{"id":7648,"date":"2012-11-02T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2012-11-02T14:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/?p=7648"},"modified":"2012-11-05T06:27:34","modified_gmt":"2012-11-05T13:27:34","slug":"organizing-with-a-yearly-color-coded-calendar-and-clear-transparent-shelf-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/organizing-with-a-yearly-color-coded-calendar-and-clear-transparent-shelf-paper\/","title":{"rendered":"Organizing with a Yearly Color Coded Calendar and Clear Transparent Shelf Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A good set of colored markers makes me happy!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A simple, full year calendar posted at your main administrative station<\/strong> (household or office)<\/em> is a key element for keeping track of the patterns in the ebb and flow of your schedule. \u00a0<\/strong>It only needs to be a normal page size, not too small to \u00a0read, yet not so large that it gets covered up and you can’t glance at the whole thing at once. \u00a0A real paper copy means you can see it while you flip back and forth through the more detailed weeks on a digital calendar, daily planner, or traditional wall calendar.<\/span> \u00a0I set mine up like this:<\/p>\n

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  1. Print a calendar<\/em><\/span> from timeanddate.com<\/a>. \u00a0These calendars are simple, but slightly customizable. \u00a0I like them with just a little bit of grid to them, but not too much color.<\/li>\n
  2. Use colored Sharpie markers to circle birthday dates.<\/em><\/span>\u00a0Everyone in our family has “had a color” for organizing for some years now.<\/span> \u00a0This is very useful for chore charts, study record keeping, and general list making. \u00a0I use the thicker, bolder type of marker<\/strong>so that the color stands out distinctly.\n

    \"color<\/a>
    color coded calendar marking for at a glance planning<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n
  3. Mark blocks of dates for limited events over a few days.<\/span> \u00a0<\/em>For instance, most of our Tuesdays in January and February are marked in pink vertically<\/span>, for an activity that only occurs on those Tuesdays during that part of the year. \u00a0The first Friday and Saturday in March have a perimeter of orange<\/span> because I need to remember the yearly music competition. \u00a0A couple of weeks will get circled horizontally in blue<\/span> to note important dates for college kids.<\/li>\n
  4. Cut a piece of clear transparent shelf paper<\/span> that is at least inch larger than your calendar paper on all edges.<\/em>\u00a0It’s easier than working with plastic wrap or tape. \u00a0Peel the backing off. \u00a0Place the sticky side of the shelf paper up, then center the calendar paper on it, FACE DOWN. \u00a0The shelf paper is actually fairly forgiving if you want to lift the calendar and reposition.\n

    \"calendar<\/a>
    calendar upside down on sticky side of clear shelf paper<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n
  5. Turn the whole thing over and attach<\/span> to the surface where you want it for the year. \u00a0<\/em>I have pull outs (like cutting boards) over both stacks of drawers in my big old desk. \u00a0This means I can have the most current year on one side and the upcoming year on the other. \u00a0It’s usually around October that I find I like to be able to see the whole next year.\n

    \"year<\/a>
    year at a glance calendar on a section of my desk<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n
  6. The calendar can still be written on after the shelf paper is on top.<\/span> \u00a0<\/em>I experimented with getting the Sharpie marks wet and trying to wipe it off, but it stayed. \u00a0Pencil also writes on the shelf liner reasonably. \u00a0I use pencil to circle pay dates. \u00a0(not shown) \u00a0Those dates don’t need to be as visible, but are useful to refer to when I am in accounting mode.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The sticky shelf liner peels easily off of the wood when it is time to replace the calendar. \u00a0<\/strong>Many a planning session has been simplified by having the whole year there to look at.<\/p>\n

    There are other uses for the shelf liner, too<\/strong>. \u00a0We use it to:<\/p>\n