Blast From the Past – July’s Reader Faves
Despite being the first full month of summer, July always feels like a transitional month to me. Some are just easing into summer vacation, while others are getting ready to ease into a new school year.
If January is the month of getting organized and setting goals, July is the month of refreshing routines and evaluating how we’re spending our time. If the posts that pop up each month are any indication – many of you feel the same way.
From back to school readiness to setting new goals, July’s top 5 over the years seem to fit the feeling of the month rather well.
What is Blast From the Past?
I’m glad you asked!
The Blast From the Past series is that features a collection of posts and pages that have hit my monthly top 20-50 posts in previous years. I always find it interesting to see which content stands the test of time and which comes and goes. The five pieces of content I’m sharing each month will be a mix of both.
Now let’s hop on down to the good stuff!
July’s Reader Favourites
Every month I record the twenty posts and pages that get the most views that month. You’d think by now I’d be beyond being surprised, but I’m not! Looking back over previous years is a delight to my creative side.
July’s delight was in seeing a series so very near to my heart pop up year after year. I was also entirely surprised to see printables I had forgotten I’d made. Being able to dust them off and spruce them up for you has been a joy.
Come take a stroll with me down memory lane!
(As always click the images or the links below to check out the updated original posts and pages.)
Getting Ready for Back to School – Student Planner Printables
I first published this post on July 22, 2015, so it’s kind of nice to see a post from a previous July hit July’s Reader Faves. This collection of student planners features a two page per week, weekly planner. These were designed just for the school week, so they only go Monday to Friday, but they offer a ton of room for planning.
In addition to the weekly planners, there are also the homework and/or project planners. These printables were crafted to help students take larger assignments or projects and break them down into manageable tasks.
With the new school year starting soon, I’m not surprised these ones keep popping in the top twenty list. In fact they pop up so often I’m giving serious thought to creating updated versions of these. If that’s something you’d like me to do, please chime in in the comments and let me know.
Black and White Weekly To-Do List Printables
One of my structured to-do lists is a wonderful planning tool to use during the summer, especially if your schedule lightens with the end of the school year. Originally shared back in June of 2017, these black and white versions have been a top twenty hit more often than not.
In this post you’ll find black and white versions of three of my past collections – Pretty in Pastel, which was the design collection where I shared the very first weekly to-do list printable, Understated Rainbow, and Sunshine Skies.
Even if you don’t always need to make a to-do list, keeping a few of these on hand in your planner can a be a great way to augment your usually planning system when things get really busy or when things get really slow and you find you don’t need a robust planner for the week.
Plan Your Goals so You Can Reach Your Goals
This post was a surprise to me. Not just because goal setting is usually a topic people gravitate towards at the beginning and end of a year, but because I actually forgot that I wrote this post back in January of 2019.
Fun fact, when I checked out the post I remembered the printables, just not in this design. But I love them. I can see why many readers come back to them over and over again. The colours are fun, but not in your face. You can dress them up with washi tape and stickers or leave them as is.
There are three versions of goal setting printables in this post. One is for long term goals, one for short term goals, and one for small, fun goals. While not a robust system, these goal setting sheets are a great place to get started.
Teacher Requested – Teacher Planner Printables
There is nothing I love more than making printables that you request. Knowing I’m making something you need and will use is a joy. So I love, love, LOVE that these printables – round two of these printables – hit the July favourites list ever since they were first shared.
I published this post on July 17, 2020, not knowing if anyone would want them. School and teaching was looking very different that year. I’m happy I was able to get them out and that people used them. Not just teachers, but moms and dads too. They were a hit right from the very beginning.
In the post you’ll find teacher weekly planner and checklists ready to be used. And in a wonderful boon of coincidence they’re also in the same design collection as this year’s calendars. Which you can find over on the Jewel Tone Quarters Collection page.
From Scattered to Sane
Rounding out this month’s reader favourites is my series From Scattered to Sane. I originally published most of this series back in October of 2015 as a part of the 31 Days challenge, where bloggers are challenged to write and publish a blog post every day in the month of October.
Life happened, as it is wont to do, and I wasn’t able to get all 31 posts written and published. However, I start writing and publishing the last posts in the series back in July 2019 and now all 31 posts are on the page.
From Scattered to Sane is my system for how I create my routines, most especially my foundation routines. Sometimes I refer to them as my motions routines because they are what I do when I’m going through the motions. Through small steps and building habits tailored to how you work and what you need, it is possible to take back your time and feel less overwhelmed.
Don’t worry if you don’t have time or the desire to read all the 31 posts, there’s an abridged list on the page that will take you to the key posts. And even if you’re not looking to refresh or rebuild your routines, there are some posts included in the series that were just encouragement. Sometimes we just need to know that we’re not alone and that someone is rooting for us. And I will ALWAYS be here for you.
Click here and take back your time with the From Scattered to Sane series.
And so ends our trip down July’s memory lane! What did you think? Which posts, if any, do remember reading? Which ones are your favourite? Drop me a line in the comments or come on over to the Facebook group, and let’s keep this conversation going.
Before You Go
Have you heard that there’s a Facebook group just for us squirrellies? Come on over and check out the Scatter-Brain’s Guide group. We chat planners, organizing, vote on designs, and, on occasion, I even share exclusive printables that you won’t find anywhere else.
It’s loads of fun and it’s free! Click the button below to check it out.
Until next time,
Happy Printing!!!
