Best Laid Plans

In today's episode, Sarah kicks off an "organizing special topics" series with Jen Smith, cohost of the Frugal Friends podcast and author of Buy What You Love Without Going Broke, out this January. Sarah and Jen chat intentionality around spending, saving, and how to tackle both short- and long-term financial goals. Get inspired to think about budgeting in a different way by focusing on spending on what matters, not deprivation.

Sarah is releasing Planning By Season! Find out more at theshubox.com/courses (or check out details in the December newsletter - visit theshubox.com/newsletter to subscribe!)

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne: Check out their amazing gifts, from candles to their iconic sweaters . Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

MasterClass: Give the gift of learning this season! Visit masterclass.com/bestlaidplans to learn more and find active discounts!

Cozy Earth: Sheets, pajamas and more in the most amazing fabric. Visit cozyearth.com/plans and use exclusive 40%+ off code

PLANS to give the gift of luxury this holiday season.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Sarah shares her annual planning framework, essentially a mini-version of her BLP at Home course! Components include reflection, visioning, goal setting, specialty planning, and more.

She has added one weekend option for BLP at Home: Planning 2025! If you'd like to join, visit theshubox.com/courses for more info.

Episode Sponsors:

Cozy Earth: Amazing sheets, pajamas, and other gifts! Visit cozyearth.com/plans for 40%+ off!

Jenni Kayne: Check out their amazing gifts, from candles to their iconic sweaters . Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

MasterClass: Give the gift of learning this season! Visit masterclass.com/bestlaidplans to learn more and find active discounts!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the past couple of weeks, there has been more discussion of becoming more intentional about your social media habits. If you'd like more encouragement to see what life is like without "the scroll", this episode has lots of it.

Sarah shares her own story of quitting various forms of social media and then offers 10 compelling reasons to give yourself a break from the scroll.

The scroll is endless; your life is not.

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne: Check out their amazing gifts, from candles to their iconic sweaters . Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

MasterClass: Give the gift of learning this season! Visit masterclass.com/bestlaidplans to learn more and find active discounts!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode opens with a Planner Peace segment from Sarah's friend and coworker Kathleen who uses a medium-sized At-A-Glance Weekly and Monthly (available here: https://a.co/d/5tnHJZ5). This planner may appear basic but it packs a punch in terms of features (and the paper is nice, too!).

Then, Sarah provides a review of the Just Scribble Plans Vertical Weekly A5 Planner (available here for preorder: https://www.shopjustscribble.com/products/plans-vertical). It's a 2-volume set and a LOT of planning real estate.

Sarah then shares some ideas of things she wants to do differently with her own planning in 2025, followed by a listener question asking for an example of how "Plan a Neighborhood Party" would make its way through the Nested Goals system.

Info on BLP at Home Planning 2025: theshubox.com/courses

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne: Check out their amazing gifts, from candles to their iconic sweaters . Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is all about Q5 - the last two months of the year! Sarah shares her thoughts on why this time period feels "special", the inherent fun parts and challenges, and her approach to goal setting in this celebratory season.

Info on BLP at Home: Planning 2025 is at theshubox.com/courses

Episode Sponsors:



Jenni Kayne: Check out their amazing gifts, from candles to their iconic sweaters . Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, Sarah reviews 3 new planner offerings you might be considering of 2025! Products reviewed/discussed:

Full Focus Wellness Planner, a new version of the classic Full Focus Planner

https://fullfocusstore.com/pages/wellness-planner/

Ashley Shelly's Sewn Undated Daily, a compact versatile daily layout

https://ashleyshelly.com/product/daily-notebook-planner-undated/

Organize 365's intriguing rainbow planning products - tear-off pad + spiral bound

https://member.organize365.com/product-category/planning

Note: Full Focus and Ashley Shelly products were purchased; Organize 365's planners were sent as a gift with no obligation to review

Sarah also answers a Q&A from a listener: at what stage do you bring your partner into your annual planning process?

Final reminder: Best Laid Plans at Home: Planning 2025 has early pricing ($30 less) until November 1st, so this is the last reminder on the podcast. Space is limited. Visit theshubox.com/courses for details!

