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Organization and list-writing fanatics know that the key to a successful year is planning. As 2021 gets underway, skip the Excel spreadsheets and napkins with illegible scribbles spread across your junk drawer, and invest in a proper planner that’ll help you stick to your goals, track your progress, meet deadlines, and so much more. The best planners the internet has to offer make for the perfect way to start your year on the right foot. Here are the top ones to shop right now.
1. The everyday planner for staying organized
Erin Condren turns naysayers into list-makers.
Erin Condren is the Michael Jordan of planner brands in that the notebooks can be so vast in their organizational offerings, you’d have to try extra hard to miss an appointment or forget an item on your grocery list. The best-selling life planner might sound daunting (like, how does one plan their entire life?), but it makes it simple by including daily schedules, mini monthly calendars, monthly quotes, four pages of stickers, a contacts page, and more. You can add your name, include a front or back photo, and customize your coil color to further make the LifePlanner feel like an extension of you. Plus, that stunning cover artwork will make you want to reach for it multiple times a day.
Get the Layers LifePlanner from Erin Condren for $55
2. This budget planner with nearly 11,000 reviews
Helping you take control of your finances, this small investment will pay for itself.
Take control of your finances—and as a result, your wellbeing—with Amazon’s best-selling budget planner. It allows you to look at your finances from a micro and macro level: Think an expense tracker for everyday spending, a monthly budget to help you stay on track, a monthly budget review to determine where you’ve made progress and where you can improve, an inner pocket to store bills, and 340 stickers. Reviewers find this Clever Fox planner to be perfect for beginners: “I find it extremely user friendly and simple to use; I don't feel overwhelmed at all. It is extremely well-made, and I love the paper quality. If you're new to budgeting like me [...] I think you'll be very pleased with this one.”
Get the Clever Fox Budget Planner from Amazon for $19.99
3. This hilarious food and fitness journal
This planner is a two-in-one trainer and motivational speaker.
Let’s not pretend sticking to a new diet and exercise regimen is easy-peasy. In fact, it can be pretty stressful for most folks who don’t have a support system. This planner with over 1,000 reviews not only helps you stay accountable to your goals, but acts as a hilarious BFF in the process so you never feel alone in your plight. It contains 90 days of undated pages allowing you to track your activity level (with specifics like reps and duration), water and food intake, and how you felt that day. Reviewers say the planner makes sticking to goals enjoyable: “If you are looking for a journal to log your food, fitness, and track your progress in a fun and motivational way, look no further! This is my favorite journal (fitness, or otherwise) that I have ever owned. I don't want to miss a day of logging, because I look forward to the sassy motivational quotes on each page!”
4. This dotted planner allowing you to practice the ever-popular Bullet Journal Method
Allow the Bullet Journal Method to change your life.
The idea behind the Bullet Journal Method is that it mimics the way your mind organizes information (instead of confining you to a predetermined format), so you’re more likely to remember and adhere to the tasks you write down. The beauty of the bullet journal system is that you can customize it to your liking—simply jot each shorthand note down with a bullet that speaks to you (be it a dot, star, heart or arrow), and cross them off as you go. This dotted Amazon’s Choice planner contains a back pocket to store loose items, premium thick paper to prevent ink feathering, and a ruler/bookmark to help you write straight.
Users find it perfect for those trying the Bullet Method Journal for the first time: “The dots are clear on the pages, but not overpowering. It would work great for anyone wanting to do a small bullet journal. I'm using it for garden planning because it makes planning out a square foot garden super easy. It’s big enough that I can easily see what I'm writing but small enough that it's easily portable.”
Get the Indeme Bullet Dotted Journal/Notebook from Amazon for $9.99
5. This appointment book for busy bees
Don't rely on memory alone to get you to that important meeting.
Got Zoom meetings for days? Sometimes we just need a simple planner to document our many digital and distanced commitments. This top-rated spiral-bound planner comes with 100 lined timestamped pages so you can pop in your events and activities for the day, along with a notes section for any special instructions. When checking out, simply note the name you’d like to appear on the cover. The planner has racked up a five-star rating because it makes both a great gift and organization tool.
Get the Marble and Rose Gold Personalized Appointment Book from Etsy for $14.03
6. This academic planner to get you through exams
Slay your studies.
Whether you’re going away to college or pursuing extra credentials later in your professional life, everyone can benefit from a one-stop-shop for all your academic responsibilities. This top-rated planner with nearly 2,500 reviews features 12 handy monthly tabs, weekly and monthly pages and calendars complete with highlighted holidays, contact pages, a hard cover, and inspirational quotes to keep you going when the going gets tough. “I am delighted with my purchase, consider it a great value for the money, and would recommend this to anyone looking for a beautiful, sturdy planner,” says one pleased reviewer.
Get the JournalTastic 2021 Planner from Amazon for $15.69
7. This minimalist desktop planner
Great for former napkin doodlers, this desk planner helps you see your week in a whole new light.
Not all planners need to be books that you’re bound to misplace at some point. As we hunker down in our WFH setups, there’s never been a better time to line your desk with your to-do list so you can see it from a bird’s eye view. The bundle comes with 50 undated sheets that allow you to prioritize your top three goals for the week, schedule daily tasks, and remind yourself to practice at least one healthy habit for the week. Its minimalist design is also great for those who are looking to avoid distractions (because while stickers and florals are pretty, they aren’t for everyone). Reviewers say the planner has helped boost their productivity immensely: “This little no-nonsense notepad is functioning as a mousepad and weekly planner for me to keep track of the most important things while I juggle a hundred bazillion tasks teaching remotely. It’s great.”
Get the Two Tumbleweeds Weekly Planner Notepad from Amazon for $10.95
8. This planner that helps you get serious about fitness
Train—and plan—like a pro.
Since your phone is either not on your person or stowed away on your armband, it’s not exactly realistic to head into your Notes app during every workout. Simplify your fitness goals with Amazon’s best-selling fitness planner boasting over 2,000 reviews. Set training goals with specific dates to help you stay on track, and keep abreast of your progress by writing down the amount of weight lifted or miles ran. You can track up to 100 workouts featuring up to 11 workouts each, making it a great addition to your longterm fitness plan. Make no mistake, though: You don’t need to be an Olympian athlete to benefit from this planner. Reviewers who are just getting back into the (kettlebell) swing of things say it’s helped them gently ease into working out.
Get the Workout Log Gym Training Diary from Amazon for $13.99
9. The expert-approved Panda Planner
Have your most productive year yet with the Panda Planner.
I would be lost without my planner. Seriously, my life would be even more of a mess than it already is. This one, designed for the ambitious goal-getters out there, is one of our favorite planners of the last year. With more than 6,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, people claim it has helped them with time management, productivity, and even positive motivation.
Get the Panda Planner Daily Planner on Amazon for $20.97
10. This essential planner for travelers
Not all those who wander are lost—because they've used this planner.
Traveling might be off the table at the moment, but that’s (hopefully) soon about to change. Get pumped for your first post-quarantine trip with this must-have travel journal that allows you to consolidate your accommodations, transportation, budgeting, memorable photos, maps and packing list in one place. The best-selling planner with almost 1,000 reviews is especially crucial for traveling to remote areas where wi-fi is limited, and it can hold information for up to six trips. Reviewers say it takes the guesswork out of planning trips: “I'm a hardcore planner and list-maker, particularly when it comes to traveling which I do alot of. I ordered this so I could keep all my travel stuff in one place. I like the layout and the sections cover everything I need.”
Get the Lamare Travel Planner Journal from Amazon for $13.95