How to Choose a Planner That is Right for You

Choosing a planner is very personal to your own life and preferences. Here are some guidelines to help you pick a paper planner that you will love!

Even amidst all of the electronic technology out there, people still love and use their paper planners.

I am one of those people.

I have tried to go all electronic, and as soon as I do, my life falls apart. I’m just no good at planning for things when all I can see are small entries on my tiny phone. And I’m terrible at keeping my Google calendar updated. In fact, I think it still has my teaching schedule from 2 years ago as my current schedule. Partly this is because I am a little bit stupid when it comes to figuring all the techy stuff out (for instance, I still don’t know how to get my phone and computer synced for Google calendar), and partly it’s because I just LOVE my paper planners. I don’t think I’ll ever have that same kind of love for my phone calendar, sorry.

I’ve used a lot of different planners over the years, and I have learned exactly what I need in a planner. It changes as my life changes, but I have become rather planner picky.

In college, I carried around a big, ol’ Franklin planner and man, I loved that thing! I kept with Franklin for a while after I had my first child, but I soon realized that it was way too much planner for a SAHM with a baby. So I started looking around at other planners.

Now that I am a working mom of three busy children (9th, 6th, and 3rd grades), my planner needs have continued to evolve.

6 Things to Consider When Shopping for a Planner

1. Academic Year vs. Calendar Year.

With both my husband and I working in academia, plus having three kids, having an academic year calendar works best for me. I have occasionally purchased a calendar year planner and then been annoyed when it ends in December because I like to have one school year all in the same place.

You may prefer to have your planner begin on January 1 for various reasons. Know which one works best for your lifestyle.

2. Size.

I need it to be small enough to fit into my purse, but big enough to actually contain my entire life and brain.

3. Sturdiness.

I carry my planner with me EVERYWHERE. I need it to be super sturdy so it can last me a full year.

4. Writing Space and Page Organization.  

My planner isn’t just for me and my schedule anymore. It has to include my children’s and husband’s schedule as well, because their schedules directly affect me. I need a good page organization and lots of space to accommodate all five of our schedules.

5. Extras.

Most planners include extra things like pages for taking notes, birthday pages, budgeting pages, etc. I know which of these I will actually use and which I won’t, and I know which ones I can’t live without. Ideally, I’d like a planner that doesn’t have a lot of extra pages in it that I won’t use, but I can overlook that if it has the extra pages that I want.

6. Cuteness Factor.

I admit, I’m a sucker for all the cute planners out there, but it’s low on the list. This is one area in my life where function trumps aesthetic (and believe me, usually it’s the other way around). If it’s cute but not functional, I would miss every appointment I have. My planner is literally my brain.

I thought I would quickly review several of the planners I have used in the past few years. I always save them, as I consider them a type of journal of my life, so I got out the pile of planners sitting in my office.

Review of 7 Different Planners for Moms

At-a-Glance Life Links Planner

I used this planner in 2008.  See all current At-a-Glance planners here.

Pros: 

• It’s a good size. It’s not huge at all, and is easy to carry around.
• It did divide the daily view up into three sections, which I like. 
• The month tabs are sturdy and easy to use.
• The extras are not excessive, and are all things I used (gift lists, child info, blank pages, etc.).

Cons:

• I always mistook the to-do list at the top of the right-hand page for Friday. 
• It isn’t very cute, but it is elegant.
• I could have used a lot more blank pages each month instead of just at the end of the planner.
• There wasn’t quite enough space on each day and I had to write really small that year.
• It did not run on the academic year.

Erin Condren Life Planner

I used this planner in 2011-12. It can be purchased here: Erin Condren Life Planner.

I bought this one because there was a mega-sale going on, otherwise it is a little on the spendy side. That said, I have found I always like the more expensive ones better and am more likely to really use it well.

Pros:

• It is super cute and well-designed, and there are several different design options. I especially liked that you could have your name printed on the cover. There is also an option to put a photo on the cover as well, but it does cost extra.
• I really liked the goals/to-do lists on the sides of the pages. I didn’t always use them, but I liked having them there for when I needed them.
• There are plenty of note pages for each month.
• I loved the pocket folder and the zip pouch that are in the back, and used them often.
• It follows the academic year.
• It comes with lots of fun stickers for things like concerts, birthdays, and no school. Plus, there are blank ones for you to use as you see fit (see “book club” sticker above).

Cons:

• As much as I loved it, it was just too big and unruly. It didn’t fit well into all of my purses, and it was heavy.
• The month tabs were not sturdy at all, and bent and ripped after only a few months’ usage. (I have heard this issue has been fixed since I used it)
• The days were split up into “morning, day, evening” — I liked that they were split, but I would have preferred to choose the categories myself.

Home Executive Planner

I used this planner for 2012-13. I found it while we were on our Epic Vacation in Utah, at the BYU Bookstore. It is LDS-themed, but not so much that someone who isn’t a Mormon wouldn’t want to use it, I think. It was pretty much only the stickers that are included that were obviously LDS.

2023 update: The Home Executive Planner has been discontinued.

Pros:

• It is a good size. It’s on the smaller end of the spectrum, so I liked that, but it also had plenty of space to write in each day.
• It is quite cute, and well-designed.
• I liked the pocket envelopes that were included in both the front and the back of the planner.
• There are cute stickers included, for things like FHE, temple night, and church activities if you’re LDS, but also things like birthdays, weddings, date night, and field trips if you’re not. Plenty of fun stuff there.
• A monthly recipe!
• Runs on the academic year.

