How to Pick a Paper Planner that is Right For You

For those who don't know, paper planners are generally launched twice per year. Once at the end of the school year, for those who favor an academic date structure (August - July) and then in the fall for those who prefer a calendar date structure (January - December). For a paper planner girl like me, both times feel like Christmas. New layouts, new covers and lots and lots of new accessories gives a fresh start and a lighter wallet. (oops) But for someone who is new to paper planners, or who has bought planners in the past that never get used, it can be hard to know what to choose. Even more so, what planner will ACTUALLY get used on a regular basis and perform its intended function of getting and keeping you organized.

There are many factors to consider as a new planner user. Here are some tips to help you make the most well informed choice. Even though the cover is beautiful, doesn't mean that it is the perfect planner for you.

Think about what you need from the pages

Do you need to be able to have a monthly view so that you can see birthdays and appointments in one glance?

Will you be using the daily pages to plan out timed meetings?

Are you a week-by-week person who prefers to be able to see a whole week at a time rather then a single day or month?

Do you need it to include pages for guided goal setting or habit tracking?

Will you be including the daily needs of your planner with other tasks like meal planning or budgeting?

Do you want one planner that you can use for both a full time job and your home life?

These are all important factors to consider.

Be willing to try out different page types

The best thing out there are the free printable versions of a specific type of page. Try printing them out and using them for a period of time before you invest in a full planner with it.

Keep in mind that a planner is a tool. If a page setup doesn't come naturally to you, then it may not fit your needs. Don't be afraid to try out several formats before you commit.

Consider the size and the way it is put together

Is this something that you plan to carry around daily? Then be sure to check dimensions. Weekly and monthly planners without daily pages tend to be thinner and more easily transportable. Daily planners on the other hand tend to be much thicker.

Binding also plays a major factor in portability. Coil and disk bound planners take up a lot more space then a flay-lay or book type planner does.

A major plus for any disc-bound planner is that you can very easily add or take away pages as needed. They are also very adaptable if you are looking to "Frankenstein" your own planner with pages from different sources.

Weigh the cost

Planners have a very very wide price range. From as little five dollars to upwards of well over sixty dollars, planners can sometimes break the bank. Know what you want to spend before you get into it.

Hopefully the tips above help you on your paper planner search. I have tried several different planners over the last few years until I found the right one. The right one for you is out there. I am sure of it.