on easing into the new year and sexy stationery
my slow approach to january + organization obsessions
when you’re raised by a virgo as i was, bits and pieces of their methodical, perfectionistic tendencies are bound to trickle down to you. that said, the flip of the calendar year being universally marked as a clean slate—a designated stretch of time to reflect, reset, declutter, reorganize and reboot—is just what my structured-by-nurture mind needs to start a new year off.
while it would have been ideal to have everything prepped and ready for the clock’s stroke of midnight on january first, i was forced to relinquish control and take a slower approach to january’s usual sequence of events, having spent holiday season travelling. the mood-boarding, intention setting, manifesting, stationery shopping and calendar skimming came mid-month. the mad dash of having everything meticulously planned and prepared was brought to a halt.
did this extended period of slowness leave me any less keen to have everything put together, on time, always? in truth, no. eventually, i went about my planning and organizing as eager as ever—but i suppose i had more time to truly think and be more intentional with my plans when it came down to it. somewhere during this wait to begin my 2025 reset, i’d heard the idea thrown around that the true new year begins in the spring, when the seasons change and new life blooms. the more i think of it, the more it makes sense (even though logically, it’s still difficult to part from the satisfaction derived from aligning the top of a new year with 12 months of new intentions). all this to say, while i’m still a planner at heart, plans change. and in the back of my mind somewhere, there may be room to consider that ‘spring new year’ philosophy as i continue to orchestrate each new year.
a loved one recently asked how i could possibly find any pleasure in planning and organization. to that, i responded: how can you not? as i tore open the 2025 planner i’d been waiting to receive in the mail (i’ve officially converted from digital to paper! more on this later). whether one would pin this adoration for all things productivity on my upbringing, perfectionism, being a chronic overthinker or what have you—keeping my thoughts and plans visibly laid out before me has always been both extremely satisfying (fun, even) and very necessary.
circling back to my point on astrology to introduce my mother (a daydreaming pisces), whose roots in administrative work meant she had an elevated appreciation for neat little journals, smooth-writing pens and office supplies as a whole. my inherited perfectionism coupled with this same love for stationery knick-knacks go hand in hand.
i’ve long steered clear of paper planners for fear of having to ruin a lovely new notebook with my less-than-immaculate handwriting (there go those virgo attributes!), but this year, i threw this pursuit of perfection out the window and pulled the trigger on buying a binder-style planner from a small canadian business. as a former notion obsessee, i’m pleasantly surprised by how much i’ve enjoyed the paper planner experience thus far. i’ve reignited the childhood wonder of shopping for new stationery! and less screen time is an added bonus. not to mention there’s some seriously chic shit out there.
since looking for decorative additions to my binder setup has become my newest hyperfixation, i thought i’d share a few cool things i’ve found with you. resetting your mindset for the new year is free, but having shiny new stationery to visually lay out your plans for the week and to encourage further organization truly does inspire me, personally.
are you, too, insufferably type a? or are you on the opposite side of this debate? i’d love to know! happy new year, reader x
L