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2017 Erin Condren Life Planner | Colorful vs. Neutral

2017 erin condren life planner colorful vs neutral horizontal muffinchanel
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Have you heard? The new 2017 Erin Condren Life Planner launch was June 1, 2016 and there are a ton of new options to customize as well as so many new accessories!

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Why You Need a Paper Planner | Erin Condren LifePlanner

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Right now at ErinCondren.com, LifePlanners are 40% off! Guys, this is the time to buy if you’ve been thinking about buying a planner and weren’t sure if you were ready to make the investment. The Erin Condren LifePlanners are usually $50 which may seem pricey for a planner, but they are definitely the best planners I’ve ever used and well worth it. Now, with 40% off, a classic Life Planner is $30 while supplies last! Use my link to get an additional $10 off when you create a new account to make your LifePlanner just $20.Erin Condren 40% off sale why you need a paper planner life planner coupon

With so much technology at our fingertips and everything moving into digital formats, it may be hard to see why anyone would still be using a paper planner to organize and keep track of their life. Why write it down when I can send it to my cloud and access it anywhere? Although it’s true that iPhones and digital calendars can help you keep on top of the day-to-day, having a paper planner like the Erin Condren LifePlanner can help you focus and allow you the freedom to be creative while still keeping you on track.

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2016 Erin Condren Life Planner Accessories & Decoration

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

It’s almost a new year — 2016 is right around the corner! It’s the perfect time to start fresh and start thinking about a new planner to help you keep track of your goals and schedules. I absolutely love the Erin Condren Life Planner and I’ve been waiting patiently to finally start using my 2016 Erin Condren Life Planner!

There’s something really nice about beginning a new planner. I love the Erin Condren Life Planners because they are so colorful and fun. It’s easy to stay motivated and really use your planner when it is beautiful and exciting. I’ve lost motivation to use planners in the past and it ends up being a waste of a planner because the year is over and you can’t use it again. With Erin Condren Life Planners, each month is a fresh, new color and there are stickers included in the back of each planner that make you excited to plan and motivated to be organized.




I will be using the new, horizontal layout in my 2016 Life Planner for the first time and I can’t wait. You can read all about my 2016 Horizontal Layout Life Planner Review, but in this post, I wanted to share a few other “accessories” that I use to plan and to make my Life Planner more personalized and fun.

muffinchanel erin condren accessories planning decoration pens stickers polaroid zip photo printer

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Erin Condren 2016 Life Planner Review

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I am currently loving my 2015 Erin Condren Life Planner — making lists and writing down my plans is my favorite way to help me stay organized. I love how the EC Life Planners are colorful and interesting because it helps me to stay excited and motivated about being organized.

Recently, Erin Condren came out with a new layout for the Life Planners — Horizontal Layout. The horizontal layout is more traditional; it’s what all my past planners were — before I got started with my first Erin Condren Life Planner. So when I saw that Erin Condren was offering a Horizontal layout, I knew I would love it. I ordered the Prism Metallic Platinum Life Planner in peacock blue.muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review cover

I was interested in the metallic planners before, but they only offered maybe three colors with either gold or platinum foil & there was only that one Fleur Feliz pattern. I like the pattern, but the metallic versions are more expensive than the regular planners & it was more than I wanted to spend if I wasn’t in love with the pattern. This year, there was a new cover pattern option for the metallic which I love — Prism.

This order was $75.05 including shipping (the planner was $60; shipping $9.95; tax $5.10). If you’re interested in buying a Life Planner & want a $10 coupon, sign up for an account through my link.

I ordered my new 2016 Erin Condren Life Planner and shipping took forever! There was some sort of delay with the foil printing, so Erin Condren sent me an email update and a coupon for $20 off my next order! Excellent customer service & I didn’t mind waiting because I really can’t use the planner until 2016 anyway. I decided to use my $20 coupon right away and purchase a new Notebook and the LifePlanner Launch Bundle that I was kicking myself for not ordering with my planner initially.

