The Perfect Planner

I’m a classic Type A, planner, neat freak. And with all of the glorious personality traits, comes the extreme need to have a (paper) planner in my life at all times. Year after year I find a new planner, test it out hoping it’ll be “the one,” only to be left disappointed + on the hunt again for the perfect planner.

Well, folks. I think the search is over. But before I jump right into the one that I’m calling “The Perfect Planner,” I want to share a few other planners that I’ve used over the years. Maybe my perfect planner isn’t your perfect planner? (Although, I think you’ll love it, too.)

Today I’m sharing four planners. They’re accessible, affordable, and easy on the eyes. Want to know my favorite, though? Hint: I saved the best for last.

Blue Sky–

Cost: $

Quality: Good

Duration: 12 months, time sensitive

Focus: monthly overview, with weekly focus

Perfect For: Student, a Teacher (who doesn’t used a traditional teacher planner), stay-at-home-Mom who’s also the PTA President + whose kids have 15 sports practices a week

Overall Opinion: This is the type of planner I would grab over + over again when I was in college. There is plenty of space for assignments + monthly commitments. It’s durable enough to take in + out of a backpack one hundred times a day, but it also doesn’t break the bank. It’s a little too thick for my preference and the quality of the paper just isn’t where I’d want it to be. But the new seasonal designs are so tempting when I see them on the shelf at Target!

Sugar Paper–

Cost: $$

Quality: Better

Duration: 12 months, time sensitive

Focus: monthly overview with weekly focus

Perfect For: Student, School employee (but not a teacher), stay-at-home-Mom who wants to use her planner for self-defense (this thing is BIG)

Overall Opinion: I first gravitated towards this planner because of the minimal design, clean lines, and hard cover. Unfortunately this planner does not lay flat, which is a turn off for me. But it’s a hearty + durable planner with a great weekly layout; lots of space for notes + to-do’s.

The Daily Page–

Cost: $$$

Quality: Better

Duration: 6 months, flexible timing

Focus: health, well-being, personal goals

Perfect For: the health nut, the stay-at-home-Mom, the routine-oriented person

Overall Opinion: This planner was great for me for a season. I used it this summer while I wasn’t working, blogging, or anything else. My entire focus for the summer was on H + M and my health. I used it to track/plan meals, stay on track with exercise, + the mundane day-to-day tasks that I was doing (i.e. go to the post office, take H to the library, etc.). It is pretty bulky which made me feel limited in where I could bring it. But this summer I was the healthiest I’ve been in awhile + I know The Daily Page had a big hand in that. (It also feels really good to stick it to the big industries and shop small.)

Laurel Denise–

Cost: $$

Quality: Best

Duration: 12 months, time sensitive

Perfect For: stay-at-home-Mom, Blogger, Content Creator, the 9-5 employee, ME

Focus: monthly

Overall Opinion: I will be coming back to this planner year after year. It lays flat (stays open), which seems like a tiny detail, but made a big difference for me, has a monthly overview – for big picture planning, and also enough space for me to plan + dream for the month. I was originally drawn to the clean lines, minimal design, but I’m sold after getting my hands on it and feeling the quality of the paper. There is also a section for daily habit tracking + accountability, which is a good reminder for me as I’m planning blog + Instagram posts for the month. It’s a bonus that this planner is local to Virginia! I’ve truly never seen a planner with this layout + I’m so glad to have stumbled upon it.