5 Ways a Custom Planner Elevated My Life

Do you use a planner? Have you seen a custom day planner? I decided I needed a custom planner when I was tired of seeing the same uniform designs in store that didn’t have enough space for me to write in. All of the patterns and colors that didn’t fit my lifestyle or aesthetic were starting to get on my nerves quite honestly so after having followed Cloth and Paper for a while, I knew it was time to go the custom route.Having a custom planner elevated the experience of my day to day life. It felt different, it looked different, but most of all I couldn’t go buy the experience it created when I started to use it everyday. I liked having a customized planner so much that I even started creating a product around it.

Even if you don’t have a custom planner there is a very well known brand called Cloth and Paper and that was how I began my custom planner journey. There are different sizes, including A6, Personal and Pocket to name a few, but the most common size is A5 and that is the size that I currently use. I feel it has the most space for writing, whether in or out of the planner. I prefer 6 rings because I feel like it’s the most manageable and flexible. There are different types of covers (inserts go inside), the cover that every planner wants is a Louis Vuitton Agenda, in all sizes if possible. It’s just that item in the planner community however there are some gorgeous covers that aren’t LV as well. That said I’m sharing 5 ways a custom planner elevated my life.

Hello, It’s Custom

If it’s custom it feels more special; it’s one of a kind and the experience of it makes it personal. I learned right away that you shouldn’t build your custom planner system out like someone else’s; what works for their day to day may not work for yours. It’s not one size fits all that’s why I’ve gravitated away from what’s sold in the store. There are a number of planner systems and types and sometimes things may work as is, but being able to curate my lifestyle down to the type of planner I use is important to me.

I currently have 3 planners, only 1 is in use. My first planner was a black caviar leather quilted 6 ring A5 from Cloth and Paper. Whew say that 5 times fast. I waited a whole year to get that planner mostly because it was sold out and also because it was almost $200 which is considerably inexpensive compared to the Louis Vuitton agenda, but still something to consider since it was my first planner. For a first time custom planner purchase I wanted to wait for a sale. So I remember being in a Starbucks on Black Friday like 2 years ago buying all the stuff, including my planner and I remember thinking this is about to be so dope.

Another great thing about having a custom planner with an actual cover is that you don’t have to get a new planner every year, you only need to replace your inserts or refresh your dashboards. A custom planner is a long term purchase and if you actually use it, a great investment.

I said all of that to say, you get to make it what you want and create what ACTUALLY works for your life because it’s custom.

A Custom Planner is A Reason to Be Creative

I don’t know about you, but I want the whole of my life to be enjoyable and being creative is what brings me the most joy. Why not transform my day planner into this custom work of art?  Any reason to curate and be intentional about how I achieve my goals is important to me. Plus it just adds to my overall quality of life. I deserve a planner like this, I deserve to hand pick the inserts and dashboards and dividers that best represent who I am. I deserve to be organized and have it look beautiful. It’s not for everyone, but those of us that are deep in the custom planner community, it’s truly a lifestyle.

Fits My Personal Lifestyle

Similar to what I mentioned above, a custom planner isn’t just about the planner itself, it’s about my lifestyle. It helps me hold myself accountable, it allows me to celebrate myself and it is something that for me is important in my day to day living. I feel like we truly forget the littlest things in life. We only focus on big things, I used to be that way, but being present in the 24 hours you’re given everyday is something that doesn’t come easy.

Having a custom planner has allowed me to embrace all that I did today and today only. If I do something everyday then all of those today’s add up and become a reference point for celebrating myself. I hope you know you can craft and carve out your dream life, with God of course. The way that I do that is by adding things and products that not only enhance my life visually, but elevate my life based on where I’m trying to go. Having a custom planner may not be for you, at the end of the day execution is king, but in case you are looking for a more aesthetically pleasing way to keep up with yourself, I would highly recommend it.

A Custom Planner Teaches Habit Setting + Encourages Productivity

The great thing about having a custom planner is the ability to track your habits. Do you need a planner to track your habits no, but are you also going to be printing out sheets every month to track what you did? The great thing about inserts is there are a ton of different kinds including habit trackers, gratitude sheets, wardrobe capsules and the like. These types of inserts help get you in the mindset of checking in and again holding yourself accountable for the steps that need to be taken to get you to your dream lifestyle. I love having a reason to open my planner and flip through. I love checking in to see what I did especially on a day that isn’t feeling like a good day, to flip a few pages back in your planner is a different kind of encouragement. Action ultimately beats out the most meticulous planning, but creating a process and experience around planning is what makes the difference.

Inserts, Dashboards and Dividers Oh My

My planner does not look like someone else’s planner. There may be similar types of accessories we use, but nobody has my planner.

• Inserts: The physical paper pages that go into your planner (dated, undated, calendars, etc.)
• Dashboards: Heavier pages that usually have a quote or photo or something on them (usually Vellum or nicer material)
• Dividers: Plastic or Paper options, similar to the ones you would add to regular folders, but smaller and cooler
• Accessories: Sticky Notes, Stickers, Dots, Page Flags, Pockets, Planning Cards, Scripture Cards, this list could go on forever.

The accessories that can be used for planning is what brings it all together.

Most custom planners have a good mix of each of these things; more or less all depending what is important to the individual planner. If you follow me on my stationary page Paper and Poise or follow anyone else in the planner community by way of that page, then you have seen the way we go hard for our custom planners. It truly does elevate your life and give you a reason to be intentional with your planning and organizing. My current set up is in a clear A5 planner that I snagged from Amazon and it’s definitely giving me all of the luxe lifestyle energy that I like to keep.

Life is so different right now, use your planner to create a new routine, create new habits and hold yourself accountable. You deserve to plan your life in an artistic way, in a way that is just as unique as you are.

What is your experience using planners? Do you wish they were a bit more tailored to your needs?