I’m in the market for a new planner, and finding the best planner for a busy mom is quite the undertaking!

I’ve always geeked out over planners and “agendas.” My favorite part of school supply shopping was picking out my assignment book, and now as a busy mom, my heart goes pitter patter with all of the great options!

I don’t often write about being organized, but it fits the scope of this blog. I’ve found that being organized with my time, money, plans, and responsibilities helps me be a better steward of them. I don’t always know how to get organized, but when I am organized, I feel a tremendous amount of freedom and I feel better equipped to be faithful in the tasks around me.

I’ve included some of the most popular planners on the web because they’ve earned their reputation, but I’ve included some lesser-known but super powerful planners, all which promise to help any busy mom get organized and tame the chaos!

My goal in this post is to share some of the benefits and drawbacks of each planner.

Our opinions on planners are so personal, formed by our own preferences and needs. What I love about one may be exactly what you don’t like about it and vice versa. Perhaps hearing my opinions will help you better decipher which planner is right for you.

The Best Planners for Busy Moms

liveWell planner by inkWELL Press

I absolutely love the notepads (and free downloads!) from inkWELL Press, so I really wanted to love their planners as well. The design is pretty and some of the extra pages (like the monthly budget tracker, mission board and gift tracker) seem really useful, but the rest of the planner seems to lack substance.

The planner has daily columns (vertical or horizontal), fitting on a 2-page spread so you can see a week at a time. However, the days are not broken into hourly or half-hourly time slots. Also, little room is given for jotting to-do lists or extra notes.

The 2017 planner doesn’t release until September, so I am curious to see what changes and upgrades the liveWELL Planner has this year. My fingers are crossed!

Nuts & Bolts of the liveWell Planner — 

• Size :: 7” x 9”
• View :: weekly (you can see all 7 days on a 2-page spread)
• Layout :: vertical OR horizontal
• Timeline or general :: general space
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: 3 multi-use boxes per day (could be used for meal planning, fitness goals, most important task of the day, etc.)
• Space for Lists or Notes :: one small section for note taking
• Goal setting info :: yearly and monthly goal setting sheets
• Etc. :: lot of extra planning pages for various things

Check out InkWell Press and see what you think! If you use my referral link, you’ll get $10 off when you spend $50! Check them out here.

Emily Ley :: Simplified Planner

There is so much to love about the Simplified Planner by Emily Ley. The cover designs are beautiful. The inside is clean and to-the-point, and the planners come in your choice of weekly or daily views. The daily view is listed in one-hour increments (I prefer half hour), but the line is large enough that I don’t think this would cause me a headache.

This planner includes ample space for a to-do list and space for meal planning as well. The Simplified Planner is, in fact, simple. Bells and whistles aren’t included, but at least with this planner, simple works. Starting at $58, the Simplified Planner isn’t cheap, but it sure is beautiful. This one is definitely a finalist in my new planner search.

Nuts & Bolts of the Simplified Planner  — (daily edition)

• Size :: 6.75 x 9 inches (7.75 x 9″ including binding)
• View :: daily (every day has it’s one page)
• Layout :: vertical columns
• Timeline or general :: timeline in one-hour increments
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: space for dinner plans
• Space for Lists or Notes :: the daily edition has lots of space for notes, to-dos, and dinner
• Goal setting info :: none
• Etc. :: reinforced corners, extra pocket inside front cover

{psst :: If you’re looking for a homemaking binder, you’ll love Emily’s Home Base Binder Kit.}

Erin Condren :: LifePlanner

The Erin Condren Life Planner’s are some of the most popular planners out there, and for good reason. These planners are colorful, trendy, sturdy, and flexible. It’s been a few years since I’ve used the Life Planner, and EC has introduced a lot more flexibility into their designs. I love the new designs, and if you pick a cover you tire of, you can interchange it (unless you pick my fave – the luxe platinum).

What I didn’t like is the generic morning, afternoon, evening planning blocks. However, EC now offers an hourly layout in addition to the vertical or horizontal general schedule. With the schedule we keep, I prefer half hour time slots, but I love that EC now has a timeline option. I do wish there was more space for list keeping. One column per week is not sufficient for all the lists I make!

