Would you believe you can use a calendar to lose weight, get fit, organize your home, plan vacations, nurture your creative side, and get your finances under control?
Read on, for 51 unique ways to use a calendar to not only organizer your life, but to be a healthier, happier and more fulfilled person. All of these clever calendar hacks are super simple and fun!
These calendar ideas work with any ol’ calendar. That’s right, you probably have one (or more) at home right now. I like to use printable calendars just because I can print out copies whenever I want. At the end of this blog post I provide a list of the supplies I use for my calendars, just like the one in the picture above.
Click to jump to the calendar supply list…
First up, simple planning. (You know, what a calendar is supposed to be used for.)
Before you branch out to fun and creative uses, be sure to get yo’self organized with the essentials. These should be on your main calendar. You know, the one you check every day:
1 - Appointments.
2 - Birthdays.
3 - Anniversaries.
4 - Holidays.
5 - Vacations.
6 - Anything that has to absolutely be done by or on a certain date.
Now let’s think outside of the box and get to some fun ways to use your calendar.
You can use stickers, markers, colored pencils…. or just stick to black ink. Pretty and perfect not necessary. Just make yourself happy!!
Personal development and spirituality.
Being healthy and happy starts with your mind. Here are some ways to use your calendar to be a more calm, focused, happy person. You will use a separate calendar for each idea, unless combining into one (or two) is your jam. That’s why I like printable calendars. I simply print off an extra copy when I need one.
7 - Scripture verse of the day.
8 - Practice tracker for learning new skills like languages, playing an instrument, learning how to crochet.
9 - Inspirational quote of the day.
10 - Track any new habits you are trying to acquire, like doing a morning routine, daily reading, meditation, etc.
11 - Map out your own happiness project. (I love “The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.)
12 - What brings you joy each day? Write it down. (I did this in 2016 and it kept me happy and grounded all year long.)
13 - Monitor your feelings or mood.
14 - Write a “word of the day” and it’s meaning. And, if you’re over 35 you might try UrbanDictionary, lol.
Health and wellness.
Health and fitness - yay! My favorite topics. You can use a blank calendar to log your food, track health markers, and so much more.
15 - Meal planning. Whether you do it weekly or a month at a time, planning your meals saves time and energy in the kitchen, and helps you create a shopping list in a snap. Pro tip: Be sure to save your meal plans to use in the future - either “as is” or make tweaks. No sense in recreating the wheel. (Or use this complete printable Meal Planning System.)
16 - 5k, 10k, half or full marathon training schedule.
17 - Write your workout or gym schedule.
18 - Use as a food tracker or food diary.
19 - Monitor health markers like blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.
20 - Have migraines or some other chronic health issue? Use a calendar to track triggers and symptoms.
21 - Gratitude journal.
22 - Running or walking mileage tracker.
23 - Have a Fitbit? Track your daily steps. (This is the exact Fitbit I use and I totally love it.)
24 - Track books you are reading
25 - Log calories in and calories out.
26 - Track your weight, body fat, and measurements.
Home and environment.
Here are some unique ways to use your calendar around the house.
27 - Cleaning schedule.
28 - Decluttering plan.
29 - Schedule home maintenance chores - inside and outside.
30 - Outline a remodeling project.
31 - If you are into outfits of the day (which I’m not, by the way), use your calendar to track outfits or plan your wardrobe.
Friends, family and relationships.
Take care of the important relationships in your life with your calendar.
32 - Track baby’s first milestones.
33 - Baby’s schedule.
34 - Use as a homework organizer and planner.
35 - Kids’ chore chart.
36 - Kids’ reading tracker.
37 - Perpetual birthday and anniversary list.
38 - Schedule date nights in advance and plot your adventures.
39 - Need to keep in touch? Schedule times to email, call or even send a card to friends, family and loved ones.
Fun and recreation.
You know what they say about all work and no play. Use your calendar to plot fun and adventure.
40 - Christmas (or other holiday) countdown calendar.
41 - Holiday planner… think shopping, ordering online gifts, wrapping presents, baking, visiting Santa, parties, kids’ events, decorating the house, and more.
42 - Memory keeper. Jot down a sentence or two describing your day.
43 - Super simple diary.
44 - Vacation planner.
45 - Draw a doodle of the day.
Finances and career.
Finally, use your calendar to save money, pay off debt, and even use for your business.
46 - Debt payoff calendar.
47 - Track what date bills are due, and check off when they’re paid.
48 - Savings tracker.
49 - Social media scheduler.
50 - Editorial calendar
51 - Business mileage tracker.
Gather your calendar supplies and have fun!
Here are the supplies I used to make the “Month of Inspiration” Calendar in the photo (and all the calendars I create). But remember, only a calendar and black pen are mandatory. Extra supplies just make your calendars more fun and will satisfy your urge to be creative
Calendar supply list:
- Printable Undated Yearly Calendar (I prefer undated because I can print as many as I need, no matter what the year. You can also find a 2018 Printable Calendar here.) If you have your own calendar, you can use it too!
- If you’re looking for not only a calendar, but a complete goal-setting planner to make you an organizational rock star, check out the 2019 Printable Life Planner.
- Black (or colored) Pens
- Colored Pencils in fun, vibrant colors. I also like these Crayola Twistables so you never have to find a pencil sharpener.
- Seasonal Happy Planner Stickers I like big sticker packs like this one so my calendars coordinate. Not at all necessary. If you use stickers, choose whatever makes you happy.
- Faith Happy Planner Stickers
I love a discbound system because it looks amazing, you can fold the notebook back on itself (unlike a bulky 3-ring binder) and it has fun, pretty covers to make me happy. I use these supplies to create my notebooks.
For a discbound system:
- Discbound system hole punch (for 8.5×11 or smaller) paper
- Planner covers (this Happy Planner cover set gives you enough for three notebooks!)
- Discbound system rings (you will need TWO packs for a total of 11 rings for a letter-sized notebook)
These are just some fun suggestions of ways you can use a calendar to get healthy, fit, organized, and happy. There are tons of other ways you could use a calendar. I’d love for you to share your ideas in the comments below!
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