Finally, my Life Planner arrived! YAY!! I personalized it with “MC” for MuffinChanel & I love it. The metallic planners also come with the elastic bands that help to hold you planner closed which is definitely a nice perk. Even though it’s not 2016 yet, here is my Erin Condren 2016 Life Planner Review:muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review cover foilThere is a velum + foil sheet next to the inside cover that is such a nice touch — it just makes my planner feel a little more special. I also like how the spot to write your personal info (for if your planner gets lost) is no longer on the inside cover, but on the first real page of the planner. This is especially great if you do change your covers.

muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review inside covermuffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review velum cover pageOne of the very first things I noticed about this new 2016 planner vs. previous Erin Condren planners is that the spiral binding is larger. It still feels super sturdy — not going to bend or come uncoiled in your bag, but now it’s pretty big. Here is a comparison with my 2015 Life Planner.muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review coil larger I love this change because now, I don’t have to clean out my planner of random papers and cards that I am always storing in there. muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review color schemeI’m loving this watercolor/marble theme and more subdued color scheme. This 2016 Life Planner feels more mature and professional. The month’s quote is on the page before the calendar page.muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review january calendarThe Calendar is more simple looking and “clean”. The color scheme is uniform and there aren’t any quotes on the calendar page. The horizontal layout is really clean and nice looking. I love the prism pattern along the top of the page and the subtle ombré. muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review horizontal layout

I like how there is a lot of space to write each day — a lined section and a small blank area for each day. There’s a section at the bottom right corner of every week for a “Thankful Thought”. Such a great idea.

muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review thankful thought2016 horizontal layout vs. the 2015 vertical layout

muffinchanel 2016 erin condren life planner life planner horizontal layout 2015 comparison + review coil larger

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Erin Condren Life Planner | 2015 Review

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

It’s always exciting looking forward to the new year — fresh starts and new goals. One of my favorite things to help me stay organized and keep track of all my new goals is my Erin Condren Life Planner. I got my first Life Planner earlier this year, and I loved it so much that I bought a separate one just for work.

Left, very first Life Planner (Party Pops) Right, 2015 Life Planner (Signature Stripes)
Left, very first Life Planner (Party Pops)                                                     Right, 2015 Life Planner (Signature Stripes)

I’m so excited for my 2015 Life Planner and the extra goodies I got (interchangeable covers, I’m lookin’ at you)! My Erin Condren Life Planner arrived in a purple themed box with pretty purple tissue wrapping.

Everything was neatly packaged inside, wrapped in bubble wrap. I’m so excited for everything! First off, the Planner because it’s amazing! The planner measures 7.25″ x 9.25″ and can fit nicely in my purse. The Life Planners are $50 but you will get a $10 coupon, if you sign up for an account through my link.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester

This is the 2015 Erin Condren Life Planner in Signature Stripe Blues. I love the colors and how you can always personalize your covers. Having a planner that is pretty makes me excited to use it. I like planning and making lists anyway, but I find myself thumbing through the pages of my current planner and taking it with me just because I like the way it looks.

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester rulerThe Planner has a transparent ruler which can double as a bookmark inside or out; it just clips in and out of the spiral binding (similar to how the interchangeable covers lock in and out). The spiral ring is thick and durable, but doesn’t make the Planner heavy or bulky. In my two previous planners, the spiral binding has never bent.

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler coverIt’s not just pretty on the outside. The real fun of all the Erin Condren Life Planners is inside. I love how bright and colorful the designs are on the inside of each Erin Condren Life Planner.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler 2015 calendar

Near the front, there is a 2014/2015 monthly view calendar. I like how it goes back to July 2014 in case I need to reference any days. Each month has its own color theme and cute accent designs.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler closer

Inside the planner, there are tabs for each month to help you easily navigate the Planner. The tabs take you to a colorfully themed month-view of each month.

Just behind each month-view page is the weekly breakdown by day.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler week calendar The weekly view shows Monday – Sunday across the top with the date clearly posted. The days are broken down vertically into Morning, Day, and Night categories. There are fun little accents that indicate holidays or special observances near the dates.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler

In the upper left corner of each week view, you will find a monthly mini calendar. This is perfect so you don’t have to keep flipping pages in order to see the entire month page. Along the left column, there is a lined section for Goals & Notes. Obviously, you can write whatever you want in that space. I tend to use it for daily to-do’s or weekly reminders.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler goals notes

Each month’s calendar has a different color theme, but the same layout. This is amazing for me because the familiar layout makes it functional and easy to navigate, but the new color keeps it fresh and exciting. I remember when I was younger, I’d always want new notebooks before I’d even finished writing in the first — I just wanted a change from the same boring lined pages. That never happens to me with Erin Condren; I love every page and am excited to use it all year!  muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester rulerThe colored tabs will help you navigate to each month.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler month tabsThe Notes tab in the back takes you to amazing lined and blank pages for whatever you want.

