The Best Back to School Planners

Yes, we are cringing too, but we need to face the facts: it’s back-to-school season. Notebooks, backpacks and school supplies are on display and students everywhere are venturing to get in some last minute shopping. Even though we are done with school, we are always on the search for the best planners. We swear by them, because they completely organize our busy schedules, from meetings to social events and family time. However, it is sometimes hard to find the “perfect planner.” With so many on the market, it can be tricky to differentiate the good from the bad. So, we are here to share our must-have planners that will help you simplify your life, whether you are in the workplace or the classroom.

1. The Scrapbook Lover

Erin Condren is one of the most popular planners on the market, and we totally understand why. This planner is so customizable, from the cover to the page. They have tons of cover designs, coil colors, themes and layouts (our fave is the marble cover with rose gold coil), and also allow you to add your name or photos. After all, your planner is an extension of you, right? We sure like to think so. Plus, Erin Condren offers so many different planner accessories, including their popular sticker sets, so you can get creative and personalize each day with life events that will become memories.

2. The Type-A Planner

This Daily Simplified Planner lives up to its name, because it will literally simplify your life. It features full month views, hourly scheduling and one day per page/shared weekend pages, so you can have enough room to organize your busy schedule. Plus, one of our favorite parts is the “notes” and “to do” sections which help us keep track of important information. We also love the daily inspirational quotes, because they keep us motivated and encouraged for the rest of the day. In a hurry? No worry! The colorful and sturdy mylar tabs make it easy to flip to a certain month. And to be honest, we simply cannot resist the pineapple print! It is giving us some serious #deskspiration.

3. The Classy Girl

Kate Spade is one of our all-time favorite brands. Consequently, we are totally obsessed with its planners. The company is all about living colorfully, so its planners are filled with lots of open space and feature beautifully bold cover designs. Our favorite is the mega planner, because we never misplace it and it gives us tons of room to plan out our days and weeks. Instead of hourly scheduling, this planner provides lines under each day, so you can list your to-dos however you please. And the pockets and laminated tabs ensure that your life is kept in tip-top shape. We love the floral print, because it adds the perfect feminine touch to any desk.

4. The Minimalist

Sometimes the simple things in life are the best. And we think that applies to planners too. Moleskin is a complete classic (seriously- it was created in 1997). From the durable hard cover to the thick paper and ribbon bookmark (so you can easily flip to the current day), we love how easy this planner is to use. It has no frills, so you won’t have to worry about too many sections or extra spaces. Just jot down your life events where needed. The elastic closure is great for keeping everything together too. Plus, it is small enough to slip into your bag on the way out of the house. Our favorite part about this planner is that it will never go out of style and it’s made to last, so there is no need to buy another one mid-year.

5. The Free Spirit 

Three words: Ban.do is fun. Actually four words: Ban.do is really fun. And its planners are an amalgam of stickers, clever doses of inspiration, bright hues and doodles, which we are obviously all about. Since there is a bunch of white space, feel free to color outside the lines, add Post-it notes, clip in cute pictures and write big, because the world (or the planner) is your oyster. Basically, this planner has everything. Use the pocket to store loose leaf paper and the coloring page to let your inner Picasso soar. We are obsessed with the “I Am Very Busy” cover, because, well, we are very busy. Make sure you grab one of these now, because they will sell out quickly (trust us…just banDO it).

6. The Prioritizer 

The Day Designer was “created to help you find balance, focus and productivity,” and we think it does just that. We love that this planner helps us outline our days in an organized fashion. With “today’s top three,” we can prioritize our most important tasks and feel accomplished when we get those done. With the two goal planning worksheets, we can effectively set and achieve our aspirations. And with the durable cover (that can be easily wiped clean), wire binding and protective gold corners, there is no way this planner will get tattered. We cannot get enough of all of its special features, including daily planning pages, inspirational quotes and monthly/yearly views. This planner is a total prioritizer staple.

7. The Convenient Shopper

We have always loved Sugar Paper (it is basically our dream life aesthetic). From the pretty stationery to the creative cards and adorable notebooks, this brand gives us complete design inspiration (and heart eyes). Consequently, its planners are no exception. So, when we found out about the Sugar Paper for Target collection, we got really excited. We adore this planner, because it is affordable, but also, high-quality and super chic. We love the gold foil detailing and blush pink cover. Plus, there are monthly and weekly calendars, as well as a notes section in the back so you can write down all of the necessities. Since there are no lines under each day, feel free to decorate. And of course, the paper is thick, just like the stationery. We just wish our entire desk looked like this planner.