Planners for (Almost) Every Kind of Person

One of these days, I’m going to find the right planner for me. It hasn’t happened yet; I haven’t managed to stick with one through the end of the year. Not even in school, when we all had the same super-cool millennium ones. That said, given that I’ve spent thirty-odd years trying to find the best planner, it means I have a good idea of which ones are worth your hard-earned coin. Below is a round-up of some of the best and most beloved in the planner world to help you start the year with your best, most organized foot forward.

For Beginners: Luechtturm1917 Weekly

The Luechtturm1917 Weekly planner is as simple to use as its name is difficult to pronounce. This is a great no-frills option for those who just need something to jot down their week in. The left side is a basic weekly calendar page with blank spaces to highlight important appointments/meetings, while the right side is either lined or dot-grid paper (I prefer lined, but the BuJo die-hards go for the dot-grid) to write notes like weekly tasks, reminders, or just doodles. It’s a great option for those who are just starting out with a planner, those who are put off by too many bells and whistles, and those who just need a place to brain dump when they get overwhelmed by the Sunday scaries. It’s also pretty dang inexpensive, with the pocket-sized A6 coming in at $22.

For the Optimizers: Hobonichi Techo

Listen—as something of a stationery connoisseur, I can say with my full chest that Japan knows its stuff. Hobonichi has a cult following for a reason, and the reason is that this planner is simply one of the best on the market. This one does run a little pricier at $47, but you’re definitely getting a quality product. It’s comprised of leather-bound Tomoe River paper—a specialty paper that’s extremely thin but bleed-through resistant, keeping the book slim. There are monthly and daily spreads, as well as a neat yearly index page that allows you to do high-level planning for longer events, like traveling. There are also plenty of additional pages, like a contacts page and blank note-taking pages. And if you want a little more control over your week, the Hobonichi Cousin is the Techo’s more detailed, well, cousin. It’s a bit bigger and includes weekly pages and even more specialty pages.

For Those Wanting Something Pretty: Erin Condren LifePlanner

If the first two planners I showed you were a little too vanilla for your taste, may I recommend Erin Condren? Named for its founder, Erin Condren planners have a dedicated fan base. This is partially due to their bright patterned covers, and partially due to the sheer variety the company offers. They offer work planners, school planners, wellness planners, budget planners, even home organization planners, in various sizes and with custom insert options. And that doesn’t even cover the accessories, like stickers and pens and tabs and washi tape. Whatever your heart desires, Erin is your girl. The only downsides are the cost (the classic LifePlanner starts at $60-65 while the daily Duo starts at $80, and both go up with customizations) and that they can get pretty big and unwieldy. The Erin Condren lifestyle is not for the faint of heart and can be a bit overwhelming.

For Students: Clever Fox Weekly Planner

College students have specific planner needs because they’re usually balancing schoolwork with jobs and social obligations. I like the Clever Fox brand for students because it’s got enough bells and whistles to accommodate several intersecting areas of life, but it also has pages dedicated to sorting out larger goals and taking some time for oneself. College is a time when people make a lot of big decisions, so having the space to think big and then plan small is important. Clever Fox is approachable and fun, both necessary for keeping track of college life. It’s also fairly inexpensive, another important feature for students—it comes out to around $25.

For Control Freaks: Agendio

Last but not least, this one is for my Amy Santiago types; I can’t be you (because of the ADHD), but I do love you. And I respect your need to have everything exactly as you need it. And so, as it happens, does Agendio. Their program allows you to design every single aspect of your planner pages, from the layout and fonts down to the size of the margins between modules. You can drag and drop, label and collate to your heart’s desire to create your perfect Franken-planner. And if all of that sounds intriguing but daunting (I, too, do not possess a passion for graphic design), they also have templates to give you a jumping-off point, as well as a community upload section with pages made by fellow Agendio-ers. The planners start at $40, but depending on how wild you get with the add-ons and customizations, the price can go up from there.

I know that in the age of smart-everything, a paper planner might seem too old-school to function. Back in the ’90s, we hung our entire household on my mom’s classic At-A-Glance weekly—which she ditched the minute Google Calendar was born. But I still think that the brain-hand-paper connection is stronger than the brain-phone one. Not only that, but it’s also nice to be able to take a few minutes to yourself every day, away from the screens, to get focused and set some intentions. So if you’ve been meaning to try a planner, maybe now’s the time.