The Post You've Been Texting Me About! Planner Reviews! {And a Giveaway}

You people must think I'm a planner expert. Maybe it's self-proclaimed.....that's definitely a possibility. 

So when I found out my friend Emmy from Much Ado About you was closing up shop, I just about lost it. 

Then I put my big girl panties on and decided to start looking for another option. I bought several....because I'm a nerd like that. Then I decided to take mediocre iphone pictures of them all for you to see. 

I have decided on what I'm using next year (even though I'm not 100% in love), and I promise to tell by the end. 

So I have 5 that you'll see here and then there is a 6th option that I didn't buy that many of you may like, but it's just not for me, so I didn't waste my money. 

1st up is a cute little polka dot planner that I found on Amazon for $15. It is an August 2013-July 2014 planner with both a monthly and weekly layout. The front and back cover are made of very thick cardstock. 

It is the smallest of the bunch and the most low key. If you're not that into planners but need a place to jot things down, this may be it. 

The front has numerous notes pages.  

It includes a 2-page monthly spread for each month.

The 2-page weekly spread has a place for appointments and to-dos and also features a section for notes at the bottom.

The back includes a Special Days section, future planning section, and a place for contacts.

Cons:

• May not last long term due to quality
• No tabs

Pros: 

• Small enough to carry around everywhere! 
• low cost 

Next Up: The Tomorrow planner. 

This is an undated planner with both a weekly and monthly spread. The front cover is shiny like a black patent leather purse, but it's really just a durable plastic. I found this planner here for $32. The ones on the site are prettier than mine! I think they're new! 

The inside cover features a plastic pocket (love that!) and this beautiful phrase: {Draw Your Tomorrow}. 

This is an undated planner, so you would have to write in the dates on the monthly spread.

Below is a shot of the weekly layout. (There are much better pictures on their website).

It also has plenty of notes pages in the back as well as another pocket on the back cover.

Pros:

• Size is small enough to fit in your purse and carry anywhere! 
• Undated means you can purchase one at any time and start using it. 
• Durable cover

Cons: 

• No monthly tabs (All the months are at the front of this planner....not in front of their respective weeks). 
• Undated....I personally don't want to fill in all the dates. 

I have a feeling this next one may be it for some of you. It is a Lilly Pulitzer Agenda (Large). You can find it here or on amazon. I personally bought mine on amazon. There are multiple sizes to pick from.

This is a August 2014-December 2014 planner with both a weekly and monthly layout. It has thick, durable cover and a rubber band to keep it closed. 

 Ahhh! Monthly tabs!

The inside cover features a double sided card stock pocket to collect fun things.

It features a page of stickers! How fun is that?!

 It's the most colorful planner in the group!

This planner has the monthly spread both at the front (all together) and then throughout the planner (where you see the tabs) before the weekly layouts for each month. 

It also features a "Dates to Celebrate" section, "Holidays and Horoscopes," and a "Notes" section. 

Pros:

• Long term planner that you could begin using immediately
• It's colorful! 
• Durable monthly tabs!
• Stickers....I'm almost 30 and I still love stickers. 

Cons: 

• Thick and not as easy to tote around 
• weekly layout isn't divided into any kind of sections (that is a personal issue) 

I really love this planner and would probably use it if I liked the way the days were arranged in the weekly layout. 

Next up.....some cuteness from http://www.stephaniecreekmur.com/. This planner is cute and girly and happy. I will give it that. The Stephanie Creekmur planner runs from August 2013-January 2015 and can be found here for $50. This planner features a weekly and monthly layout. 

And I love the inside cover....

The weekends throughout this planner are in a fun pattern (as well as the notes sections). The monthly spreads are found at the beginning of the planner. (not in front of their respective weeks)

The weekly spread simply has open space and a place to the right for notes.

Pros: 

• It's pretty. 
• Long term planner that you could begin using immediately. 
• It is smaller and more portable than the Lilly Pulitzer planner. 

Cons:

• It's pricey. 
• There are no monthly tabs! 
• The months are found at the beginning of the planner....(again, a personal issue)

Then there is always the Erin Condren Life Planner. If I liked the weekly layout of this planner (which means....if it had appointment times) this would be the winner in a heartbeat. This is the planner I don't have pictures of because I knew it wasn't right for me. 

I would HIGHLY recommend checking out this planner. There are tons of people who love it. I just personally cannot stand the Morning, Afternoon, and Evening separation of the days. I need times. It's an issue. 

Pros to the Erin Condren Life Planner:

• Durable
• You pick the start date
• Beautiful designs
• laminated monthly tabs!

Cons: 

• weekly layout makes me crazy (again, a personal problem) 
• a little pricey (but absolutely worth the money) 

I feel like I should also say that I have numerous products from this website including the Jumbo Planner, the Weekly Schedule Pad, the notebooks, the Functional Family System, the Teacher planner, and more stuff that I'm not going to list because I realize I may have a problem....anyways, the point is, check out the Life Planner. 

So my personal planner choice for 2014 is......

The Whitney English Day Designer. You can find it here for $55. 

Now, I want to say that I know full and well that this planner is not for everyone, and I will admit that it is far from my perfect planner, but it was the closest thing I could find. 

 This is a monthly and daily layout planner that runs from January 2014- December 2014. I can't believe I'm picking a daily layout, but it's the best I could find!

This thing is huge (major con) but the cover seems durable. You have to set goals and fill out worksheets before you can even start using the thing (which is sort of my love language).

The monthly layout has a place for you to revisit the goals you set at the beginning of the year. 

And a place for all your big ideas....which I like....since I have lots of Big ideas....like no social media for a year! Who does that?!

This is a peek at the daily layout. I admit it's a little overwhelming, but I love that it has the times in the left hand column and a list of to dos in the right. It also has a place for you to identify your top 3 things for the day as well as a place to record something you're grateful for. 

There is also a place to plan dinner, track your spending, and remind yourself to not forget that special something!

Then, Saturday and Sunday are listed together on one page with a reminder to take time out to do fun things.

Pros: 

• Extremely well thought out and intentional 
• Durable
• Daily layout including time schedule (love those time slots!)

Cons: 

• It's HUGE! 
• There are no tabs at all
• Doesn't start until January :( I'm ready to use it now! 

So there you have it. There they are (minus the Erin Condren....which I'm pretty sure most of you will buy). Do not judge me by the lack of paint on my toenails. (And that's my golden retriever's foot....just in case you were curious. He was not interested in moving for my picture.) I'm going with the giant one....because I'm crazy like that. 

The question is.....what's your pick? Comment below and you just may win it. I'm giving away the 4 I'm not using, but you've got to comment below to be entered into the drawing. I'll draw 4 winners on Sunday, November 10th. Be sure to mention the one you think you'd like the most! 

Happy planning friends.