Erin Condren has definitely stepped up their game — fabulous options and trendy accessories! Check out EC and see what you think. If you use my referral link, you’ll get $10 off! Grab yours here.

Nuts & Bolts of the LifePlanner  —

• Size :: 6.75 x 9 inches (7.75 x 9″ including binding)
• View :: weekly (you can see all 7 days on a 2-page spread)
• Layout :: vertical or horizontal (the timeline option has vertical columns)
• Timeline or general :: general (morning, afternoon, evening) OR timeline in one-hour increments
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: not specifically, but space available
• Space for Lists or Notes :: space along bottom and side
• Goal setting info :: generic
• Etc. :: yearly & monthly calendars, extra blank and grid pages, TONS of accessories to customize your planner

{psst :: any teachers in the house? The former 4th grade teacher in my goes gaga over the super cute teacher planners EC offers!!}

Day Designer by Whitney English

The Day Designer reminds me a lot of the Simplified Planner (see above). As I’ve mentioned (a lot), I prefer half hour increments in my daily schedule, but I can compromise with hourly slots on this one since the schedule goes from 5 am to 9 pm (the mini edition schedules 7am-7pm). Yes, I use all the time in between!

Each day includes ample space for to-do lists, with extra space at the bottom for additional notes, and little boxes are included for deadlines, dollars, dinner, and don’t forget. There is also a space for gratitude, but it seems like an afterthought, with very little space given. Hey, at least it’s included, right?

I really appreciate the space on the weekend pages for pre-planning and prepping the next week. No goal setting pages are included in these planners, but it’s not a deterrent for me since I love my Powersheets so much.

I don’t love the choice of months to cover in a year. The Day Designer runs from June 2016 through May 2017. Our summers feel tied to our year, so I much prefer a January through December calendar or a true academic year (July through June). Overall, though, this seems like a great option; I put it up there with the Simplified Planner!

Nuts & Bolts of the Day Designer  —

• Size :: 9 x 9.75″ (the mini edition is 6.625 x 8.3″)
• View :: daily (every day has it’s one page) //
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: timeline in hourly increments 5am – 9pm (7am – 7pm in the mini)
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: small box for dinner, dollars, and don’t forget and space to record your gratitude list
• Space for Lists or Notes :: one full column for to-dos and space along the bottom for notes
• Monthly View :: the two-page monthly view has a Monday start
• Goal setting info :: two worksheet pages included
• Etc. :: trendy covers, available in two sizes OR as A-5 inserts, protective corners

The Living Well Planner 

The Living Well Planner, by Ruth of Living Well Spending Less, is super detailed. From goals to budgets to your daily to-do, this planner has all kinds of space for all of your information. If you don’t already use some form of budget tracker through your computer or phone, the finance section of this planner will be a huge asset to you. Ruth is known for helping people spend less while still living well ;) so the budget tracker and worksheets are a strength to this planner. I love the colors, and I’m intrigued by her new “goal crushing” process she’s included in this year’s planner.

My big questions are :: will it have enough space for my many to-do lists? I don’t want space only to write in appointments and my top 3 to-dos of the day. I like having a place to keep all of my lists separate and in one place. Also, it’s undated. I definitely prefer a dated calendar to save me the time of pre-filling all of the dates.

Nuts & Bolts of the Living Well Planner  —

• Size :: 7.5 x 9.5″
• View :: weekly (you can see all 7 days on a 2-page spread)
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: timeline in hourly increments 6 am – 10 pm
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: space for meal planning each day
• Space for Lists or Notes :: one small column per week, and 3 top “must dos” each day
• Monthly View :: the two-page monthly view has a Monday start
• Goal setting info :: very detailed and includes project planning pages
• Etc. :: undated, includes label starter set with 100+ colorful stickers

Planner Pads

I love the idea of the planner pad. The funnel down system they are famous for is exactly what I needed and helped me manage separate lists of tasks (homemaking, homeschooling, work, blogging, shopping) all in one place. I could then assign those tasks to specific days where I could check each off the list as I completed it. {Find out more about they system here.} This planner was exactly what I was looking for, but I didn’t like the front cover design options, and I wanted a little less space in the to-do list section and more space in the scheduling section. Ultimately, that’s why I switched to the iBloom calendar. Another plus for the planner pad is the option for quarterly start dates. No matter when you need to begin your calendar, there’s an option for you!

iBloom Life & Business Planner

What I love about the iBloom planner is that it takes some of the best of the best. Not only does this planner use the funnel system of the Planner Pad (with less space up top and more space at the bottom like I wanted), but also, the goal setting pages (and monthly check ins) reminded me of my FAVE goal setting worksheets — Lara Casey Powersheets (which I highly recommend). I have loved using the iBloom calendar, and I highly recommend it to women who are juggling multiple roles, like I was. It’s only because some of my roles are changing that I’m in the market for possibly trying out something new.

