How to choose a planner for a new upcoming situation

I've been seeing online a lot of people who are about to go through a transition and are looking for advice on which planner to choose. This is actually a big challenge: finding a planner that will work for you in a situation you haven't experienced yet. It's hard to know what you will need before you're there. But those of us who like planners and planning want to have a system set up before we start, so we don't have to spend the first week(s) in our new situation with the added stress of having to figure out our planner setup.

Maybe you are starting grad school or a new job. Maybe you are having a baby, or going from kids at home to kids at school. Maybe (like me) your kids are getting older are starting new activities along with ramped up homework and school trips. Maybe you are moving internationally. (If you are, feel free to contact me, I've moved internationally a bajillion times and know the drill.)

Whatever your new upcoming situation, here's how to figure out a planner that will work for you.

Option 1: Choose a planner that has worked for you in the past:

Even if you haven't been in the same situation before, you might try a planner that worked well for you in similar circumstances. For example, if you had a really busy time in the past and are about to be really busy again, use the same planner you used then.

The year I was really busy working full time, taking graduate classes, applying to graduate schools and getting ready to move, I used a Septanote academic year planner. Years later when I moved internationally with my family, I used a Trinote (which has the same format January-December). That format (vertical days with space for lists) worked well for me during busy, transitional times.

Option 2: Use a planner that works for other people in the same situation:

In my online research on Uncalendar planners I discovered several nursing student message boards asking which planner works well during busy, pulled-in-all-directions nursing school. Over and over again people recommended the full size Uncalendar. Search online and ask people who do what you are about to do what works for them.You might even find planners designed specifically for that situation or profession.

Option 3: Experiment:

Experimentation doesn't have to mean the expense of buying and trying lots of different planners. The only thing that matters right now is page layout and size. Focus on those. Covers, accessories, everything else can wait.

Start with the page size you will need (or think you will need) and draw up or print a page layout in that size. Do you like the look of a particular planner's page layout? Draw up a few weeks' worth to try out and see if it will work for you. You can do this with a few different types and use them sequentially (or even simultaneously if you can keep them synched) to figure out what might work well for you.

Once you have figured out the format of pages you need, then you can figure out what type of book will hold them. Below is a summary of your dilemma. You need a balance of flexibility and portability. 

Bulky and heavy--------------------------------------------------------------------Lighter/ more portable
Ring binder (Filofax etc.)       Travelers' Notebook (booklets in cover)          Bound book



Flexible use-----------------------------------------------------------------------------More rigid use
Ring binder (Filofax etc.)       Travelers' Notebook (booklets in cover)          Bound book

Be open minded. You might need to try something you've never considered before.  And in the end, you won't really know what will work until you are in the situation and living your new life. If you get rolling and discover the planner you're using isn't working, give yourself permission to try something else.

Have you been in this situation before? How did you figure out your planner setup?

A5 and Half size Academic year planners

Letts academic year planner

A friend of mine in the US contacted me yesterday to ask for recommendations for A5/ Half size academic year planners. Even though there is generally a smaller selection of planners mid year than for the calendar year, there are definitely options in this size.

I'm located in the UK so I don't know what's available in US stores, but I see folks posting online about planners they buy at Target, WalMart, and Barnes and Noble. They seem to have a decent selection, so it's worth looking there.

WeekDate's Academic year planner is A5 size. They are great if you have weekly recurring events. You can see my full review here with lots of photos and links to their product pages.

The Passion Planner has a Kickstarter campaign for their new academic year planner, you can see it here. They also have an undated version of their planner, it's here.

Moleskine's large size is nearly the same size as A5, just a little narrower. Their 18 month weekly notebook is always popular. They are easy to find on Amazon or at retailers.

Quo Vadis has a great range of academic year planners. Their Academic Minister (vertical days) or Scholar (horizontal days) weekly planners are just slightly larger than A5 but still slim and light.

There's also the Half size Uncalendar, it's undated so you can start it any time. Here is their product page and here is my review of it (from a few years ago). 

Here in the UK, A5 is the most popular planner size so there are tons of planners available, although they tend to all have the same daily or week on two pages format. I bought a Letts academic planner to check it out, and I am impressed with it. It has a week on two pages layout with space above the Monday for lists and notes. All US and UK holidays are printed in the day spaces, which is nice to not have to write those in. There are also lots of notes pages in the back: lined, grid and blank. This is the planner I bought: Letts Dazzle Academic year planner. I bought the pink one and there's no losing that thing! It's nice and bright, brighter than it shows in the photo (at the top of this post). Here is Letts full selection of academic year planners. I've ordered internationally from them before and their international shipping is pretty good.

What are your recommendations for A5 or Half size academic year planners? My friend is located in the US and would prefer not to pay international shipping. Thanks for any suggestions!

Summertime planning tips

Hi everyone! I don't have a lot of time for my Plannerisms blog these days. I put most of my planner-izing mojo into my day job as blogger on the Quo Vadis blog. But I don't want Plannerisms readers to be left out! Go check out the Quo Vadis blog and sign up for notifications so you can get all the planning goodness there too.

Today's post on Quo Vadis blog is all about how to plan ahead for a fun and relaxing summer! Check it out here: http://quovadisblog.com/2015/05/time-management-monday-planning-for-summer/

How people use their Quo Vadis planners and notebooks

Over on Quo Vadis blog we've been doing a Featured Reader series where people do guest posts showing how they use their Quo Vadis planners and notebooks. It's been really fun to see the details and photos of how people use their books!

