If you’re looking for a huge list of things to keep track of in your planner, then you’re in the right spot! This list of planner ideas is a perfect way to put your Happy Planner, or any planner for that matter, to great use to help you stay organized!
UPDATED JUNE 9, 2020
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission from these links. Read my full disclosure here.
Nothing beats a good old Planner. I’m not talking about a Planner app on your iphone, I’m talking about an old-fashioned, pen to paper planner to organize your crazy life.
And if you’re like me, then you’ve got a super cute planner full of things to keep track of to help you stay organized…
Doctors visits – Check
Kids’ field trips – Check
Website usernames and passwords – Double check (who can remember all of those different usernames and passwords without writing them down?!)
And, ladies, if the planner aisles at the craft stores are any indication, then we’re not alone.
Planners are having a moment!
Just walk down the aisles of Michael’s or check out the end caps of Target. You’ll find bright and colorful planner in all sizes with the cutest sticky notes and coordinated pens to go with them. And you can even make your own DIY planner covers with free printables, like I did here: DIY Planner Covers with FREE Printables – Great for Happy Planner!
But more important than the aesthetic of your planner is the function of your planner… you know to actually plan things.
So if you’ve jumped on the bandwagon and invested in a seriously cute planner to organize your life, then put it to good use. (And if you’re looking for a new planner, be sure to check out this post: The Best Mom Planners to Get Seriously Organized!)
Here’s a huge list of things to keep track of in your planner to help you stay organized!
And be sure to check out this post on The Happy Planner – Everything Beginners Need to Know if you’re a Happy Planner newbie!
75+ Things to Keep Track of In Your Planner:
Important Dates
Obviously, this is at the top of the list! Here are a few important dates that you can keep track of in your planner:
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Meetings/Appointments
- Holidays and Family functions
Finances
Personal finances can be a tricky thing to track, but using your planner to keep track of monthly bills, automatic savings account transfers, and online banking log-ins can help!
Here is a list of finance-related things to track in your planner:
- Bill due dates
- Financial account usernames and passwords – If you’re confident that you won’t lose your planner!
- Contributions to your savings account – Get motivated to reach your savings goal!
- Charitable contributions or donations made – You’ll be glad that you kept track of these when tax time comes around
- Work-related expenses – So that you can easily find deductions for your tax return
- Tax due dates – If you’re self-employed like me and have to pay your own quarterly taxes
- Track your income and spending
Click here for How to Keep Track of Spending Using a Weekly Planner!
This is my fail-proof method for how I keep track of my family’s finances in less than 5 minutes each day! I walk you through step-by-step where to write everything so that it’s nice and organized. And at the end of the month, you know down to the penny exactly how much money you’ve spent for that month.
*By the way… if you don’t have an Emergency Binder set up with detailed info on your usernames and passwords, online bank account log-in info, utility companies, etc. Then I NEED you to go read this post on The Emergency Binder – Why You Need One and What to Include!
I almost died from heart failure and sepsis at the age of 27, and I manage 100% of my family’s finances. If something ever happened to me, my husband would NOT know what to do… like he literally doesn’t even know the name of our mortgage company. So I created my Emergency “What If” Binder just in case!
Fun Stuff to Put in Your Planner
Planners don’t have to be all business! Here are some fun things to keep track of in your planner:
- New quotes that you read
- Parties and social events – Keep track of RSVPs to send and important details of social events such as time, location, attire, and where the guest of honor is registered.
- Movies you want to see
- Books you want to read
- Schedules of your favorite tv shows
- Titles of songs that you love
- Netflix/Hulu/Amazon shows you want to watch – I’m currently watching Schitt’s Creek and New Girl, and I HIGHLY recommend them both!
- Date night times and ideas
- Recipes to try
- New restaurants to try
- Bucket lists – Places you want to visit or things that you want to do during the summer or holidays
You can visit this post for a FREE Holiday Bucket List that you can print out and add to your planner!