Cons:

• No month tabs at all. I ended up using a big paperclip bookmark to keep my place in the planner.
• I didn’t like how so much space was devoted to menu planning and grocery shopping lists, as I don’t use my planner for those things. When I got the planner I tried to use it that way, but it just didn’t work for me. You can see that I started using those sections for random other things. These sections are something that might be wonderful for everyone else, though!
• Not very much space for note taking.

To see my review of the updated version, click here: Home Executive 2015-16 Planner.  It now has tabs, more space for note taking, and a beautiful new look! The stickers aren’t LDS themed at all anymore, and are universally needed for any “home executive!”

Franklin Covey Her Point of View Planner

I actually used this planner for three years straight, from 2009-2011. I really like it. You can see current versions here: Franklin Covey Her Point of View Planner.

Pros:

• I think this is definitely my favorite size of planner. It’s pretty perfect.
• I liked the fact that my beloved Franklin system was still included. Things like master task lists and the Franklin bookmark made me really love this planner.
• There is an inspirational quote by a famous woman each week (hence, “her point of view”)
• There is space for notes and to-do lists on each page.
• The monthly tabs are very strong.
• Plenty of note-taking space each month.

Cons:

• It runs on the calendar year.
• There isn’t quite enough space on each day for my personal taste.
• It’s not nearly as cute as some of the other planners out there, but it is very functional, which is why I used it for so long.

Mon Journal Weekly Diary

I have not actually used this one yet! I bought it to use last year, but then my mom gave me a planner as a gift (coming up next…I promise we’re getting close to the end!), so I shelved this one. Which didn’t really matter because it isn’t for any specific year. It’s a Korean Planner, which is a big trend in planners right now (see this Pinterest Board for examples, and this specific Pin.), and I thought it would be fun to use all the washi tape and things.

I had also purchased these fun masking stickers to use instead of washi tape, because they seemed easier to keep in the pocket.

2023 update: This planner can no longer be purchased. But you can see several other options here: Korean Planner Notebooks

Pros:

• Great size.
• Has an envelope pocket in the back, ideal for storing all the stickers you will need to glam it up.
• Very high quality paper—almost luxurious.
• Very little is pre-printed, so it is totally customizable, and you can bling it up to your heart’s desire!
• Can be used on any version of the calendar you like, or in any year, as dates are not pre-printed.
• Has extra pages for notes, and a monthly calendar view as well.

Cons:

• Very little is pre-printed, so you HAVE to customize it.
• Might not have enough space for each day, especially if you’re using lots of washi tape and stickers.

Mormon Mom Planner

This is the planner my mom bought for my birthday that prevented me from using the Korean one. I used this planner for the 2013-14 Academic Year. With a name like “Mormon Mom Planner” it is obviously intended for LDS moms to use. It can be purchased here: Mormon Mom Planner.

2023 update: The company has done a huge revamp on their planners. They are now incredibly customizable, which I love. They are still very cute and functional, too! Go customize yourself a planner!

Pros:

• It is a nice size. It is bigger than most of the planners I’ve already discussed, but it is not as big as the Erin Condren Life Planner. It fits into my purse just fine, though it is heavier and thicker than some of the other planners, it does not bother me.
• It’s adorable.
• If you are LDS, there are a ton of wonderful extras included: General Conference note taking pages, FHE planning pages, all of the Sunday lesson schedules, ideas for teaching children the Gospel, Book of Mormon reading charts, etc.
• There are also great holiday planning pages included each month. For instance, there is a Thanksgiving planning page in November, and December includes Christmas planning pages and gift guides and Christmas Card lists. She’s really thought of everything.
• It can be purchased on either the calendar year or the academic year.
• Each day has three sections, and you can customize how you use them (I use Me, Kids, and Other).
• Each week includes a to-do list.
• There are plenty of extra pages for notes.
• Sturdy mothly tabs.

Cons:

• It is LDS-themed. While I am LDS, I found I did not use the majority of the LDS extras included, awesome as they are. For me, they were just extra blank pages.
• The bottom of each day includes a menu planning section, I tried to use it that way for a while, but as I said before, I just don’t use my planner for menu planning. (Mostly because I’m not the menu planner at our house.)
• No fun stickers, although you can buy them as add-ons on the website.

Mom on the Go Planner

This is the planner I am currently using. It is the same company as the Mormon Mom Planner, but it is not LDS-themed. It can be purchased here: Mom on the Go Planner.

2023 Update: Again, these planners have been updated to be entirely customizable. Go check it out!

Pros:

• This year she has erased the word “MENU” from the bottom of each day and left it blank so you can use it how you want to use it. I have started using it to keep track of what I wear to work (yes, I’m weird like that!).
• It is a nice size. It is bigger than most of the planners I’ve already discussed, but it is not as big as the Erin Condren Life Planner. It fits into my purse just fine, though it is heavier and thicker than some of the other planners, it does not bother me.
• It’s adorable.
• There are also great holiday planning pages included each month. For instance, there is a Thanksgiving planning page in November, and December includes Christmas planning pages and gift guides and Christmas Card lists. She’s really thought of everything.
• It can be purchased on either the calendar year or the academic year.
• Each day has three sections, and you can customize how you use them (I use Me, Kids, and Other).
• Each week includes a to-do list.
• There are plenty of extra pages for notes.
• Sturdy monthly tabs.

Cons:

• This year it is bound with plastic spirals instead of metal, and it hasn’t stayed together as well. I prefer the metal spirals from last year’s planner.
• Update: The next year was back to metal spirals, see my review of it here.

Phewsh! That’s a lot of planners! It’s probably evident from my photos that my method of using planners is kind of haphazard, though I have gone through phases of color-coding and highlighting and perfect handwriting, too. I might be a little haphazard, but if I didn’t have a planner at all, I would be completely lost.

Related: Best Pens for Paper Planners

I love my planners!

Which planner do you use and love?

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