The Perfect Planner

It's a new year, and I am going to diverge from my regular makeup posts to share one of my all-time favorite items: my planner. Planners in general are somewhat of a passion of mine. I eagerly anticipate each new year because it means a fresh start in a brand new planner, often with a predetermined color scheme. Each year, starting as early as August, I search high and low for The Perfect Planner. I do online research, visit stores, and take all options on the market into account before making a purchase. I am pretty discriminating; I won't use just anything, and I have certain features that I'm looking for. For three years running, the same planner has emerged as the clear winner, even though each year I do a fresh, diligent search of everything available. Since 2006, I have been using a Gallery Leather Weekly Desk calendar.

I love a weekly format, and I do not like formats that confine you to keeping a schedule with numbered timeslots or that split the day into two columns (two columns would only be helpful if I was using one side for timeslots, which I wouldn't do). I need plenty of blank space for each day, since I use my planner not only for appointments but also to keep a record of my activities after the fact. It has proved helpful a number of times to be able to look back and know exactly what I was doing on a given day -- without my records, I think the weeks and months would slip by in a soon-forgotten blur. I have done this for years, since long before I discovered my current planner, and it's so nice to pull out an old planner and peruse my goings-on. I also look for a monthly calendar section, which I enjoy using to document larger events such as trips, holidays, birthdays, and other major events of note (of course, I also note those in the weekly section as well -- it's nice to have them laid out in a consolidated spread too). I look for a substantial Notes section, so that I can list doctors' information, easily-forgotten account numbers (not passwords!), packing lists for trips, pool hours in case I feel like going for a swim, and more. I enjoy having a section of information such as area codes, time zones, dialing codes, and toll free numbers. Although I don't often use that section, when I need it, it's invaluable. Enticingly, my planner of choice added a color maps section for 2008, which, although it won't be used on a regular basis, definitely adds some excitement. The beautiful leather cover, brown ribbon bookmark, and gold edges are a fabulous final touch.

In 2006 I wrote in my orchid pink planner with only a pink Pilot V5 pen. In 2007 I chose an eggplant purple planner and wrote only in black Pilot V5 and black Pilot VBall grip. Pilot rollerball pens, clearly, are my favorites. This year I have just started using a bright apple green planner, but I'm trying something new and writing with a rainbow of colors, with felt-tip pens -- namely, the PaperMate Flair, an old classic. I have already begun to fill my planner, and I am excited to write more with each coming day!

The picture I am posting is a classic brown because that is the clearest picture I could find, and I'm including a picture of the interior format. I can no longer find the green I chose on the Barnes & Noble website, which must mean it was popular! Below are links to a bright pink one from B&N and the pictured brown one from Crane. It comes in a wide variety of colors, but I'm not sure what the availability is anymore, since both Crane and B&N are sold out of many of the colors they previously had. The Gallery Leather website, strangely, has said "Our website is coming soon" for at least two years, by my count. This year, I gave the planner to three family members as Christmas gifts after all the compliments I received on mine, and at least one other friend has chosen the same planner for herself. It's truly The Perfect Planner.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781598173871&itm=17

http://www.crane.com/prdSell.aspx?NavName=NavShop&DeptName=JournalsandBooks&SubDeptName=DateBooksDeskDiaries&Name=11228_BrownBondedLeatherDeskDiary2008