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When you choose a planner binder, make sure the rings are big enough. Most are 0.9 to 1-inch, which means you can insert about 150 to 200 sheets of paper. A year’s worth of weekly schedules is already 100 pages, so if you get something too small, you may have to give up your contacts section.
Notebook planners have all the basics inside, such as annual calendars, monthly or weekly schedules, to-do lists, and pages for notes.
Most are for 12 months starting from January, and when September rolls around, shelves are lined with the following year’s planners. You can’t change the pages that are inside, which means you don’t have to worry about refills.
From planners with hourly schedules to planners that are like productivity coaches–enjoining you to jot down your goals and plans–there are all sorts of types out there. It’s fun to look at all of them and figure out what you like best.
If there’s a lot in the planner, though, it’ll be thick and heavy. If you want something light, then you'll need to choose a thin monthly or weekly planner, rather than a page-heavy daily one.
When looking at size, ask yourself the following questions: is it easy to carry around and is it easy to write in? If you’re looking for something that will fit in your purse, go for something compact, such as a 5 by 8-inch planner. If you want a planner with plenty of space to write in, then go ahead and get one that’s closer to 11.4 by 9.5 inches.
Smaller options may be easy to carry around, but you’ll have to cram in all your notes. On the other hand, huge planners leave plenty of space for writing, but take up more room in your bag. So figure out what means more to you.
If you’re on the fence, then just go for the middle ground. One that's A5 (around 8 by 12 inches) or B5 (around 7 by 10 inches) is a good size.
Planners have different layouts. To choose between them, think about how much organizing you need in your life. If you need to plan for the long term and jot down big dates–business trips, conferences, and deadlines–then get a monthly planner. These have a calendar that spreads across two pages and spans 31 days.
If you just need to scribble down a few important tasks per day, then a weekly planner could be for you.
There are two main types. One has the days of the week listed down the page on the left, and lines for note-taking on the right. These are flexible–you can write whatever you want in them. The other has the days of the week spread out in boxes across two pages. These are great for organizing and planning out a weekly schedule.
Then there's the daily planner, which gives you an entire page to write down your plans for a single day. Get one if you like planning out your day in detail.
This holds doubly true if you’ll be writing in front of clients from various backgrounds. Though it may sometimes be hard to draw the line between unprofessional and professional, a subdued design and color is the safest, most practical choice.
When in a business setting, you generally don’t want to use a battered planner in front of your clients, boss, or colleagues. So pick something that’s durable, with a tough cover, like faux leather. Don’t get a plastic cover because they tend to crack.
If you want to protect your planner from coffee stains, you could also purchase an additional transparent protector for your book. If you want the planner to look luxurious, you can also choose one with a cover that simulates leather.
The important thing is that you find a planner that looks good for at least a year. So think twice about that genuine leather planner–because it needs to be handled gently and stains in the rain. If you want something that is low maintenance, go with faux.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Traveler’s Company Traveler’s Notebook Brown Leather|Small | $49.99 High Mid | A Beautiful Planner With Space for Creativity | ||
2 | Gallery Leather Desk Weekly Planner | $24.00 Mid | A Handcrafted, Colorful Planner That Let's You Plan Two Years Ahead | ||
3 | Book Factory 2021 Weekly Pocket Calendar | $9.99 Low | Cost-Effective and All-Inclusive Pocket-Size Planner | ||
4 | Action Day Weekly Planner 2021|6x8 in. | $19.99 Mid | Get Things Done With This Goal-Oriented Planner | ||
5 | Papercode The Simple Elephant | $17.99 Mid | All-in-One Planner, Journal and Guide | ||
6 | Lemome Planner 2021 | $14.44 Low Mid | A Classic and High-Quality Planner With Simple Features | ||
7 | At-a-Glance Monthly Planner|Large | $16.99 Mid | Tabbed to Make Each Month Easy to Reference | ||
8 | Global Printed Products Monthly & Weekly Planner | $12.95 Low Mid | Minimalist Riff on the Dotted Journal | ||
9 | Filofax Malden Ochre Personal Size Leather Organizer | $99.95 High | Look More Professional With a Luxurious Leather Option | ||
10 | Panda Planner Best Daily Calendar | $20.97 Mid | Motivate Yourself by Writing down Priorities, Reviews, and Tasks |
If you go on overseas business trips, you’ll be happy to know it also contains colored world maps and international calling codes.
The planner’s durability seems to be on the weak side, with some reviewers saying the cover comes off easily. It doesn’t lie flat on the desk either. But it’s a good choice if you’re new to planning out your life on paper and don’t know if you can keep it up.
This planner is 8 by 6 by 0.7 inches and there’s a larger option, too. It has an elastic band, a pen loop, and a durable cover that keeps the planner from getting all smushed in your bag.
The sheets are A5, and it comes with a pocket, a pen holder, an elastic band, and three string dividers.
It’s like a desk calendar, so you can take one look and figure out what you’ve got planned for the month. And the squares for each day are big enough to jot down a few appointments.
It lies flat on your desk, so it’s easy to write in. The book is 5 by 8 inches, but it’s also available in bigger sizes. However, its simplicity has some drawbacks.
There’s little space to take notes, so if you have a lot to record, you’ll have to get a separate notepad. Reviewers like that it's practical and how most pens don't bleed through the pages.
Reviewers like that dates aren't preprinted, so you can utilize the book efficiently if you don't like writing in it on weekends or holidays. They also like that it has so many ways to help you organize yourself and keep track of your goals.
Besides planners, you can use journals or plain notebooks to help you keep track of your life and goals. It can also be stress relieving or motivating to write your feelings in a diary. Regardless of what purpose you will use a new writing book for, check out some of our articles below if you need a little help choosing the best one.
No. 1: Traveler’s Company|Traveler’s Notebook Brown Leather|Small
No. 2: Gallery Leather|Desk Weekly Planner
No. 3: Book Factory|2021 Weekly Pocket Calendar
No. 4: Action Day|Weekly Planner 2021|6x8 in.
No. 5: Papercode|The Simple Elephant
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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