Head on over to today's post on Quo Vadis blog for links to all of the Featured Reader posts so far.

If you use a Quo Vadis planner or notebook and would like to be a Featured Reader, email me at laurie (at) quovadisplanners (dot) com!

Ginko Papers is closing down!

I was sad today to receive an email notice that Ginko Papers is closing down. It's a shame, because they are a great source for cute and unique stationery. I think they will shut completely at the end of this month.

Go grab some stuff while you still can! www.ginkopapers.com

WeekDate 2015-2016 Academic year planner: new features!

The new 2015-2016 Academic year planners from WeekDate have lots of great new features!

One of the new features is the new chipboard covers that I will go on and on about in a minute.

First I want to show you the weekly layout. The whole concept of WeekDate planners is Only Write It Once: you write your recurring weekly events in the space at the bottom, and as you turn the weekly pages your recurring events always stay visible so you don't have to write them over and over each week.

I love the new, clean-looking font and timed daily columns!

At the right side of the page under the name of the month, there is a lined area to write tasks and reminders for that week. You could also list daily goals there and check them off each day as you complete them. There is a fold-out flap that is a great space to use as a dashboard to stick notes for more task lists or other things you need to keep in view all the time.

That flap folds in to mark your current week's page. There is a handy reference calendar for the school year there.

The weekly pages have US holidays printed on the day spaces. Week numbers are indicated, which I'll refer back to in a minute.

The space down below the week pages stays visible all the time. The daily columns are divided into threes so you can add times for morning/ afternoon/ evening, or different categories like school/ work/ home. This is where I can write my kids' afterschool activities, and even which weeks are garbage pickup or recycling. (Even weeks garbage, odd weeks recycling.) You write scheduled recurring events in pencil so you can easily change them seasonally. At the right is a lined space to write tasks to do each week like cleaning schedules, or to list things that happen every month like dates bills are due, to keep these always visible.

Embedded in the weeks are monthly calendars! Hooray! The page opposite the month is lined for notes, reminders, tasks and goals. The month calendars have a highlighted label at the right of the page so it's easy to find the month calendars within the weeks.

The day spaces have plenty of space to write in and have holidays printed in the day spaces. These calendars are great for overviews of due dates, deadlines and holidays.

Another new feature I love is shown below: the Time Tracker. I haven't quite decided yet how I'll use this, because there are several ways it can be used. I might circle holidays and deadlines in red, then fill in the circles as the days progress to have an easy visual as the days get closer. Or I might fill in the circles with color codes to indicate when I do cardio or strength exercises, for a quick overview on my exercise. You could use this page to track goals, progress, or as a countdown.

The paper is spectacular, nice and smooth with no show-through on the back side of the page even with my rollerball pens.

Now, the new chipboard covers: they are fantastic. They are firm so you can have a solid writing surface while holding the book in your hand. They have rounded corners so they won't catch in your bag, and a wire binding so the book lies flat and can be folded back on itself to save space. There is a peekaboo window that shows the design of the cover inside. Creative folks could decorate the outside of the chipboard using markers, stencils and/ or stickers to personalize it.

Here is the chipboard cover open showing the inside cover design. This one is the "Adventurista" design, there are several designs to choose from. The inside surface of the chipboard cover is a great place to put sticky notes, write quotes, or anything else you want to keep handy.

Here is a closer look at the Adventurista design!

Here is the inside of the back cover. I might stick one of those clear plastic pockets in there to hold papers and cards.

Here is the back of the chipboard cover, hand stamped with the WeekDate logo.

WeekDate planners are entirely made in the USA. And even with all these detail upgrades, they have stayed the same price as last year.

The planner is very lightweight, on my scale it's only 233g/ 8.3 ounces so it's easy to carry everywhere. The book is approximately A5 size, the cover is 6 1/2 inches wide (6 3/4 including the spiral binding) and 8 3/4 inches tall. It's a great size with lots of writing space and it's still easy to carry in your bag.

Thanks very much to WeekDate for sending me this planner to review! My daughter immediately wanted one when she saw it, so I ordered one up for her too. WeekDate ships worldwide, and I have to say $13.95 to ship to the UK is really good.

The WeekDate academic-year planners go from the beginning of August to the end of July. They are now shipping! WeekDate also makes January to December planners in a slightly different format that incorporates monthly recurring events too. The 2016's will be ready to ship soon so keep your eye on WeekDate.com for those!

WeekDate planners are great for people with ADD/ ADHD, those juggling work/ school/ family, and anyone who is busy because they keep everything visible all the time so nothing slips through the cracks. I'm all for a planner that makes my life easier with minimal effort!

New poll: What size and type of planner do you use?

There's a new poll over there in the sidebar, please vote! I know I've asked in the past what size planners people use, but this poll adds another dimension: the type of planner.

I'm interested in size, to know if people work out of big or small pages, and type, to know what styles of planners are popular right now. I know I get a lot of Filofax users here, so I'm expecting plenty of ring binder answers. But with the growing popularity of Midoris and Hobonichis I'm expecting lots of those too.

If your planner doesn't fit into any of the categories I've set, please post a comment here telling us what you use.

I'm hoping this generates a lot of discussion among planner users, especially for folks who might be struggling with their planner so they can see what other people use and get ideas for what might work for them.