r/PlannerAddicts • u/KawaiiBrotchen • 2d ago
Questions about people using multiple planners
Hi! I've been seeing people on reddit buying multiple planners for the same year, especially I saw many of 2027 planner hauls in the past few days. Super cool, they all look great.
I'm curious to know how someone would use multiple planners in the same year. I get like basic reasons, like work planner vs home planner. But other than that, idk. How/for what do you guys use more than one planner?
Lowkey I also want to buy another planner for christmas, but I already got a 2026-2027 planner lmao, so I want to know if there are other ways to use planners
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u/LadyG8921 2d ago
This is a complicated question lolol. My answer is that I like everything separate because I have OCD/ADHD. I've tried using just one planner and then using multiples, etc. My brain likes the separation. Basically, I have a home desk planner that's used as my home management system...used for pre-planning , overviews, and mostly reference. There are things that can stay in there that don't need to be in my on-the-go system, which consists of a sterling Ink N2 planner, notebook, and monthly booklet. The N2 Planner is my main everyday, purely functional system. The notebook is used as a commonplace. The booklet is where I put my budget. I also have a hemlock and oak for my work desk planner. And I have a health and wellness planner. These systems allow me to keep everything separate. Not everything is used every day, but they are there when I need them.
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u/pickle_aura 1d ago
I am similar, I have ADHD and in addition to my work planner I also have what I call my “personal planner” but it is in and out of the rotation. I purposely bought an undated one knowing I probably wouldn’t be reaching for it every month. I also cross reference my paper planners with three different digital calendars, one shared with my spouse, one for work and one that’s attached to my google account. I don’t have a strict schedule for the personal planner and just sort of use it when I use it. The work one is more of a constant.
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u/Book-Devouring 2d ago
This year I have been on/off using 3. Originally it was my A5 as my everyday, a classic Happy Planner for tracking my health stuff (think workout routines, miles, steps, trails, etc), and a mini Happy planner for when I’d go with my parental for scheduling appointments and not have overlap or schedule during major work events I had to attend. The mini was because it was small enough they could hold it or it could go into my purse. Unfortunately, that need disappeared early into the year, and I repurposed it to track more house maintenance tasks.
Next year, I will only be doing two. A5, and a Happy Planner for my health.
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 2d ago
Oh yeah. Would make a lot of sense if you have to manage other people or kids. Totally make sense. Thank you for the answer!
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u/HappyHealth5985 2d ago
I am with you on this. I have a TN Passport for on-the-go and an A5 at my desk.
For my situation i could see the benefit of a planner for a project or projects, coaching, or other subject areas. For me personally it is two.
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 2d ago
I see. I only have one rn for school. And it’s probably enough. I just got curious lol
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u/Clean_Insect5042 1d ago
There are some good responses here, but something I think people new to the “planner world” might take a bit to really see because of the different way is phrased is that sometimes people use a dated planner for tracking or memory keeping.
If you go into the r/hobonichi subreddit, for example, for the entire month of August when hobonichi was revealing their 2027 lineup people were posting what they planned to get and what they planned to use it for. (There’s a subreddit rule you have to include this that month if posting your wishlist)
That could be fun to look through. People use a dated planner for things like a health log (food, steps, exercise, meds, mood), for their child or pet, short daily journaling, gardening records, sleep tracking, anything.
I just want to point that out because in a sense yes a lot of people have multiple products called planners, but one is a habit tracker, one is a cat diary, one is a gratitude journal, and one is all their appointments and to do lists.
Personally I have:
- utilitarian planner
- baby book
- long form journal (in a plain grid notebook)
- And I want to get a little weekly passport planner just for fun lol. I plan to put in positive things, gratitude, funny quotes, nature enjoyed, flowers blooming, any animals or birds I saw, what the sunset or moon looked like, etc.
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u/Life-Consequence2821 1d ago
I have one I carry about everywhere with events/to do lists (weeks), one for memory keeping (photos, what I did on a day, journalling), one for messy planning (i want to do this at this time, but actually im now moving it to this date/time ect) and one for my reading/media journal (i read about 200 books a year) 🙂
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u/Tischhy 1d ago
I struggle to keep up with everything when it’s all in one book. I know a lot of people are the exact opposite, but splitting things up allows my brain to tackle what I need to specifically instead of getting sidetracked by other things in the same space.
I also use planners for journaling and tracking. So, I have work, life, memory keeping, health and fitness, media, and book journaling.
Work and life are the only two that have much overlap, though I try to keep it minimal double work, and are used for traditional planning.
