This is perhaps one of the best posts I will ever write on my blog. It is about ALL of my favourite planners that I own and love using. So if you’re a planner addict just like me then you’re definitely going to want to read on. Most people either have no planner, own a planner but don’t know how to use it effectively or own too many without actually figuring out what each one does. Being productive (properly) is a skill that you learn over time.
I’m still learning new things about productivity myself. I enjoy being productive and organised because it brings calm and order into my slightly chaotic and pretty fast-paced life. I hear you how can we possibly have a fast-paced life during lockdown restrictions, but when you are trying to make things happen for yourself and build a business from home, the to-do lists are endless.
Full Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links which means that when you click on these links and buy something, I may earn a little commission but it does not affect you in any way. I only recommend products I myself love, know about and/or have purchased before. Some items may have been gifted for review but all of the opinions are 100% my own 😊 Here is my full disclaimer
If you follow me on Instagram, I talk about the need to be realistic when it comes to being productive. This is also true when using the perfect planner to organise your house, kids, business & life. It may make sense for some people to only use one main planner for everything but I like to use multiple ones just as it is easier to maintain this way and doesn’t get too overwhelming.
Types of Planners
There are many different types of planners or categories you can own. They can be divided into various categories that fit throughout your life requirements and needs. This allows each area of your life to have its own agenda, to-do list and planner. One benefit of doing it this way is that you’re not aimlessly multi-tasking and stressing yourself over missing something. Some examples of categories could be home management, kids, business, fitness and personal needs.
In my opinion, one of the most important planners to have is a home management planner. This acts like your home’s user manual. You use it to run and maintain your house and family. These could include areas such as meal planning, finances, cleaning, home maintenance, DIY projects, renovations, family holidays, packing lists and so on. You can use a standard planner for this or a binder and customise it your own way to fit the areas you would like to cover. I will be creating my own printables for you to use in a Master Home Planner so that you can pick and choose and create your own! Be sure to subscribe below for access to my FREE resource library.
My Favourite Planners
All my friends and family knew how much I loved planners, and practically received one for every gift. I remember seeing my mum and her sister use their Filofax Zip planners and always wanted one. I literally couldn’t wait until I got older so I could get one myself. So over the years, my collection of planners grew bigger and bigger. And with it, my love for planning and being super organised just developed. I always looked for ways to make my life easier. Always wanted to organise my stationery drawers so it looked pretty and functional. It not only helps you to stay on top of your responsibilities, commitments and appointments, but it helps you keep a sense of calm about yourself and life. When you have everything noted down, and in the order in which it makes life simpler, then life will no doubt be simple.
Ok, enough life lessons, we know you’re here to find yourself the best planner for your needs. So, here is my collection of planners and what I use them for:
Personal Gucci Organiser
The first planner I had ever received/ owned was a gift from my parents for the completion of my A-Levels! It was also the first luxury item I had ever owned, so doubly exciting and meaningful for me. I had received a Gucci Organiser! It was (and still is) so chic and luxury I honestly cannot put it down. It is in the size “personal” so very handy for carrying around with you in your handbag! This really makes this organiser the perfect addition to a busy mum’s life and business owner. You can carry it around with you on all your appointments, school runs, parent meetings, events etc. The possibilities are endless and the fact that it’s a binder style you can change up the inserts to whatever you need.
Related Posts
I had recently had the pleasure of meeting with a wonderful designer from Plan & Paper who creates gorgeous organiser inserts. She sells a variety of things including stationery, pens, dashboards, journaling cards, stickers, sticky notes and inserts. I was very kindly *gifted* a great compilation of inserts including some very pretty dashboards for my finances section and to-do list pages. They look so pretty in my organiser and they make me want to sit and plan all day long.
Original Filofax A5 Organiser
The next organiser I bought was the Filofax Original A5 zipped Organiser and I fulfilled the childhood dream of wanting an organiser like my mum! It was large and pink and came with card slots and a notepad at the back. It was, to me, the most perfect organiser ever and it’s just so handy. The Original Organiser is the one that I think would be the most suitable for my Home Management Organiser as it would fit a lot and it’s not too small so easier to read and write in.
It can also be zipped so any loose pages or post-its etc will be safe. I can’t actually find the exact same one on the Filofax website but here is a pretty similar one. If you’re looking to get anything on the Filofax website then you are more then welcome to use my code STYLINGLIFETODAY for 10% off both the US and UK sites.
Mrs Hinch Activity Journal
I joined the cleaning ladies’ craze and bought the Mrs Hinch Activity Journal. I will be honest with you, where it isn’t so expensive, it just seems a little pointless to me. Yes, I love the pages where you can specify the cleaning you will be doing and what you actually achieved that week, but the rest of the journal seems like a waste of paper. The rest of the pages are actually activities such as colouring-in, games and some light reading. I honestly haven’t used mine much and not sure if I will but if you enjoy fun activities then this may suit you.
It may be suitable for a cleaning type of organiser where you can follow Mrs Hinch’s lead and note down your cleaning schedule, but I would much rather create my own and put it together in a binder. And as my aim is to help busy mums stay organised and productive, I cannot recommend purchasing it as it is. If you’re looking for a condensed version without the activities and just her lists then check out the Mrs Hinch Little Book of Lists. It’s a binder type notebook in hardback and in a smaller size so more compact to carry around.
