The Ultimate Planner Review :: 2016 Edition
Want to cut right to the chase and learn which planning system I’ve fallen in love with and used for the last year and a half? Scroll to the bottom or click here to find out right now!
Who’s ready for some serious planner talk??
You guys!! I’m so excited to share this post with you – I know many of you have been waiting for it! Earlier this year, when I did the 2015 version of The Ultimate Planner Review, I never would have guessed that it would be so popular. Though now, I see I should have known, because honestly, who doesn’t love a good planner?!?!
Last time, I purchased all of the planners myself, and only shared those I’d been able to afford. This year, I’m excited to say that we’re able to look at even MORE planners! I wrote to as many companies as I could think of, asking them all if they’d like to be a part of this year’s review, and 9 companies said YES!! A few even sent more than one planner layout, so you could see all of your options!
I’m so excited to be reviewing 11 of this year’s top-of-the-line planners for you! You’ll get tons of photos, a detailed breakdown of what’s included, what extras you can purchase, prices, what you should know, and what my thoughts are. Plus, at the end, I’ll share all of my favorite planner accessories.
Are you ready?! Let’s dive in!!!
Simplified Planner :: Emily Ley
Format: Daily, January-December 2016
Cover: 3 beautiful options, no personalization
Sections Included:
- Full Daily Schedule (6am-9pm) – in hourly increments
- Monthly Spread
- To Do List
- Dinner
- Notes
Extras:
- Bucket List
- Inside front pocket
- Stickers (Additional purchase)
- Bookmarks (Additional purchase)
- Notebooks that fit inside inner pocket (Additional purchase)
Price: $58
What You Need To Know: This year, The Simplified Planner is a bit smaller, and it’s printed in color! Each day has it’s own color (for titles only – all lines are still in black), which makes it even cuter, honestly. This size is easier to fit inside a purse, and the coiling is much improved, making it easy to turn pages without anything getting caught.
My Thoughts: You all know I’m a Simplified Planner fan!!! (See how I use mine here.) I absolutely love everything Emily Ley puts out – she offers HIGH QUALITY products with purpose, to bring simplicity and joy to your life. I love that this planner is so simple – with only four sections each day, it helps me to focus in on just what needs to be done, without getting distracted by anything else. The only change to this year’s planner that I’m slightly bummed about is the fact that the daily schedule went from half-hour increments to full hour increments. I really liked planning by the half-hour. However, that change has actually made space for 3 more hours of the day, which is a plus! All-in-all, I highly recommend this beautiful planner. You won’t be disappointed!
To Do List Planner (Weekly) :: She Plans
Format: Weekly, January-December 2016
Cover: 3 beautiful options, Personalization available
Sections Included:
- Full week spread
- “Celebrate Today” section
- “The Priorities” section
- “The Daily List” section
- “Night Plans” section
- Weekly To-Do List (2 column, large list!)
- Monthly Spread
- Section for special moments from the week
Extras:
- Gift Giving Idea List
- Holiday Dates through 2018
- 2016-2017 at a glance
- Monthly Goal Setting Page (space for 4 goals)
- Notes Section in the back (20 pages)
- Double sided pocket folder in the back
Price: $56
What You Need To Know: Have you heard of this planner before? I had not, and now I’m SO GLAD I have! This planner is the weekly option from ShePlans.com, and runs the full 2016 year. It’s top quality, great paper, easy-to-turn coils, and a few extras that I appreciate. (Goal setting! Yes, please!) Love this for a weekly option!! Also, look at that weekly list section – it’s huge! Two columns! So for you list-makers, there’s PLENTY of space. I love that!!
My Thoughts: I love the unique layout of this weekly planner. Separating the daily list out into celebrations, priorities, and to-do’s is GENIUS. I’m in a lot of planner groups online, and I see people spending so much time using washi and sharpies to make their standard planners look just like this. Save the time & just get this planner! The quality is great, the print is beautiful, and you won’t be disappointed. List-makers, this planner is for you!!!
To Do List Planner (Daily) :: She Plans
Format: Daily, January-June 2016
Cover: 3 options, Personalization available
Sections Included:
- Full Daily Schedule (7am-7pm) – in half-hour increments
- Monthly Spread
- Daily List
- Notes
Extras:
- Gift Giving Idea List
- Holiday Dates through 2018
- 2016 at a glance
- Monthly Goal Setting Page (space for 4 goals)
- Notes Section in the back (20 pages)
- Double sided pocket folder in the back
Price: $46
What You Need To Know: (This is the SAME planner as the weekly version above, but is the daily version instead. It contains all of the exact same extras as shown in the photos above! The photo here shows the only difference – the daily layout vs. the weekly.) This is the daily planner option from ShePlans.com, which can make for a pretty thick planner. However, to make the size more accessible, this one is actually a six-month planner instead of a full year planner. That’s actually pretty cool for a couple of reasons. First, it fits in my purse easily. And second, I like to reevaluate things halfway through the year. Grabbing the next six-month planner would be a great way to do that!
My Thoughts: This planner company is new-to-me, and I just couldn’t love them more! Ashley, who heads up ShePlans.com, is so sweet and has an incredible work ethic. The quality of these planners is phenomenal, and the covers are beautiful, plus she’ll personalize with your name. I’m so excited to have found these planners, I really love them! Plus, the daily section has half hours, which you know I love. I’m a fan!
Purposeful Planner (Weekly) :: Corie Clark
Format: Weekly, July 2015-June 2016
Cover: Set Designs (2015-2016 includes black & white stripes or pink floral)
Sections Included:
- Full Weekly Schedule (each day noted 6am-10pm, in half-hour increments)
- Monthly Spread
- Health
- Water
- Prayer & Praise
- Brain Dump
- Menu
Extras:
- Planning Instructions & Worksheets
- Yearly Bucket List
- Monthly Budget
- Monthly Menu
- Monthly Task List
- Monthly Dreams & Goals
- Pocket in front cover
- Planner bands (Additional purchase)
Price: $48
What You Need To Know: This planner is maybe the best option for someone who likes the idea of a daily schedule but wants a weekly view. Each day during the week does not just have blank lines, but has every other line notated with the hour of the day. Perfect for sketching out your day, keeping track of appointments, etc. If you’re a daily to-do list kind of girl, this might not be the planner for you (since it’s got the hours on each day), BUT it does have a space (“Brain Dump”) for a weekly to-do list! And personally, I’m a schedule fan, so I love it!
My Thoughts: Purposeful Planner (in BOTH versions) is seriously one of my new favorites. I’m in love a little bit, you guys! Look at those planning sheets at the beginning of each month! Be still my heart!! LOVE LOVE LOVE. If I were a weekly planner sort of girl, this would probably be my choice. I really love being able to sketch out our schedule each day, and this planner allows for half-hours, which by now we all know I love. 🙂 This planner is in black and white (color-coding friendly!) with the same gorgeous paper and fonts as the daily PP. And it’s definitely mobile-friendly too – this one could easily be slipped into a purse! It’s fabulous.
