Behind the Scenes: How I Design My Templates
A peek into my design process — from sticky notes to the final polished template, and why simplicity always wins.
People often ask me how I come up with these templates. The truth is, every one starts with a mess. I'll be juggling ten tabs, a notebook, and a million sticky notes, thinking 'there has to be a better way.' That moment is where the magic begins.
I start by writing down everything I need to track — not in a structured way, just brain-dump style. Then I circle the essentials. What do I actually need to see daily? Weekly? Monthly? That's my filter. Everything else gets cut. Because the best template is the one you actually use, and if it's cluttered, you won't.
From there, I build a rough version in Notion, testing it on my own life for at least a week. I move things around, change labels, and see what feels natural. Then I add the beauty: soft colors, friendly fonts, and just enough visual structure to guide your eye without feeling stiff.
The final step is a sanity check: can a beginner use this without a manual? If not, I simplify. My goal is that you open the template and think, 'I can breathe here.' That's the feeling I'm always chasing.