In my mind, the cons to the iBloom planner are the lack of design options. I don’t like the cover of this planner, and I really don’t care for the color scheme. I wish this was customizable. Though some people prefer a smaller size planner, I am partial to the larger size, which allows me to slide full size sheets of paper into the planner without any pieces hanging out. I also appreciated the pocket they added at the back in the 2016 version. Because this planner fit my needs so well, I overlooked the cover and colors and have been using this planner for the past two years. I also love the mission of the business.

Nuts & Bolts of the iBloom Life & Business Planner — 

• Size :: 9 x 11 (printable version is 8.5 x 11)
• View :: weekly (you can see all 7 days on a 2-page spread)
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: hourly timeline (6 am – 9 pm)
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: daily “Healthy Living” section where you can meal plan, track fitness plans, etc.
• Space for Lists or Notes :: 7 columns for various lists as well as daily space to funnel your lists into your daily to-dos, space to record weekly goals
• Goal setting info :: yearly and monthly goal setting sheets, monthly check-ins, and year-end reviews
• Etc. :: lot of extra planning pages for various things, two-year perpetual calendar included, new accessory kit this year

---

---

SELF Planner 

Feeling busy but not productive? That’s how the creators of the SELF Planner felt — and why they created this daily planner. This isn’t your typical daily planner; it’s more of a planner meets journal, allowing you to plan, execute, and track your ideas and goals. I am super impressed with this planner. It’s not “pretty” like the others, but it’s classic and reminds me of my good ol’ faithful, favorite-of-all-time journal.

In addition to daily pages (divided into 30 min. increments), the planner includes, a habit tracker, wellness plan, 13-week roadmap, detailed project & goal setting, daily and weekly check ins, and more.

The beauty of the SELF planner is that all of your big picture goals and everyday plans are all in one place, and since every thing is undated, you can start today, no need to wait until January 1. Another benefit to the undated version is that you won’t have wasted space or feel like you’ve fallen behind — again.

The goal of the SELF Planner is to make success inevitable through planning, execution, and measurement.

I LOVE that there is space daily to list things you are grateful for, wins from the day, and lessons you’ve learned. There is lots of space for reflection, brainstorming ideas, and tracking progress. The creative, entrepreneurial side of me is in love with this journal and I have one on order. {Follow on Facebook to see my “walkthrough” of the planner when it arrives!}

As a busy mom, though, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to use this as a calendar. The planner does include a monthly appointment grid, but I wonder if this will become cluttered. Sometimes I have 5 appointments per day scheduled months in advance. Will I need a separate calendar to track dates? I don’t like the idea of two separate planners, so I’ll have to see how this works for me.

The SELF Planner is reasonably priced ($31.99*) but almost unbelievably, you can download and print a copy of the 13 week SELF Journal FOR FREE when you subscribe by e-mail to their newsletter.

{*I should note that while the price is reasonable, one journal doesn’t take you through the whole year. Depending on how you plan, you will need to order 3-4 per year. However, I love the fact that I could grab one for my busiest months when laser focus is necessary.}

Nuts & Bolts of the SELF Planner — 

• Size :: 5.5 x 8.2″
• View :: daily
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: hourly timeline (6 am – 9 pm // subdivided for ease in recording half hour appointments too)
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: every week includes a habit tracker (as well as weekly wins,
• Space for Lists or Notes :: one full column (next to your daily timeline) for to-dos, details, sketches, etc., as well as space for weekly wins, weekly reflection, and notes and ideas.
• Goal setting info :: Extensive // This entire journal points you toward and keeps you focused on your goals.
• Etc. :: undated, daily check ins (morning & evening gratitude lists, today’s target, daily wins, lessons learned, etc.)

Sacred Ordinary Days

The Sacred Ordinary Days planner is different than any others I’ve seen. It is a liturgical day planner, which uses the Church Calendar, and seeks to help us live a fully integrated life of faith. Instead of focusing on “making things happen” and “getting things done,” this planner aims to refocus your spirit. I appreciate the white space and warm cover colors, but more than that, the focus on Scripture and leading our hearts in prayer throughout the day is the best feature of this planner. I purchased the original Sacred Ordinary Days Planner launched through Kickstarter, and simply opening the planner reminded me to take a breath and surrender my heart to Jesus, yielding to His plans and His ways.

Nuts & Bolts of the Sacred Ordinary Days Planner — 

• Size :: 7.75 x 8.75″
• View :: daily (but also includes weekly planning pages every week)
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: hourly timeline (unmarked so you can choose your own hours)
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: not specifically // Every day has blank space at the bottom as well as list space to the side of the timeline.
• Space for Lists or Notes :: a lot
• Goal setting info :: The weekly plan pages give space to reflect and reset in these areas: body, mind, spirit, relationships, home, & work (based on the prayer of examen), and each day includes space to record three daily projects to focus your attention for the day.
• Etc. :: Scripture reading from the Revised Common Lectionary, quotes on the spiritual life, prayers from Common Prayer, and more.

 

Intentional Life Planner by Just a Girl and Her Blog

What I love about the Intentional Life Planner? You can download and print only what you need – no more paper and boxes taking up space in your valuable planner. Want to include the budget tracker? Print it out and put it in. Rather leave off a meal planner? Don’t include it. So many worksheets and trackers are included with this bundle. You will have all you need to get yourself, your home, and your business organized.

Plus, since it’s a printable planner you print on your own, there’s no need to wait for your new planner to arrive in the mail. The downside of printing yourself, is that, well, you have to print it yourself. ;) You use your own ink and paper (or pay for it at the local copy shop), and the binding isn’t as permanent (though this option helps).

Nuts & Bolts of the Intentional Life Planner— 

• Size :: 8.5 x 11″ (standard size) AND 5.5 x 8.5″ (junior size) — but you don’t have to choose! Upon purchase, you automatically receive both!
• View :: weekly (on two-page spread)
• Layout :: vertical
• Timeline or general :: timeline in hourly increments (5 am – 12 am)
• Space for Meal planning or fitness tracking :: Specific space is not given on the weekly planner page. However, the “Simplify” printable pack includes all kinds of meal planning worksheets, grocery lists, pantry inventory, budget trackers, fitness trackers, cleaning plans, chore charts for the kids, info for the babysitter, and so. much. more! Print off what you need!
• Space for Lists or Notes :: On the two-page, weekly spread, there is space to record your weekly goals (to keep them front and center) and daily to-dos, as well as
• Goal setting info :: Worksheets for yearly and monthly focus areas, project trackers, check-in
• Etc. :: 17 month planner (August 2016 – December 2017) but print only the dates you need

What You Need WITH your Planner!

I’m not a huge “extras” girl, but I count on THREE products to make planners even more efficient, organized, and FUN!

• THESE PENCILS are my FAVORITE — they write like a pen, but erase better than a pencil — and the colors!!! I have recommended these to people more times than I can count! Grab your own set HERE.
• THESE PENS make hand lettering a possibility for me! Not only do I love the colors, but they write so smoothly and they’re inexpensive! Find them HERE.
• For marking dates, adding notes, in place of stickers, and for all kinds of fun, THESE ARE THE BEST! My stash is growing, and I might officially have a washi problem! ;)

Which Planner will YOU choose??

Writing this post only made me love these awesome options even more and made the job of picking even harder! So tell me in the comments  — which planner are you ordering for this new year? 

Want to WIN a FREE Intentional Life Planner and Simplify Printable Set?

Abby, the creator of the Intentional Life Planner, has generously offered to give away one Simplify: 35+ Printables to Help you Organize your Life + the Intentional Life Planner set to one person in our community!! See details and enter below. (Subscribers, you may need to click through to view the rafflecopter box and enter to win.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

---

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave