How to create a personalised family planner that’ll completely organise your life

It’s Monday morning. You need to remember who has football practice (and needs their kit), who has the dentist, who’s at an after-school club, and what on earth you’re having for dinner. It’s a lot.

Family life is beautiful. It’s also chaotic and messy. And that’s exactly where the family planner comes in. It’s designed to be the one spot everyone in the home can check, so you can finally stop using that scrap of paper stuck to the fridge.

Consider this your complete guide to creating a wall family organiser that works for you. We’ll cover what a family planner calendar is, how to get the most out of one and how you can make your own family calendar that’s as unique as your crew.

What is a family wall planner?

And what makes family planners different from a normal calendar? In one word – columns. Instead of one big box for each day, a family planner calendar has multiple columns. There’s a spot for each person in the family (our personalised family planners have options for families of 3, 4 or 5) so you can see who’s doing what, side-by-side.

It’s the ultimate family wall organiser for your kitchen or hallway. No more ‘Mum, where’s my…?’ (Or hopefully less of that, at least). Think of it as an easy-to-read page on the wall where everyone’s plans are clear. Family goals.

How to make the most out of a photo calendar family planner

Getting a family organiser calendar is one thing, getting everyone to use it is another. Here are a few tips to make it part of your routine in no time:

• Put it somewhere everyone sees it: This is a wall family organiser for a reason. Stick it in the kitchen, the hall – wherever the most foot-traffic is. (Ours come in A4 and A3 family planner sizes, so you can find the perfect fit for your home).
• Make the ‘Sunday update’ an actual thing: Take five minutes every Sunday evening to sit down and fill in the weekly family planner for the week ahead. This is the time to add all those appointments, clubs and ‘who-needs-what’ notes so you can see the whole week at a glance.
• Use it for everything (and we mean everything): Don’t just stick to the big appointments – add in the fun stuff too. Movie night, pizza, the youngest’s turn to choose what’s for dinner – making a note of all the things you have to look forward to turns your yearly family planner from a list of chores into a plan of your family’s life that even the kids will want to get involved in.

Explore our personalised family wall planner themes

Finding the best family planner theme for you is the first step. Your planner is going to be on your wall for 12 months, so it should look good, right?

We have lots of different themes to match your home’s vibe. Are you a minimalist, clean-lines-and-calm person? Then Modern themes might be for you. Love a bit of colour and fun? Go for a Playful or Bold themed calendar design. Or if you prefer a creative touch, our Rustic and Scrapbook styles are sure to hit the mark.

Pick a themed calendar that’s ready to go, or make it extra personal and create your own family calendar from scratch.

How to customise your personalised family organiser

This is where a personalised family planner calendar really beats a generic one. Our user-friendly tools let you add all the important personal details to help make your new organiser part of the family.

• Fill it with photos: Who needs a simple planner when you can have a photo family planner calendar? Add your favourite snaps to the top of each month, so you get new memories to look at every time you turn the page. An organiser that doubles as a new photo album? Dreamy.
• Add everyone’s name: The chef’s kiss moment of creating your own family organiser. Type in each person’s name at the top of their column – no more messy handwriting (or arguments about whose column is whose).
• Add special dates: Forget tiny pre-printed reminders, you can add your own special dates straight onto the calendar grid. Pop in birthdays, anniversaries and family traditions before it even prints.
• Start at any month: Who says calendars have to start in January? If you’ve decided you need a monthly family planner in the middle of May or to mark the start of a new school year in September, no problem. Start it from any month you like.

The best family planner is one that gets all details in one spot for everyone to see. Less last-minute panics, fewer double-bookings and more of your favourite photos on the wall – what’s not to love?

Ready to get your household in sync? Have a peek at full range of personalised calendar family organiser designs, pick your favourite and start creating.

Check out all our family planners here