If you find yourself writing out the same tasks each week and needing just a bit more room for all of your to do’s then I have a free printable checklist insert for you 🙂

What you’ll need

Free printable planner dashboard which you can download here. If you’re an existing subscriber, you can download the free printable here (the password to login was sent in the initial confrimation email when you subscribed)
Printer (there’s also a black and white version if you don’t have a color printer – you can print this in black and white by choosing ‘greyscale from your printer menu). More printing tips in this post. If you don’t have a printer you can take the file to your local office supply store and have them print it for you, or order via a print and ship website
Laminating machine & sheets
Whiteboard markers (I got mine from Daiso and Kmart for a couple of dollars)

How to make a planner list insert

Download the free printable planner dashboard

When you download the insert you’ll also gain access to the rest of the free printables library – the dashboard comes in both rainbow and black and white (because my sister pointed out that perhaps not everyone is as obsessed with rainbow things as I am) the page also has a rainbow stripe bookmar/page marker.

2. Print the planner dashboard

Cardstock recommended but normal copy paper will be fine. Make sure you choose ‘actual size’ not ‘fit’ to page, otherwise the inserts won’t print true to size (3.25″ wide x 8.5″ high)

Related post: Printing tips & FAQ’s

3. Cut them out

I added a light grey cut line to the design to make them easy to cut out 🙂

3. For extra durability, laminate the insert

Make sure you leave about 0.75″ to 1″ space between the inserts to allow room for hole punching. Make sure you only run them through the laminator once. One time I ran something through it twice thinking it would make sure the laminate was super secured, but it jammed and mangled the printable so I had to re-print and start again – lesson learned!

Also, make sure you don’t out the bookmark insert at the top of your laminating sheet or the edge might curl up (it’s hard to see in the photo but the left side of the bookmark where I was going to punch the holes got bent. I placed it under a heavy book but it still didn’t make it stay flat so I had to print another copy.

I use the hot laminating setting.

Laminating means you can write on the insert using a whiteboard marker. You could also print a bunch of them onto paper and replace as needed. Or print a bunch, cut them out then place in a stack and put modge podge glue at the top to bind them into a notepad.

4. Cut out the insert

Making sure you keep enough room on the left (or right, depending on your preference) for hole punching. I slightly rounded the corners of the laminate with scissors so they wouldn’t be sharp and pointy.

5. Punch the holes

If you use a spiral bound planner such as the Erin Condren or Plum Paper, use the cover that comes with that planner to mark where the holes should go (I recommend using a Sharpie pen).

If you’re using the Arc notebook (which is what I prefer), then you can punch straight away. I traced around the insert on a piece of scrap paper so I could test/check where the holes would go.

If you don’t have the Arc, the Levenger or MAMBI Happy planner are similar discbound planning systems.

I set my punch to be A5 and this left a bit of room at the top where the insert stuck out so it can also act as a bookmark to mark what week I’m up to in my planner