- Blogs/podcasts you love
- Memories – Cool/funny/inspirational things that happen to you that you don’t want to forget
- Inspirational quotes that motivate you to get things done – Here’s the one that’s hanging over my desk: “Dreams don’t work unless you do”
- Packing lists for upcoming trips
- Photo-a-Day Tracker – If you love photography, you can find some great photo-a-day challenges on Google, and track them in your planner
- Funny quotes to post on social media – Currently on my list: “I killed another plant… Lord help me if my kids grow roots and start photosynthesizing.” (Yup, that’s an original) 🙂
- Gardening lists – Keep track of vegetable seeds that you plant so that you know what seeds to buy for next year
- Brain dumps – Anything that you think of that you want to write down to get out of your head
- Your wish list – Things you want to buy for yourself
Health Stuff
- Daily water intake – Make sure that you’re drinking enough H20!
- Food and calories consumed each day – I have done this in the past to lose weight, and you would be amazed at how much better your diet is when you have to actually write down what you eat.
- Doctors appointments
- Pill or antibiotic tracking – Make sure you remember to take your birth control or antibiotics with a simple chart – This is especially useful if your kids are on antibiotics and you don’t want to rack your brain over if you’ve given them their dose yet.
- Step counts – Keep track of the number of steps that you take each day to motivate you to walk more.
- Bed times – Track your bed times in your planner to make sure that you are getting enough sleep each week.
- Weight – Trying to lose weight? Track your daily or weekly weigh-ins in your planner to see how far you’ve come.
- Exercise – Let your planner hold you accountable! Keep track of exercise circuits to try – 15 burpees, 30 jumping jacks, 50 crunches…
These cute habit tracker sheets from Happy Planner are a great way to track self care habits:
Or, you can head to this post for some FREE Printable Habit Trackers! Plus, you’ll find 80+ ideas for what types of things you can track with a habit tracker!
Household Stuff
- Menu planning – Plan ahead on meals that you will cook each night to eliminate the impulse to go out to eat.
- Grocery lists
- Pantry inventory
- Fridge inventory
- Freezer inventory
You can grab my FREE Freezer Inventory Sheet HERE to put in your planner or hang on your fridge!
- Cleaning checklists – Daily, weekly, monthly
- Lists of things to clean room-by-room
- Maintenance schedules – Keep track of when you need to change the air filters or when to expect the pest control man. Or, you can be super-organized and create a Household Maintenance Binder!
- Car Maintenance – Use your planner to track when your car is due for an oil change, tire rotation, etc.
- Favorite recipes
- DIY project ideas to try
- Holiday Planning Stuff – Track gifts that you need to buy, Holiday events to attend, sales you want to catch for Black Friday, and Christmas cards that have been sent and received, and more!
Need new pens for your planner? I tried 12 different pens so you don’t have to! Check out the results here: The Best Pens for Planners
To-Do Lists
- Daily/Weekly/Monthly to-do lists
- Honey-do list
Contacts
- Addresses and contact info for friends and family – Just in case your smartphone bites the dust!
- Contact info for Doctors/Dentists
- Emergency contact info
- Contacts for people that perform services for you – Your planner is a great place to keep track of contact information for hairstylists, lawn care companies, maintenance people, etc. so that you always know who to call.
Personal Stuff
- Goals – Things that you want to accomplish each week/month
- Daily Affirmations
- Bible verses you love
- Daily scripture readings or devotionals
- Website usernames/passwords
- Menstrual cycle – I can never remember the dates of mine when I’m asked by the Doctor 🙂
- Things that you’re thankful for – And be sure to check out this post on How to Start a Gratitude Journal!
- Information about different beauty products that you use – foundation colors, hair colors, favorite nail polish colors, etc.
- Reasons why you love your husband – If your hubby does something sweet for you, write it down so that you can put it on your “I Love You Because” DIY memo board (this is also on my list of Creative Anniversary Gift Ideas for Your Husband!)