After the Notes section, there are tons of stickers built in to the Planner. There are two sheets of just colored stickers in all sorts of colors — pink, purple, grey, blue, green, teal, etc. And two sheets of “pre-printed” stickers that say things like, “Vacation”, “Day Off”, “Birthday”, or “Party”.

There is a folder in the back of the Planner with the Perpetual Calendar & Contacts insert. I choose to keep this booklet at my desk, separate from the Planner. I love how it’s no longer built in to the spiral binding, so I can transfer it to each new planner every year if I choose.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler pouch folderThe perpetual calendar is small and sleek. There is a section for your contacts and a Holidays to Remember section.

In the Planner, there is a second folder behind the first (attached). Each folder can hold a fair amount; I’ve never had one rip. I’ll usually put printouts of email confirmations, random notes, or reference materials in the folder.

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler folder back

There is a built-in clear plastic pouch behind the folders. It comes with cute freebie stickers from Erin Condren. I like to use the pouch for receipts or to hold stickers that I use to decorate my Planner.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler clear pouch

And now to the extras — ErinCondren.com had a coupon code for a free cover but I didn’t see it until I had already placed my order. I was super sad because I would have to pay separate shipping if I “purchased” the cover on its own. I emailed their customer service, and Anne was very friendly and helped me to cancel my first order so I could re-order my planner and take advantage of the free cover promotion without paying separate shipping.  Great customer service is just another reason why I will continue to use Erin Condren planners for years to come.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gems jolly jester ruler interchangeable covers

I got two of the interchangeable covers — Jolly Jester and Zen Gems. This is my first time buying the interchangeable covers, but I am excited to have variety and to continue reusing these for all of my future planners. The covers are the same durable, laminated plastic that will protect your planner and it easy to wipe clean.

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripesI personalized my free cover — Jolly Jester. I really love the colors on this cover and how subtle the personalization is.

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes zen gemsAnd I bought the Zen Gems cover. These geometric flowers are so pretty. I love how the personalization is in rainbow colored letters!

muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes coil clipsI also bought a pack of the coil clips. I thought these would be good for keeping track of invitations or pictures within the planner. I don’t know how many times they can be reused, but I tried one out and it was easy to use and you might be able to get a second use out of them as well.

And finally, you can never go wrong with the elastic bands. I really like the platinum color; I think it goes best with the covers I chose. For me, it’s functional and also seems to visually tie it all together.muffinchanel erin condoner life planner 2015 review stripes covers clips calendar wash tape spiral bound 2014 vs 2015 party pops stripes elastic bands

If you’re considering Erin Condren for a new planner, definitely go for it! And don’t forget to use my link to make your account for $10 off your order. 🙂

Want to see more about my older Erin Condren Life Planners? Check out my very first planner review, or this 2014/2015 Life Planner Comparison or read about the new Erin Condren Notebooks!

Check out my 2016 Erin Condren Life Planner Review.

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Erin Condren Life Planner | Review

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I’m so excited to do this first impression/review for the 2014 Erin Condren Life Planner!!

I use my phone’s calendar and reminders to help me keep track of everything, but I find that I’m more organized when I’m writing things down. It helps me remember things and it’s nice to be able to see everything all mapped out.

I’d been looking for a cute planner that I could be excited about writing in and considered getting one of the Kate Spade agendas like my sister has. KateSpade.com was only selling the filofax-style refills and not the actual agenda to use with them. I was a little bummed and checked around on amazon and ebay with nothing I was looking for.

But in my search, I started hearing more about the Erin Condren Life Planners and I thought I’d give it a try. I went to the website and clicked the Life Planner section (there’s all sorts of stationary, wedding planners, and teacher planners too!). There was a choice of “Classic Edition” or the “Gold Edition” and I chose Classic. There are so many fun, bright covers to choose from and you can even customize and add pictures, change colors, or fonts.

