UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed.
Congrats to: Jenny (jpage84@…) and Lyss (lyss.rose@…)
Over the last 3 years, I’ve talked A LOT about planners here on my blog. I LOVE paper planners and calendars!
Although there are a few things Dave and I do digitally via Apple’s iCalendar, we both definitely prefer paper planners so we can see many days and weeks at one time, quickly scratch a couple notes down on a specific day, and vigorously cross off our finished items each day.
For the past 3 years, I’ve used the same planner — and I loved how the inside of the planner was set up. Vertical columns for each day of the week, a full week at a glance, and plenty of blank space at the bottom of each day to jot my notes, make my to-do list, etc.
It was the best planner (for my needs) I had ever found — however, last year the company changed management, their customer service plummeted, and their 2013 planners were not available until well into 2013 (crazy I know). Luckily, I had an extra one from the year before (and the dates aren’t written in so I could make the 2012 version work for 2013) and a friend gave me one as a gift — so I am actually set for planners for a few months yet.
But since I like to be prepared (and since I know the “normal” time to shop for a planner is right about now) I decided to start looking for other planners that had the same set-up as mine. I kept coming up short with many of the different companies and brands I looked into.
And then, a few weeks ago, The Personal Planner company (here is their Facebook page) contacted me about reviewing their planners and doing a giveaway on my blog. They told me I would be able to customize my planner for my personal needs — but I’ll be honest, I was not super optimistic I would be able to implement all my “planner essentials”.
However, after spending 3 or 4 minutes quickly looking through some of the customizable options, I felt fairly confident I could make a planner EXACTLY how I wanted and needed. Plus, I got a little creative and designed my own cover and back (more on this below).
After about 15 minutes (seriously, it didn’t take long at all) I had a planner that looked and functioned almost exactly like my previous planner, and it had several extra bonuses the old planner didn’t have — like extra pages in the back, customizable tabs at the bottoms of each page, and really fun colors and designs to pick from.
I was sold and immediately told the folks at Personal Planner that I would love to promote their planners on my blog!
Here are just a FEW of the customizable options:
- Size / style of the planner
- Color, design, font style of the inside pages
- Front and back cover (you can even create and upload your own custom design like I did)
- Page layout and page design
- Owner information page
- 3 tabbed sections on the bottom of every page (there are so many different options to choose from)
- Various choices for extra pages in the back of the planner
- Optional addition of your our own personal dates (birthdays, anniversaries, school days off, vacations, etc)
- Optional addition of your own addresses so you can have a complete address book included in your planner
- and so much more!
The process is super quick and easy. With just a few clicks here and there, you can totally change the look and design of your planner.
Here’s a TINY sampling of the various sizes, styles, colors, and designs:
One of the things that most attracted me to the Personal Planner is that although there are TONS of awesome pre-designed covers you can choose from (and then customize as desired), you can also upload your own pictures or your own complete design for the front and the back cover.
So you literally can personalize this planner to look exactly like you want. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been able to do this with any other planner company I’ve worked with — and I’ve tried my fair share of planners over the years 🙂
When I set out to create my planner, I wanted something really unique, and since we have a new baby coming in March, I didn’t want to use a picture that would then be out-dated in just a couple months. So I opted for a quote instead — and I just LOVE how the design turned out 🙂
Here are digital pictures of the actual front and back designs.
Simple, but definitely not something I’ll mind looking at for the next year or so 🙂
The Giveaway:
Today, 2 lucky readers will win a Personal Planner. Winners can completely design their own planner.
How to Enter:
{required} Leave a comment on this post. What do you look for in a planner?
If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please visit the actual blog post to enter. Email entries, Facebook comments, and Twitter messages will NOT be counted.
Prizes:
(2) Personal Planners as described above.
This giveaway ends at 10:00 pm on Thursday, 11/21/2013 and is open to ANYONE, 18 years or older. I will use And the Winner Is to select the winning comments at random. Winners will be notified by email and noted at the top of this post. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize or I will choose a new winner. Please see my full disclosure policy and contact me with any questions you have. Good luck!
Heather says
I also LOVE paper planners! Mine was in my purse which was stolen recently. The main thing I was upset about was my planner! My “life” is in it! I felt lost for weeks! This one looks great! I’d love to try it! : )
cynthia says
I wanna a planner!!
Cheryl Murphy says
I, too, need my planner on paper… I need to see the full month at a glance and just can’t type on my iphone as fast as I can jot it down! I would also love to have a planner with my girls’ faces on the front! Sweet! Thanks for the giveaway! By the way, love the quote on your planner… it’s so true!
Caitlyn Lord Yasika says
With baby number 3 on the way, I really have to stay on top of things. My current planner just doesn’t have quite everything I need. I’ve always felt like I had to compromise when it comes to planners, but this would be amazing.
I need the month and week at a glance, time slots and lots of room for notes/to do list. Something that will keep everything together so I don’t feel like I’m losing it on a daily basis.
Karena says
I like a planner to have lots of room to write and both the full month and weekly calendar to look at/write on. Like you said, the electronic calendars are nice but I still love my paper calendars and address books! Thanks for sharing. : )
Dana says
I would love to try one of these planners!! I use a paper planner to stay organized. For the years I have tried several planners that I like, but I have yet to find a planner I absolutely love.
Angie says
What I look for in a planner: cute design yet very functional. With lots of space to write. Convenient size. Not too small that limits your writting and not too big that you struggle to fit it in your handbag. Ahhhh…women. we want it all! Lol ♡♥♡
Dawn says
I’m currently shopping for planners and this one sounds very interesting. Thanks for reviewing it!
christine says
what i look for in a planner is the pages i look at to have the entire week. I need plenty of room to write and for it to be able to fit in my purse.
Anna says
oooh, that is so cool. I love love love the vertical format like you do, also, and they are so hard to find.
Lauren says
I need this sooooo bad. I can only ever afford the cheap planners and I hate them and end up not using them!
Marsha says
I try to be as organized as I can, but when it comes to organizers I cannot seem to find anything to suite all my needs……would love to try one of these planners. 🙂
Melissa says
I need something that’s flexible. Days broken down, but lots of free space for things that will need to be done over the corse of that particular week. Grocery lists and menu plans, cleaning schedules, and lesson plans.
Extra pages in the back a different year long calenders.
Allison says
I like it to be small enough to fit in my purse, but big enough for me to be able to write in it. I like a month at a glance, as well as daily. I would love to try this out!
Cheri says
Although I am a fairly organized person, I have never had an organized planner. I would love to give a planner a try!
Jodie says
I like lots of room to write the day’s activities, with the entire month in view, but the planner needs to fit in my purse.
Becca says
What a beautiful planner! And perfect timing! My planner runs out next month. As a work at home mom…of course one cannot go without a planner. 🙂 This looks like the perfect one – I just love the customization options, that it isn’t as bulky, and you get to design the cover!! Lovely! Typically I would look for a refillable one, but in this case, I would happily switch sides.
Laura Denlinger says
I like plenty of room on each day for appts,menus & to do lists!
Rena says
I love the personalization these offer! It looks so fun to create!
Sonja says
I need a planner that is pleasing to look at it and fun to use. Going digital has been great in many ways, but sometimes putting pen to paper is the only way I can get any real thinking done.
Danielle says
I look for plenty of writing space for my frequent “mind dumps” and I would LOVE to have a dedicated space for tracking each of my family members outside of my own space!
Kelly Pols says
Is there a website that you can link to? I want to order one now!
kerri says
In a planner I definitely need a month at a glance and individual blocks big enough to write in. Menu planner is a bonus!
Susan Gay Jeffries says
I would love to design my own planner, I have never found one that works the way I need it too.
Jenny says
This is AMAZING! I am a planner junkie and have never found one that would meet all my needs. I want this!
Jen says
I like my planner to have room to write. I like the idea of one week on the spread of two pages, but also need room for some lists. Would also like it to fit in my purse. I’m trying to go just digital, but it doesn’t always work for me. Nothing like a good paper planner! Thanks for the chance to win!:)
Julie osmonson says
I make sure it doesn’t have wasted pages that aren’t necessary anymore. Like a phone number/address section, in our day of smart phones, this isn’t needed.
Jenny says
I have 5 kids and work outside the home. I would use the planner to help keep us all organized. But still keep me focused on what is important! I need a pretty big daily space, but still have a month and year view as well!
cristy says
I like my planner to be “happy” in its color and designs. I also like for it to be visually easy to follow, and to have the month and year “at a glance” options as well (boy, I’m demanding!) What a great giveaway!! Thanks for the opportunity.
Allison says
I really want a huge planner, but something that will fit in my purse. It’s a struggle, haha.
Stephanie J says
I want the planner to be cute and still functional. It needs to be bright colors/designs to fit my personality.
Jenn L. says
Space to write! So many planners have such little space that I have had to resort to weird shorthand that I ultimately forget. Eek.
Jamie says
I like to have a month and year at a glance. I also like individual days with much more space to write daily task lists.
Rebecca says
2 haves in a planner for me are a month at a glance and to do lists!
Donna Davenport says
I look that the planner has monthly, weekly and daily pages. I like to be able to write special notes and goals in all three areas. I love it when there are inspiring quotes throughout the planner. I love a lot of color or the potential to decorate myself but most of all I like to personalize it to my needs and personality.
Pamela Teynolds says
I am looking for a planner that can accommodate my college classes, my Avon business, and of course my family activities. All are very important to me. I would live to win a planner for the new year.
Shanie says
I look for something that helps me plan all my homeschooling, as well as keeps events and birthdays easy to schedule. I also love a blank space at the bottom, I’m weird and I write down grocery needs through the week and then just go back and copy onto a separate sheet when it’s shopping time.
Debra Lau says
Being a busy mom with a more than full time job some weeks I need a planner that I can use for both. I have read a lot lately of the importance of having a one stop planner but none of the cookie cutter planners seem to fit the bill just right. I have resorted to creating my own in a 3 ring binder, but I would live something bound.
Kelly Cote says
I need variety. Not just daily space but a monthly overview. I also need a few pockets, bc I’m going to carry it every where you never know when you are gonna need to save something, a receipt a coupon, etc. I am on the fence about refillable planners b/c they seems so bulky. Size is also important, not too big or too small. I want it to fit in my purse, but not so small that it blends in with everything else in my purse. Being customizable is a cute idea. Never ordered one like that. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Made by Jody says
I think that planner is made for me… not only did I see my name “Jody” in your example image (telling me something, right?) but this is something that I have been contemplating purchasing over the next few weeks anyway as I am looking for a new customizable system to overtake my bulky “file-o-fax”. Thank you for the post, Andrea.