Kid Stuff
Keeping up with your kids can be hard! Why not use your planner to help remind you of all of the parties, field trips, homework assignments, and dentist appointments!
Here are some kid-related things to track in your planner:
- Kid’s activities/parties/extracurriculars
- Contact information for your kids’ schools and teachers
- Due dates of school projects
- Special school events (Spirit Week, Picture Day, etc.)
- Major Milestones – First steps, first tooth, etc.- I wish that I would have started this earlier so that my kids’ baby books are more accurate!
- Funny things your kids say – Jot it down so you remember how hilarious your kids are (which could be useful when they’re working your last nerve!). One of my favorites from my kids: “I don’t believe in tooth fairy anymore, but I believe in the money.” Haha! Yes, my 9 year old still expects money from the tooth fairy even though she stopped believing in her months ago.
- List of kids’ chores
You can also go to this post to see my snazzy Chore Charts for Kids and get a FREE printable of age-appropriate chores!
- Growth tracker
- Kids’ allowance tracker – Giving your kids cash for allowance is so last year… and maybe not a good idea once you walk in to your daughter’s room to find her throwing around dollar bills like a middle-aged man at a strip club (don’t laugh… it happened to me!). So check out this post on the BEST Allowance Trackers for Kids to see what I use!
- Kids’ birthday/Christmas wish lists
- Fun activities to do with your kids
Tools to Help You Keep Track of Things in Your Planner
If you’re even going to attempt to use this big list of things to keep track of in your planner, then you’re probably going to need some help in the form of planner organization supplies.
It’s one thing to write something down in your planner, but it’s another thing to actually remember where in your planner you wrote it.
Here are some awesome planner supplies to help you use your planner to stay organized:
DIY Binder Dividers – A planner full of hundreds of papers is useless without binder divider tabs to help you find things easily. You can go HERE to see how to make your own DIY Binder Dividers with a free printable template!
FREE Color-Coding Key for Planners – Click HERE to grab the FREE Printable and learn how to color code your planner by category!
Colored Pens (affiliate) for Creating a Color-Coded System
Washi Tape (affiliate)
Planner Stickers (affiliate)
Divider Sticky Notes (affiliate)
And, there you have it! A TON of fun and useful things to keep track of in your planner!
What about you… how do you use your planner? What things do you keep track of? I’d LOVE to hear from you! Leave me a comment below!
And if you loved these planner tips, then check out some of my other posts on getting organized with a planner:
- The Home Maintenane Binder: Why You Need One and What to Include
- How to Color Code Your Planner – With Loads of Sample Categories to Use!
- The Best Planner Pens – I Tried 12 Different Pens So You Don’t Have to!
- The Happy Planner for Beginners – Everything You Need to Know!
Comments & Reviews
Heidi Yates says
Hi. I know this is an older post so hopefully you see this. Is there a printable version of this list? I love it and would love to keep it handy. I have been scrolling through to see if I could see one.
Thank you for your time!
Amy says
Hi Heidi! I don’t have a printable version, but that’s a great idea! I will put it on my to do list and reach out to you when I’ve got it done. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Abbt says
Hello, thank you so much for this post. I needed a refresher even though I am a happy planner since 2016, yet I got overwhelmed with all the options and it started to get out of hand!
this is concise and to the point!
thank you again,
Abby
Amy says
So glad that you liked the planner ideas! 🙂
Reichal Winn says
I love Happy Planners!!! I get a new teacher planner every year. After reading this, though, I wonder if I need a personal one also. Would you recommend 2 different planners or making a personal section in my teacher planner?
