How We’re Mapping Out the Year

How We’re Mapping Out The Year At Home + At Collected Co.

There’s something about seeing the year laid out in front of you that instantly changes how planning feels.

It fills up fast once you add in all the knowns — kids’ sports and competitions, work trips, weddings, birthdays, and everything in between. Last year was the first time I tried using a large, year-at-a-glance calendar, and it made a noticeable difference for our family.

Even though it isn’t digital, being able to map out the entire year in one place helped us see — very clearly — which weekends were still open. Where we could fit in a little adventure, and where we needed to protect time to regroup at home. That shift alone changed how we approached our time.

Why a Big Picture View Matters

So much of planning happens in fragments — calendars on our phones, notes in apps, reminders that pop up when it’s already too late. For us, that often led to reacting instead of intentionally planning. With life and work schedules only getting busier, this helped us better understand what our year actually looked like — and when we could plan trips and vacations, and when we couldn’t.

This year, that big-picture view has meant mapping out family trips, planning for big life moments (like turning 40 this summer!), and looking ahead to family weddings — along with all the sweet moments that come with kids: recitals, gymnastics competitions, and soccer games.

It’s also been helpful for conversations like, “This is a really busy work stretch — let’s line up some extra help,” or “Let’s keep weekends lighter here,” or even “Let’s have friends come stay with us.”

One Calendar for Collected Co.

I also purchased a second calendar specifically for Collected Co., and it’s been just as impactful in a different way.

For the business, seeing the year at a glance helps me map out content, client projects, launches, and broader goals. Instead of planning week to week, I can see how everything fits together — and think more intentionally about what I want to accomplish this year.

Life will still happen, and plans will inevitably change. But having this kind of visibility has made the year feel more exciting and intentional.

Details on our calendar:

The Big A$$ Calendar was created by Jesse Itzler (Sara Blakely’s husband — I love them both), and it’s a large, dry-erase wall calendar that shows the entire year on one sheet.

Of course, I wanted calming colors and didn’t really want Big A$$ Calendar printed across it, so this year I ordered custom versions instead. One is titled The Burger Family 2026, and the other is for Collected Co., with my business name and logo added. It was easy to customize, and I love that they give you the option to personalize it with your own name, colors, and logo!

Order one here! Use Code COLLECTEDCO_ for 10% off any product, only time only!