Upcycle, Create, Reuse: 10 Ways to Give Your Old Planner New Life
I appreciate anything that signifies a fresh start. Hands down, my favorite thing about the new year is getting a new planner. To be sure, my planner from the previous year is rarely filled end to end. I often have whole pages, and sometimes whole months, that are still empty when I’m ready for a calendar reup. If you have blank space in your planners from years’ past, think twice before you trash them. Here are a few ways to give your old planner new life.
For the upcycler: Renumber it and keep using it as is
A little whiteout never hurt anyone. By covering the numbered days on your calendars with stickers or ink, you can start anew and stretch your need for a new planner by a few months. You can select your Golden Coil start date at any point, so get as much mileage as possible out of the planner you already have.
For the artist: Draw a doodle a day
If you’re trying to start a regular art practice, a daily doodle in your retired calendar is a great place to start. Collages are also a perfect way to cover up any evidence of planners' past.
For the memory maker: Jot down a daily memorable moment
We have one-second-a-day videos, but how about one memory a day in your planner? (I use an unnumbered calendar spread as a “Toddler Overheard” page to jot down all of the funny things my little one says.) Old planners make great scrapbooks too!
For the foodie: Start a food journal, recipe trackers, or meal planner
Food notes bring me a special kind of joy. I’ve used old calendars to make a recurring monthly meal plan that I plucked out of my planner and pasted on the fridge. You can also start a meal tracker in almost any spread or try using old calendars as a dump spot to list out new recipes you want to try. You can even use an old calendar to make a restaurant bucket list.
For the plant parent: Start a plant journal
Is your monstera getting a new leaf? Have plant care notes you can’t keep in your head? Start a plant journal! It’s the perfect way to document the growth journeys of your plant babies.
For the traveler: Make a destination bucket list or write your itinerary
Using an expired calendar to write down all of the places you want to visit is a fun visual way to keep track of all of your aspirational travel plans. Plus, with an analog list, you can cross off your visited destination as you go. You can also use an old planner to make an itinerary or bring it along while you travel as a vacation journal.
For the organizer: Make a to-do list
All of the lines and boxes in an unused planner make it perfect for any to-do list.
For the gardener: Start a garden journal
Auditing your seeds for last year or mapping out your planting calendar? An old planner is perfect. You can note when you seed your first blossoms, pick your first fruits, or add reminders of when to fertilize.
For the DIY-er: Use your journal for decorative flare
Use your old planner to prop up a plant or decorate a coffee table. You can even repurpose the cover to give it some extra flare. If you want to use your old planner as public decoration, but the contents are private, tie it with some leather string before you put it on public display.
For the conservationists: Disassemble an old notebook for scrap paper
If you need a few extra sheets of loose leaf paper for notes, you can pull out blank sheets from an old planner. If you prefer them bound, you can hold them together with a fancy binder clip or make a new book. If you cut the sheets into squares, they may also be good for origami.
How do you use your outdated planners? Let us know in the comments.