Planners are usually $50, but since it’s later in the year, they’re only $30 now! If that still seems like a lot for a planner, you can get an extra $10 off by creating an account through my referral. This is a great way to try out the Life Planners and see if it’ll work for you!

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 3

I chose the Charcoal Party Pops Life Planner and customized it to say MuffinChanel. I selected to have my Planner start in April since I knew I wouldn’t be using the months past. I ordered the planner on March 17 and it arrived on March 25. The waiting was the hardest part because I was very excited to start using it!

*UPDATE: The new 2014/2015 Life Planners are out. Check out my review & comparison.

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 8

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 6The planner arrived bubble wrapped in this cute box with bright pink tissue paper and some fun sample stickers. I also ordered the three pack of elastic bands to keep the planner closed + they look extra fun.

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 4

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanelI love the way the customization turned out. The cover is laminated and it feels pretty thick which is great. The spiral binding feels super strong and won’t bend like normal notebook binding. The planner measures 7.25″ x 9.25″ and can fit nicely in my purse.

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 7

The inside of the Life Planner is standard for any style cover you choose. There is a ruler/bookmark that you can pop in and out of the spiral binding to mark your place. erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 2

I really like the way the planner is laid out. You can look at the month view at the start of each new month and then a weekly view after that. The week view starts on a Monday and each day is mapped out vertically into “morning”, “day”, and “night” sections. There is space on the side for notes and goals and space on the bottom for anything from lists to meal plans, to exercise, thoughts/inspiration, or whatever you want.

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There are laminated tabs for each month and section,

erin condren life planner review coupon code muffinchanel 1

and a cute folder pocket in the back as well as a thick, large zip lock pouch.

There are twenty pages in the back for notes and colorful stickers (blank and labeled with things like “date night”, “doctor’s appt”, and “birthday”) to help you stay organized. It’s just a super fun planner that encourages you to use it with its intuitive layout and beautiful design.

I absolutely love mine! The only thing I would like to see improve in the planner is the paper thickness. Since you’re using both sides of the paper, you will be able to see the writing through to the next page. I usually use the fine point Sharpie felt tipped pens, and I don’t have any bleed through, but I would prefer not to see through to the other side. ❤

Definitely check out erincondren.com if you’re looking for a new planner. And don’t forget to use this link to make your account for $10 off 🙂

**UPDATE** May 4, 2014: Planners are only $20 now! And with the link, ^ you’ll get $10 off! So awesome!! Check it out!

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Photojojo Lens for iPhone and Android

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I love taking pictures! I have a point and shoot camera that I like to use for blog pictures, but lately I’ve been using my iPhone since I always have it with me and it’s easy to quickly take & edit a picture. Check out my most recent Instagram pics on the side. —————->

MuffinChanel photojojo lenses review macro wide telephoto fisheye iphone android 5And with these lenses that I got for my birthday last year, I can take some really cool photos.

MuffinChanel photojojo lenses review macro wide telephoto fisheye iphone android 2I have the wide/macro lens, telephoto lens, and a fisheye lens & they just stick with a magnet to a small ring around the camera lens on my phone.

MuffinChanel photojojo lenses review macro wide telephoto fisheye iphone android 3

The lenses just pop on and off to change them out, but the magnet is strong enough to keep it in place as you compose your picture. I keep the lenses in a small pouch in my purse, so it can be a little awkward to try and whip out a lens for some split second photo op. But to me, it’s just like changing the lens of a DSLR. When I’m having a photoshoot (of some flowers, or my newest makeup, or pretty scenery), I definitely use these lenses to get the best shot!

Macro (my favorite)

muffinchanel muffin chanel photojojo macro fisheye wide telephoto lenses

Fisheye

collagemuffinchanel muffin chanel photojojo macro fisheye wide telephoto lenses2

Wide

muffinchanel muffin chanel photojojo macro fisheye wide telephoto lenses 1

Telephoto

MuffinChanel photojojo lenses review macro wide telephoto fisheye iphone android 4

You can get these lenses online. They have two new lenses (super fisheye and polarizer) that come with the complete set for $99. Or you can buy each lens individually — they range from $15-$30. I love them!