I know, I know, I’m not the usual planner reviewer for Earn Spend Live. But I’ve been using Day Designer planners for a couple of years now, I’m the Editor and Co-Founder of this website (meaning I’ve published the reviews that were written), and oh yeah, I recently co-wrote You Goal, Girl, a goal-setting workbook. So chill out and read my review.
Day Designer has been one of our favorite planners here at Earn Spend Live since Terra introduced us to it/created planner fiends of us back in 2015. It’s obviously the perfect choice for compulsive Type A’s with a need to plan out everything from meetings to social engagements to their showering schedule, but for those of us Type B’s constantly striving to better ourselves and get our ish together, Day Designer is the obvious go-to.
At $68 (+shipping), it’s pricey, yes—but it’s a daily planner, after all, and if you break down that price tag it comes out to just about $0.25 daily, which is a lot less than what you probably spend on your morning coffee. Choosing the right planner for you is a serious commitment, and buying a Day Designer planner is one I personally believe you’ll find to be worth it.
Plus, if you just can’t justify shelling out $68 for a planner, they have a mini edition for $58. I’ve used both, and while there isn’t as much room in the mini Day Designer for those of us with large handwriting, it’s much easier to tote around.
There’s also the Today & To-Do, which is just $39. It’s completely undated, so if you fall off the planning wagon for a little while you can jump right back in. It’s different from the flagship Day Designer in that it also includes a weekly view, which I personally love. That way you can scribble down an overview of the week ahead, and then get more specific with the daily pages. It’s also a lot thinner than the flagship, and looks and feels super minimalist and elegant.
But back to the flagship; why do I love the Day Designer daily planner so much, you ask? Let’s break down the can’t-live-without features in the Day Designer Flagship.
Today’s Top Three
We all have a lot to get done in a day—emails to reply to, meetings to prepare for, workouts to do, laundry and dishes to wash, animals to schedule vet appointments for—it’s easy to look at your long to-do list and get overwhelmed. So I always start each day by writing down the top three things I absolutely have to get done that day. It gives me a clear starting point with my to-do list and helps me stay focused on my top priorities.
This is hands-down my favorite Day Designer planner feature. I’ve tried several other planners, but I always end up seriously missing it.
Daily Schedule
Whether you have a lot of meetings, due dates, flights to catch, or a lot of kids with appointments and sports games to keep track of, the time-blocking portion of the daily page is absolutely essential. It spans from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Daily Gratitude
This past year I began writing down at least one good thing that happened each day. I thought it would be a struggle, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy—and it made me a more positive person in general. Now I can’t wait to fill out the Daily Gratitude box each day. Not only does it help you form a more positive outlook; it’s also fun just to look back at the end of the year and see what was going on in your life at that time!
Self Assessment, Goal-Setting Worksheets, & Ideal Month/Week
Before you begin planning, there are a bunch of worksheets at the front of your Day Designer planner. The first two worksheets, “Self Assessment: Where Am I in Life?” and “What is Important to Me?” help you really get to know yourself—your priorities, your values, your passions, and your strengths. Knowing these things will help you to create your goals in the following goal-setting worksheets (and it’s just really fun to self-assess).
I personally really love the “Ideal Month” and “Ideal Week” worksheets. This is where you take the goals you’ve set for the year and break them down into actionable steps you take each week and each day to make them happen. Side note: I like to scribble down a goal for the week each Monday (in the Notes box) to reflect these pages. You can also do this for every single day; it’s just a reminder so you don’t just write your goals down in these front worksheets and then forget about them!
Other Features
At the top right of the daily layout you’ll find boxes labeled “Due,” Dinner,” “Dollars, and “Don’t Forget.” If you’re trying to stick to a budget (or alternatively, tracking your spending), meal planning, need to write down due dates or school or work, or you don’t have your bills on autopay, these extra features can be useful. I don’t personally use this section; I just scribble notes under the “Notes” box and tend to forget those extra boxes exist. But to each their own!
It’s also worth mentioning that there’s a pocket inside the front cover. This is where you can put sticker sheets, receipts, etc.
The Beautiful, Durable Design
This may sound shallow or materialistic, but if my planner isn’t absolutely gorgeous, I just won’t want to use it as much. Day Designer is hands-down the prettiest, chicest planner in the game, and breaking it out each morning gives me nothing but pure joy. Which means it’s also Marie Kondo-approved!
(Image via Day Designer, Day Designer)
Day Designer has a ton of options for cover design. Right now I’m loving the Monet, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the options! The new Classic Bookcloth designs with linen-finish fabric covers offer a simplistic option for those who prefer a minimalist look.
As far as durability goes, if you take your Day Designer planner with you everywhere like I do, it will inevitably start to look a bit lived-in after a few months around the edges. But the coiling stays put, the pages don’t tear out easily, and the planner as a whole ages gracefully.