Whether you dread the summer months and steamy discomfort (yep, that’s me), or you love the summer (because free vitamin D?), or you are indifferent and maybe just tolerate it as the gateway to autumn (the clear winner of Mid-Atlantic seasons)—something we can all look forward to is Planner Season!
For you newcomers to the analog planning world, planner season exists! It really ramps up in July and August as people prepare for the school year (at least here in America; keep reading for more on that), though you can find planners that are designed for a calendar year, or no year at all.
How many of you have thought: “I can’t plan on paper. There are too many things to juggle and I can’t take the time to write it down. I must use a digital format.”? <raises hand>
One thing I love about the stationery world is its consistency in an ever growing world of technology. As AI infiltrates our daily lives and changes the way we think and operate, analog is here to remind us to slow down and enjoy the process. When we are constantly bombarded with the need to do more things faster, analog reminds us to pause and think about quality over quantity.
So, how does one get into paper planning? That part is easy—just start. One little itty bitty baby step. Maybe you write down a task on a sticky note, or scrap of paper. Nice start! Then perhaps you get yourself a notepad and a little treat because you just took another step toward planning.
What happens when you are ready for a whole planner? There are a couple questions you get to ask yourself that will help you make an informed decision.
- Hard cover or soft cover?
- Spiral bound or spine bound?
- Dated or undated?
- Yearly, Monthly, Weekly, or Daily?
- Size - A4, A5, B5, B6, A6 - what does this mean!?!?
- Fixed or refillable?
Everything else can answer the question “What do you want?” <thinks about Ryan Gosling’s The Notebook quote and giggles>
- Color/Design?
- Brand?
- Budget?
- Extra features?
Today, my response to those first questions is: soft cover, spine bound (flat lay), dated, monthly/daily, A6, fixed (you can see images below). I am currently using a Hobonichi Techo 2024 Spring Start (note: this planner is low in stock and is not available at Penny Post). Fun fact about some Japanese planner options though—the school year begins in April in Japan so there are often options for a planner that begins in April. As a tardy American planner, this worked out perfectly for me when I was shopping for a planner in May. I often struggle with feeling like I have to conform to a specific type of planning, that I must discover the perfect format for me. In reality, your optimal planner style may change over time, even multiple times in the same year. THAT’S OK!
One of my favorite—and very popular—styles of planners are those by Appointed. Appointed has a fantastic curation of notebooks, workbooks, notepads, planners and calendars. I love their sleek and simple design, broad selection of vibrant, but not too flashy colors. You can monogram your notebook through Appointed’s website or better yet, through their flagship storefront which is, fortuitously for us in Alexandria, located not far in Ivy City, Washington, DC. They even have a ‘planner quiz’ that suggests products based on your responses—to help pick the right planner for you.
The signature spiral bind ensures you can open the planner all the way, saving precious desk space. Appointed uses 70lb paper which corresponds to about 105+ gsm. This isn’t the very best paper for fountain pens, but with a finer nib pen it works just fine. If you’re using a broader nib pen, you’ll likely see more feathering. But, pssst, those Zebra Sarasa Clip pens are a DREAM in this planner.
For those of you who want a little more modularity in your planner, did you know that Penny Post is a Traveler’s Company Official Partner Shop? We eagerly received our designation last fall, and began stamping everything with our official store stamp in November. One notable element of Traveler’s Company Notebooks is just how customizable their system is. Any time of year you can pick up their ‘free’ planner refills. Free, in this instance, means undated, which gives you full freedom to use the planner how and when it works for you (and they’re only $8.50 - $15).
So, if you want a planner that serves as part of another system (journal, morning pages, sketching), or if you want to create your Traveler’s Notebook as your go-to planner system, there are SO many options! Regular size or Passport size? Regular TC Notebooks are a bit like an A5 notebook cut down the middle. You can see my TC Regular Notebook in Olive below next to our stock image. Check out that patina!
In addition to Appointed and Traveler’s Company, Penny Post has everything you’ll need to get your planner season kicked off. Brands like: The Completist, Rifle Paper Co., Poketo, Leuchtturm1917, Notem, and more will spark your creativity and laundry list of other little ephemera you didn’t know you needed. Pop into the shop and ask our team for their favorites! Until then..
Write on!