Our Favorite Paper Planners for Organizing Your Life

In a world overflowing with apps and notifications, a paper planner brings focused calm to everyday chaos. Whether you love ticking off to-do lists or cherish handwriting each day’s schedule, a planner’s tactile satisfaction helps you stay organized and mindful.

A great planner is personal: do you want spacious lists, room for notes, or tightly structured days? Over the year, WIRED’s team tested countless formats and styles, and we’ve rounded up our top picks that keep us motivated, inspired, and on track.

Desire the flexibility of starting in July, custom layouts, or the joy of playful stickers? Our guide will help you discover the best planner for your needs and personality.

Best Weekly Planner: Plum Paper A5 Vertical Priorities Planner

Versatile and highly customizable, the Plum Paper A5 Vertical Priorities Planner is a standout. With over 10 layout options, gorgeous covers, and personalized priority sections, it’s perfect if you want a planner that fits your life. You can pick a start month, add folders, and play with sticker packs. It’s chic, portable, and endlessly adaptable.

Another Great Weekly Planner: Erin Condren LifePlanner

A favorite among planner and sticker fans, the Erin Condren LifePlanner offers many layouts (hourly, vertical, horizontal), color themes, and custom touches. While page add-ons are fewer than Plum Paper, design options (especially if you order direct) are hard to beat.

Best Daily Planner: Day Designer

If you prefer a full page per day, the Day Designer gives you space to plan from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with ample room for to-dos, priorities, deadlines, and dinner plans. Sturdy and square, it fits in most backpacks and lets you detail every intention.

A Minimalist Daily Planner: Hobonichi Techo

Beloved by journalers, the Hobonichi Techo is slim, portable, and gives each day its own page and inspirational quote. Multiple cover options and fun accessories keep things fresh.

Best Monthly Planner: Big A## Planner

Large and bold, the Big A## Planner is for creators and dreamers who need giant daily squares, motivational quotes, and even a dry-erase board for tracking big-picture goals and milestones. It's perfect if you want plenty of room to write and plan.

Best Custom Planner: Agendio

If you can’t find your ideal layout, Agendio lets you build one from scratch—mixing monthly, weekly, and daily spreads along with extras like habit trackers and reading lists. You can keep it simple or completely customized, and attractive covers finish the look.

Best Affordable Planner: Ban.do Weekly Planner

Colorful, playful, and budget-friendly, Ban.do planners include extras like reading trackers, astrology charts, and lots of doodle space. Undated options give you flexibility, and included stickers make planning cheerful and fun.

Great for Multiple Lists and Doodles: Roterunner Purpose Planner

For multitaskers who juggle multiple lists (work, home, fitness, etc.), this planner has five dedicated checklist areas and open dot pages for doodling and reflection. Both B5 and A5 sizes are available.

Great for Students: The Happy Planner

Popular among students, the Happy Planner is highly customizable—mix covers, layouts, and extension packs (budgeting, fitness, or teacher tools). Its disc-bound system lets you snap pages in and out with ease.

More Planners We Like

If none of these suit you, consider options from Passion Planner, At-a-Glance, Be Rooted, Blue Sky, Brass Monkey, and the beautiful Laurel Denise brand. Each comes with distinctive designs and layouts.

Planner Alternatives

If structure isn’t your thing, try a simple lined notebook (like the Midori MD) for bullet journaling, or jot your day’s tasks on a 3x5 index card—a minimalist approach that still works wonders for many.

Planner Accessories

Level up with washi tape, tabs, stickers (check Etsy or Plum Paper), and a rainbow of pens or highlighters. These can make your planner a fun, personal creative outlet as well as an organization tool.

Want to see how a paper planner can change your daily organization? Watch this video for more inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUNH8yfEJcY

No matter who you are—a student, parent, or creative professional—these paper planners offer clarity, creativity, and control, no Wi-Fi required.

Source: WIRED - The Best Paper Planners for Organizing Your Life