I don’t know about you but for me a good planner is a must for staying organized during the school year! I used to be terrible at using them but now I can’t imagine living without one!
I made a compilation of some of my favorites I have used throughout the years as well as the pros and cons of using both! I’m no expert but I have learned a thing or two from trying out quite a few planners!
My Criteria
- Plenty of space to write
- Places for check lists, notes, etc.
- Cute quotes, stickers, etc. to make planning more fun!
Lets’s see how they all stack up!
The Lilly Pulitzer Agenda
Pros –
Out of all the planners I have tried out, the Lilly Pulitzer Agenda is by far my favorite! It meets all of my requirements! Their planners are also super cute! Lilly planners have what surprisingly a lot of planners don’t have which is lined paper. I am someone who has to have lined paper to write well with. Lilly planners also have a great variety of sizes to choose from. I find that the large is the perfect size. It gives you plenty of room to write without being this huge clunky thing that takes up a ton of space in your bag!
The stickers they give you are super cute! I really enjoy using them to decorate my planner and put a mark on important dates. Speaking of important things, Lilly planners all come with a special place for writing down addresses, dates, phone numbers,notes, and even a guide to planning your next vacation!
Despite being made by a pretty high end brand Lilly planners are actually pretty affordable! Especially if you buy them when they are on sale at Barnes and Noble!
Cons –
The main con I can think of is the size but that would only apply if you end up choosing one you don’t like, whether it be too small or too big. I know for me I hate things that are really bulky. So, I tend to stay away from the jumbo sized planners. I honestly feel like they have something for everyone.
There have also been times when I wish they gave us more blank pages for notes. I always find myself jotting down random thoughts I have and ideas I get for future blog posts and articles. Those are honestly the only cons I can think of. I would honestly be such a mess without my Lilly planner!
Day Designer
Pros – The biggest pro I would say that the Day Designer has is the many different compartments it has to help you stay organized. I loved using the Top Three section at the top each week. It really helped me prioritize when I was deciding what to work on first at the library or when I had some down time! Another part of this planner that became very useful was the to do lists. This made it so I also loved the size of the planner! I know that a lot of the more modern Day Designer planners are a lot bigger than mine but even those are pretty light weight wise, compared to other planners!
Cons – As much as I like this planner, the main reason I did not purchase a Day Designer the next year was because of the lack of writing space. Something I have noticed that is very consistent with Day Designer planners is how narrow the paper lines are. I write a lot and need plenty of space to do so! Even if you just look at the pictures above you can see how I was literally squeezing the words into every space there was.
Horacio Printing Planner
Pros – This planner is not nearly as well known as the other planners I have mentioned but is still a very good planner especially for Christian high school and college students! I actually got this planner as a part of my Faith Box subscription; a subscription box service that sends you products every month involved with your Christian faith. The reason I say that this planner is great for Christian students is because of all the sections they have set aside for you to write down things to pray for, what you need to work on with God, and so much more! There is also a different bible verse on each page. Each verse is so encouraging! I honestly looked forward to reading each week’s verse!
Another thing I love about this planner is the durability, this planner spent plenty of time bumping around in my backpack with my books and laptop. There are some scratches but for the most part it held up very well. The design of it is also gorgeous! I’m a sucker for anything gold!
Cons – Just like with the Day Designer, I definitely wish this planner had more writing space. While the design of the pages looks cute it gives you very little space for writing. I also think mini devotions would be a nice addition too. While this planner is great for Christian students I definitely feel like it was built for Christians who are already very invested in their relationship with God. Someone who just recently began their walk with God, might have a harder time using the tools that they are given in this planner.
So those are all the thoughts I have on these 3 planners! I hope this post was helpful to you if you are having trouble deciding on which planner to get for the upcoming school year!
This post is also a collaboration with my good friend and fellow blogger, Ashley, AKA, Michigan Darling! Make sure to check out her post as well! It is amazing as always! She is also super sweet and posts amazing photos!
Thanks again to Ashley for collaborating with me on this post!