Filofax A5 Clipbook
When I became a Brand Ambassador for Filofax I was very kindly introduced to this amazing little Clipbook. At first, I had no idea what a clipbook meant but once it arrived I was instantly hooked. It is like an organiser but so much more lightweight. It is a binder type of organiser so pages and inserts can be removed, added, replaced and moved around as and when it’s needed. And there are such amazing inserts you can use with this. From lined paper to plain, to squared plus there are monthly planner sections with boxes large enough to write in.
There are weekly inserts with grid boxes. This is my favourite insert as I use the grid to plan out my IG content hence the grid looks like my Insta grid so works sooo well. It has to-do lists and notes too. The inserts are affordable so you can change things up whenever you want, and you can customise the clipbook with stickers, washi tape, clips and dividers even. Whatever #planneraddict style you have, it will no doubt suit you. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, as I will be having an amazing Filofax giveaway soon and you could win a clipbook.
Letts of London Un-dated 5-Year Diary
I have to say that I love my Letts of London 5-year diary. It is a beautiful shade of pink and looks like a diary I used to keep when I was younger for about 10 years of my life. Such a crazy yet sentimental thing to look over now. The best thing about this diary is that it is un-dated. This means that you can start and stop anywhere you like. I use it to jot down special family moments with the children to look back later and remember their first tooth, crawl, step and more.
It’s pretty and gentle that I feel like it should be behind glass and not used. I love this diary and I use it for personal use on and off and the beauty of it is that I can just add the dates when I need to use it. Letts of London is an iconic British brand known for its chic and luxury designs. You can use my code STYLINGLIFETODAY for 10% off Letts of London in the UK and US.
Mal Paper Daily Goal-Setter Planner
I recently stumbled across this company and I was sucked in at first sight. When I received the very kind *gift* then sent through – my Goal-Setter Planner, I thought it was going to be another touchy-feely type of journal. Boy was I wrong. It is a gratitude journal too but the layout of the pages and the sections are just amazing for to-do lists and goals. I literally want to use this planner as my main brain dump to-do list planner.
This way I can focus out ALL my thoughts that seem to be rolling around in my head, all in one spot. From there I can use this to make my smaller, more manageable tasks and transfer them onto their corresponding planners. For example, anything family-related will then go over to the Filofax A5 Organiser. I am in love with this and have been using it every Sunday for my reflection and productivity day.
This is where I look over the tasks I had set myself for the week, ticking off what I had achieved and making a new list for things that I was realistically going to get done the coming week. This includes adding in any family commitments, work, appointments. I highly recommend checking them out.
Related Posts
- Why you should be more organised
- How to live a zero-waste life in 7 ways
- Declutter your home in 10 easy steps
Personalised Foil Notebook from the Old English Company
I was kindly *gifted* the Personalised Foil Notebook by the Old English Company. It may seem like your standard lined notebook but it’s definitely more than that. This notebook is gorgeous and feels incredibly soft and luxurious. It’s also in my favourite colour blush pink and I had it personalised with my brand name: StylingLifeToday. The notebook comes in a few other colours so you can pick and choose what suits you best.
The paper quality is what you would hope for from a notebook: thick and doesn’t run through to the other side. I use this notebook for taking and compiling notes and cheatsheets from various courses I am currently taking to further my knowledge so that I may be able to pass it along to you. It folds comfortably and stays in place when I turn over the pages too.
There are quite a few different quotes to choose from so you are spoilt for choice. I also absolutely love the quote that I chose as it is perfect for what we are trying to achieve here: be organised and productive in such a way that makes our lives easier to live and manage. That way our day, week, month and year are conquered in the best way possible.
The Daily Greatness Journal
If you’re looking for a journal to help you set (and reach) your goals then The Daily Greatness Journal is the one for you. I had purchased this journal years ago with no idea on how to use it. Once I started going through the guided journaling prompts and sections I managed to put together my goals for the next 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.
When I mean goals, these were the I would love to have this happen to my life type of goals. And you know what, I ACTUALLY achieved them. I was surprised myself but I achieved them. If you want to read more about The Daily Greatness Journal then check out this post I wrote. They have journals for different areas of your life so you can be sure to find one that suits you. I had gone for the Original version. You can use my referral link for 10% off your very own journal. I am being super honest here – I love this journal and it works.
*some of the items that I have specified above were gifted to me but the opinions are 100% my own
** some of the links in this post are commissionable and I may receive a commission if you purchase something
What’s your favourite planner?
Be sure to subscribe to my blog updates for more productivity tips, guides and ideas straight to your inbox
Til next time
I’m trying to get into journaling a bit more. I got both a concert tracking and travel journal as gifts last Christmas, but sadly neither one could get much use this year! The Daily Greatness Journal looks right up my alley, though. I think that might have to make my Christmas list for this year!
I highly recommend it for sure! It literally helped me achieve the best and biggest goals of my life!
I love journals and planners and have a whole collection. I made note of some of the ones you photographed. Thanks.
Oh yah that sounds amazing…I would love to see your collection!