I love a good planner. I have way more than a person needs considering we only live one year at a time. I have seen “themed” planners before -- ones for teachers, for exercise, even recipes! But one area I have not seen is one geared toward the military community.
That changes now. Meet the Rosie Planner, proudly proclaiming, "Finally a day planner as confident and resilient as you."
Developed by military spouse powerhouses Lakesha Cole and Krystal Spell and named for Rosie the Riveter, this beautiful planner is intentionally designed with military life in mind. The one I have is undated so I can start my year when it is convenient for me, as in I can start in September rather than waiting until January. Stickers for the tabs for each month are included so you can easily flip to the month you need.
Each month has a motivational card before the start and then two pages of goals. They are broken down into six categories: self-development, spirituality, health and sports, creativity, business and career, and income and finances.
I love that they are broken down because some goal sheets are just a blank page and makes me feel like the “Goal” is just too big. Being able to break them down means I can do all six, focus on a few, or just one. It is perfect for narrowing down what you want to do each month and you will be able to look back at the previous month to see what goals you met and which you need to work on a little more.
The next page is the month breakdown. Here you can fill out what you have going on during the month, as well as write some notes on the side. I like to use the month page to put broad topics like “Family Day” or “First day of school.” The notes on the side are great for planning out weekend activities. Make a list of what you want to do throughout the month and then see which days you can plug them into.
The weekly spreads are much more in-depth. The day is broken down from 8 am to 9 pm. You can put in appointments or block lengthy events easily. I like how easy the blocks are to color code. If you know you are going to the zoo all day, you can easily fill in blocks from 8 am to 2 pm without your spread looking too busy. There is another sidebar for notes which I will be using for the weekly chores that need to get done. There is nothing more gratifying than crossing chores off your to do list, and extra helpful is having built in space for your grocery list.
One of the biggest advantages of the Rosie Planner is the list of military resources located in the back. There is a contact sheet for you to plug in every important number within your spouse’s unit. Make sure you fill it out in pencil in case you move before the year is out or if your contact moves; no one likes a messy page. There are also some cool information sheets for Tricare, the commissary (complete with QR codes for coupons and case lot sales!), education benefits and resources, moving with a PCS checklist and space to write notes, deployment information, and even tips for maintaining a social life.
Military life is nomadic so these resources are helpful. I often joke with my husband, “How do we meet people? We’re not in school anymore. We don’t have built-in friends anymore!”
I am so excited to see two pages of resources to help you branch out at your duty location.
The Rosie Planner has a sturdy hardcover and gold rings that allow for easy page turning. It will stand up to whatever Murphy throws at you and will help keep you organized when your spouse comes home and announces that you are moving in 30 days. Don't panic. Instead, use your new planner and you'll be quoting Rosie the Riveter in no time: “We Can Do It!”