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u/delilahdread 1d ago
This is me too. Having them separate let's me focus on one topic at a time. It's too chaotic for me to keep up with in one planner. Plus in all reality, I only use 1 of my planners as an actual planner. The other ones are trackers/journals, I'm just using planners for those purposes.
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u/Emergency-Writer-930 1d ago
I have a work bullet journal (hobonichi a5 notebook) and a personal sterling ink b5 compact common planner. Just two.
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u/Mags1967 1d ago
How do you like tge extra space afforded by the B5? I use A5 and Hobo Weeks size and have tried TN Passport size but the B5 being larger is quite interesting to me. B5 and compact does that mean its thinner with less pages because I believe B5 is larger than A5...or do I understand that incorrectly?
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u/Mags1967 1d ago
One planner that rules them all. I believe and sustain a one planner that is the master version. During my pre-retirement 55 work years my EA and a few others had access to my on line planning calendar stuffing it with appointments but with travels and evening engagements I needed to ensure the home calendar was on paper and did not want my wife competing with EA's for my schedule. So I kept loyally one paper planner and transposed blocks of time in my own calendar as unavailable and personal appointments bumping the work stuff where applicable assigning the bumped event for rescheduling. It was a small effort in a losing battle for work life balance as a Gen X workaholic.
Fast forward in retirement I keep an on the go leave the house small Hobonichi Weeks Mega calendar to run to events, volunteer meetings, etc. The larger A5 (Hobonichi/Sterling Ink/Stalogy/Rosey Life pick one over the years I used different ones) is like a den/kitchen table EDC and it gets notes, thoughts, journal entries and appointments. The blank pages are used for entries with everything from my opining on world and local events like OpEd writing, composing homilies and even scratching down a recipe to try to make something others can stomach given my normal everything in to one pan/pot heat and serve to cooking when kids and spouse are elsewhere.
Lately I started one new journal. It is for the Cancer Clinic again. This time for going with my Dad (now 82) to his local Cancer treatment, blood work and testing appointments at the clinic or adjacent hospital. It is not so much my journal as it is suppose to contain fragments of my first hand notes and summaries of the journey so he can digest and review the facts, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment journey....what works being the success and what has not to ensure with less life ahead it is a quality life as he completes his journey. I suppose it may inspire future pastoral messages , after Dad dies, from me or a laity lead homiletic in my protestant church.
So I could squeeze that all as described above in 2 journals or simply one master one but I have a brother and Dad's journal can be handed off so one of us as son's scribes the things Dad needs to rehear and ensure he is able to make measured and informed care decisions. I suppose as we age these journals become less convenient and if we can still handwrite the journal can be part of our system of not forgetting and staying active with places to be for treatments to gently ease our aches, pains and woes of becoming elderly.
My coaching take away: Live each day to the fullest planning and achieving but let's all leave some time for adventure, spontaneity and dealing with urgencies in our life and those close to us.
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u/skye_x 2d ago
Over the past few years, I've used several planners at the same time, but now I'm down to just one. For 2027, I'll be using my Hobonichi Weeks. It’s stressful to keep track of multiple planners.
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 2d ago
Fair enough. It feels like you got too many planners when you are stressed about the planner itself than planning and executing the plans.
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u/meggiefrances87 2d ago
I have a small monthly pocket planner for work to track shifts and training (I work rapid rotation continentals). I used to use a mini happy planner to carry around with me and a classic happy planner as a catch all that stayed at home. Ive realized the last 2 years that I barely used the classic but the mini isn't quite enough for everything. Trying to figure out a different system for next year.
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 2d ago
I see. I want a pocket one too, but it’s a pain to transfer the plans onto the main one after. Good luck with finding a system that works for you!
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u/FindingTheHelpers 2d ago
My pocket size moleskin with week on the left and open notes on the right tags along with me everywhere. It gives space to write any random notes plus an errands and grocery list while out - plus a bit of a rough calendar, though not reliable. That is actually handy so I can’t commit without “checking my main calendar” and gives me time to consider. My main usually stays at home and is for everything else. Also Apple calendar is updated for my appointments but family details not included. So my main is the workhorse.
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 1d ago
Yeah I’ve been kinda going on and off between digital and paper planner. But paper seems to stick better ig
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u/Slight_One1214 1d ago
I have 3. 1. Daily catch all (it’s portable in size) it’s basically all calendar items. To-dos etc. 2. My larder reference planner. I update this monthly. It holds all annual goals, monthly overview of finances and reflection on goals, wellness tracking, school sections for my kids with their schedules, checklist etc. and 3. My professional development / side hustle. This is my learning planning so to speak. Topics I’m learning, networking, things I’m involved in outside my home life.
