Behind the Scenes: How I Design a Template
From messy notes to a polished product — the exact steps I take before a template goes live.
Every template starts as a problem I'm personally stuck on. The Life Reset template came from a week where I felt buried by laundry, emails, and half-finished projects. I opened a blank Notion page and asked: what would make tomorrow feel lighter?
I sketch on paper first. Nothing fancy — just boxes and arrows. I figure out what the user sees first, what they click second, and where they'll get stuck. If I can't explain a section in one sentence, I cut it.
Then I build the ugly version. It's always messy. I use it for at least five days before I clean anything up. That's where I catch the friction: a database property that's confusing, a button that's in the wrong place, a page that's too many clicks deep.
Finally, I polish. I choose soft colors, consistent icons, and clear labels. I write a short setup guide and record a walkthrough. The whole process takes about two weeks. It's slow, but it means the template works before you ever see it.