Purposeful Planner (Daily) :: Corie Clark
Format: Daily – one full page per day
Cover: Set Designs (2015-2016 includes black & white stripes or pink floral)
Sections Included:
- Full Daily Schedule (6am-10pm)
- Monthly Spread
- Top 3 Tasks
- Health
- Water
- Prayer & Praise
- 15 Minutes (suggested task)
- Brain Dump
- Retail Therapy (shopping list)
- Menu
Extras:
- Planning Instructions & Worksheets
- Yearly Bucket List
- Monthly Budget
- Monthly Menu
- Monthly Task List
- Monthly Dreams & Goals
- Pocket in front cover
- Planner bands (Additional purchase)
Price: $48
What You Need To Know: (This is the SAME planner as the weekly version above, but is the daily version instead. It contains all of the exact same extras as shown in the photos above! The photo here shows the only difference – the daily layout vs. the weekly.) Since this is a daily planner, PLUS contains the extra monthly planning pages, it’s definitely a hefty planner. I think this one is the thickest out of everything. BUT, I’m totally okay with that. I don’t carry my planner around with me – it sits on my kitchen counter, and I use it to organize my day and keep myself on track, so I don’t need it to be super mobile. If you do, then you may not love this one (but I’d recommend the weekly version instead, which we will talk about next!).
My Thoughts: I love love love the daily Purposeful Planner! I’ve been using it this week and I haven’t found a single thing I don’t like. It runs 6am-10pm and uses half-hour slots, which makes me so happy. I use ALL of the sections on the daily page, and I’m so very pleased with it. I love that it’s in black & white, classic and simple (but still beautiful – great fonts!), so I can use my colored pens and let the colors speak for themselves. This is a total win for me.
Live Well Planner :: Inkwell Press
Format: Weekly (January-December 2016)
Cover: 4 beautiful options, no personalization this year
Sections Included:
- Full weekly spread (available in vertical or horizontal layout)
- Monthly spread
- Monthly notes page
- Monthly mission board (with sections for health, home, me time, be social, financial, dream big, and a few blank slots)
- Weekly notes section
- 3 separate sections (blank) at the end of every day
Extras:
- Year at a glance
- Gift list
- Travel notes pages
- Movies to watch, books to read
- Extra notes pages in back
- Stamp! (Available for purchase)
- Stickers (Available for purchase)
- Mini Planner (Available for purchase, to take you from now till January, when the planner starts – only in the Flex layout)
Price: $58
What You Need To Know: Inkwell Press has given their customers a LOT of options this year. You can choose a bound planner, an A5 planner (that fits into a filofax of your choice – filofax must be purchased separately), or an unbound planner. Amazing!!! Each planner also has the option of two different weekly layouts – Classic or Flex. Classic takes the traditional vertical approach per day, but does not include times, which is nice because you can really customize it to whatever you’d like. Flex takes the horizontal approach, and I’ve seen many people split the daily spread into two sections – to-do and schedule. You’ll want to look at both layouts & choose which is for you! Tonya actually offers a printable on their site, so you can try out each one.
My Thoughts: The quality of the Live Well Planner is top of the line. Honestly, the paper and the cover and the coils (when looking at the bound planner, not the A5) – all are fabulous. I love love love the mission board at the beginning of every month, though I’d personally like more room for my goals each month. (No surprise, I’m wordy.) Bottom line – if I was a weekly planner sort of girl, this planner would be near the top of my list (in the Classic layout). The colors, the quality, and the simplicity all come together to create an absolutely beautiful planner. Well done, Inkwell Press! (Also, I think I may use the Flex as a daily journal of sorts!)
Life Planner :: Erin Condren
Format: Weekly (available either July 2015-December 2016, or January-December 2016)
Cover: All interchangeable, with tons of options, and you can personalize it (even add your own photos!).
Sections Included:
- Full Weekly Schedule (divided into three sections per day, no headings)
- Monthly Spread
- Thankful Thought (each week)
- Notes on the side
- Space on the bottom of each day for menu, exercise, water intake, etc.
Extras:
- Year at a glance (2016 & 2017)
- Monthly notes page
- LOTS of note pages at the back
- Stickers (comes with general stickers and blank stickers, plus you can order customized ones)
- Perpetual calendar (separate booklet)
- Double-sided pocket in back
- Ziplock pouch in back
- Calling cards & gift tags
- TONS of extras for purchase, including planner bands, customizable stickers, personalized covers (covers are all interchangeable – want a new one every season? No big deal!), markers, wellness journals, budget notebooks, and more! Really, they’ve got everything.
Price: $50
What You Need To Know: Let the celebrations begin – this new edition of the Life Planner has removed the “morning”, “day”, and “night” headings!!! SO AWESOME. Without those headings, you can really use the 3 sections every day for anything you want. One as a schedule, one as a to-do list, and one as meal plans…or whatever. This is a huge improvement, in my opinion. Also? This year EC has introduced a horizontal layout, which is another bonus. You get to choose between your layouts, and pick whichever one works best for you.
My Thoughts: I’m still a huge EC fan (hello stationery, clipboards, journals, and more!), but this planner just doesn’t work for my daily life, since it’s a weekly planner. I need space, people! However, I LOVE using it for my blog planner! I plan to write another post on this soon, but suffice it to say that as a blog planner, I use every section, and have specific purposes for all of the note pages in the back. As a blog planner, this works beautifully. And for anyone who does love a weekly planner, it’s a great option!
Passion Planner :: PassionPlanner.com
Format: Weekly, August 2015-July 2016 (A true academic year)
Cover: Black leather with strap
Sections Included:
- Full weekly schedule (including hourly divisions from 6am-10:30pm, plus a focus for each day)
- Weekly Focus
- Space to record good things that happened
- Personal to-do list, divided by priority
- Work to-do list, divided by priority
- Large note space
- Monthly spread (includes focus for work and personal, monthly check-in, notes, project planning for work and personal, and space for a mind map)
Extras:
- Intro pages with instructions on how to use the planner (important! and detailed.)
- Passion road mapping
- In-depth monthly reflections
- PLENTY of note pages in the back
- Ribbon bookmark
- Elastic band for planner closure (sewn into planner)
Price: $29.99
What You Need To Know: The Passion Planner is a serious planner! It’s got so many features, and it’s really comprehensive. How to plan, what to plan, how to break things down – it’s all there! It is large (8.5×11), but there’s a smaller version as well. (Though I feel like the bigger one is best unless you have teeny tiny writing!) I don’t know if this is the best option for someone who is a stay-at-home mom, but I think work-at-home moms, working moms, and especially students would love this planner. (And seriously, you can’t beat that price!)