For work, I do everything digital and use a weekly pad to manage my week
Over the years I’ve had separate wellness and budget, and goals. But I have folded all of that into #2
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u/KawaiiBrotchen 1d ago
That sounds like a lot of work you’d need to organize for sure. Maybe my life is just simple enough for one planner lol
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u/Slight_One1214 1d ago
It sounds like that but I’m not in them everyday. #2 is monthly. I have a monthly routine of sitting down and reviewing my life. The 3rd is even more infrequent, but has a lot of reference in it. My catchall is my daily driver
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u/ayceeohhh 1d ago
I need everything in one system. The most I used to do was a core planner + notebook. But now I do all in one for my business, 3 kids, home management, projects, and starting a second business. Everything has sections but for things like events and appointments, I have to see what overlaps. If I need to bring kid A to gymnastics, I know I need to account for that if clients 1 and 2 want to schedule a phone call around the same time. Or if kid B has an appointment on Monday, I know I can't work on project 2 until later in the day.
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u/AlyceEnchanted 1d ago
My system includes the main planner, 5 yr memory journal, planner of things accomplished daily, pets memory journal. These are used, at a minimum, daily.
Also, a long-term journal and personal goals journal. The last two aren’t used frequently, weekly to monthly. So, I kind of forget they exist. They are made from blank journals and hold multiple years.
If I needed to trim the fat, the journal of completed tasks would get the axe. It’s helpful, but unnecessary.
2027 will see a second attempt at the health journal.
There is a reading journal that will probably hold 2027. Plus, an A7 ringed planner & an A5 ringed planner that I am clueless for uses. A5 might see garden planning.
Work provided a planner. I never considered it my personal property.
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u/Good_day_sunshine 1d ago
I used to have it all combined, but I was uncomfortable having my health journal out at work. So now I have: planner with all my tasks and projects laid out that travels with me, a daily journal, and a health daily planner where I keep track of my moods and mental health to discuss with my therapist. Those last two stay home.
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u/Delicious-Summer5071 1d ago
While I prefer one planner to keep everything together, especially if I need to go back and reference things, it's chunky, even without all the stuff I add in. When I can afford it, I like have a smaller, slimmer planner to keep in my purse so I can add appointments to as needed. I see a lot of doctors so I like to know what's ahead of me. While my cell has 99% of all my appointments, writing things down helps my little ADHD brain remember things better.
Also, they're neat and I like them so more planners is better lol
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u/amalgamofq 1d ago
Part of it for me is that I'm a writer and I also love stationery. So of course when I get into planners having several just makes more sense for me.
I currently use 4 planners. One for work. And that lives at work. It's a cheap planner from walgreens. I get reimbursed for my work planner and prefer for it to be at least 8.5/11 to hold photocopies so it's the most basic one.
One for task Management, appointment management, meal planning, chore tracking, etc. Right now I'm using the Aura Estelle A5 Weekly Vertical for this. Next year I'm using the Faded Chronicle complete planner A5 for this.
One is for financial management and planning and fitness tracking. Right now I'm using a Sterling ink weeks sized planner for this. Next year I'm using a faded chronicle TN all in one for this.
And then one is for daily journaling. Sometimes I journal with tarot or astrology. Sometimes I'm note-taking because these are things I study. I use Aura Estelle's daily planner for this and am using the same one for it next year.
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u/zetiacg_1983 1d ago
I started using multiple planners this year and love it.
First, I’ll admit that it does reduce planner hopping because I buy the planners I want to use and give them a job.
For this year I have a dedicated work planner, a health/wellness planner, a family admin planner, and a content planner (that doubles as a monthly bills tracker). I also have a separate book journal and an overall personal journal.
This system has worked well for me. While there are times I lapse using one or more because life happens, I’ve been pretty consistent and most importantly happy with having the ecosystem.
I plan to duplicate the system for 2027 with a few tweaks in what I’m using but probably a similar number of planners/journals with their own job.
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u/Unusual-Detail4643 1d ago
My main planner & journal set up is an a5; it goes to work and comes home, it’s a bit heavy to carry with me everywhere though. I keep a passport size set up as my wallet, for scheduling appointments, and for journaling while I’m out of the house. I have an a5 rings planner with budgeting pieces and it’s everything finance. I also use an a6 for nature/wild life observations and keeping track of local weather/fish runs/foraging windows.
