Choosing a Paper Planner

What is the best planner to buy?

Paper planners, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. There is no universal “best” planner. The best planner for you is the one that works for the current season you are in.

Once you start looking at planners, you will realize there are a ton of questions to answer before you can select the right one.

• Is this planner going to be used by one or multiple people? Will my kids or partner be looking at this planner? Colorful erasable pens are perfect when multiple people are using one calendar.
• Do I want to be able to take it with me or will it live somewhere in my office/home?
• Do I want a monthly or yearly planner? Yearly planners are great if you have a goal that will take months to complete.
• Do I want a spiral, staple, or proper book binding? Hardcover or paperback?
• Do I want a monthly, weekly and daily view or just one of those?
• Will my week begin on a Sunday or a Monday? Monday starts keep the weekend together so it is easy to see when you have not left yourself time to rest.
• Do I want to write in my own dates or have it preprinted in the planner?
• Do I need a task list? Do I want one that moves from day to day or week to week?
• Do I need a list of phone numbers in it? The answer is always no but they print it anyway.
• Do I want to track habits like food, exercise, or water intake? Habit trackers are becoming very popular and increasing in variety.
• Do I want a place to put a budget? No one uses checkbooks anymore so you might want some space to track spending limits or savings for large purchases.

When should I start using a planner?

The best time to start a planner is the first day of the month after you buy it. There are many “fill in the dates” planners. These are also useful if you decide to begin a yearly planner in January and there are a few months between now and then.

Most planners begin in January when people are ready to get their lives in order. New year, new me.

Some people begin a planner in July when there are minimal social distractions and peer pressure to “create a new year resolution.” Starting a planner in July can feel like rebellion, “Don’t tell me when to plan my future.” It could also feel like authenticity, “I am the only one thinking about a resolution for the future. The options are endless and my voice is the only one I hear.”

Did I just become a planner addict?

Once you have committed to a planner, the addiction begins. You start to see all the options you never thought of because social media just found out you like planners. Your feed is full of creative color on the page, turn you into a hero of your own life where being on time to an appointment and checking off your to do list is an act to be rewarded. Then you have the anti-planner planners that take you into a bullet pattern, or circular monthly habit tracker visual.

When asked how many versions of paper planners were made in 2025, Dr Google said:

“There is no exact, single number available for the total count of distinct paper planners published for 2025, as the market includes a vast range of major brands, small independent creators, and print-on-demand options. However, 2025 saw a diverse, active, and successful, high-volume launch season, with many creators reporting strong,, returning customer demand.”

Have you ever seen Dr Google say “I don’t know”, that answer might be it.

How dare they! Your favorite planner has just been discontinued.

Two of the planners in the photo above are discontinued. It is not uncommon for publishers to stop making a planner. The cost to make them is very high and profit significantly lower. So, buy two…or three.. when you find the perfect fit.

What do you do with a planner when the year is over?

All the professional organizers are screaming “Throw them out”. Most items kept in a planner are time sensitive and not very sentimental. However, some people use planners as a journal. If this is you, you might want to keep a few from significant years in your life. Otherwise, note the important dates in a digital calendar or create a vision board to creatively remember what was in the planner before you toss it. .

I have more questions. What do I do now?

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