2016 Planner Review
Choosing Your Best Planner for 2016
Do you have a difficult time choosing the best planner? Do you find purchasing a planner stressful because you cannot choose from all the different styles? Do you feel overwhelmed with all your choices for a yearly planner? The Smart Mom Smart Ideas 2016 planner review will help you decide the best planner for you by reviewing the features of 6 popular planners this year and helping you find the “perfect planner”.
When choosing a planner, you can narrow your options by choosing the size and design requirements in advance. You will be surprised by the many planner sizes and designs available. When you start to make your planner selection, you first need to decide the basic features you need:
- Size
- Pocket size – these are very small and only fit limited information
- Purse size (about 6″X 9″) – these are the perfect size to carry in your purse and large enough to write details for your daily and weekly plans
- Desk size – (about 10″ X 12″) – these calendars usually lay open on your desk or kitchen counter. You and your husband may add appointments to this schedule. You may carry this calendar with you, but it’s not likely to be a “purse” calendar unless you carry a large purse/tote style bag.
- Monthly/Daily/Weekly format
- Do you prefer just a month at a glance so you can see everything on your schedule for the month on one page?
- Do you need a weekly view (usually a week on 2 pages)? If you have several appointments a day, you may like the week at a glance format.
- Do you prefer the full page per page format? Usually, the one day per page will allow you to schedule hourly appointments and a section for a daily to-do list. The one day per page option is probably best for the people who have many appointments or like to schedule your time in time blocks.
- Other important features
- Do you want a month at a glance and weekly at a glance format? Or just one?
- How much space do you need to write down your schedule and daily routines?
- Do you want sections for personal information like gift planning, budgeting, and a birthdays/anniversaries page?
6 Best Planners for Moms in 2016 Review
Note: This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Best for Setting Goals (and Most Affordable Planner) – The Intentional Life Planner- $10
The Intentional Life Planner by Abby Lawson. This 2016 calendar is goals focused. This planner has pages to help you define your goals for this year and 5 years from now. Monthly focus pages to help you define your goals each month and decide your action steps to reach each monthly goal.
This planner is also one of the prettiest planners on this list, beautifully designed by Abby.
The planner includes month at a glance and week at a glance pages. The weekly pages include a task list for each day and hourly planner which could be used for appointments or time block scheduling. These pages also have space for weekly goals to help you work toward your monthly goals.
The Intentional Life Planner can be printed in 2 sizes either 81/2″ by 11″ (desk size) or the junior size of 5.5″X8.5″(purse size). You can print the planner yourself or have it printed at your local Staples or Office Depot.
If 2016 is your year to set goals, The Intentional Life Planner will help you set and reach your goals.
Most Formats/Options – Mom’s Toolbelt $24.95 (lifetime access)
Mom’s Toolbelt is a printable household management system. Mom’s Toolbelt features many different planners including at a glance yearly and weekly pages, Bible study pages, financial planning pages, home maintenance and so much more.
Mom’s Toolbelt is an all-in-one home management system. Since all the pages are printable, you can select the pages and sections you want to use. You will find it very easy to customize your home management binder from Mom’s Toolbelt.
One of the best features of Mom’s Toolbelt is that you only have to purchase it one time. Then you can update your calendar every year because you receive lifetime access.
Most Versitle/Most Affordable Planner – The Amy Knapp Family Organizer – (printed) – $10.74
The Amy Knapp Family Organizer is a great purse-sized planner. The planner features 2-page layout with space for planning and scheduling activities on one page (right side) and the left side has space for writing things to remember and tasks/goals for the week.
Even though it’s called a “family organizer” I think it would make a great blog planner too. On the notes side, you can plan your tasks and must do’s for the week and on the daily planning side you could plan your blog posts and promotions.
In addition to the weekly at a glance planning, this planner also has a month at a glance calendar. This planner is also a 16-month calendar from August to December of the next year.
Best Purse Planner – Mom’s Plan-It – $13.04
Mom’s Plan-It Calendar is the best purse planner. It’s the perfect size at 6.5″ X 8.5″ and it has a strong cover with a pocket (the pocket is helpful for holding shopping lists, coupons, receipts and more. I used this planner for most of 2015. I found it very useful.
Mom’s Plan-It Calendar utilizes the 2 page per week layout providing open space for you to add your plans, goals and appointments. There are also perforated shopping lists on each weekly layout. This planner does not include a month at a glance view.
The Mom’s Plan-It Calendar is a 16-month calendar each year running from August to December of the next year. You can use it as a school year planner or yearly planner.
Best Desk-size Planner – $43.00 (currently on sale for $34.40)
The Mom Agenda Planner has a great format. The pages are set-up for a 2-page weekly view. What I love about the layout is the top of the page is divided by AM, midday, PM for you to add all your appointments. Then the lower half of the page is divided into 4 sections allowing you to add individual names, dinner menus, daily tasks and more. This planner was my runner up when choosing a 2016 planner for myself.
Weekly at a glance pages and monthly at a glance pages are included. The planner also has pages for favorite websites, frequently used toll-free numbers, and online resources.
This planner also has several different formats. It has the desk size or purse size and also the MomAgenda or the MyAgenda planners. They also come in book bound or spiral bound format and 7 different colors.
Best Planner for 2016 (My favorite) – $34.99
My favorite planner for 2016 is the Mom On the Go Planner by In the LeafyTreeTops. This planner has the best blend of all the planner features. The layout and design allow me to use it as a personal planner and blog planner in one (no need to have a separate blog planner this year).
The Mom On the Go planner has a sturdy laminated cover (8 different covers to choose from) that will be strong enough to be pulled in and out of your purse for a year. The spiral metal ring binding also adds to the sturdiness of this planner.
One unique feature of this planner is that for every month offers 2 full – month at a glance layouts (one at the beginning of the month and one at the end). Between the month at a glance pages, there are week at a glance pages which are also a 2-page layout per week.
The weekly pages are divided into 3 sections for each day. You can decide how to use each section (one section could be your schedule, one section could be your children’s schedule, one section could be the daily menu). There’s also a small section for daily tasks to complete.
Each month also includes a page for monthly goals or plans, several pages for notes, a monthly budget page, weekly goals planning, and “remember this” section. Most all the pages have blank checklist or planning areas. If you love planning, this planner is for you.
The Home & Family section provides pages for you to write down gift ideas for each person in your family, Christmas gift planning, vacation planning and more.
Choose your favorite planner and get started on your goals today!
Your turn…
Which planner do you like best? Desk size or purse size?
