I love exploring different paper planners, so when I saw Deanna Koller demonstrating her new WeekDate calendar to her colleagues from Southwestern Ontario on the train ride to the POC Conference last month, I invited her to write a review for Your Organizing Business. Luckily for all of us, she said Yes! Read on to learn about this unique product.

WeekDate calendar

Like Janet, I am also a lover of the paper planner. After years of loyalty to a specialty 3” x 6” insert that fit my leather bound planner, I had come to realize that it was more fashion than function and it was time to move on.

With the world of paper planners open to me, I dove in first to the Planner Pad.  It had over double the amount of space I previously had to write in, and all activities, to-do’s, and appointments were arranged to help me make the most effective use of my time.  Soon though, I was getting to the point where I needed to plan planning time so that I could fill out regular appointments week after week, month after month.  This became drudgery and the WeekDate planner claimed to solve my dilemma.

Its tagline, “Only Write it Once” was instantly appealing to me.  After watching their “How it Works” video, I knew it had to be mine.

The 9½” x 4” planner opens to 9½” x 13½” full size and is divided into three sections.  At the top of the planner is the colour coded section called Monthlies. Each colour represents a week in the month, from the first to the last. Here you write in items that occur on a monthly basis. My POC Chapter meets the third Wednesday of each month. I wrote it in once, and now I’m done for the year.

The bottom section is where the weekly items are listed. Any scheduled items that occur every week are placed here in the appropriate day. Here I placed my entire recurring weekly schedule, including children’s lessons, fitness classes, bill paying and shopping.  Once and it’s done.

The everyday items that are not regularly repeating are written in the middle section by date. The colour coding on the page refers to the monthlies section, so if the colour above the date is green, you look at the second week of the month to see if you have a monthly appointment.

Each page has a tear away tab that allows you to get to your current week easily. On the back page of the past week are lined columns for whatever notes you may take during the current week.

This planner has two integrated plastic pockets. In one is a phone card that you can remove and place into your next year’s WeekDate. In the other is a removable annuals card for birthdays and anniversaries that I can refer to regularly.  These pockets can also hold receipts and tickets.

I was initially concerned with the non-traditional layout that places Monday at the beginning of the week, but writing a weekend event with two days next to each other makes sense, so we will see how I adjust.

My concerns as I go through the year will be if I can manage my to-do lists and goal setting effectively with this system and if it will be sturdy enough to go through the rigorous use I intend to put it through.

Just how committed am I?  Not only have I made the switch, but so will my family, as this whole system is available as a wall calendar and I can’t wait to get the family in line!

You can view and order this planner and their complementary products at www.weekdate.com

Deanna Koller resides in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and can be reached through Heart of the Matter Professional Organizing.