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!
Carol M says
I love being able to customize the cover! I think we have similar tastes – I want the monthly page but also room to write on each day in a weekly view.
Kris Shavinski says
My planner is my life, it is with me all the time and I would rather grab my planner than my phone. A perfect planner for me would have SPACE! I like to be able to write my “things to do” list out, what’s for dinner, when are my meetings and what happened during the day. I like to be able to keep notes all year long. I write down monthly memories and then we read them on New Years Eve. I have two very busy kids, I work, volunteer, and try to keep everyone on time. I would live to customize my own planner and have looked into them, but have found them a little to expensive. Still looking for my perfect planner
Beth B says
This planner sounds awesome!! I look for space on each day. I want to have the flexibility to write a lot on one day if several mini events happen that day. It would be nice to have room for notes at the start of each month and or every week.
erin says
I like to have a week spread as well as the month spread in between so I can do month at a glance and then my day to day.
Raye Cage says
I like a planner that is colorful as well as functional. I need space to doodle, jot down ideas & notes.
Kristi says
This looks like a terrific planner! If I don’t win, I’d love to purchase just the pages and punch them for my M by Arc notebook from Staples. I made my own planner this year to really personalize it, but a lot of this company’s layouts are a more professional version of what I made.
julie garst says
I really love the way yours is set up. I, too, need hourly slots, as well as plenty of room for notes, to do lists, and menus. Crossing my fingers!
Cindy says
Hi Andrea! I absolutely L O V E planners. I’ve had a specific style I like for when I worked in mgmt & a different style when I didn’t. I love the idea of creating my own. I am all about organization & when I can do it cutesy too I am happy happy happy!!! Hope to win this one!
Dana says
I have to have a month view and then week on two pages following. I need tabs to easily find what I need.
Molly says
Love the feel of a paper planner – the right pen combined with a nice planner is a winning combination. Style a must as well – I have to like it to use it. Vertical days, week by week is my favorite layout – plus extra room for notes & random information.
Michelle H. says
I definitely need enough space to write (and re-write!) on each day of the month. I still don’t have a planner/calendar system that I love. I have 2 calendars in my kitchen that I use, but I would like to consolidate that.
Jessica Stoner says
I love, love, love planners but have never found one to meet all my needs. I am so excited to design one just for me!!
Darlene M. says
I need lots of space to write. I also like vertical columns and also a check box area
Elizabeth Post says
I look for room to write and erase if necessary. I also need plenty of room to schedule work, church and school commitments!
Rhonda Waldorf says
Would love a planner that has the month view calendar at the front of the month. Days have lots of lines to write on. Tabs for each month and removable for “today”.
Jan says
I’d love a planner for all the changes coming up next year– new house, new town, new state, moving, garage sales, deliveries, etc.
Keri says
I need monthly and weekly pages. For the weekly pages I like to have time slots to fill in. I love a lot of color and I organize my, and my family’s life, with color!
Jane says
I love planners with Monthly tabs (and a Monthly calendar on the tab with enough space to jot a few notes on the day) and then a double page for each week within the tab. That way I can have an overview of the month, but jot down details on each day. A space for general notes for each week would be nice as well so I don’t have to include it on a specific day. 🙂
Carly says
Space to write on the dates. To do list areas. And it needs to be cute!
amber says
I need a planner that’s shows the full week. I love enough space to write things but not too big it can be with me in the diaper bag every day. Since my little one was born I need the reminders now more tan anything so having the space for notes or to-do lists at the bottom is genious!
Shannon says
Enough space to write is huge! I was looking today for one for next year myself, I love the designs and capabilities of the mom planners but being that I don’t have children, I’d like to customize it to my needs.
Jenn K says
I look for a planner that will fit comfortably in my purse yet have a calendar page for each month as well as lined sections for each date, pages for jotting notes, contact info, a pocket for things like business cards and coupons. oh and it has to have the room to fit the schedules of 6 people into the dates squares.
Allison says
Love this! I look for flexible planners with filled in dates and lots of room to write. And I want a very clean design – no floral/botanical stuff!
Amy says
I like enough space to write down important things! 🙂 I don’t like them too bulky, unless they have tabs so I know where to get to things.
Heather root says
I love a planner with lots of space for each day and for to do lists. I like when the calendar fills in dates for you too. If you can add photos and fun sayings to the front and back cover that sounds awesome!!
Nicki says
I LOVE planners. My ideal has to be small enough to fit in my purse (I have a big purse, LOL), has to have a lot of room to write stuff, but needs to be clean and easy to use. 🙂
kelli haverkamp says
I need plenty of space to schedule appointments and jot notes of why I’m seeing the person.
Melanie says
Between never having enough space to write on each day and not nearly enough pages for notes in the back, I can’t decide which I would want more, but if I could have both, plus tabs and an area for clipped coupons I would be a completely happy camper.
Cameron says
I just spent an hour at an office supply store trying to find the best planner. I want one for work to help me strategically plan out the months of the year. So, I like one that is no bigger than an iPad. Or 5″ x 8″. Big blocks for the days of the month. A page up front for identification if lost. It would be awesome if it had monthly tabs. I don’t need random pages for notes, but a pocket for notes/appointment cards would be great. I need a few pages for planning into the next calendar year. A page of holiday is great – OR put those holidays pre-printed in the calendar. A calendar reference for the year before then the next 3 or 4 years is very helpful. A US map is rarely needed, but if it has one, I occasionally use it. Now, this is just a work calendar. A personal calendar is completely different, but I have done my best to go electronic and carry a pad of paper since I still like to write. 🙂
Kari says
So glad this give away is open to people from outside the USA! I would love to win it :))
Jessica says
I’m pretty picky about planners. I want to see a week at a time, a space to jot down notes, and ideally, it would be broken down morning, afternoon, and evening. My biggest pet peeve is planners that don’t have the dates already printed. Who has time to hand right dates?!?!
Taylor says
I *LOVE* paper planners! My hubby mocks me like crazy, but I can’t help it. I use mine for schedules,, to-do’s and as a journal. So, I really like a planner with enough room to write what I need/want!
Erin says
I love a planner that hasw plenty of space to write everything I need to keep track of while at the same time not being to bulky or cumbersome. I also like to be able to see the week at a glance so I know what appointments are coming up.
Elizabeth says
I love vertical planners too and they are so hard to find.
Cassie B says
Must have enough soace to write! I don’t like to write small so the lines can not be too close together. I prefer daily time slots every 15 minutes but can suffer through 30 minute slots.
Aleksandra says
Planner looks great! I love the idea of self preparing things which I really like and need.
Planner for me needs to have one week at first glance with space for notes, lines for more detailed planning but hours not necessary; personal remarks and moreover weeks’ numbers (for job’s need); training plan, weight controller.
ps. I follow your blog since some time and really like it, but never comment before. I am Polish, living in Slovakia, so sorry for my English 😉
Shelly says
I would love one of these planners! They are beautiful. I love being able to look at the week all at once and that there is space for notes and info that you need to remember.
Kellie Mensink says
I like a smaller size than 8 1/2 X 11 but still want times. Why is that so hard to find? I am definitely going to check out this site.
linda riffenburg says
I like a planner with week at a glance page option. I also like to have space for notes and ideas.
Heather says
I love paper planners! I like a weekly format with plenty of space for activities and to do lists. A monthly layout each month is great too!