My Thoughts: I loved how thorough this planner was, and the entrepreneur/creative in me went a little crazy. Lists! Boxes to check! Schedules to make! Dreams to dream! It’s awesome!! I could see using this a LOT as a student, and even as a work-at-home mom. But as a stay-at-home mom first and foremost, this planner just was a little more than I needed, and maybe missing some things that I love (like a space to plan meals). However, if you’re a creative type, and also a bit type-A, I think you’ll LOVE this one!!
The Best Is Yet To Come Planner :: Polly Payne
Format: Weekly (January-December 2016)
Cover: Set design, Black with “the best is yet to come” in gold
Sections Included:
- Full weekly schedule
- Space for notes
- Monthly spread with lots of white space for notes
Extras:
- Bucket list
- Planning sheet for 6 months and 12 months
- Stepping stones planning sheet for 3 dreams
- Refocus cloud with instructions
- Seasonal divisions with prayer space
- Generosity planning page
- Monthly notes page
- Praise report page
- 3 pages for notes in the back
Price: $37
What You Need To Know: There’s a lot of white space in this planner, which I love! If you like to write in the margin and take notes, there’s PLENTY of space for that here! But if you write a lot in your monthly spread, just know that the squares are fairly small, and it would be hard to fit a lot in. Also, everything in this planner is blank (no lines), so it’s great for those who don’t like lines, or do like to doodle!
My Thoughts: I love that this planner has a Bible verse on every page! So encouraging. Also? Obviously less important than the Bible, but let’s talk paper for a minute here, people. The paper in this planner is GORGEOUS. Maybe my favorite paper out of any of the planners we’ve tried! Love that! If you’re a dreamer, who loves good paper, this planner might be for you! Plus, Polly, the designer, is super sweet and SO passionate about this project!
Get To Work Book :: Elise Joy
Format: Weekly (January – December 2016)
Cover: Set design – Classic brown with GTWB Logo (As seen above)
Sections Included:
- Full weekly spread (with space for 3 priority tasks each day)
- Monthly spread with place for notes
- 3 action items each week
- Note space across the bottom of the weekly spread
Extras:
- Monthly reflection & goal setting (includes last month’s wins, still in progress, things to let go of, to think on, to work on, to complete)
- Monthly project action plan worksheet
- Monthly tear-out quote with small monthly calendar
- Lots of note pages in the back
- Small pocket folder on the back cover
Price: $55
What You Need To Know: This planner would be great for anyone who is super detail-oriented and likes to work on projects. It’s well thought out, and very well designed. Also, this is the least-girly planner I’ve seen, and could be used by men or women! I can’t say that about many planners. The simplicity of this planner, plus it’s project-focus, makes it a great option for anyone who would like to really tailor their planner to their lifestyle. The lack of headings on the weekly layout means that each section could really be for anything! Also, great paper.
My Thoughts: I love the project-focus of this planner, and can see how it would work really well for me as a blog planner! I may end up using it for that purpose next year. It’s super functional, simple, and the paper quality is excellent. I could see entrepreneurs, small business owners, and work-at-home moms absolutely loving this one!! (Plus, this one is also in black and white, which works great for us color-coders!!)
Keeping It Together Planner :: KITLife.net
Format: Daily (January-December 2016)
Cover: Set design, multicolored
Sections Included:
- Monthly spread (including dates to celebrate & goals)
- Large, lined space for notes, schedule, whatever you want it to be
- Calls & Follow-up
- Health (including water check-off)
- Gratitude
- Fit & Fab Tip
Extras:
- Quarterly check-ins for goals and wellness
- Yearly important dates in front
- Brief monthly budget spreadsheets in back
- Stickers
- Ziplock pocket in back
- Direct sales add-on (includes online stats, passwords, expense tracking, monthly reviews, team contact info, & mileage tracking)
- Direct sales party planner (purchased as a separate book)
Price: $68
What You Need To Know: This is definitely a planner for someone involved in a direct sales business. Even if you don’t get the full direct sales add-on, each day refers to calls & follows-ups. Which is actually so AMAZING, because I haven’t seen anything like this before! I think that all of my network marketing friends will love this one.
My Thoughts: If you’re in direct sales (I’m talking to YOU, my essential oils, 31, Jamberry, Scentsy, Nerium, & Usborne friends!!), this is an awesome planner. Get it now. It’s got everything you need to keep your business first and foremost every day! If you’re not into direct sales, this just may not be the planner for you. (Unless you have some kind of job where you need to be calling people every day, and can use that space on a daily basis!) Overall, it’s very creative, very colorful, and a lot of fun!
And, not to be forgotten…
My Favorite Planner Accessories & Supplies
(Pens, Washi, and MORE!)
1. Papermate Flair Pens – I love these in regular tip and fine point! They are my absolute favorite for planning – I use them in my daily planner, my meal planner, and anything else I have an excuse to write on.
2. Frixion Erasable Pens – I use these mainly in my Bible, but they are great for planning too. They erase beautifully, and I love how they don’t bleed. Win-win!
3. Staedler Fine Point Pens – I’m starting to love these as a close second to my fine point Flairs. These are pretty great pens!
4. Sharpie Fine Point – I always use these to write in cards. Somehow, my handwriting looks prettier in a Sharpie. I have no idea why this is, but I’m not complaining.
5. Velocity Ball Point Pens – My favorite everyday pens. I love them. They just feel good to write with!
6. Ticonderoga Pencils – It’s the teacher in me, but these are just the only pencils worth anything. I use them for homeschooling stuff, and have a pack for Emily. They have them in chunky size for little hands, or regular size for us normal-handed people.
7. Washi Tape – Washi helps make your planner your own. Create new sections, decorate for holidays, do whatever you want, because WASHI!!!
8. Planner Stickers – Awesome options for every planner. And often cheaper than what you’ll find on etsy. (Though those are fun too!)
WHAT I’M USING THIS YEAR:
(Updated for 2017-2018) :: I’ve been using the same system for the last year and a half, and I don’t see myself ever using anything else. I’m in love!
See, for years, I’ve shared with you The Ultimate Planner Reviews, while answering questions and helping people choose their perfect planner.
And yet, I’d still been on the hunt for mine.
Don’t get me wrong, I had found planners & systems I really loved…for a time. But I never found a planner that worked for me in every season of my life.
I wanted everything in one place – one central reference guide to organize my chaotic life.
I wanted specific aspects of this dream planner, like monthly, weekly, AND daily views. Like meal planning worksheets and shopping lists that were already categorized. Like ways to track progress on my goals every single day. Like a ton of notes pages so I could keep my master lists right there in my planner. Every planner I found had one or two of these qualities, but never ALL of them. They always sacrificed something.
And I was tired of sacrificing functionality for a planner that was just pretty.
What I needed was a planner that could organize both my home life AND work life, and help me stay on top of both my daily responsibilities AND our long-term goals.
And so, The Organized Life Planner was born. And it has changed my life in the very best way. My hope is that it changes yours too, and becomes a tool that you can use to truly organize and simplify your life – getting everything down on paper so that you can actually clear your head, and make time for the things that matter most.
Ready to take a closer look? Check it out!
The Organized Life Planner Includes:
And the best part? It comes in two versions – a pre-printed version that comes shipped straight to your home, OR a print-at-home version that you can customize with our add-on planner packs!
Ready to find out if The Organized Life Planner is the planner you’ve been waiting for? CLICK HERE or below to get all the details on our 2018 editions!
PHEW! Way to go, friends – you made it!! That was a LOT of info, and a TON of pictures, but didn’t you love it all?! So many beautiful planners!!! This post just makes me happy, and I hope it’s helped you, too! (There are a few others that I reviewed last time that haven’t changed much – you can find those here.)
Thank you for taking the time to visit and read through this super long review! If you found it helpful, would you share it with a friend? You can either use the buttons below to share on Facebook or twitter, or you can pin this image!
So tell me, which planner is your favorite??
*The products above were provided for me to review. As always, all opinions are my own.
I’m a huge fan of planners, and my hope with this post was to get you all of the info you need to find your perfect planner!
A BIG THANKS to all of the planner companies above for participating in this year’s Ultimate Planner Review!
Kayse Pratt serves Christian women as a writer + designer, creating home + life management resources that help those women plan their days around what matters most. She’s created the most unique planner on the market, helped over 400 women create custom home management plans, and works with hundreds of women each month inside her membership, teaching them how to plan their days around what matters most. When she’s not designing printables or writing essays, you’ll find Kayse homeschooling her kids, reading a cheesy novel with a giant cup of tea in hand, or watching an old show from the 90’s with her husband, who is her very best friend.
This is a heck of a deal and I absolutely love this planner! It’s perfect. I bet it takes alot of ink to print it doesn’t it. I almost bought it and went and looked at it and it’s a printable version. It has everything I need. Can it be printed in black? I’m so afraid I’ll mess it up. I just ordered ink but it’s black, I don’t buy to much-colored ink. It just doesn’t last. Is there any way you would print this and mail it? Thank you! You can email me at this address or my website email. I look forward to hearing from you and love this planner. I bought a mini happy planner the beginning of the year, I love it, it’s just to small for all I do and it doesn’t have what this one does even if I had the large standard one. Thank you and please let me know I’m in a rural area and theres no office supply store here either. Believe me when I say I shop on line all the time, or email me at [email protected] either is great! I’ll get the gmail faster though.
Hi Vicky! There will be two printed options this year, that will arrive on your doorstep already printed and bound! I think you’ll love those!
When will this be. I just ordered the My Life Happy Planner today because I was in need of a planner so badly ! I would still like to have this planner! I have to have it. How much Kaysee? Let me know and thank you I had been waiting to hear from you dear! Thank you & please let me know! I had to have more space with being a full time student blogger writer my website my home Depot is busy so had to order a my life happy planner wish I would have know !
Hi. Can you please let me know what size the organized life planner is? I’ve been looking for a good planner and this one seems to fit the bill but I have a thing about A4 planners and I’ve not been able to find the size..
Hi Carolina! The OLP is fill size – 8.5×11. You can choose to print it at half size as well, and many customers have actually shrunk it to a custom size using their printer settings. I hope that helps!
Hi Kayse, I commented earlier about maybe you printing the planner for me. I want this planner! It’s perfect! I’ve read through how you use it and took notes! I’m going to use it like you do, i hope you don’t mind. My question is, when i buy this planner I don’t have to print it all at once do I? It’s the large amount of ink it ou;d use and I took 6 months out of my happy planner and just put it in this month. So couldn’t I just print 3 or 6 months. One more question! How do you plan your blogging with the blog planner you have in your store. I was thinking I could just buy the packet. I am a stay at home wife, blogger, homemaker, writer! It’s perfect, I’m home most of the time unless shopping errands etc. Please get back with me as soon as possible so I can hopefully purchase as long as I don’t have to print it all at once. My ink will be here tomorrow. Just got an email from Amazon. And I have a U-tube channel which one o your planner packets would you recommend for my U-tube channel. New webcam tomorrow! Yes, come visit it’s all about cleaning, organization, budget, just home life. I’ve slacked off waiting for my new webcam! let me know dear, I have to have this. I’ve been a thing about it for 2 hours I said there has to be a way to where I don’t have to print it all at once and I’m printing in black all I have! Love the colors but it will have to do!
Hi Vicky! There will be two printed options this year, that will arrive on your doorstep already printed and bound! I think you’ll love those!
I know this is an old post, but just thought I’d share my experience with the Frixion erasable pens.
I purchase my Frixion pens from Tokyo pen shop.com because the Japanese versions have finer tips and the ink seems to be of better quality. However, I live in Phoenix, AZ. It gets hot here. These pens erase using the heat created through friction. I lost an entire semester’s worth of planning by leaving the planner in my car after using these pens. I still love them immensely, just wanted to offer a warning 🙂
Text comes back when the paper is cooled. We have put papers in the freezer (bagged up of course!) and the text came back.
My text did not come back when it was cooled, I wonder if I didn’t let it cool enough. I haven’t used them for planning since that fiasco, but may have to try again with this tip! Thanks!
The text comes back when it cools — but not as dark and sharp. I did not like the look so stopped using Frixion pens after losing VBS notes two summers ago. (texas)
Thank you so much for all this great information!
I LOVE the look of the Organized Life Planner, with goals and reflections and that weekly tracker – perfect! BUT where I can get the spiral bound version your review shows? I really do not want to have printables that I need to find a think binder for… i would be SO thrilled with the spiral version. PLEASE tell me I can purchase it somewhere!!!
Thanks
Hi Karen! The Organized Life Planner IS a printable planner. I simply printed it out (the dated version is already completely in order – you just have to press print!), and then I took it to an office supply store and had it spiral bound for $4. It’s a fairly quick process, and this way you can incorporate any planner packs you want to add-on before you have it bound!
I hope that helps! Thank you for your kind words!
I took the plunge and ordered two of the Living Well Planners; one for a gift and one for me. It really is not worth the enormous price that is charged. I spent a lot of money for something I could have printed off of the internet for free. I’m not a rich person and I really splurged to purchase these planners…I’m extremely disappointed. I’d advise…don’t waste your money. Get a cheap binder, print off pages that will work for you and insert into binder.
Kayse:
What would you suggest for someone who is a working wife, super organized, and needs space for her daily work, her buisness at home, and her daily personal to do’s? I’ve never tried an Erin Condren, and it sounds like that is all the craz right now.
Hi Alyson! Well, I must confess I’m a little biased right now, since I just released my own planner on Monday, and it was designed specifically to help you balance all of those things! 😉 You can find it here: https://anchored-women.com/2016/11/introducing-the-organized-life-planner.html It’s a printable planner, and I offer an add-on pack specifically for working moms. I think you’ll like it!
But if you’re looking for a planner that’s NOT printable, then I would suggest the Simplified Planner by Emily Ley (it’s simple and open and easy to make your own), or the Purposeful Planner by Corie Clark (it’s got plenty of space for lists).
I hope that helps!! <3
Okay, I found your updated post 🙂 Ignore my last comment and thank you!
Hi Kayse! Are you planning on doing a 2017 planner review? And if so, do you know when it would be?
Thanks — love your reviews!!
🙂 Bridgette
I’m a stickler for paper you can see through. Drives me nuts to have that happen. I love LePens and Papermate Flair tips, which often show through pages. Do you have a planner you know not to do that? I’m guessing a 90lb paper or thicker would be what I need. Hard to find. The ones at Target are all WAY too thin. So frustrating!
Thanks in advance!
Sue
My new Simplified Planner has thick enough paper that my Flairs don’t show any shadow. I use the fine tip ones and love them! The SP just updated paper this year, and it’s fabulous. 🙂
Thank you for this review. I think I’ll try the Passion Planner. Do you want the referral credit? If not, I have a friend who can use it.
I love these posts! I always like to see how other people organize and use their planners and this post was very thorough!
For 2017, I think you should try out a Limelife Planner! They allow a lot of personalization, the paper quality is so smooth and soft, they have a lot of cover options as well as interchangeable covers, they offer a few different add ons, and the best part to me is all the different layouts. I think they have ~7 different layout options.
My favorite is layout C which is split into 6 sections. It’s amazing for anyone trying to keep track of multiple things. You can use one section for the kid’s activities, one for meal planning, one for appointments, one for blogging, etc. It’s also the perfect student planner because the work can be broken down by class.
I’m not sponsored by them or anything, I was just hoping that I would see them in your review!
http://www.limelifeplanners.com/
I actually reviewed a LimeLife planner in my latest Academic Planner Review! They are great!!
I caved and just bought myself a get-to-work book! Thanks so much for the review and helping me discover this little gem. I’m considering to also get myself the January edition when it comes out… just cause!
Thanks for doing this again for 2016, am looking forward to your 2017 reviews!!
I went with an academic (July 2016 – June 2017) planner from Limelife. Their planners are very similar to Erin Condren, but have nicer quality paper and seem to have a lot more options. Very nice.
I also got a Simplified Planner, which is just beautiful, and the layout is great. Luckily I am able to incorporate both, because I would hate to have to choose just 1 of these!
Thanks! very helpful! I went with Passion Planner!
I hope next year you will consider a review of the Limelife Planner. It is similar to the Erin Chondren planner, but a bit calmer? Not sure if that’s the right word. It’s a really nice planner, and I think you’d like it. This is my first year using one, was in ECLP prior.
Thanks!
I love LimeLife Planners! I actually reviewed it in my Academic Planner Review. You can find the link here: https://anchored-women.com/2016/05/ultimate-academic-planner-review-2016.html
I don’t often leave comments on articles I read but Kayse, you have made my day 🙂
Finally I find the right planner I’ve ben searching for the past weeks. I wondered if any company out there would have something going from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., this morning I was decided on creating my own!
Love your writing style, love your blog and definitely LOVE this article.
I’ll be back for more 🙂
Sincerly,
David
After reading your reviews and what all these other planners have to offer, I have now decided to discard my Live Well Planner from LWSL. I do like it, but I just ordered one from Plum Paper that I am sure to love! The Living Well Planner just has too many pages that I won’t use and I really like the daily vertical design of the Plum Paper Planner. Thank you for taking the time to review all of these planners.
I have always liked the LWSL Planner but for 55.00 I cannot spend that much on a planner and thanks for the heads up, I almost bought it! I love this planner it has everything I want and need. Any planner I’ve used always has something missing this one has it all that I need
Amazing planner reviews. No more searches required!
Will definitely approach you for my upcoming notebook review “The Mont Notebook”
Hi! I don’t typically write comments/feedback but wanted to share my gratitude for your post and extensive planner analysis! I know I’m half way through this year and just now realized I could use a planner to organize all my to-do lists, notes in my phone and post-it’s.
Your reviews helped me to take some time to see what style works best for me- so I found some weekly pages and am “trying” it out. Finding the method that I work best and then decide what planner will best suit my needs. Thank you for sharing your review and helping me see what fits my life. Now, I’m trying to see how I can fit it all in one (prayer list, writing, and to-dos), but I think that’s a stretch.
Great review! I use to use the Kikki.K system to stay organized. It was very nice, but expensive. The Condren line looks great and a lot more fun to use:)
I left Erin Condren two years ago when that year’s version had half the “extra” pages in the back. Your review says they have”lots”. They must have changed then! I am a happy Plum Paper Planner user now. Similar to EC, better quality paper to write on, and the option of adding MANY blank pages at the back. I do like how the EC and Plum Paper Planner are very easy to adapt to your own style—labelling sections as you wish, etc.
I wish I had seen post this months ago! I seriously debated purchasing an ECLP, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of spending so much on a planner that I couldn’t put my hands on prior to buying it… Especially since the rose gold version that I wanted was $75. I decided on and just received a completely personalized planner from personal-planner.com. I was able to choose my cover, inside colors, layout, modules throughout the weekly spread (for meal planning, workouts, weather, work hours), and end pages… I chose lined pages for notes, passwords, or lists and coloring pages in case I’m with my children (and they get bored). I love it so far. I haven’t seen any reviews of it on any blogs. I accidentally stumbled upon their website, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s definitely one to consider, and it is also cheaper than most of the ones mentioned here. Love the reviews!!
Hey are the pages thick where a marker doesn’t sleep through?
Hi, I loved your review! One thing to add to next year’s review is that SP has a weekly version which runs from Aug – Dec (this year’s is Aug ’15 – Dec ’16) as well as an academic daily version which runs Aug – July. Just a little FYI for anyone looking forward to their 2017 calendar or for those who use academic calendars.
Thanks for all the work you put into this review!
One planner you should definitely check out is limelife! Very similar to Erin condren but with 7 different layout options. I’ve been using it for a year now and it’s the best one I’ve ever found!!
YOU ARE A LIFESAVER!!! This post is really great. It is so hard to see all of the details on each website. And then there are some planners that I didn’t even know existed to go look for. The purposeful planner seems like it will be perfect for me. I don’t have a really busy life right now as far as scheduling goes. I have two children under 2. But I wanted something to help me lead life more purposely. I need to plan visits with family and friends and crafts for the kids. If I don’t plan it, i won’t do it. ANYWAY, you are so awesome and I think you may have made my year. Seriously, I am so stoked.
Yay! I’m so glad it’s helped you!!
After reading your 2015 reviews, I settled on the LiveWell planner and couldn’t be happier – I have recently stumbled upon the Start Planner – that may be another one to look into! The aesthetics of the planner are almost a combo of the Get To Work Book & inkWell Press.
I’m all about the ShePlans Daily To-Do List Planner. I used to be an Erin Condrin gal, then switched to Passion Planner for the agenda-approach to managing my time, meetings and projects. But I needed more space! A daily layout seemed the best option, so I went ahead and started shopping around and deciding between Emily Ley and ShePlans. The ShePlans won out because (a) better paper quality, and (b) monthly goals, which I love. So far I couldn’t be happier with it, although we are only ten days into 2016!
I have literally devoured your post from the 2016 planners as well as your 2015 planners. Is there any chance you know which of these has the thickest paper? I literally go insane when anything bleeds through and I am not a pencil gal!
ONE more question, did you ever see any planners that have a project/client section?
Super thankful you took the time to do all this research!
My planning is seriously lacking color… So I had to come back to this post and check out your pens 🙂 Just ordered the Flairs! he he 🙂
Excellent review, I must say. I am crazy about planers all my life that I collect them when my kids were kids, lol. But I have to confess that I totally forgot to continue writing on them. That’s why I had a collection. My oldest daughter at the age of 12 asked me if she can use one and that changed her life. Since then I had to buy her one yearly till she had her first work. Now she is 27. Well, now the question, what is the best planner to a person that live them but forgot to use them?
I read your post and loved the detail! I’m a bit late purchasing my planner this year, though and have found many of these are out-of-stock. Are in you in contact with the publishers to see if they’ll be getting more in or the sit. with getting a planner? There are so many great options and I feel like I missed the boat!
Thank you so much. Excellent review!
I loved your review. Thanks for sharing. You introduced me to a lot of great planners. I still love my ECLP uncoiled in an A5 Filofax. I also prefer a personal filofax for mobility.
As a result of the poor exchange rate from CDN to USD, I have considered using a Happy Planner for my next planner. It’s much cheaper and convenient to purchase where it’s carried at Michael’s. I was surprised to see that you did not include this planner in your review.
Thank you for your reviews, this is so helpful! I really like the horizontal weeks which narrows down my options. I am obsessed with the Inkwell. Any idea where I can buy one now that they are sold out? I’d be happy to buy yours if you’re selling
🙂
The Purposeful Planner also looks amazing because of all the budgeting, meal planning, etc…pages. It may make me go to the vertical weeks! How does the binder and cover hold up compared to Inkwell and Erin Condren? Sturdy coils/cover are very important for how much I will use it….
Thanks again for your insight!!!
This is truly the best (and unbiased) review of planners out there. Not pushy, very factual, and clearing telling us the pros and cons of EACH to allow the reader to make an educated decision for their specific needs. Bravo, girl!!
Thank you!
I noticed the Erin Condren now has the hourly layout as well! Any chance you’ve been able to look at it to give us your thoughts??
Thank you for this review. I ordered the Corie Clark daily based on your review. I found you on Pinterest.
Thank you for your reviews, I’ve found I need a planner to help organize. Single here, no kids but now running around taking care of the parents. I’m still confused as to which one to choose. I’ve heard so much about the Erin Condren planner and the Happy Planner (I did see that one in a Michaels shop and wasn’t for me). Just started Direct Sales on the side so the Kitlife looks interesting but may be a bit much. Any ideas where you can go and see them in person, get a real feel for the planner?
Suzanne, I just saw your comment, and I think there were one or two others with a question direct sales pages. If I recall correctly, that is an add-on you can purchase with a Plum Paper planner. You can choose it so it has the same layout as an Erin Condren, but it’s not as colorful as EC. It is cheaper, though, even if you add several inserts. And this year, the paper quality is distinctly better than EC. A friend just received her EC for 2016, and the paper is much thinner than it was for the 2015 planners. We actually compared her current 2015 and the new 2016 side by side, and not only do all her pens bleed through now, (same pens she used the last half of this year) but you can even see the next page’s printed content through the previous page. Each page feels significantly thinner, too. She’s very disappointed, as she has been a huge fan of Erin Condren planners and directed several friends toward them. if you’re considering EC but need direct sales pages, consider Plum Paper instead!
Hi. Just found your website as I was looking for planner reviews and it was the first result 😉
I am looking for a planner – obviously – that will be the first I’ve had since I was in school. I would like something for 2016 or 2016/2017. I keep looking at the Plum Paper ones. I like the price of them (the lowest I’ve seen) and how you can add other pages. I do like the idea of ‘The Happy Planner’ (no review here) because you can add/remove pages as you go and make it truly customizable with inserts. So having one like that would mean I can purchase insets on Etsy (for example) when something catches my eye.
I’m torn between the two. I know I’d need the writing space though, since I tend to ramble on sometimes – as you can tell LOL. It doesn’t look like PP can be added to/removed other than getting pages on their site to go in the folder like area. Is this correct?
Also, are there more planners out there like The Happy Planner? Right now they only have 2015/2016 planners as they are 18 months (I wish they were only 12 months, split months mess me up) and I feel like I’d be wasting money on getting them as I wouldn’t be able to use 6 months worth.
Thanks so much!
I don’t know much about the Happy Planner, though I’ve heard about it from a few people lately, so I need to check it out! But I know that Plum Paper’s quality is excellent, and you can customize it to exactly what you’d like when you order it. You wouldn’t be able to change things afterward, which I think is what you’re hoping to do. But you could always include the extras, and then just skip them if you aren’t going to use them?
If the paper quality is as good as the planner looks, I will be trying this out.
http://media.mead.com/is/image/Daytimer/KD102_16_1?$ProductDetailZoom2x$
This is literally the best planner review I have ever found. I’ve been hunting for a new planner next year knowing my recent promotion has me outpacing my current one and I have read at least 20 articles which left me more doubtful until this one. I’ve now narrowed it down to two. Decisions decisions.
Thank you for your work!
I love your reviews. It is frustrating that it is Dec 8th and the only direct sales planner reviewed is sold out before the end of 2015. If you have any recommendations I would be grateful.
thank you this was an amazing review!!! i just ordered my first planner (the emily ley daily one). 🙂
Hi! After reading your reviews (so helpful), I had my brother help me design planner pages that suit my needs, and I’m super-excited to start using them (I’m putting them in an Arc notebook). But — I’m finding that the potential costs of having them printed is pretty expensive. Any recommendations for an online printing service that can do PDFs for less than 20 cents per page?
Love the reviews! Saw the last review you did and it was good but this had a lot more planners. For me and how my life is going to change at the beginning of the year, the one I loved the most was the Purposeful Planner by Corie Clark. I’m going back to school (taking classes at night), I’m a mom of 2 busy kids, and I work part-time 5 days a week in a small office. My husband is a busy attorney so knowing what his schedule is is fantastic too. Meal planning is my weakness and this planner would be great for that any another other to-do things that don’t need to be done at a specific time, but need to get done at some point during the week. I’m hoping I can order it soon!
The Best Planner Review on the web.
Oh dear. I didn’t realize how much of a planner person I really am until… well… I may have shed a few tears of joy.
I’m narrowed down to my favorite 6. This will be tough.
If you had to rank these 3…what would it be? Daily Purposeful Planner, Simplified Planner or the Day Designer? I like Daily Planning but I’m so torn between the 3! Help!
Well, the only Day Designer I’ve actually held in my hands is the one from Target, and those pages are way too thin, so that would be at the bottom of my list. But honestly, I love both the Simplified Planner and the Purposeful Planner! Here are my thoughts – if you really only want to focus on the simplest of things – establishing a schedule, housing your to-do list, and planning dinner, then the SP is for you! If you want your planner to do a little more – monthly meal plans and tasks, track water, house your shopping list, plus all the above, then the PP is for you! I have used both in different seasons and I love them both fully!! I hope that helps!
This was a great review! I currently have a Happy Planner, that I am not so happy with anymore. I never carry it around, and still the pages are coming out. It is not a smooth turning…….so I know I definitely want the binder type, like the EC, but I really enjoyed the colors, and designs of the last one. I have never heard of them before, so I am off to check them out! A little more $ upfront, but less decorating you have to do with stickers and tape to make it pretty! I hate the hourly layout, and like the horizontal. I like to read it like a book, not with 3 words to each line. hahahhahhahaha We are all so picky!! Maybe I’ll just design my own………(because we ALL have the time to do that!)
I was having a hard time choosing between the Erin Condren & Emily Ley – I have many friends who are now switching to Emily Ley. Your review really helped me out! I’ve decided on the Erin Condren – I love the new blank headings and I’m a weekly planner – I love to see the entire week on one spread. My kids are still young enough (2 yrs old & 3 months old) that we don’t have activities every single day and most of my items on my daily to do’s are picking up groceries on the way home or running a quick errand over my lunch hour – nothing too extensive. I also LOOOVE that Erin Condren has the “snap-in dash board meal planner” so I can write out dinner and wipe off & change every single week or even mid week. Lets face it, planning dinner with a 2 year old & 3 month old doesn’t always work out the way I’d like – sometimes I reevaluate dinner mid week depending on leftover meat & etc. My current planner has so many messy scribbles & white out marks – so this is a huge deal for me.
They have a new hourly layout too! Just released! Did you see that?
What would your preference be between the EC hourly layout and the passion planner? I love the personal and work tasks the passion planner offers but I love how pretty the EC ones are! I can’t decide!
Oh they are totally different!! EC is so pretty, but the passion planner offers a lot more sections… I would say go with whichever one you’ll USE more. Will you use the EC because it’s pretty (which I totally understand)? Or will you use all the sections of the PP? Also, I generally use a simple black and white page (I’m back and forth between the Simplified Planner and the Purposeful Planner right now), and use my pens to make it colorful. Color coding is my BFF. 😉 Hope that helps!
I love my Erin Condren Life Planner, but am finding that I need something more. I use it to keep a running track of events for the week and to-do lists, but as I’m starting to plan for homeschooling I’m finding it lacking. I’m leaning towards a Simplified Planner for our day to day scheduling and an Inkwell Press Meal Planning for just that. I’m one of those people that will probably have a different planner for different activities so the thought of a Keeping It Together for my Young Living business and yet another one for my blog planning is like heaven to me! I love decorating mine as well. Since I’m not doing as much scrapbooking it’s giving me a little bit of that back! Thank you for such a wonderful review!
I would love to see measurements and a review of the Plum Paper designs planner (even if it’s from the previous year). Great list!
Hi! You can see the review of Plum Paper on her planner review from last year. https://anchored-women.com/2014/12/ultimate-planner-review.html
Yes! Thank you so much!
Fantastic and helpful review! Still haven’t found my planner, though. I’m so freaking picky! Probably going with Vera Bradley again. Is anyone else over calling dreams and goals bucket lists? I’d have to rip that page out. lol! Something picky to note on The Best Is Yet To Come (great name) is what version of the Bible the verses are. If you read KJV, you generally don’t want a modernized verse, and the reverse could also be true. Modernized verses, which I think that has, would be a deal killer on that planner for me. Otherwise it’s a winner. I said I’m Pick-y! I had my ideal planner once but couldn’t find it again.
such great information, thank you so much! Any particular reason the Day Designer didn’t make it into your review??? I’ve heard a lot about that planner as well and would love to compare it to these others
Did you find one you liked?
I’ve been using the Simplified Planner and the Purposeful Planner this year! Both fit my life the best!
Thanks for this review! im searching for a do it all planner for 2016, need to track meals, daily tasks, fitness….these gave me some great options!
I was looking and waiting for this review! Thanks so much for sharing and taking your time in this! Blessings
Thank you for the planner review. I was encouraged by you to purchase a planner and picked one from your review. Now to decide between the Corie Clark daily or weekly planner.
I love your reviews, as I have multiple planners. I just have to say I am in shock that you didn’t review the “me and my big ideas happy planner” with it costing less than half an Erin condren yet very similar except you can add and take out pages, I am surprised you would not mention it. I also noted it was less expensive than all of the planners you reviewed. I am a full time stay at home mom with a very busy schedule so honestly the only thing that would make me like it better would be a daily view. But I do use it as a creative outlet since I do glam planning. But thank you for this list!!
I hadn’t heard of that one! Thanks for the head’s up!
I was just going to ask the same thing! I LOVE my Me and My Big Ideas planner, you can find them on Amazon and at Michael’s … lots of fun! I am also loving he Frixion pens! I have found them on Amazon as well in many styles and colors, they also have highlighters! ALL are erasable!!!!
Thank you so much for this post! I was anxiously awaiting your planner review! You went to a lot of work to provide pictures and details of each planner. It’s so nice to have it all in one post! Several months ago I got very weary of my little pieces of paper with ‘to do lists’ on them floating around the kitchen counter. I bought a planner that’s not included in this review and it was ok……but I realized quickly that it didn’t have enough room. After reading your review several times, I realized that in addition to what I wanted in a planner, the visual look was also important! In the end, I decided to try the LifePlanner from Erin Condren. It should be here next week and I’m so excited!! Thanks again for this awesome post!
Weird question – are all of the pages flat? I received a planner from Herff Jones (because I am a high school yearbook sponsor) and the pages are glossy. My pen always smears and it drives me nuts!!
Yes, they are!!! How frustrating glossy pages would be!!!
Another planner that’s worth looking into is the Mom on the Go planner by In The Leafy Treetops. She has several others as well. It has holiday planning, thank you posts, financial manage me pages, etc… I haven’t found one that comes close.
I too have been using the Mom on the Go planner, and it is excellent for moms and everything moms need to track! There are also more simple planners for women who don’t have children. Great price point, lots of covers to choose from, and is now offered in horizontal and vertical formats.
Loved your planner review. I’m an A5 ring binder kinda girl and went with the Inkwell Press weekly pages for 2016. Absolutely beautiful! Customer service was fantastic and she provides videos on planning that come to your email after you’ve purchased the planner. I’m moving from daily planner pages to a weekly for 2016 and I’m hoping it will work out. I write ALOT so I’m hoping it will work out.
I was hoping to see a review to the personal planner. That is the one I just bought should be in any day. Not a lot of reviews on it yet
Thanks!! This is great! I’ve been an Erin Condren girl fir a long time, but wanted a change this year. Just got the Mom on the Go planner (Grandma for me!), but might have tried one of these if I had seen this first. Won’t know about the Mom on the Go until I start using it, but it’s beautiful!
Having the dimensions of the planners would be helpful!
Thank you for this post! Because of you, I heard about the ShePlans planners. I really love the layout of that weekly planner. I downloaded a sample page and it just makes total sense for me!
I wish I could take my favorite parts out of each planner and create my perfect one! However, due to the price, I feel like I really need to sit down and see what I need vs want. Like I said I love the weekly page layout of the ShePlans To-do List Planner (but I think it is a little expensive given that it doesn’t have as many of the extras that the other planners do) and I love the monthly planning pages of the Purposeful Planner (but I don’t need the scheduled time since I am at work from 8-5 every weekday and the only things I have are occasional lunches/dinners/doctor appointments).
Next year, my job may be changing, so I know I need something that is flexible, so I think I am leaning towards the LiveWell Planner in the Classic Layout. I feel that the monthly missionboard and the notes pages within each month would cover my desire for the monthly planning pages from the Purposeful Planner and the To-Do List section of the ShePlans To-Do List Planner. And the classic layout should give me flexibility in how I treat the planner throughout the year. Plus the colors are pretty!
I ordered one of the Fall Mini-Planners from LiveWell to try it out for a few weeks and see if it meets my needs. So, I just love looking into all of this.
I just thought I would update you on my planner decision, in case anyone else reading the comments is in a similar place. I liked the Fall Mini Planner from Inkwell Press, and I think the colors are pretty and I bet the paper in the actual planner is just amazing. But overall, it felt a little busy. I like clean lines and I just write in black ink or pencil, no washi tape or stickers. And the price was very hard to get over
I saw the latest Sugar Paper LA planners for Target and fell in love with the inside layout of the Signature Planner with the days of the week on the right hand page and a bunch of lists for goals and to-dos for each week on the left page. There are also monthly goal pages each month. It is perfect and only $12.99 at Target or Target.com (with free shipping)! My only complaint is that I wish it was a little bigger, but that would make it harder to carry it around. I can’t wait to start using it!
I use
The monthly planner from Plum Paper. Love it so much. I can also add fun stuff like extra to do pages or a fitness tracker.
Hey Kayse,
What a great list of planners! I love all of your pictures and explanations. You have done all of the work for us!
I came over today on Raising Homemakers, and I’m glad to find your site.
I hope you have a blessed day today~
Melanie
Love the review! I was an EC girl, but I am not loving the paper quality or customer service as of late. So I am making the switch to an inkwell press classic for 2016. Although the mini planner is a great idea, it just didn’t work for me not enough space. So I am in my Ec until December.
Drool!! Love the review and I already spammed my husband this review to hopefully inspire him this christmas 😉
Thank You for the review! there are so many options for planners available now that it is hard to make a decision. I am about 90% on board with the Simplified Planner for 2016. The more I learn about Emily Ley the more I want to support her business venture and of course the hourly break down is a must for me! (hard lesson learned in 2015 by not having it)…. of course now I see the She Plans Daily To Do List and that is a great option too…. decisions, decisions!
This is the best planner review I have read…..and I have read tons. I loved that you pointed out things for each one that make them unique and how each one could be used in different ways. I even learned about 2 that I didn’t know about. High 5 and thanks for that for sure!!
I used to thing that $50 or more was too much to pay for a planner, but I have learned that I use it every single day and it is a great return for the investment. Organization…..priceless.
Thanks again for the hard work you put into this review.
This was a great post. I have been toying with a Passion Planner this year. Usually I use some kind of refillable, but 2016 I think I am going to go in a different direction. Thank you.
You know, the Passion Planner is a really great company. A woman entrepreneur created the product and company at a rather ‘down’ time in her life, and she has succeeded. I like the product a lot. If you don’t like all the sections – change them with a stroke of your pen. (Or correction tape. Or washi. I’ve never used washi. Can you write on it?) They have gorgeous blue or gold colors available this year.
I have a much beloved old Day-Timer made out of tough leather, with a kitty on the front, and a string/button closure. I love it, it’s indestructible, it’s me. But it has 7 rings, not 6 like most other A5 planners. So my options are super limited. I might break down and make my own pages and print them up at Kinko’s and get a hole punch. Especially since I like a day on 2 pages. Scribble scribble, paste, doodle, journal.
Best of luck with whatever planner you get.
Ok, now that I have read this post one million times 🙂 — I have narrowed it down to 4 planners.
1. Simplified Planner – Emily Ley. I could definitely use this as my personal planner
2. Live Well Planner – Ink Press. I plan on using this for my Virtual Assistant business
3. To Do List Planner (daily) – She Plans. I just like this planner.
4. Life Planner (horizontal) – Erin Condren — I currently use this as my blog planner and love it.
I have noticed I really like bright colors and pockets.
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together. I am sure it was torture. Honestly though, a lot of hard work to make this post and I very much appreciate it.
Thank you so much for this fantastic review. I was wondering why you didn‘t present the Happy Planner and the Day Designer? But anyway I liked the Simplified Planner the most. <3
Thank you for providing such an in depth and honest review.
I can’t wait for ShePlans to bring out her Mini To Do List planner.
I’m so glad that you did another review!
I absolutely loved your last one. They are so helpful!
Finding the right planner can be such a pain because everyone has their own needs. I often end up making my own pages that I can’t find elsewhere.
Planners are probably my guilty pleasure. I could spend a lifetime just messing around and playing with my planners.
Thanks again for the review! =]
Thanks for the great planner review! I did miss your pros and cons section and ‘the planner review at a glance’ chart you did last time. I wondered how you felt about the Simplified Planner’s paper this year. I’ve heard that it is thinner. As all the planners seem to be going down in size it’s harder to find the bigger ones. Like you I don’t carry my planner around, so the bigger the better for me. I love color so the Kitlife planner looks amazing to me, and it looks like it’s bigger than most. Thanks for showing us all the insides of these great planners in one place!
I bought the iBloom Planner for 2016 when it came with freebies, so it was only $40!
I love your planner reviews, although I am not a decorate with stickers kinda gal. I enjoy color coding with Precise v5 pens.
My work sitiation may change in the spring, so my needs may change as the year goes on.
I’ve been a Franklin Planner fan for 15 years, but they have closed so many stores.
I need task lists, goals, space for note taking, room for meal planning, blog, business, and appts for the family.
I think one of my life calls is to design a planner