How to Choose the Perfect Planner for You

How to Choose the Perfect Planner for You

If you want to know how to choose the perfect planner for you, it’s simple. It boils down to assessing your lifestyle, preferred layout, and budget. I adore paper planners. Although I know a beautiful paper planner may not be for everyone,  I don’t know who those people are! I have yet to meet someone who wouldn’t benefit from a tool that helps you stay more organized and on top of things. Something that also delivers a gorgeous Instagram photo is icing on the cake.  

I started using a paper planner way back in college. It wasn’t the fancy Instagram worthy beauties we have now. Actually, Facebook came out when I was in college. Just a simple spiral notebook where I wrote the date on the top of the page. This was my lifeline. I was working at a bank every morning, taking a full schedule of classes and even running my own piano studio with a dozen students (entrepreneurial roots) . Needless to say – staying organized was key!

It’s been scientifically proven by some awesome ivy league study that writing things down creates a longer lasting memory link than if you don’t write something down.

Also, I am a visual processor. I can remember that name I wrote down because I remember writing it on the bottom left corner of the page in blue pen.

As a woman, it’s hard to find us without a bag of some kind; toting around a planner wasn’t complicated. When I graduated from college, I outgrew my simple spiral and looked for the next perfect planner. I discovered a red leather Franklin Covey which followed me in my 8 year career in Corporate America. Fast forward to life as a Professional Organizer (and a mom, and a household manager, and a blogger, etc.) and the dependence on my paper planner has only deepened. Which brings me to my love for my current perfect planner, The To Do List.

Let’s start with Lifestyle

If you are a minimalist who carries your wallet on your phone and despises paper like I despise anchovies – then stick to electronic. I haven’t been impressed with the Apple or Google Calendar but my family survives on the Cozi Family Organizer (www.cozi.com). It has a shared device calendar as well as a way to share grocery lists. We used to pass around a written list. This inevitably ended up in my husband’s wallet when I was at the store or my purse when he was at the store. Long story short, we needed a better system! 

The real magic happens in my paper planner – The To-Do List Planner from She Plans.  I am a huge proponent for making daily task lists and prioritizing to make the most of your productivity. Taking notes from client assessment phone calls, Target shopping list or jotting down packing material costs for our Etsy shop. This prevents my desk from being overrun with scraps of paper and random names and numbers. My hubs is also in his first year with a paper planner from the Get to Work Book. He has been able to keep track of tasks much easier and been much more efficient with his time. I’m confident he will be reusing it next year.

The Perfect Planner is All About Layout

The perfect planner for you will have three options – Daily/Monthly/Weekly. I used a daily layout for years dating back to my Franklin Covey and then with The Day Designer. However, there was just so much blank space and sometimes, I even skipped days. I soon realized it just wasn’t the right fit. The Weekly Standard layout from She Plans was a total game changer! I can see my whole week in a glance.

On the days I have clients or I’m chasing around my baby girl, I may only write in Top Priorities but I haven’t wasted a whole page. This more condensed layout is also easier to travel with and she even has an unspiraled version just released for 2017. I also use a second monthly layout planner for social media planning and client bookings (which is also repeated in my phone calendar too.) If your life is busy enough day-to-day then go with a daily planner, just know it may be a tad bulky. (She Plans also has Daily in 6 month editions which is easier to carry around.)

Although, if you find the daily structure daunting, then I highly recommend a Weekly layout. I am more consistent with my to do list in this layout, so I can’t say enough good things. The break from rewriting the same tasks if one day goes to hell in a hand basket is also a welcome relief. 

A monthly might fit for the big picture person who just needs a simple reminder and maybe place for a few notes now and then. This is also the most travel friendly as most are the size of a magazine. 

Pennies or bags of cash? 

There is no shortage of options for every budget. Target has upped their game with collaborations with SugarPaper and The Day Designer. Paper Source also has a few awesome options in a good range of prices.

I would love to know what you use and why you love it! Or if you don’t, I would love to help you figure it out! You can email me directly meggie@organizedlifedesign.com

Happy Planning!