I have always wanted to be a color-coder. There’s something satisfying about matching colors that align to just the right category. It wasn’t until recently that I finally figured out a system to make it work for me. I’ve been using a PowerSheets goal planner all year and the colors that match those goal categories are now pretty much synonymous with the tasks that support those goals. Color coding in PowerSheets is becoming a little easier for me now.
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How Color Coding Supports Functional Planning
Color coding in PowerSheets can be helpful to evaluate my goals. I can see at a quick glance if I am working on a super focused month (more line items in a single color) vs. a very well-rounded or balanced month (lots of variety in color). If I feel like I’m stagnating on a certain goal, I can look for that color in my past Tending Lists. I can easily see how much I’ve been working on that goal.
Color coding my goals is also a good way to check in with myself if I’m doing what I said I wanted to in my prep work. For example, if I said I wanted to focus on health in this season, but none of my dots or highlights on my tending list are green, I know that maybe I could add or swap in some of that category to my tending list to make the progress I promised myself I would make.
In my scheduling planner, I only recently started color coding. On my monthly plans, I just match whatever the color theme is in the planner for that month and I like that. But I’ve been using color coding in my weekly plans and I’m starting to like that too! I am considering bringing the color coding system into my monthly plans as well now.
Supplies for Color Coding in PowerSheets
Highlighters
For most of the year I used dot markers and Mildliners. But it always bugged me that I had to supplement with markers from different brands to get the right color match. I finally found a set of highlighters that works [almost] perfectly with the Cultivate What Matters color scheme. I’m using Pen + Gear highlighters from Walmart, and the colors match up almost perfectly. The only one I’m not super happy with is the green. It’s a little pale! But it gets the job done for now if I highlight twice.
DIY Labeled Goal Category Highlighters
I had been using these highlighters for a bit for all kinds of highlighting jobs, and eventually the printed label on the barrel started rubbing off. To fix that, I just wiped it off completely using acetone (I got a tiny bottle at Walmart!). Make sure you watch the video, where I show you how easy this is.
Then I used my Cricut machine to cut some vinyl decals with a cute font. I use an older model, but the smaller Cricut would be perfect for this. I made one for each of the PowerSheets goal areas, including “habits + routines” for the free choice category since that is what I’m focusing on this season. It’ll be easy to change later if I want to, but I have a feeling I’ll keep this category the same for a while.
Dot Markers
I mentioned that I used to use dot markers in my PowerSheets. They are great for not adding bulk or having to re-buy stickers. But I found that I didn’t like how messy they made things look sometimes. Plus, the markers themselves are kind of long and don’t fit well in all of my pouches.
Some of the colors also weren’t right and I had to buy different packs just to get the ones I thought would work. Not a great solution for these pricey markers! So now I’m just using stickers when I want dots, or the fine point tip on the other end of the highlighter.
Stickers
I have almost every single sticker book Cultivate What Matters makes right now! And I’m officially out of the big banner flag stickers to use on goal pages so I’m considering purchasing another pack. But I’m also trying really hard to be a good steward and use what I have.
The current color coding sticker book that Cultivate offers has the old colors in it, so one of the goal categories isn’t represented in that one. So for now I think I’ll just use the banner flag on the snap-in stencil with my markers instead of flag stickers.
PlannerKate Stickers that Match PowerSheets
Now that I’m not using dot markers, I have been using the dot stickers in the Cultivate sticker books. I’m also trying out these PlannerKate dot stickers to see which colors match the PowerSheets. I like the PlannerKate stickers because they’re repositionable. That means you can move them after putting them on the paper without tearing anything or wasting the sticker.
Shop here with my PlannerKate promo code KK20 to save an extra 20% of your cart, even on sale prices during Warehouse Wednesday and other sitewide sales on planner stickers for Erin Condren, Hobonichi, Laurel Denise, and more.
Which PlannerKate Colors Match PowerSheets?
The Erin Condren bold and muted colorway stickers from PlannerKate match up really well to the PowerSheets CLE categories. I did some sticker testing and here’s what I found out:
| PlannerKate Colorway | Cultivate What Matters CLE Goal Category |
| Erin Condren Bold – February | Family |
| Erin Condren Bold – May | Work + Learning |
| Erin Condren Bold – October | Community |
| Erin Condren Bold – August | Personal Growth |
| Erin Condren Bold – March | Health + Wellness |
| Erin Condren Muted – January | Home + Spaces |
| Erin Condren Muted – July | Finances |
| Erin Condren Bold – April | Free Choice Category |
Washi
The final product I have for PowerSheets color coding is this set of thin washi tape from Cultivate that matches the CLE colors. I got this because I thought it was really cool that it fits perfectly in the progress bar on the Tending List. But I haven’t been using them and have been using highlighters instead. I think I’ll start trying out the Tending Tape in different places, such as decorating Wildcards or highlighting Goal Action Plan pages. It also might be a cool way to flag a page in a book about personal development. I can fold the tape over the edge of the page where there might be insight into one of my goal categories.
Watch my video for some chatty discussion on color coding in my planner and goal system!
Create a Color Coding Key
One way I am having fun with color coding in PowerSheets is by matching all of my color coding supplies. What can I say, I love stationery! I created a free printable color coding key so I can match stickers, highlighters, and washi together. Then I can just tape this page into my planner for easy reference. If you want one too, I’ve added it my free printables library. Download it and let me know what you think!
How Do You Color Code in Your Planner?
While I’m still new to color coding, I have been liking seeing the colors on my weekly plans so I can tell what I’m focusing on. I think with time, I gain a better understanding of how color coding will help me keep track of my own personal growth in addition to just keeping me on task during the day. Do you use a color coding system in your planner? What suggestions do you have for me to keep going with color coding?
[…] I hope this was helpful if you are looking to use planner stickers in PowerSheets, Season by Season, and Fresh Start planners from Cultivate What Matters! Stay tuned because I have a similar post coming up with more sticker options and also color coding supplies! […]
I don’t color code in my Powersheets. I’ve learned that it’s too overwhelming for me, and I spend way too much time overthinking things when there’s overlap between tasks (is making pumpkin bread for small group home/spaces, community, spiritual growth, or health/wellness? Is buying Christmas gifts community/family or finances?). Instead, I pick one color for my Powersheets based on the monthly color in my Erin Condren planner. I have a Papermate Flair, Mildliner, and Dot Marker picked out for each month and organized in a 4-compartment pen organizer (1 quarter per compartment; it keeps the similar shades like January and November from getting mixed up.) Then, each month, I pull out that month’s colors and put them into another pencil cup on my desk (so, right now, I have orange out).
One trick I’ve learned is that if you use the chisel tip of your highlighter, you can make checkboxes. It’s not quite as clean and nice looking as the dot markers, but it’s a great option if you want to simplify things by only using one marker, or if you want to save money on stickers
Totally understand that color coding can trigger overthinking! I wasn’t ready for it for years, and I’ve finally started feeling more clarity on other areas that it’s something that actually helps me now (vs. just something that looks cool but overwhelms me). I like how you’re choosing your colors Lissa! And yes, the chisel tip is where I’ve landed for my “boxes”. It’s like second nature now ????