Since the past few years, I’ve created some calendars and made them available for free. Mainly there are two types of calendars- the one with Thai Buddhist Observation Dates, and another with Chinese Lunar dates (full moon and new moon).
In this post, I would like to show how you can printout and use these calendars. I would use the example of the Buddhist calendar that I have done for 2025. You may also use this idea for other calendars that you have printed out as well.
1. Using the calendar as a planner in monthly spread
You may print out the calendar in A4 size. Be sure to select landscape mode if it is one page per month. The pages can be stapled together. I use the design which enable space for writing. Personally a desktop calendar is one thing that I’ve used each year- for jotting down appointments, important to-dos (such as paying bills) and dates such as birthdays and public holidays.
It can also be used for content and social media planning where we can list the content that we do for our blogs, or social media, or YouTube videos.
2. Printing and pasting on an older desktop calendar
In a previous post, I’ve shared on how to repurpose expired desktop calendars. For this purpose, when you are printing out to fit the standard desktop calendar size (about A5 size), you would need to adjust your printer settings as follows:
- to fit 2 pages in a single page
- to print in potrait mode
You may choose to print in black and white (select grayscale) or in colour. I have printed mine in grayscale as per below where you can see there are 2 pages per sheet:
Then I cut out each month and then paste it on an expiring or expired desktop calendar. In this instance, I am using the 2024 calendar – as this calendar has the same image on each month, I pasted the 2025 calendar on top of the image.
If you have an expired desktop calendar, that may have pictures/graphics (as one side of the calendar often come with certain design) that you really like, you can cut and paste the calendar on top of the expired months. I actually use double sided tape to secure at the four corners so that it is easy for me to pull it out.
The original calendar is made using waxed paper. One issue is when I write appointments or reminders on the original calendar, the ink often smeared. However with the A4 paper that I am printing on, the writings does not smear. I use erasable pens, ie Pilot Frixion pens to write down reminders:
You may also choose to print on light coloured paper.
Alternatively, you can also paste this on a notebook or use as a planner page. Or staple up the pages together and then use a hard cover over it and cover the staples with washi tape. I would suggest to print on single side, with the blank page to use to list down items like to do lists, brain dump or ideas that is related to what you are planning.
At the moment, I am trying out this idea, I’ve managed to repurpose an expired desktop calendar which in use in a workstation at our place. It ain’t pretty but it is functional:
For now, I am trying out by printing my own online calendar and sticking it into an expiring desktop calendar. Using erasable pens, it is easy to write on the the paper and delete it.
