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Readers have had great conversations about their favorite paper planners in the comments on a few recent posts, and we thought we'd share their suggestions and share a few more recommendations today. It's been a few years since we've discussed how to find the best planner or the need to cobble together a FrankenPlanner, so we'd love to hear your thoughts. What is your favorite paper planner, and why? Do you buy the same one every year, or have you tried a few options?
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Readers' Favorite Paper Planners
More Recommendations for Paper Planners
In the past, I've used a Simplified Planner from Emily Ley and really liked it, and I've also looked into the Passion Planner and She Plans. I used a Filofax for a while, years ago, and I liked it at the time. (I bet some of you do this too — I typically get excited about using a new kind of paper planner and then use it for a short time and give up on it.)
Some planner companies have free printables, and using those is a good way to do a test drive of a format you're considering. (Sometimes you have to sign up for an email newsletter to be able to download them, but then you can just unsubscribe.)
Kat's described her varied approach to planning in the past (she uses a ton of tools!); in recent years she's also tried planners from Erin Condren, The Happy Planner, Living Well, Savor, and (for daily task planning) The Five-Minute Journal. She's also been eyeing the Productivity Planner.
Readers, how about you? Tell us about your favorite paper planner! Have you bought one for 2020 yet? If you also use something like Google Calendar or Evernote or a to-do list app such as Remember the Milk, how do you use them to complement each other? Do you prefer to buy pre-printed planners or use a bullet journal or something similar?
Anon
Gallery Leather’s Leather Desk Weekly Planner; I’ve been using them for almost a decade.
Anon
I had one of these in law school and loved it. The paper and the leather cover were so luxurious.
I now use a hobonichi weeks for personal stuff (I also note work commitments that extend outside my regular 9-5). I use the monthly section to plan stuff far in advance, then the weekly part to plan 1-2 weeks at a time. This is where I note when I’m going to work out, or take care of a time sensitive errand, and reminders for specific days (kid needs to wear blue shirt to school, etc). On the right (blank) side, I write to do items for that week at the top – the stuff that doesn’t have to be done at a specific time, like buying tickets to something – and on the bottom half write down cash expenses. I hate having to rewrite to dos, so it’s a huge incentive to actually get them done (or decide not to do them). In the back, I keep running lists of books I’ve read, books I want to read, and clothes I’ve purchased.
For work I use my outlook calendar and a Moleskine notebook. In there, I keep a long running to do list and will make a day specific to do list to focus on in on on a large post it.
NJAnonymous
Does anyone have any good large (22×17) desk planners? I was able to get some gorgeous ones last year at Target (blue sky and day designer) but can’t seem to find more than 5 or so for 2020 from Target or Staples. Am I looking too early? Anyone have any suggestions?
LaurenB
I don’t personally use a paper planner for anything. Even to-do lists get assigned a date/time on my digital calendar. I also routinize a lot of things and put them on my calendar (for example, every Sunday, I fill up with gas whether I need to or not; every Monday I go to the dry cleaners, and so forth). No decision-making.
Walking
Levenger Circa Smart Planner
Kris
Do the discs get in the way when you throw your planner in a bag/purse? I love my Levenger Circa notebook but assumed that the planner version wouldn’t hold up if I am toting it around every day . . . .
bellatrix
While we’re on the subject — Can anyone recommend a weekly planner that either doesn’t have the monthly grids or has them in a separate section so I can ignore them? I never use them and they just get in the way. My 2019 planner had them in a separate section and I love it, but that model isn’t listed on the brand’s site this year. (I can’t even remember where I got it.)
Coach Laura
My Mountain Planner Pro has daily pages and a separate monthly and weekly planning section.
Anon
I usually just tape the month pages together so I can flip past them.
Elizabeth T.
Agendio! You can design your own! Nice paper, good cover … LOVE MY AGENDIO.
Agusta L
Yes! I love Agendio too! I stumbled on then about a year ago and just received my 2nd planner. You can customize so much.
I am also a huge fan of productive flourishing’s planner options.
Janet Schaaf
I’ll third the Agendio planner. It can be just about anything you want it to be!
bellatrix
Anon at 4:33 – BRILL, and why did I not think of that.
anon
Blue Sky for paper. And I don’t do little planners; give me the the big 10×13 option.
All my appointments are set on digital calendars. I find it very helpful, though, to have my daily to-do lists and priorities written down ON PAPER. Checking them off a digital box does not bring the same sense of satisfaction. :)
Katie
I love my Agendio planner. It is completely customizable and you have so many choices for layout and page options. If you’ve ever had trouble finding a planner layout that works for you – check out Agendio and see if any of their options fit the bill. I’ve had 2 so far and will be ordering my 3rd in a few months.
Vicky Austin
I have been drooling over these…my wallet is quaking but I’m glad to hear you’ve liked them!
Miss
I love Planner Pad. I started using one last year and it’s so nice to be able to do a brain dump at the top of the page of everything I’d like to get done. Then I can fill in my schedule and add tasks per day. Plus it’s light enough to carry around in my purse.
Ducky
I started using Planner Pad a few months ago after seeing a suggestion from someone on this site. I love it! It works well for managing complex projects that stretch over multiple weeks.
Anonymous
I’ve been using the Michael Hyatt Full Focus Planner since they started printing them (3 years I think) and love it. I like that they’re quarterly so you get a new start and it’s not as big to carry around.
Anon
I have a leather Kate Spade that uses inserts I buy from Staples. I’ve had it since 2009 and love it.
Ellen
I would like to try this. For years I did the Day Runner, until Dad insisted I use my iMac which synched to my iPhone and my iPad, and since Dad uses my password, he got all of that information simulteanously. But Dad is watching me to much, so if I can go back to paper, his onley way of tracking me is on my Fitbit, and some iPhone app that watches me on his GPS. I think he even knows when I bring a guy home after work, b/c he sometimes calls me just at the wrong time, if you know what I mean! FOOEY on that!
Anon
Sounds like you should change your password?
AJ Conroy
Love this thread! Passion Planner has come the closest to an ideal planner (emphasis on planning over being a calendar). But I found DIY with a Martha Stewart disc notebook is the best. I keep one month at a time and have pages for trackers, lists, notes, references, etc. I purposefully use paper to keep me off the phone.
On the same thread of being organized, highly recommend a Sunday Basket (Organize 365) for personal life. It’s been a game cchanger
Melody M Everett-Neddo
Matty A’s The R.I.C.H. Life Planner is my favorite.
Lisa
I use a Franken-Planner. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my Quilter’s Planner!! I’ve been using it a few years; it comes with patterns, new design ideas, & grid paper to doodle patterns I have in my head. I buy accessories from Erin Condren, Happy Planner & Passion Planner. I not only track my medical stuff but also day to day appointments, & quotes that really hit me or are meaningful. This year the Quilter’s Planner was made a little smaller & customizable. A dear friend of mine uses Hobinichi 5 year & I’m considering doing that also. I like that there is 5 years on 1 page.
Sharon Trudeau
I’ve been using a Franklin Planner for years. I love it!!
Wendalette
Action Day planner in 6×8. It’s not fancy, but it perfectly suits my purposes. Full current year with each month in vertical format in the front cover, a full current year calendar in traditional square format a few pages in, a full next year calendar again each month formatted vertically near the back cover,and each week formatted vertically with time from 7am to 8pm, space for notes to the left, and two project areas at the bottom of the two page spread.
I fancy it up with planner stickers and using colored pens.
Bart
I am a proponent of David Allen’s Getting Things Done Method. By using Outlook, I keep all my task lists via Outlook. I used to be pretty much all computerized. Nie, as a consultant, I use Planner Pads, and print my task lists off the computer and carry with the Planner Pad. I love the weekly format. I understand some folks need daily, but that is too limiting in my line of work. I want to see the week.
Andrea
Same. He did a podcast once on his favorite apps and recommended “Things” as it fits well within the GTD method. I’ve found it really useful.
Leah
I just went back to a paper planner for the first time since law school (8 years ago). I got an Erin Condren and LOVE it. I appreciated being able to personalize so much, from the cover and accessories to the daily and weekly layouts. It has also been sturdy enough to survive getting thrown around in the diaper bag and various purses. My 4 kiddos haven’t destroyed it yet, though they’ve tried. I’ll definitely purchase again.
Vikki
I have gotten rid of all my paper planners. I would loose them or just not use them. Though there is a big paper calendar on the fridge since my MIL doesn’t like online calendars. (She lives with us and we need to know when her dr appts are.)
I use Outlook for all my work activities and personal appointments. I cannot get my husband or young adults to use the family one I set up. They continue to use the Cozi online calendar/app. I would love to stop the annual fee associated with using the “gold” option, but it really is bare bones without it. I am just glad they use a calendar that alerts us all to what is going on in a busy household.
I have bought many planners and journals over the years looking to “get myself together.” I found they added more stressful to-dos to my days and who needs more stress?
Anonymous
Jordi Labanda
Sandra
I love the Ink and Volt planner! It is a great hybrid that gives me some guidance and flexibility. Every one in a while I try something else but always come back to it. I have a digital calendar but I use the paper planner to chart my direction/priorities/time blocks before I get lost all the digital noise.
Mandy
I love my ban.do planner. I’ve used the medium and large formats and both have great space for note taking, documenting my week/days, and a nice large 2-page monthly calendar spread for high level. Plus, it’s a super fun planner with illustrations and stickers!
Kjy
Plum paper planners are great and very customizable. Nice paper that doesn’t bleed through with markers or highlighting. Used them for 5 years , strayed off to a disc system this year and will go back to plum paper next year
Megan Cumbo
Plum paper planners are great and very customizable. Nice paper that doesn’t bleed through with markers or highlighting. Used them for 5 years , strayed off to a disc system this year and will go back to plum paper next year
Sarah Truesdell
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Prov31Eighteen
You can go here for amazing planner insert downloads. They are a MEGA bundle and there’s Bible studies too, if that’s you thing. They have different color options for them incase you get bored with design. There’s different layouts in each bundle. They all include two types of daily layouts, a vertical weekly layout, a horizontal weekly layout, bill trackers, habit trackers, so much more. Only $5 for a whole bundle. It’s crazy.
Heather
I’ve used an Inkwell Press planner for the last several years. I haven’t switched over to the disc-bound, which is available on their website, but I might for next year; I’ve been using the coil-bound that’s available at Office Depot. The paper quality is the single biggest selling point on these for me – it’s a thick, smooth paper that means I don’t have to consider what pen I’m using to avoid bleed through.