DOWNSIZINGkinda, sorta, maybe..more like doubling up

It's that time of year when people look forward to happy endings and new beginnings: planning.
Yep, changes.

After 15 years, I am making a change...well lots, as my house is getting all spiffed up and I continue to drop some tonnage, but a shift in the way I keep track of my days. I downsized my planner.
I know, I know....I have a system that works for me and it's been in place for a very long time but I am finding that I really want to start taking my planner everywhere again and this big mamma jamma is just toooooo much. Also, it's just me and the hubs, I just don't need to keep track of 4 people's lives anymore. It's totally bizarre. I do keep track of my mil's appointments though.

I don't know about you, but if I don't have a to-do list, I can meander through my day and not really be as productive as I should.

Meet the new planner....a filofax personal size

Saffiano in poppy. I got a heck of a deal. 

Not leather, but if I use this as much as Big Red, I will splurge on leather down the road.

So fresh...so empty

With Big Red......... A Franklin Covey Classic

Not much bigger than my wallet

Just the right fit.

The planner came with an assortment of pages and a dated weekly calendar

I do need some month tabs....doy..totally forgot to order those.

See the size difference....wow.  Big change and I do not write small.

I make my own daily pages so I shrunk some down and used them for a day or two to help me decide if I could really use so much less space. They don't have a to-do list, but I can work around that.

I do plan my day in time blocks, so I really wanted the hours showing.

Big Red has been a desk top workhorse and when my kids were in school it went to all the PTA/PTO meetings, Scout meetings, church stuff...everywhere. The last few years it hasn't traveled much since I downsized my purse awhile back.

Ain't she a beauty? She has one little ink mark on the spline....didn't noticed it until I was taking pics...time for a little saddle soap. Not bad for 15 years of daily use, eh?

I am going to keep her for things that don't need to travel....the home base, if you will. She will be what I grab in a fire because everything is in there...or will be.

My desk will have more room and I will be able to tell the docs (for my mil) what's good instead of waiting to check the fridge calendar when I get home. I did try to use my fancy phone, but I love paper. I did use a palm for a long time, but I still kept paper with me. Paper rules.

Any of you planner users have any tips for using the smaller size?
Favorite page styles?  I am not fond of the FF with all the languages taking up the real estate.

Any New Year's planning going on, or are ya still in holiday mode?