(My First) Erin Condren Life Planner // 6+ Months In Review

Hi Guys, I know a lot of you are into planners like I am... and I shared my 3 months in post about my ECLP, so I thought I would share how things are going 6+ months in. :)

Backstory:

I was not initially going to purchase the ECLP, they are a little bit bright for my taste, and obviously on the pricier end.... but they got me with the new rose gold design. (which of course was more expensive). So I made it my, "Christmas Present" to myself... and here's what I've got to say 6+ months in!

Planner: ECLP - Rose Gold
Cost: $75 (YIKES)
Time Using: 6+ Months

Extras Purchased: (... it was cyber Monday.... don't judge ....) budget book, activity log, pen holder stick-on, set of bands to hold closed, multiple covers...

6 Months In Pros & Cons:

Pros: 

- I am still loving the vertical layout, which divides each of my days into "brand", "home", and "self" sections. It is still a great way to keep myself organized!
- I like the extra cover I bought. The watercolor and quote are lovely. For whatever reason it seems to be holding up better than the original cover! Which is great! A lot happier about this!!
- I am still using the stickers, I like them for organizing, and to make it prettier.
- I like how it is organized to include yearly goals, monthly goals, etc. and in general how easy it is to keep everything together. I have been using the blank notes pages to keep track of reading challenges, shows I want to start watching, etc.
- I like how many add-ons there are to customize your planner even more without actually ordering a custom planner.
- The post-its are very pretty, they look really cool on the monthly pages, and I like that they clip onto the spiral.
- I have been using the zipper pocket for stamps in addition to my stickers, it's pretty handy!
- I've definitely been more organized, and more into my planning since trying this planner and method. It's been very helpful!

Cons:

- Quality Issues mentioned in previous post, related to spiral and original cover.
- The paper seems a little thin, and my pens and markers are easy to see from one side to the next... so it's hard for me to "decorate" it in fancy writing, etc.
- No address section! As someone who sends lots of snail mail, I was bummed to find no actual address section in this extensive planner. There is a small one in the perpetual calendar (which was included with the rose gold planner). But it holds maybe 10 contacts. We send 30+ postcards every. time. we travel. So this doesn't work for me... I have copied them into the notes pages, which works fine, but I would have preferred a few sheets of contact pages. Erin Condren does sell a separate full sized address book... but that seemed like more of an investment than I wanted.
- The stick on pen holder does not stay in place - I did not attach one to my new cover. It's easier to clip them on the spiral.
- I'm still disappointed with the metallic post-it notes, which were one of the pricier accessories on the site... and the first one ripped when I pulled it off. Overall the paper must be really thin... because they rip pretty easily. Not great quality. (you can see how some rip when you take them off in the previous post). They also tend to not stick super well right away in the planner. They curl up a bit too. But if you shut the planner with the band they flatten out and stick better later. I DO like that the post its clip onto the coil. That's very handy.
- While the do-it-all dot stickers are cool... they aren't the most practical for me. Who goes to the Dr. 6 times per year? Unless you have kids or frequent appointments it just doesn't make sense to have that many. Yet, I used the $ ones to mark pay days... and I ran out half way through the year... I have no idea what to do with the makeup ones ... ? Then some of the cleaning ones make sense... but others are really specific. For example, the spray bottle could mean cleaning as a generic activity. But then there is a recycle sticker, and a washing machine. Why not a dish cleaning or vacuum one then? The logic doesn't quite work for how I plan...You get the idea...
- The cost!

Overall:

I love the layout, I am glad I am trying it out. I am unsure if I will re-order in the future. The quality isn't amazing for the price (original cover especially!), and the design is a little too loud and colorful for me. It looks like she recently released some more neutral ones... but I am unsure if that includes the inside of the planner, or just the covers. I do have several covers now... so I may consider buying an address book... to keep at home... so I can still use the covers, and have one larger address book around to reference. If I did purchase an ECLP again, I would go for the cheapest option with the clear coil.. and probably wouldn't buy a lot of add-ons.

Last Thought:

I am really loving how easy it is for me to keep track of my yearly, monthly, etc. goals in this planner. I have a system and it is working pretty well. Is anyone interested in posts for "planning" around your goals?!

If you are interested in purchasing the ECLP or any of the accessories use my referral code to save $10 on your first purchase: https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/alexandraconsolver0703

What do you guys think? Have any of you tried the ECLP?

What planner do you use? What do you think of it?

XO,

Alexandra