Memory Planning for Beginners

What is memory planning?

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According to The Passion Planner, they describe memory planning as a “process that captures what we do day-to-day and the little moments that make up our lives.” I personally love this short and sweet description. We sometimes wait for these big moments in our lives to define  who we are and it’s simply not how life works. 

One of my favorite quotes by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. really hits it on the nail and why memory planning is the perfect way to capture this. He says, “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.” 

How absolutely true is that right? I still remember some of the most random things from my childhood, not because they were these great amazing events, but because they were often coupled with a strong feeling of love, anger, joy, frustration etc. They weren’t always huge moments, but small moments that stuck with me emotionally.

Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.

Kurt vonnegut jr

What are examples of things in a memory planner for beginners?

• Books you’ve read or podcasts you’ve heard (The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides totally SHOOK me)
• Emotions you felt, the good and the bad
• Things you are grateful for
• Favorite quotes
• Delicious food you’ve eaten
• Fitness journey reflections
• Celebrations
• Travel
• Funny/crazy/interesting things your kids or family did

Basically, it’s anything that resonated with you for that day. You can write about it, draw an image instead, or choose a few stickers that reflect it.

What supplies do I need to start memory planning as a beginner?

I’ve listed some of the basic elements you might want to have so you can let your imagination go wild before you get started. I also added a few of my personal favorites after weeks of researching the pros and cons.

• Planning Medium – I would recommend considering what size and structure you want in your memory planner. I experimented with all the planners below and it’s because I wanted to see if I like a full 8 x 11 size printer paper sized planner, a smaller size like the A5, or something in between like the B5. Also, people tend to just have preferences on if the week is laid out vertically, horizontally, or even free form style like the dotted journal. There are so many options, but the ones below are definitely some of the most popular options.
  • Passion Planner – medium B5 weekly vertical layout
  • Erin Condren Planner – weekly horizonal layout
  • The Happy Planner – weekly horizontal layout
  • Blue Sky – weekly horizontal layout
  • Scribbles That Matter – A5 dotted journal
• Pencil/Eraser – To be honest, I haven’t tried too many different pencils and erasers, but these have just been the only ones I’ve used since high school. I love the grip and it just erases well so I’ve never really tried other brands.
  • Dr. Grip mechanical pencil
  • Pentel Hi-Polymer block eraser
• Pens – Until I started memory planning, I just kind of used any pen rolling around. When it comes to memory planning, the pens do make a difference. The pens below are the ones I specifically use weekly for my spreads. They vary in point size and that factor really comes in handy depending on if I’m writing down thoughts or using it as an outliner for boxes or labels.
  • Pilot G-2 07 gel pen
  • Sigma Micron assorted point size set
  • Uniball Signo 207
• Markers – The best way to add color freehand would be to get a hold of some good markers. I would be surprised if you could find a planner who doesn’t use at least one of these two markers.
  • Zebra Midliners
  • Aenart Dual Pens
• Stickers – Whether you are artistic or not, stickers are a great way to brainstorm themes and fill up space with images. The Happy Planner and The Paper Studio have some great starter sets with bulk stickers. 
  • Customized Etsy stickers
  • The Happy Planner
  • The Paper Studio
• Washi tape – Washi tape opens doors to adding an extra layer of patterns and designs. I love using them personally as borders.
  • Assortment bundles
  • Custom Etsy washi tape
• Ruler
• Photos (optional)

How do I make a memory plan?

• Decide if you want a blank canvas planner or a more structured planner with preprinted dates and tables. Because I still love structure, I personally chose to use a dated planner. 
• Consider if you want a theme for the week. I usually choose a specific color scheme and coordinate it with matching stickers that reflect the day’s events or thoughts.
• Once I’m satisfied with the overall look, I fill each day with more stickers, pictures, and journaled thoughts.
• I tend to write with my favorite thin lined pen so that I can get enough of my reflections in without running out of room.
• When I’m done with the week, I go back and fill in any blank spots with more stickers or even any memorabilia I picked up for the week (e.g. receipts, postcards, post-its).
• And I start all over again and lay out the next week’s theme either on Sundays or Monday mornings.

How is memory planning different from functional planning?

Functional planning is typically what we’d imagine planners to do. They are mainly used to write schedules and errands/tasks so we do not forget them. While memory planning is a way to mix written reflections (like a journal) and pictorial representations (like a scrapbook). I consider a memory planner and scrapbook different though because scrapbooking is more event driven whereas memory planning is a daily process. I also believe that memory and functional planning can collide. They don’t have to be completely separate processes.

What if you’re not very artistic? Can you still memory plan?

Yes!

I’m going to be honest here. There is some self assessment you should do before you start. Are you a visually artistic person or not? This isn’t the same as, are you a creative person or not though, because I believe writing is a creative process in itself. Not to mention, some people have amazing font worthy handwriting. 

The reason I think this question is important is because when I first looked into memory planning, I saw some amazing artists create stunning layouts and I felt really discouraged because I knew I couldn’t do that. 

I for one, AM NOT AN ARTIST, by any means. Can hardly draw ANYTHING, but I am a stickler for symmetry and still LOVE pretty things. I realized after a while too that memory planning is really not about all that if you don’t want it to be, but it’s worth a few minutes to consider this question. 

Because I know trying to create weekly art will only stress me out, I gravitate towards tons of stickers and draw very limited things on my own. 

On the other hand, if you have the skills, it just opens another door of creativity for you.

What are the benefits of memory planning?

• Mental health Improvement (dealing with a midlife crisis or stressful work situation)
• Gratitude
• Exploration of feelings
• Time away from bad habits or holding yourself accountable to good habits
• Refocus on things that matter to you

If this process of memory planning speaks to you, try it today and you can enjoy it for years to come.