by Rachel Smith
28 October 2022
Who’s ready to shake off this year and turn the page on a fresh new 2023? I certainly am – and if you need a hard copy diary on your desk before the New Year starts, you’re probably stalking all the stationery stores with purpose right now.
Claire did our diaries post last year but this year my inner stationery tragic decided to wrestle it back into my kung-fu grip. So here you go: the best planners and diaries that’ll get the job done in 2023 (according to me).
Let’s get started…
I’ll be trying out the Curation for my diary in 2023 and although it’s far chunkier than what I’m used to, I’m looking forward to seeing if it helps balance my life a bit better.
Simply because, this planner is very focused on making sure you commit to self-care, wellbeing and personal goals. I love the pre-week planner and weekly spread, and I know I’m going to get quickly addicted to the habit tracker and daily check-lists. Oooh, but I do love ticking things off a list. Available in 3 different versions including A4, A5 and A5 Mini.
Adam J K is my people and his Unsolicited Advice diary definitely deserves a spot on our best planners list.
Firstly, because it’s a total 360 from the ‘hustle hard’ options out there. There’s space for planning out your week but also a heap of quirky sections such as the ‘Fill this space with something great’ page, a weekly check-in section, free space to ’emote as you wish’, a ‘List of 10 people no longer in your life’ – and my personal favourite: a month in review page where you ‘rate yourself on the smiley scale’. Yes, with smiley faces.
It’s about as far from a corporate diary as it gets but if a planner can bring both fun and self-reflection back to your schedule, this is it.
A diary called Freak Life? I’m here for it. This is the pared-back version of the #controlfreakdiary, from the Control Freak Co – and it’s as cheeky as you’d expect. It’s also got a gorgeous, easy to navigate design.
We love the ‘anti-excuse list’ (yep, ignoring your goals just got that bit harder), but it also includes a week-to-a-view page, weekly to-do lists, self-care ‘score-cards’, life lists, master meal plans and sections to review your goals. (Their quarterly diaries are also worth a look as they include lead management and accountability checklists).
Plus, Freak Life includes a digital version of its diary that you can use with tools like the reMarkable. So smart.
Ronnie & Co have been on my radar for a while and I love their planner – it’s a convenient, compact size to carry around, it has a pouch at the back for storing those random, scribbled notes or business cards that would otherwise get lost in the bottom of your bag – and the gold foil finishes give it a touch of class.
The user-friendly design incorporates a week-to-a view spread (and hourly increments for those who like to lock down their time in a militant fashion). There’s also sections for tracking your goals, taking notes and even making sure you’re on track with your budget.
This is the planner I used in 2022 and it’s nothing that special to look at, but gosh daaamn I loved it. It’s just a week to a page and that’s it – no bells, no whistles, no fancy cover; just blissfully functional and simple. (And at just $13, a great budget option.)
Also, the upside to a diary that does one thing and does it well is that it’s slim and light, and won’t give you a shoulder injury as you cart it to a cafe with your laptop. I’ve been clipping my to-do list onto the the front cover with a bulldog clip which is also my hack for keeping the diary open at the right week. (The ribbon place-holders, handy as they are, just don’t work with my brain.)
I think these are the best planners I’ve seen for the coming year, but if you use something else and love it, tell us about it in the comments!
Also, please comment if you want a follow-up post on the best place to buy stickers and stamps for your diary. (I told you I was obsessed.)