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne: Gorgeous apparel and home pieces. Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

IXL: Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership at IXL.com/PLANS.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, Sarah shares an extensive Planner Peace from a listener who plans "99% on paper" and then shares some Hot Tips + Q&A!

Planner Peace Segment

Products mentioned:

- Plotter: https://plotterusa.com/leather-binders

- Raymay-Davinci: https://yosekastationery.com/search?q=raymay

Hot Tips:

Apps mentioned: OneSec , Forest

Essential Calendar: https://www.theessentialcalendar.com/BESTLAIDPLANS - use BESTLAIDPLANS for 10% off

Note: Sarah is an affiliate and earns a small commission from each Essential Calendar sale with her code

Personalized Filofax inserts: https://us.filofax.com/pages/personalization-station

Vertical AND Horizontal Weekly Planner Mentioned: Twines and Paper Weekbook: https://twinesandpaper.com/en-us/products/preorder-weekbook-hybrid-2025-softcover-book-bound-tomoe-river-paper

Q&A:

- Handling non-urgent tasks that keep getting kicked down the curb

- Planning household tasks

ChatGPT Segment: Podcast ep mentioned: https://jadeboyd.co/how-i-organize-it-all-in-one-place-with-clickup/

(Jade's interview of Sarah is not up yet, but her podcast is The Business Edit)

Best Laid Plans at Home: Planning 2025 is open for registration, with discounted rates until 11/1! Plan your year with structure and fun -- visit http://theshubox.com/courses for details.

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne: Gorgeous apparel and home pieces. Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

IXL: Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership at IXL.com/PLANS.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, host Sarah interviews Sarah Jedd, who works full time as teaching faculty at UW (Faculty in Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture), and is the mother of 5 amazing kids ages 4 to 18! She's also been blogging (old school style) at harry times.com since 2006! Sarah Jedd does a lot, manages a lot, and has fun while doing it.

Sarah (J) shares her planning and life management tactics, from her personal daily planning ritual to her incredibly simple-yet-effective family management technique plus some discussion of her favorite budget and goal setting tactics.

Find much more from Sarah at http://harrytimes.com!

Additional note:

Best Laid Plans at Home: Planning 2025 is open for registration, with discounted rates until 11/1! Plan your year with structure and fun -- visit http://theshubox.com/courses for details.

Episode Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne:Gorgeous apparel and home pieces. Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

IXL: Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership at IXL.com/PLANS.

Amazfit: Find awesome health tracking watches and more at www.amazfit.com/PLANS (coupon code will provide 15% off!) or look for Amazfit at your favorite major retailer.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Highlights of this episode:

- Sarah opens by sharing details about BLP at Home: Planning 2025 (visit theshubox.com/courses for details)

- A listener (Bridget) shares her experiences with a display showing Google calendar - her setup, impact on kids, husband, etc!

- Discussion of screen time consciousness and the app Aro, which gamifies putting away your phone (into their special lockbox or otherwise)

- Lots of inspiration if you are starting to think about (yes already) setting up your 2025 planner! Sarah shares top 10 uses/views she has returned to over and over again in her systems. (Prior ep mentioned: https://theshubox.com/2024/03/blp-episode-190-the-ideal-week.html)

Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne:Gorgeous apparel and home pieces. Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

IXL: Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership at IXL.com/PLANS.

Amazfit: Find awesome health tracking watches and more at www.amazfit.com/PLANS (coupon code will provide 15% off!) or look for Amazfit at your favorite major retailer.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's (almost) a new month, and today's episode is all about THE MONTH! Sarah shares her love for the 12 natural outpoints in our year and discusses ways she loves to mark the start of a new month. She shares her monthly goal setting tactics, and how the month slots into the Nested Goals framework. She also advocates for planning in FUN on a monthly level and reveals her own very practical monthly rituals.

Jenni Kayne:Gorgeous apparel and home pieces. Visit jennikayne.com; listeners get 15% off your first order when you use code PLANS at checkout.

IXL:  Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership at IXL.com/PLANS. 

Amazfit: Find awesome health tracking watches and more at www.amazfit.com/PLANS (coupon code will provide 15% off!) or look for Amazfit at your favorite major retailer.

PrepDish: Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices