It’s October: the month of apple cider and pumpkin spice; autumn leaves on the roadsides, jack o’lanterns on the front porch. In these days of cold mornings and warm afternoons, it’s finally acceptable to haul out the sweaters, knitted blankets, candles, and sturdy boots. Moody autumnal music is on queue, comfort reads are back on the nightstand, and coffee tastes better than ever. In short, cozy season has come at last! Put on your comfiest cardigan and grab your journal. It’s time to plan October!
Journal
On the opening page of the new monthly spread (I just use a classic Moleskine), I copied out the monthly spread and a favorite quote from Anne of Green Gables. Next, I created a vision board with pictures of autumn colors, the full moon, a bonfire with friends, dried roses, old books, and…a cup of coffee with a ghost marshmallow on top. (Are ghost marshmallows not the cutest thing ever? I just discovered that these exist.) I’m not sure why, but I find the notion of having two full moons in one month wonderfully romantic. I added two stickers to symbolize the Harvest Moon (on the 1st) and the Blue Moon (on the 31st).
The second spread is more of an “overview” of the month. I leave spaces for a playlist of songs I listen to on repeat, goals and plans for the new month, and favorite memories—all to be filled in at the end of October.
Planner
My planner system is pretty consistent. I don’t think I’ve changed it in months, actually. First, I write out all my plans (work shifts, time with friends, birthdays, etc.) on my month-at-a-glance page. On the following page, I map out my goals and projects for the month (videos, blog posts, writing schedule, etc). I refer to these every Sunday as I plan the upcoming week.
Vision Board
Back in July, I started creating a seasonal vision board. I plan to switch out these pictures every three months, to keep the aesthetic fresh. For autumn 2020, I printed out photos that are related to light. There’s the light of (two) full moons, the light of a bonfire, and the light of the evening sun dancing through leaves. These pictures capture the mood of the month ahead, the feelings I hope to experience, and the moments I want to live.
That’s it for today. Thanks for joining me as I plan October! Just one more thing…check out this sneak peek of a project I’ve been planning for the last few months (check back next Friday for a full announcement)! I’m so excited about this one! I filmed a full video of my planning process, so you can join me at my desk as I put together my plans and vision for October. Stay tuned for more videos coming soon.
