A planner can truly save your life. This digital era makes us forget things faster, but when you write things down, your brain instantly shifts to remember things. Also, it's always a good idea to write things by hand, feel the paper and feel the pen gliding over it. If you're someone who loves aesthetic daily planners, then choosing one won't be a challenge. Still, there are a few features you need to consider when shopping.
How to Choose Your Daily Planner
What's Your Planner For?
Before you choose a planner, it's important to think about how you plan to use it. Will it be for meal planning, creating to-do lists, or simply keeping track of your own or your family's activities? Are you a student, a freelancer, or just looking for a way to manage your time better? Take a moment to consider, what I need my planner for. If you're a student, you'd benefit from the weekly layout that will keep track of assignment deadlines and upcoming exams. If you're a parent with young children, you might need ample space to manage their busy social calendars.
Style
Let's be honest - we all love cute and stylish plans. They simply invite you to get them. Aesthetic daily planners can actually inspire you to write things down, be it your own thoughts, quotes, or your simple "Do" list for the day.
Covers
While people often say not to judge a book by its cover, we all evaluate planners based on theirs. Your planner is a close companion, so it’s essential to choose one that brings you joy and inspires trust in its ability to keep everything organized. When picking a cover, stay authentic to yourself. Beyond looks, the thickness of the cover is also important. Thicker and hardcover covers will last. A sturdier cover suits my lifestyle and preferences perfectly!
Customization
Good planners offer a framework and a way to make things personal. They often include a monthly layout with a to-do list on the side or space for appointments and important events. But with awesome planners, you get both that structure and the freedom to express your creativity and make it uniquely yours.
At first, the idea of customizing your week with different elements, pens, highlighters, and stickers might feel a bit daunting. But once you find a system that clicks for you, you’ll be so glad you had all those choices.
The ability to tailor your layout to match your needs and style is a massive perk that I’ve seen the planner community starting to embrace, and it’s fantastic.
Hourly vs. Blocks
There are planners that let you organize your day in 30-minute segments. Some planners simply feature empty rows that you can fill in to allocate your time as you see fit. Ultimately, it depends on how much of your daily routine you want to capture in your planner. It may sound unusual, but in today’s digital world, it’s a valid consideration. Do you prefer to use your digital calendar alongside your planner, or do you want to rely solely on your planner for your entire schedule?
Monday Start vs. Sunday Start
When choosing a dated planner, you’ll need to decide whether you want your week to start on Sunday or Monday. If you opt for an undated planner, this choice may not be an issue. You can determine when your week begins. Undated planners are also beneficial because they help you avoid wasting pages. If you take a vacation and don’t use your planner for a week, you won’t lose any pages—you can simply resume when you’re ready.
Consider the Size
Think about the layout and size of your planner. Are you trying to organize your daily, weekly, or monthly tasks? Want to keep an eye on your goals? Need a spot to jot down meetings and appointments? Or maybe all of the above?
Think about the size of the planner you want. Do you need something compact that you can carry around, or are you looking for a larger planner with plenty of space for notes? Planners sized 18cm x 25cm strike the perfect balance; they're portable yet spacious enough for all your notes. These seemingly minor details can really speed up your hunt for the ideal planner.
Consider the Paper Weight
It’s one of those little things that can easily slip your mind! Honestly, the weight of the paper can really make or break your experience with a new planner. Avoid planners with thin paper that let the ink bleed through to the next pages, it'd be a total disaster. Go for daily planners with 148+ GSM paper to avoid that issue. This way, you won’t have to worry about bleed-through, and the paper will feel sturdy. Plus, your notes will look super cute, neat, and just plain gorgeous.
Do You Need Extras?
Are you thinking about adding some extra pages or sections to your planner? Maybe goal-setting pages or budgeting sheets? Or perhaps you just want more blank pages to let your creativity flow? Just remember, not every lifestyle planner offers these options.
