk about satisfying!

I can’t take credit for the idea itself. I was originally inspired by Linda Loves Creating who has a couple of YouTube videos on the subject here and here. My set-up is a little different. Let me walk you thought it…

My Craft Planner Set-Up

For my craft planner, I use a lilac Leuchtturm1917 Medium {A5} Hardcover Dotted Notebook. The ‘Take a Break to Create’ sticker decorating the front cover is by Liz Harry Designs.

Inside, I’ve used stamps, stickers and washi tape to create a layout that works for me. After the title page, you’ll find the following sections:

• Projects – A list of scrapbooking projects I plan to complete this year.

• Goals – A list of crafty goals I’m hoping to achieve this year. {You can read more about both these things here.}

• Project To-Do List – For larger projects like December Daily and Week In The Life, I create an overarching list of the stories/pages I need to complete in order to finish the scrapbook.

• Project Notes – My craft planner is also home to sketches, notes and ideas for specific projects. I use it to plan page layouts, record journaling prompts, and keep track of photos I want to take.

• Monthly Tasks – Each month, I create a crafty to-do list filled with the smaller tasks I need to work through. This usually includes things like ‘print photos’, ‘add journaling’ and ‘adhere embellishments’. Alternatively, I might list specific stories I want to scrapbook or pages I need to finish.

• Useful Info – At the back of my craft planner, I have a page for useful information I reference repeatedly. For example, ink swatches and my preferred photo dimensions.

Why I Love It

In everyday life, I’m a pen and paper person who likes lists. I’m also a natural planner who enjoys updating her diary and feeling organised.

To be clear, my passion for these things doesn’t mean life doesn’t feel chaotic at times. I still forget to make appointments, return forms, and order prescription meds before they run out! But I imagine things would be even worse if I didn’t lean on these habits to help me through.

When I first started experimenting with a new hobby and trying to add more creative play to my days, I was winging it. I did everything on an ad hoc basis. From choosing projects and shopping for supplies to taking photos and figuring out how to include them in a scrapbook.

To a certain extent, this approach worked. In my first year of scrapbooking, I completed two projects – a summer album and December Daily 2021. However, there were also things I wanted to make and do but didn’t. I felt scattered, and without a clear plan, I often went weeks without making anything at all.

Ultimately, setting up my craft planner, noting down my goals, and writing monthly to-do lists has transformed my creative practice and increased my output.

In 2024, I finished two projects, Little Summer Joys and December Daily 2023. I also documented three mini-breaks in a dedicated travel scrapbook, joined in with Week In The Life {my album is still in progress}, and partially completed two other scrapbooks.

Don’t get me wrong. I had fun that first year, but my hobby feels even more fulfilling now I have my craft planner to keep me on track.

If you’re serious about prioritising creative play and making time for crafty hobbies, you’ve got to schedule it in. Whether you use a craft planner or not, establishing how you’ll spend that time in advance will help you use it more efficiently, making play more achievable when you’re busy. Being intentional, setting goals and giving your creativity a few things to focus on can have the same effect.

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Our brains all work differently, so using a craft planner won’t be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth a try. If you decide to give it a go, please let me know how you get on!