June 14, 2016

DIY Wall Planner with Post-it® Dry Erase Surface, by Clever Poppy

I've been wanting to make a wall planner for a while now, to get on top of the millions of notes I have scribbled by my desk! But I wanted to make one that was actually stylish, unlike most of the generic office-style ones out there. So when I discovered this cool product by Post-it® I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get creative!

The key to this project is Post-it® Dry Erase Surface, which is essentially a sheet of stick-on whiteboard material. You just cut it to size and stick it on a suitable surface (generally the smoother the better), then use it as you would a usual whiteboard. I was going to pop it straight onto the wall of our kitchen, but I decided it would be better to add it to a sheet of pegboard - not only did this add it's own element of style but it means I can hang handy bits and pieces off the sides.

I'll tell you all about how to make one of your own below!

What you need:

Post-it Dry Erase Surface (you can buy this from Warehouse Stationery, see the end of this blog for an awesome discount code!)
A sheet of Pegboard (I purchased mine from Bunnings and cut it to size - if you ask nicely they might do it for you). Mine is approx 45cm high x 60cm wide
Scotch® Expressions Washi Tape - I used the regular width tape in black, and a thicker width tape in a herringbone design (Warehouse Stationery have a really good range of colours and designs, but I'd recommend keeping it dark so it hides the pen residue each time you wipe it clear)
Scotch Scissors (available from Warehouse Stationery)
Ruler
Whiteboard marker

Step One:

First of all, cut your Dry Erase Surface to size. To fit my piece of pegboard, I cut mine approx 45cm wide x 30cm high. Given this was a relatively small piece, I just measured it out and cut it with scissors (but you could also use a craft knife and cutting pad).

Step Two:

Next, stick the Dry Erase Surface to the pegboard. Make sure the pegboard is nice and clean, then hold the Dry Erase Surface over the pegboard so you can see where the middle is. Peel back about 2cm of the black backing, then flip it over and stick the Dry Erase Surface onto the pegboard (you can use the pegboard holes to make sure it's lining up straight).

Then, holding the dry erase cloth in your left hand, and pulling the black underside out with your right, slowly pull the black underside out. As you do this, use your left hand to wipe the cloth along the area that is being stuck down, to smooth out any air bubbles.

Finish up and check its looking reasonably straight, because if you need to pull it up and stick it down again, you'll need to do so quick smart! Don't be too perfectionist because you can create a nice straight line when you add the washi tape border.

Step Three:

Use washi tape to map out your weekly planner. First use the regular width tape to do 6 vertical strips and 1 horizontal strip. Then use the thicker width tape to create a border around the Dry Erase Surface (make sure you cut the ends off nice and tidy, and use the pegboard holes as a guide to keep it as straight as possible).

Step Four:

Use a whiteboard marker to write up your weekly plans, and use your Post-it® cloth to wipe it off when you want to make changes.

And that's it you are all done!

You can easily rest this against the wall as it is - or I added leather strap handles, pegboard hooks and accessories to mine (to suit our home decor).

To learn more about this cool self adhesive whiteboard surface, then head on over to www.post-it.co.nz/dryerase for more info.

And if you'd like to give this a go for yourself, then make sure you snap up a $20 off voucher when you buy Dry Erase from Warehouse Stationery! If you click on this link, it will take you to the coupon and relevant info: go.3M.com/Post-it_Coupon

I hope you enjoy this project as much as I do, and have fun making something both useful and beautiful for your home xx