For some people, the “coil life” is planner peace. Everything is together in one, pretty package, with a set layout each week, calendars and note pages following – rinse and repeat each month. I, on the other hand, have tried to love the coil and have failed. So many times. The last time I swore I’d stick to it, and I had a gorgeous 7x9 Layout A planner, and I made it from July, to October… and then abandoned it.

But, by then I had already fallen in love with traveler’s notebooks, and I couldn’t turn back! Although there are several different inserts to choose from – even some weekly layouts, which you should check out here – the most versatile type of insert is the dot grid.

( This is my B6 size dot grid insert, with the Lauren cover! )

I love stickers, but sometimes even I don’t want to lay stickers every single week, and have my layouts look identical week upon week upon week. So, in my own version of a little “March Madness,” I planned out four weeks of March in my dot grid book, each unique in their own way, to show you just how versatile dot grid books can be!   I have one week of all stickers, two weeks of “bujo” style, and one week that’s a gorgeous hybrid of both.

* WEEK ONE: No white-space planning, vertical layout *

It was a little challenging getting the alignment of the stickers down, for this spread (link to kit shop at the end!) – but once I had the spacing how I wanted it, it was easy to re-create a simple vertical-style layout for a week of stickers! My suggestion is to complete one, whole day - top to bottom in the book - and use it as your guide.

It was smooth sailing from here. I mimicked a layout which I, admittedly, use pretty frequently when I want something quick and easy – stacking my weekends because I tend to lay low on Saturdays and Sundays, and needed less space. The dot grid allows you lots of flexibility – you could do shorter weekdays and stack them all on the left side, and have two long Sat/Sun columns on the right, if you tend to be busy on weekends!   See my picture below for the completed week. I’m pretty much in love!

[ The completed week! So pretty, right? ]

* WEEKS TWO AND THREE: Bujo Style *

If you’re more of a “bujo” (Bullet Journal) person, the dot grid insert is made for you. With a ruler, a pencil, a black pen and some stickers – if that’s your thing – the layout options are endless. These are two of my favorites!

THE NEUTRAL LOOK: Color isn’t for everybody, so I went with an easy black and white spread, using some of my favorite stickers with the days of the week printed on them from one of my favorite sticker shops – See my links below J -- These are transparent, so you can see the dots below. (See my links below for the shop!) I picked a calendar sticker and a drop-box sticker, mixed with some easy charts and hand-drawn trackers.

THE COLOR BLOCK LOOK: For the sake of some color and some whimsy, I went with this layout and decorated it with a purple marker. Similar trackers, but a totally different layout and a more ‘messy’ vibe! Full disclosure: I wasn’t loving the messy lines, but the more I looked at it the more I decided to embrace it. Planning doesn’t have to be perfect!

* WEEK FOUR: Bujo Meets Stickers *

For the last week, I thought it would be fun to take a sticker kit and do a blend of bujo, and stickers – I actually ended up really loving this, because I have been doing no-white-space for so long! I set up the top the same way, and then drew boxes wherever I felt I wanted them, spacing out my days and my trackers.

If you don’t like being tied down to the same layout every single week, definitely grab a dot grid traveler’s notebook in your favorite side, and experiment!

Do you have a layout you know you love? Or, do you have any awesome ideas for other layouts that you could try in your dot grid? Share them with us in the comments below!

LINKS

Save $10 on your next Limelife Purchase: http://rwrd.io/156n6h3

BUJO STICKERS SHOP: Sunshine Sticker Co: http://sunshinestickerco.com

GALAXY KIT SHOP: https://www.etsy.com/shop/rosecoloreddaze

FLORAL KIT SHOP: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetbellaxoxo