I have a couple of reasons for this post. First, can you see images? Please let me know if the problem has been resolved for you. Thank you for putting up with the inconvenience, too.
Second, day planners! Specifically, paper ones. I can’t handle the new calendar in iOS 7. Appointments disappear or get moved to other days, I’m not getting my alerts, and the wheel date selector makes scheduling difficult for people with man-hands. I already dislike relying on electronic devices and am 1 of 5 people who still uses a paper address book. Also, and here another instance where computer-loving folks will toss their hands up in shock and think I’m really, really dumb: I keep all my passwords in a paper logbook.
That’s right! All my passwords in a paper logbook, not in a cloud or in an “impossible to access by hackers” security site online. When people found out about this on Instagram (I shared a picture of my logbook) there was an outcry of warnings and recommendations for online password keepers. I appreciate the concern and welcome the constructive feedback. Here are my thoughts on that: I’m a middle class, unknown woman from suburbia. I doubt I’m the mark of an Ocean’s Eleven team of hackers intent on stuffing their coffers with millions. And, God forbid, should a couple of random burglars enter my house when I’m not at home, they won’t ransack the place looking for the internet password logbook I may or may not have. “Put down the TV and jewelry box, Bob. Time is of the essence, so let’s first figure out if she bought one of those cute password logbooks I saw at Target.”
When it comes to online security, I don’t believe there is a safe way to protect myself, with the exception of avoiding all online activity and paying for everything in cash. Even then, security is a myth. Identity exposure is the reality of living in a world increasingly dependent upon digital communication, especially if corporations like Target can get hacked twice in less than 6 months. I’m at risk whether I store my passwords in a book or online because it’s the act of necessitating a password that puts me at risk. Online or paper, we’re all screwed in the end because if someone wants our information, they’ll get it. Maybe I’m just a pessimist.
Back to day planners. Anything computer/electronic/online is not an option for me. I know many of you use Google Docs/Calendar or have had great luck with ABC online planner, and that’s great! It’s not you, it’s me. Paper all the way.
The problem I have is that finding the perfect planner is like having fun at a timeshare presentation. It’s possible, it’s just not likely.
I’ve spent an obscene amount of time researching planners. It’s embarrassing. So embarrassing that the Mister turned to me last night and said, “The amount of time you have spent researching day planners is embarrassing.”
I’ve narrowed down the options and will now crowd-source you for opinions or planners I may have missed.
The ARC Planner by Staples
LESS THAN $30
The Arc Planner by Staples is a letter-sized planner with a neoprene cover. The calendars and paper accessories come separately, allowing for customization. There are plenty of free printables and customizing tips on Pinterest. Arc refills are around $5.00. My concerns: the low price of the planner disappears once you factor in the price of the refills. The 6-ring layout makes it difficult to customize your own refills without a special punch, which makes using the Arc-made refills an easier option. That’s intentional, I’m sure.
The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley
$58, PLUS SHIPPING
The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley is clean and simple. The available patterns are limited, but I like them, aside from the pink key-pattern. The size is 9×10. The daily schedules are from 7am-7pm in half-hour increments, which is a must for me since I need the planner to keep track of my library schedule, doctor appointments, swim team, music, choir, and the Mister’s travel schedule. An appointment calendar isn’t necessary for many people, but it is for me. Each page has a to-do list, a spot for notes, and a spot for dinner plans. There is plenty of white space and the layout isn’t cluttered. This planner would be perfect for me except for the calendar year organization. I absolutely need a planner with an academic calendar.
Do it All Planner by Orange Circle Studio
$14.99
This planner is by Orange Circle Studio, but it represents that category of day planners you can find in stationery stores or big box stores. These planners are small, sturdy, and simple. The price is reasonable. Rarely are the days organized in 30 minute increments, but in the case of the Do it All Planner, there is enough room for multiple appointments in one day. Still, I need the time increments to avoid double booking myself. There is no real way to customize the planner or refill pages, which means you’re buying something new every year. Because the price is low, that’s okay.
The Life Planner by Erin Condren
$50-$75, PLUS SHIPPING
If you are a blogger or read blogs, you might have heard of this planner. Erin Condren is the chevrons of day planners. They life planners are colorful, full of pattern, come with 300 bells and whistles, and can be customized to within an inch of your life. There are pockets and stickers and rulers and coil clips and gift labels, and contact pages, and blank pages, and lined pages, and stationery pages, and a little monkey that follows you around each day playing a music box to alert you of your appointments.
The number of reviews and youtube customization videos devoted to this planner is overwhelming. In fact, everything about this planner is overwhelming. It’s too much for me. Too much color, too much pattern, too girly, too much everything. Even the commercials are too much.
Is it a planner? Is it a scrapbook? I don’t have time to make Easter Egg shapes out of washi tape, that much I can tell you. I don’t do brunch with girlfriends. The daily schedule is morning, day, evening–no 30 minute increments. I spent an hour looking at patterns and couldn’t find one I truly liked. I’m pretty sure this planner isn’t for me.
2014-2015 Plum Paper Designs Planner
$31, PLUS SHIPPING
The Plum Paper Designs Planner is another popular planner among bloggers. It’s not an Erin Condren, but it’s slowly but surely capturing market share. There are a lot of “Why I ditched my Erin Condren for Plum Paper” videos out there. The Plum Paper planner is cheaper, so that’s good. The planner is 7.5×9 with a plastic cover and spiral binding. The pages are semi-customizable, which means I can organize my days in increments. Best of all, I decide the month I want to start my calendar. No waste, no juggling another calendar until January. This is a huge selling feature for me! There are some bells and whistles, but not so many that I’m overwhelmed or feeling like I’m wasting time and paper.
I don’t like most of the patterns, so that’s too bad. I also don’t like the frosted plastic cover that protects the patterned cover underneath. That makes me think the patterned cover isn’t durable. I’m not confident in the spiral binding.
Out of all of the planners I’ve looked at, the Plum Paper is the one I will most likely buy. We’ll see. I still have a couple more weeks to make a last-minute decision.
OK, so. Anyone else out there using a paper planner, or am I a lone ship at sea?
I see images; viewing via Chrome.
Still no pics in Feedly on an iMac. Pics in Safari on the iMac.
I use a Moleskine weekly planner. I’m with you on the paper. The act of physically writing it in pen on paper puts things in my memory, so I need the planner less, the more I use it. The weekly moleskine planner fits nicely in my purse, meaning I know where it is and it’s always with me. I need a lot of note space as well, because I keep a running to do list.
Pics came through! (Via Chrome on my MacBook.)
I would love a monkey to follow me around…how much are they? ;)
Have you looked at russell+hazel? pricey to start but reusable and customizable, which I liked. Before I switched to the dark side.
I fell victim to the hype and bought an Erin Condren planner almost a year ago. It is sitting next to me in fact. I haven’t opened it, or moved the marker in about 8 months. I wish I had my money back. I have no need for color coding my hair appointments, using stickers or washi tape and worst of all for me is that my writing does not look like happy, cheery, sparkly, artistic and stylized teenage girl writing, so it all looks sloppy. Admittedly, my schedule isn’t loaded, but I went back to writing things on a wall calendar and using my iPhone for reminders and I’m fine. I have no need to go back and see Yo! So excited about yoga! Feeling centered! written in pink sparkly ink.
I have also been this obsessed – thankfully I found my digital solution and all this is in my past.
No pictures on feedly. Just blank squares. Pictures when I click thru to your website tho.
Still no images. Viewing via Feedly and browser on Android :(
seeing pictures in Bloglovin using Chrome.
I use the iphone calendar, although I hate the interface. What I really use is a giant desk calendar hung on the wall. Lately we have been so busy that I haven’t been very good at keeping my iphone calendar up with all the stuff on the wall calendar and I have doublebooked myself on more than one occasion.
I loved a paper calendar. However, the nanosecond I realized I could not only subscribe to my kids’ ever-changing baseball and soccer schedules with the Google calendar, but also instantaneously keep my husband’s calendar for those things synced at the same time, I dropped paper like a dirty diaper and switched. But the monkey would be handy too.
Ditto – Google calendars changed my life, seriously.
I use the CalenMob app to sync my Google calendar to my iPhone.
Not perfect, but it works.
Until I made the switch, I used Paper Source date books – lovely, inexpensive, and in several different formats. They make a 15mo one that I liked quite a lot.
No photos for me on a Samsung Chromebook – they weren’t in feedly either.
I can’t do those planners with the metal coils. They make me crazy – they get dented OR caught on everything in my purse. THAT makes me not carry them, so then they just collect dust at home. I’ve used a We’Moon planner for years – I LOVE reading the poetry and seeing the artwork. It’s functional because I don’t need half hour or even hourly increments either – I use paper planners for big things, like vacation! Before that, I used a 12 page, month at a glance calendar and it worked perfectly fine too and was super slim and easy to carry.
Images coming through fine (I clicked from Twitter iPhone app, I think I’m in the app still and not safari). My husband gave me an amazing Franklin Covey for college graduation. I really love it but am still struggling to find the perfect way to use it. I also have a paper address book! I’ll try to track down my favorite paper planner of all time and send you a link. (Had time break down and plenty of space for notes, I believe it was academic year).
I’m back (no images on feedly iPad app). Hope this link works, the text should give you enough to google it if necessary. Yes, it’s hideous/could use some washi tape. But I really loved those yellow note spaces in the weekly view AND the month page.
http://www.daytimer.com/daytimerstore/mwv/product/QuickNotes%26reg%3B-Academic-Weekly-Monthly-Planner/7611pageSize=9&rootCatId=Student_Planners_70&goToPage=1&catId=Student_Planners_70&prodId=7611#
I second the “no images on feedly via ipad”.
Paper all the way. I print out a wall calendar and have it clipped to the side of the fridge. Drives my husband crazy that we don’t just have cloud/google/thingys to sync up but that doesn’t work for me. And something about the scrolling on the phone all the time feels impersonal, even when it is just making an appointment. What am I, 70?
only missing the first image on networked blogs (mostly blank square with a ‘pic’ logo in the center), otherwise looks good.
I have been using my phone (Samsung/AT&T) calendar as well as a paper one – the paper one currently fits in my purse, and MUST be MONTHLY as well as have weekly pages. I normally just use the monthly pages. And I buy it yearly from Target or Office Depot. It MUST start in July and go thru June. I like the plastic cover to keep it lasting longer. I haven’t had any problems with the metal coils. Monkey not included.
I use a paper solution because as much as I appreciate all things digital I’m a tactile person and can’t give up my pen and paper! I use ARC but have problems with the bulkiness once the calendar, blank pages, and pockets are in. I actually only use half the calendar at a time which is not ideal but I still like the system. With two kids in elementary school this is the first year I feel an academic calendar would work better for me and have my eye on momAgenda but haven’t clicked the button. Can’t wait to see what you get and how it works for you!
No images here… and I was having no trouble previously. (Also no images in feedly for me – it was also working there for all your previous posts.) Viewing in Chrome (Version 36.0.1985.125 m – can you tell I have experience in bug reporting? :) using Windows 7 Professional on a PC.
ok, as soon as I submitted my comment, the images showed up here. Also refreshed feedly & they’re there too… bizarre, but hopefully this info helps!
I’m really not consistent with any kind of calendar, but the one that has worked best for me is an Uncalendar. It sounds like it might meet all of your needs. It’s completely customizable, absolutely not fancy, and definitely affordable. http://www.uncalendar.com/index.jsp
I had to refresh first, but I can now see all the pictures both in feedly and on chrome. I’m on a Mac.
I love paper planners. I buy a new cute one from Target every year. It seems silly, but it never occurred to me to search for one online. I think this post is extremely helpful.
I could not see pics from either Feedly or my browser (Chrome on Windows), then I had a hunch & disabled AdBlock Plus on this page, and voila! Images!! HTH.
As a teacher, I really really really like the August to August calendar. http://www.amazon.com/2014-August-Calendar-mixed-colors/dp/0945805314
Really.
I’m seeing images on Safari on an iPad.
I keep notes on my iPhone, but it’s a losing battle. Sometimes they mysteriously disappear and I still crave the satisfaction of manually crossing things off of my list. I’ve used a planner from the MomAgenda site: http://www.momagenda.com/products.cfm?cID=34 for the last several years. I love them because they have a generous section for my own list of to-do items, but also have additional smaller sections for other people or activities in your life. There is also a section of monthly, 2-page spread calendars which are great for quick reference when scheduling appts, etc.
But along with the planner, I’ve used a column style calendar since my baby started pre-school…and the “baby” is now in college, lol. Regardless, our family could not survive without it. In my world, if it’s not on that calendar, it doesn’t exist. That means don’t expect me to drive you anywhere at the crack of dawn (in my pjs) or magically produce a “side dish to be shared” because *someone* forgot to tell me 3 weeks ago.
I use a Sandra Boyton column calendar…because silly sheep & dancing chickens still make me smile.
http://www.amazon.com/Moms-Family-Calendar-Sandra-Boynton/dp/0761172726
Additional facts, I DO see messages on my versions of Chrome (Version 36.0.1985.125 m) and IE (Version 9.0.8112.16421) and do not have the problem I described in my last comment when I visit the image’s direct URL.
I see images on my laptop, on Chrome via Bloglovin’. Sorry, that’s as technical as my info gets. Which is why my family’s schedule is still a 5-column ( because there are 5 of us) family planner wall calendar.
Specifically this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roobarb-Custard-family-organiser-calendar/dp/0857757547 (Roobarb and Custard are a British cartoon series from the 1970’s, I did love it as a kid, but mostly I bought it because this year it was that or a collection of illustrations where dad plays golf and mum goes shopping. I don’t think so.)
Each person’s schedule gets put in their column, family activities and birthdays get put in mine because nobody else can be trusted to check. The drawback is that it’s not portable, but TBH, most appts get made via letter (eg medical), phone, text or email, so updating it isn’t a problem.
I’ve missed the Erin Condren planner. I think I’d be more stressed about not keeping my planner up-to-date than my schedule. It also makes me feel old. I’m 43.
I had a filofax in my early twenties because I thought it would make me grown up and organised. It didn’t work then, but I can see I would probably buy a sparkly be-washi-taped version of a Filofax if I was twenty years younger.
Just because you don’t understand the danger of making your passwords public doesn’t mean you should make fun of your readers who do.
Please see hyperbole in the post title.
= )
LOL!
Pics work fine on Chrome on windows, but not in Press app on Android.
I’m a pen and paper girl all the way. I tend to remember things a lot lot better when I physically write it vs type it.
I used ErinCondren for several years but decided to try Plum Paper to save money. I ended up buying another Erin Condren just three months later. The cover is much more flimsy, so throwing it in a bag or even putting it in a cookbook stand led to a bent book. Erin Condren is just much more durable. Plum is smaller, too, which I first thought was a plus, but ended up a negative for my visual loving husband. I keep my planner in a cookbook stand so my hubby can write his stuff in it, too. We kept missing things in a smaller book.
Things I loved about the Plum Design- the lines to write on in the daily space. Loved those. I loved the cover designs. It was quickly made. Faster than Erin Condren. There were more contact/ address spots , too. Erin Condren has just one page. Boo hiss. Plum was much more customizable. It was bigger and the cover was stronger, I would go back.
Pics are fixed in The Old Reader!
I use an arc notebook with calendar pages I print and work for my life! I love that I can customize the different categories for my life. I have sections for home, work projects, and my kids. I did spring for the binder punch, because I knew it would be cheaper in the long run to print and use things that worked for me vs buying lots of different accessories.
In the last two months I have searched for my ideal planner. What i have learned: I need a paper planner + one that I can write on easily on the left side. That rules Filofax out. I have a Junior Arc, but find that too bulky to take with me. So I am staying with a small Moleskine 18-month planner for my appointments. For tasks and other stuff, I have started the Bullet Journal-concept. Hopefully that will work.
I also briefly tried the concept of a Midori traveler’s notebook, but couldn’t really get used to it. Although I love the flexibility of it. And it looks so artistic and classy. ;-)
Have you looked at the Circa from Levenger? The quality of the paper is unbeatable, you can order quarter by quarter and it’s got lots of options to add, but you can also keep it very simple.
http://www.levenger.com/Paper-322/Planners—Agendas-523/Circa-Daily-Planner-Refill-12393.aspx
I love the stripey one! I was going say that spending more than $10 on what amounts to some paper and cardboard is nuts, but I’m also holding a $700 Candy Crush/Blog reading hunk of glass and plastic, so …
I have to write things down too. I’ve used a moleskin for the last 3 or 4 years.
using feedly via chrome (on my laptop – NOT a mac) and can see all images!! (never noticed a problem to begin with.)
i struggle with planning/organization all the time and use a combo of a weekly calendar (printed out on paper) for the fridge and then google calendar synced with my iphone.
Team Paper! Random Fun Fact: I worked for an office machine company during the mid 90s, and the sales team laughed and laughed at the idea of the paperless society. Thanks to semi-holdouts like us, they can still have a little chuckle, at least.
I have a wall calendar, and I’m planning to supplement it with a little purse planner they sell at WalMart for 97 cents. My kind of organized really doesn’t qualify for more than that; elaborate planners are not helpful when you forget to check them. (I’m working on it.) Also, I laughed out loud at your password system, because I’ve caught myself writing them down and elaborately hiding the paper…in case of intruders. The ultimate score!
1. I have a “passwords” document on my computer. Yeah, I know. Don’t care.
2. “the chevrons of day planners” was all I needed to know. :-)
I keep a paper calendar, notes on my iPhone and iPad, and use the calendar on my iPhone and iPad at times. I have to look in multiple places to figure out when I’m supposed to be somewhere. I’m an otherwise organized person and I cannot commit to one system. It is ridiculous!
Emily Lay- I liked the weekdays quite a bit. I found the weekend page annoying- I don’t want to be reminded by my calendar to “tidy up” on Sunday. I think that is a deal breaker for me. Maybe I could put a piece of washi tape over that square :)
Erin Condren- really!? I need something streamlined and this would give me a headache.
Plum Paper- This looks pretty good, but I’m not sure I would use it more than my $9.99 staples calendar.
Hi Jules—In high school, I found that one of the other schools that had ordered planners for all the students that had it organized into a week like these:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/34992611?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227023233585&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=36287432101&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=65629723021&veh=sem
http://www.officesupplyking.com/Products/House-of-Doolittle-Professional-Weekly-Planner__HOD27202.aspx?adpos=1o1&creative=52285480885&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CNzs-saoisACFWoR7AodLRUA5w
I couldn’t find a specialty order place with the ones I’m thinking of, but I loved these for when I was in school and has your 30 min increments. I do swear by google calendar and office calendar’s syncing with my iphones but I also don’t have 2 children and their activities. I def needed a planner thingy in hs though for the reasons you state (plus writing down my hw assignments).
I’ve been using this calendar for about 10 years and my life depends on it! It doesn’t come in a ton of “pretty” options but I think it’s the best planner out there.
http://www.amazon.com/AT-A-GLANCE-2014-2015-Appointment-Wirebound-70-957-05/dp/B00HN7RH0O/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1407764142&sr=1-1&keywords=at+a+glance+weekly+planner+2014
I just ordered my second paper plum planner and I can’t wait for it to arrive! I’m a grad student in a clinical program so I have to log ALL my clinical hours. I am EXTREMELY disorganized, so I knew I needed a paper planner that I would carry everywhere with me (I like handwriting stuff instead of typing appointments in) I got the one divided into 30 minute increments, which works well for my life. I’m rough on my stuff and I haven’t had any issues with the metal coil. I don’t love the frosted front either, but I also don’t hate it enough to change planners. It held up really nicely for the year. It was exactly what I needed. The only downside is that it’s like 4-5 weeks for it to be made, which was annoying last August when I found them, but fine now that I’ve ordered earlier this year. Another grad student friend of mine got it too because it’s within our price range, cute, and helps us keep ourselves organized in the midst of the insanity of grad school.
Oh and I wasn’t a fan of the monograms, but you can get them without the monograms, which helped me a little.
Have you heard of the Bullet Journal system?
http://www.bulletjournal.com/
I’ve been doing this for a few months, and really like how it works and how flexible it is. I’ve just been using a Moleskine notebook. I prefer writing things down too.
Also, it seems to me that far more people will have access to your passwords stored in the cloud than on a piece of paper in a drawer in your house, unless you invite a lot of unsavory types over regularly :)
I have! Lots of people really like it, and I almost did it at the beginning of the year. It seems overwhelming, but it’s probably something you have to get used to and then you’re good?
You’re totally alone on this, as I’ve been on a computer diary for years now :) BUT I do love day planners dearly, and if I didn’t have a job where everything was done online, I’d use one, too. Have you looked, at the risk of raising the Mister’s ire, at Kikki K? A beautiful Australian site and their planners are insanely beautiful and very well made. I’m not affiliated with them in any way (I’m Australian!) – I just miss them a lot in the US, but they’re online.
Always used to be a paper girl, and saved all of those calendars as a manner of snapshotting our life over those years. A lazygirl’s way of journaling, if you will.
Then I got an IPhone.
Found that I liked the calendar feature–and then once my hubby ALSO got an Iphone, we were able to share a calendar somewhere out there in the ether. GASP!!! Twas lovely! He didn’t have to ask me any more calendar-related questions, as he had a copy of it on his phone! It.was.so.nice. Did away with paper calendar-ing.
Until…UNTIL…my husband’s Iphone flew off his roof while going 60 mph down the freeway. And then, shortly after that….3 months suddenly disappeared off my Iphone calendar. Why? Where did they go? It was as if those months had ever even happened, as I suddenly had zero proof of their existence. Mama no likey.
It was then that I ran to my Barnes & Noble. Hello, oh lovely paper calendar. I’ve missed you. <3 <3
This is what happened to me! I was super-thrilled with my iphone calendar and then it all went to pot last spring! For a while it wasn’t accepting appointments at all, and now it just changes the dates on me. I double check everything now, but my husband’s travel schedule is too much for me to handle on the phone. I need to see it weeks at a time, since that’s his schedule.
I gave up on paper planners partly because I couldn’t find one that really worked for me anymore. I still miss them.
I use Google calendar (in the internet browser) now which is super useful because D and I both have our own calendars, plus a shared joint calendar, plus a calendar for the dog (keeping track of meds and our crazy rotating allergy shampoo schedule!) and I can see all of them at a glance. I also really love being able to put appointments in my phone while I’m scheduling them and knowing they’ll show up on my calendar on my computer. I don’t find my phone calendar to be very easy to use otherwise.
But it isn’t enough for my day to day task planning, so I actually print out my Google calendar every month or two and then manually schedule in broad work goals/deadlines along with specific task lists. And to make it even crazier, I usually have one paper copy going for work and one for home. So the Google calendar is just my scaffolding. This is mostly because I like being able to do hour by hour scheduling and I like being able to cross off tasks and/or shift them around quickly and visibly.
Paper, I can’t quit you.
You may want to check out the Catholic Daily planner since you work/volunteer at a Catholic School. She has a variety of inserts and you can choose academic calendar or regular. Just order early as she sells out. I have the one with the seven punched holes0it fits in my ancient Franklin Planner.
http://www.michelequigley.com/store/
The lily Pulitzer planners are pretty, functional, vaguely academic, and come in a variety of sizes from “this is cute” to “let’s get this party started, er, planned. That is if by ‘party’ I mean my life and the lives of those who depend on me.” I’m back on paper planners for the tactile pleasure of a week well planned
I’m a paper calendar person, too, and I’ve used the desk agenda from Gallery Leather for the last three years (they’re carried at Barnes & Noble, but you can order directly from them if you want it monogrammed). If you’re not tied to a ring spine, it’s a great option. They have several different layouts, including an academic year, and a “professional” one broken down into time increments, and a family one with a calendar page on one side and a list for notes on the other (I’ve tried all three layouts). My favorite part is that there’s no coil (it’s bound like a book), so it lays flat, is comfortable to write in, and doesn’t catch on things in my purse. It’s also discreet, so its comfortable to pull out of your bag where ever you are (As much as I love bright colors and patterns, I used to feel kind of silly pulling out a brightly patterned one in front of my older male coworkers.) http://www.galleryleather.com/planners
LOL – I’ve spent so many years at meetings filled with older male co-workers that I now get a kick out of using my brightly colored Erin Condren in front of them. :) (Mine is only bright on the outside – no decorating with washi tape on the pages for me.) I also use bubble gum pink file folders for materials I take to meetings. NO ONE walks away with my files. :D
My image issues have been resolved. No more Seth, and no need to refresh to get the planner issues. I love planners. I want a paperless one so I don’t forget it at home. (I forgot my phone 2 days in a row so that may not be the best idea.) You’ve inspired me to review digital calendars. I’m not super thrilled with Google calendar either. I need a good task and grocery list spot!
Franklin Covey is still around because they offer a solid product. Granted, I haven’t used my planner in years, but I’m considering breaking it back out and was looking at their options available just last week. I like how they’re customizable – but they can get pricey.
http://lifeasmom.com/2014/08/4-planning-systems-for-the-new-school-year.html has a link to what she uses, where she actually creates her own planner and then takes it to a shop to be bound. I personally doubt I’ll go this route because I’m simply not willing to spend the time on figuring out what I do or do not want in my planner yet, but it is an intriguing idea. She has lots of printables floating around to get you started as well.
Personally, for work I use Outlook for appointment calendar since it’s already tied to emails, and create a weekly to-do list. For personal use, I use Google Calendar for finances and to keep track of birthdays, appointments, etc. And I have a notebook that I carry most places that has my to-do list, my meal plan, I track my food and exercise in there, or just use it as a general sounding board. For me, a planner gets too rigid and I ultimately stop using it because I want to add something that’s unusual for me (just skip a page!) or I completely messed up something (just rip it out!) or I need more room for one thing or another.
Oh yes, AND… the Out of Milk app is pretty awesome. I can access it from my computer, tablet, or phone, and so can my husband, so I can create the list and then ask him to go by the grocery store. I’ve been known to use their to-do list when I don’t have my notebook around as well, though it’s more of a temporary thing.
Filofax! leather ones or non leather ones, they are special. My vintage red pocket Tejus is from the late 90’s and it is still in perfect condition. I had no idea back then, but it was an investment! during that time I’ve had to replace several laptops, but not my filofax :)All my addresses and contacts are in there, personal info and family info. I can’t do without it on my trips, or at home. For general planning I have another one, larger, where I write about projects and important parts of my life and my family’s, easy to find thanks to the tabs I made. I have 1 hole punch that can be used for all filofax sizes from pocket to A5 and I so buy the expensive inserts any more, I make them myself. Ring binders are classy, timeless, beautiful and loyal; practical because you can add and remove sheets. Second-hand ones can be just a few dollars and will last forever. To me they get even more beautiful with time.
My actual diary/calendar is a simple and no brand-name 3 euro spiral 1-week-a-page notebook, light, plain and very very efficient. After the end of the year I can throw it away (recycling) because everything I need to remember is in my Filofaxes.
For me paper is irreplaceable!!! I use Microsoft outlook calendar only as a reminder for very important appointments or events, in case I forget to look at my paper calendar early enough in the morning. But then if I didn’t have this option I would always look at my paper calendar first thing in the morning, instead of reading my emails :)
About the size of a paper planner, I think it depends on the size of your handwriting, how busy you are, and if you need to carry it around a lot or just keep it open on your desk. I use pencils a lot -easy to fix a mistake-, or coloured pens, but I also love fountain pens.
We are on a budget but even if we weren’t, I don’t think I’d buy one of the very expensive sophisticated brand-name spiral notebooks. I’m really happy with what I have, so I guess I’ve found planner peace :)
I am late to this party, but can’t resist reading about planners! My older daughter and I have many many emails and texts each year as we make this agonizing decision, lol. I have to admit I’ve used an Erin Condren for a couple of years – mine doesn’t look like a scrapbook, I promise! And I don’t video myself opening the box. I just pick one with all different colored stripes and have my name or initials put on it and move on from there. But I’m considering switching this year and not sure what to get. I kind of like this one from Paper Source. http://www.papersource.com/item/2015-Paper-Source-Gold-Foil-Confetti-Weekly-Planner/842612052899.html
It doesn’t have the times printed on the pages so that could be a problem, but I like vertical days and I like weeks that start on Sunday. Any time I use a calendar that starts the week on Monday I inevitably mess up the days.
Good luck and I look forward to an update and review.
I just use a basic calendar book that I buy at Dollar Tree for $1 (actually bought it there today because I missed them last year) or the Target Dollar Spot. I don’t need to separate things by time during the day. It shows a month at a time when opened. I like to be able to see what’s going on for the entire month. Works for me, but maybe I don’t have a lot going on. There’s room to write down school volunteering, parties, birthdays, doctor appointments, Girl Scouts, soccer etc. All the things for our busy family.
I am a devoted paper planner! I scoured Etsy until I found Letter C design. She makes beautiful planners. The one I use shows a month at a time. The last one I purchased covered 18 months. When I order a new one, I’ll request a few extra pages placed in the back to write down book titles I want to read. Hopefully she’ll be able to do it.
I’m late to the party, but I really like planner pads. Plannerpads.com. It’s a nice combination of daily scheduling and to-do in a relatively compact format.
I just looked at Plannerpads & bought one! It looks like it might be a good way to organize myself. I’ve been following the Getting Things Done plan & it looks like it would work well with that. Incidentally, I first read GTD thanks to one of Jules’ prior getting organized/find the right planner/system posts. Hooray for all the brilliant commenters!! :)
I’m with KRYSTEN! I’ve used Planner Pads for decades. A couple of times I tried something else because I was seduced by marketing; but, there is nothing out there that beats this.
There are size options, binder or spiral option, pre-printed dates or start when you want. And there are a lot of beautiful (optional) choices of covers.
I am a paper planner user. At work no cellphones are allowed and most websites are blocked, so any planner/organizer has to be paper (which I prefer anyway). I’ve used all kinds of planners in the past, at-a-glance, arc, franklin covey, day runner, and all I ended up frustrated with because they weren’t set up the way I need them to be. So, the one I use now I made myself. I bought a three ring binder that I liked, added in a full size velcro envelope thingy for storing stuff that I’ve printed out (e.g reservation confirmations, forms for the doctor(s), and other random things I need/want hardcopy of), added a binder zipper pocket to hold pens, and then went into Word and built a calendar exactly the way I want it. One full page that’s a snapshot of the month, and then the next several pages are one week split between two pages with an extra section at the bottom for notes for the week and meals for each day. I do use different colored pens depending on what I’m tracking, green for my son, blue for my husband, purple for me, black for family events, and pencil for work (because that’s the stuff always in flux), but that’s as cute as I get. The best part is that because I made it, it’s easy for me to make tweaks to it and updating it for the next year is quick and easy.
Late to this game, but going to say I LOVE the At-A-Glance planners by Mead. I need to see a whole month at once to see what’s happening and get a feel for how things interact together. I’ve been living overseas for over 7yrs now and these are on my short list of must-imports.
I typically use the small ones (little bigger than a checkbook) that have almost 3yrs of monthly calendars, but with kids I can see wanting a bigger size w/more space. I used the bigger ones back in the 90’s in college b/c I could map out all class assignments in different colors, etc.
I really need to see things in the zoomed-out month-size view, so the At-A-Glance monthly layout is perfect. There’s also always a column on one side for additional notes, which is just enough for me, but not too much.
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I am an elementary school teacher. I HAVE to have a paper planner. There are times when no cell phones or iPads can be brought to school. So paper is a must. I have trouble finding planners that have calendar, lesson plan pages, note pages, checklist pages, etc. (No my school district does not supply these much needed items. It’s up to the teacher to buy them.). I have tried creating my own, using a 3 ring binder.it worked for awhile. But it became too bulky, and after tossing it around, the binder rings would bend and pages would fall out. Not to mention the price of ink I had to pay to print things out for the binder.
Last year I bought the erin condren teacher planner. I LOVED IT! Now, I didn’t use the cute washi tape stickers (because really who has time for that?). I did use different colored inks and highlighters. No, I didn’t do an unboxing video (really didn’t know these existed until a few weeks ago. (I teach each subject, add in my family life stuff, and well, that just seemed to work with my schedule). It was pricey, but still worth it IMHO. This thing stood up to my abuse all year and looked almost as good as the day it arrived. (Minus a diet coke stain on two pages). I had no trouble at all with the metal coil. It never bent. The pages never came out.
I went to order a new one this June. OUT OF STOCK. And then I started reading reviews on fb from people who purchased life planners in the last 2 months: missing pages, delayed shipping, no responses to complaints. I emailed and asked when the EC teacher planner would be available. Sometime in mid-July….umm. Ok…
I went to plum paper designs. A fellow teacher had one. It was very nice. So I am giving it a try this year. Hopefully it will fit my needs. I ordered the large teacher planner (which is 8.5 x 11). Yes I will use the colored inks. Washi tape (I have some. Umm maybe I will use it the lesson plan pages but I doubt it.).
I utterly loathe the Erin Condren planner, and there are not words available to express my contempt for the Lilly Pulitzer planner. Anyone who owns either of these abominations is automatically a moron to me now. I tried them. I hated them. They’re overpriced door stop trash.
Try the Midori Traveler’s Notebook. It’s simple. It’s flexible. It’s not huge in size. There’s absolutely zero need to sticker or washi it to death. You can make it be what YOU need it to be. That’s the beauty of it.
I use the back of the lined refill book for (gasp!) a paper address book. If my phone dies when I’m out and about, I can borrow a phone from someone else, or even use a (gasp!) pay phone, if I can find one, but I can’t call anyone if the number is in my dead phone. DUH. All I did was put in some of the post it index tabs with ABC, DEF, etc. and stuck them every other page. I don’t know a lot of people, so that’s plenty for me.
The only downside with the Midori is that you have to take the time to fill in dates on the monthly and weekly planners, because they’re undated. You can find replacements online, or print your own. One thing I do like about the undated system is that I can skip weeks or months, if need be. Like when it’s summer. I don’t use a planner for summer, don’t need it, so at the end of a semester I simply skip ahead to the week or so before classes start, then I start logging everything again. No need to get a whole new insert, just because it’s June.
If you shop around, you can find the starter set for around $38 (try Amazon), and the monthly and weekly inserts are another $20-25 dollars, depending on where you get them.
Rhodia and Quo Vadis make planners that use Clairefontaine paper, the finest there is.
I personally like the Hebdo Planner better than the Rhodia, because 1) the Hebdo is refillable, and 2) it comes in a size that’s more comfortable for me.
Both of these planners are much–MUCH–lighter than the trash Pulitzer and Condren planners, and they are an utter joy to write on.
You are not alone. I love paper. There is just something about seeing my schedule written out.. . Sure, there are google calendars, which I DO use, but I seem to have had a few things disappear from there and I’m not sure what is up with it. So – knowing only my old school liquid white out will make something “disappear” is a good thing. I just lept to the disc thing. I’m not sure how it will work out long term. So far, it’s good! *and by so far I mean three days. :)
I’ve been a franklin-covey gal for the longest. However, I like the ability to easily pop new pages in and out of the disc and the cutesiness if it – but I do already miss the durability of knowing a page won’t get knocked out of my covey binder.
Heaven forbid any of these companies make something that could- I don’t know – be used for any of them? You know – if they say…. make the great pages (in different sizes) and stuffs to go with them – then I’ll punch my own holes thank you very much!