Amy says
It really depends on how full your teacher planner gets… if you think that you can add everything to one planner and still have a system that would keep everything organized, then I would say stick with one. I personally use one planner now for my work related stuff and personal stuff… I just color-coordinate everything by category. You could also use the margins or even just a half-sheet in the middle of the monthly spread for personal stuff… that way teacher and personal stuff is separated but still in the same planner. 🙂
Joyce Mock says
Does the Weekly Planner section come with all BIG Happy Planners or do they have to be purchased separately? My new Happy Planner doesn’t have a Weekly Section
Amy says
Hi Joyce! It all depends on which planner you get… they have a lot of different varieties. But you can always buy a separate refill pack for the weekly planner section. I wasn’t totally in love with the weekly section of my planner, but I liked all of the other pages in it, so I just purchased a really good weekly planner pack separately to add in. I got it at JoAnn’s Crafts and used a 40% off coupon, so I think it was only around $5.00. 🙂
Jasmine says
I love these ideas! I love trying out new planners, and I hear that the Happy Planner is great. I just haven’t had a chance to use it just yet, but I’m looking to purchase one soon. I have never used stickers with my planners, but I think it will be a great addition to try this year. I’m also hoping to be better about tracking my goals, and I never thought about doing so in a planner, but that may help me remain more accountable since I look at it every day.
Amy says
Yes, a planner is GREAT for tracking your goals! It’s also great for tracking your spending, which most people don’t think about. Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Vicky says
I use the Happy Notes to keep track of things I use for crochet projects. A list of yarn that I have and what I’m going to make with it. A list of what I have made including what yarn I used, what stitch pattern, who the item went to, who bought the yarn. I usually have 4-6 things I’m working on so there’s a list of the projects under way including again what yarn, stitch pattern and especially the size of the hook being used.
Amy says
Hi Vicky! That’s a GREAT idea! I love the Happy Notes, too! I found a few of them on clearance last year at JoAnn’s and got them for my daughters to use for their little diaries. I’ll have to add your crochet projects idea to my list… very clever planner idea! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Brenda K Short says
Excellant…exactually what I have been looking for…thank you!
Ashley says
I absolutely love how you broke this down into different categories. This made it super helpful for a bullet journal fanatic like me to find different things I can add to my planner.
Amy says
Yeah! So glad you liked the post… I’m a planner fanatic too, and I am ALL about organizing by category. 🙂
Sandra Davis says
I’m a new subscriber. This video was everything I needed to set up my new Planner. Thank you so much!
Amy says
Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Sandra! Glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
DeskUnity says
I have always wanted to use a planner but never tried it out till now. I am planning to buy one and get everything organized from now on. Do you have any suggestions?
Patti says
Is there a planner that you recommend?
Amy says
Hi Patti! I’ve been using the Happy Planner for the last 6 months and I LOVE it! I definitely recommend the lined version… some of the Happy Planners don’t have lines on the weekly pages, and I can’t write in a straight line. 🙂 If you have a JoAnn or Michael’s nearby, they both usually have a great selection of Happy Planners so you can see them in person and decide which is best for you. Before the Happy Planner, I used a Blue Sky Weekly Planner for YEARS, and I LOVE those too. I used the Blue Sky weekly planners to keep track of our finances (like every single penny!), before switching to the “Budget Extension Pack” from Happy Planner. Happy Planner also makes all sorts of fun stickers and insert pages for Habit tracking, lists, etc. Hope that helps!
Patti says
Yes it does thank you! I’m just starting out so it’s a little overwhelming but I will definitely check out the happy planners.
Tamla Brookins says
I love you ideas. I use my planner to keep track of my work schedule because I work 3 jobs; I keep up with family appointments. I will now be using some of the other ideas that you have. I tried to subscribe but I don’t know if it went through.
Amy says
Three jobs… and I thought I was busy! Glad you enjoyed my planner ideas. And, yes, your email subscription went through… just be sure to click the button in the email that was sent to you to confirm. Then you’ll be on my list, and you’ll be getting a Welcome Email with the Password to my FREEBIES library! (Just added a new Freebie today, actually!) Thanks so much for your comment!