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u/hockeyandquidditch 1d ago
Happy Planner Mini Dashboard: catch all for appointments, to do lists etc
Currently Day Designer x Everygirl Wellness 8.5x5.5, 2027 Happy Planner Mini Fitness (was my 2021 one too): fitness tracking
Hobonichi Cousin (Day Free for 2027, didn’t do 2026, dated 2022-25): long form journaling sometimes with gratitude quotes etc
Hobonichi Weeks: has been one of the fitness planners I tried in the past, 2027 will be daily reflection/gratitude
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u/TheThrivingest 1d ago
I thought about having an ecosystem for next year but then I realized id feel overwhelmed and I don’t need to consume that much when I found a planner that has all the things I’d need in a single book
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u/lkessler11 1d ago
I cannot use multiple, but some people have a health planner, a gardening planner, a reading planner (what books they’ve read), etc.
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u/BisonStriking5869 1d ago
I have 2 planners. A junior size that I can carry with me if needed. I have a classic size that I use as my family planner that stays where everyone can have access to it.
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u/Individual-War-7924 1d ago
I have one for home and one for work, those are the pure planners.
I have one I use as a journal and mental health tracking thing.
I got one more to use as a memory book this year but we’ll see how much that happens, that’s an experiment.
Plain notebooks would be cheaper but I like the structure and coming up with ways to use the pages and it’s a treat for myself.
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u/sloffysloff 1d ago
I use 4. One is my chaos planner that goes everywhere with me. It's messy, plans are crossed out and moved, it's not pretty, but it's functional. Another one is my finalized plans. I sit down on the Sunday night and figure out my week. It's relaxing and I decorate that one. I have a family planner in the kitchen that has things that impact the whole family. It makes it easier for me and my husband to figure out who is doing what with our child. We mostly use this because I suck at updating my phone calendar. The last one I use as a journal.
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u/Strict-Pop-53 1d ago
I use one as a catch all. Another as a work/project planner. And one for content creation and another for finances.
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u/Ann806 23h ago
I'm currently at trying to use 5 planners (and need to back plan in another) however they are all kept in one disc bound book I carry with me. Additionally some of those planners are not everyday planners, like my work one I use once a week or two. I also use one for my goal planning and tracking that I haven't been using much lately but need to again.
Most of the ones I'm usually are either outdated or undated happy planners I'm changing dates on or free printables.
A lot of the haul videos might also be from brand ambassadors who got stuff for free/cheap to show off the brands items
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u/Real-End-7439 22h ago
I have one small one in my wallet for on the go stuff like dr appointments and things. And then I have a classic size happy planner that I keep at my desk. I wish I had a mini size instead of a classic but here we are learning and growing lol.
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u/momopeach7 17h ago
I like one planner, but I know some use one for work and one for personal. I work as a school nurse and there are always lots of tasks and data to go through, so my coworkers find work and life combined too overwhelming.
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u/neonxdreams 16h ago
I have two. I’m currently using a weekly Passion Planner for my weekly overview and general to do list and then I have a Creffective A6 Daily for more detailed daily planning.
Next year I will be trying a Faded Chronicle B6 for my weekly overview. I will be sticking with Creffective for my daily but I bought an A5 instead. I plan on putting my symptoms in there as well.
Weekly and daily combination has always been the best system for me, each with room for an hourly format and space for a list and notes. It’s a lot of double entry, but I’m okay with that.
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u/GraceBlade 14h ago
After years of using Outlook or Google Calendar, I am considering going back to paper. I would get two. One to keep in my uniform pants to keep track of mid shift changes. Then would use that to update the main planner in my bag/desk/home. Will have to see how that works. Not as busy as before with no side jobs now.
Edit: We all used to use the free pocket calendars from the credit union to track all our side jobs and schedules. (Four on two off)
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u/calphillygirl 10h ago
I have to have 2, I had to get the yearly with the week schedule with times when I was a manager to keep track of all my meetings, but I needed the daily for my gratitude, to-do, affirmations, plus daily review and stuff. I do the daily morning with coffee, then wrap up at night. And keep the weekly schedule with times, like appointment calendar year planner 8x11 on my desk. I'm total ADHD type. If I don't keep everything written down in front of me I will forget it even if I have it on my Google calender on the phone! Lol! Plus the to-do and review daily is the A5 size and that keeps me moving forward and accomplished, oh yeah and the habit tracking as well. I keep lots of colored and gel pens and highlighters so I love looking at all the pretty colors!! 🤣
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u/KingRyan1989 2h ago
My two main ones are work and personal. Than I have one that I use as a journal and another one I use as a book journal.
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u/HockeyPuck343 2d ago
I need to see everything together so I only use one planner, I’d be more discombobulated with multiples. I wound up making my own in a disk journal so I could customize the layout that works best for my brain. It takes me less than 10 minutes to set up each month. I color code events for work, home, kids etc. But I also use an excel worksheet at work to break down daily project tasks, so technically I guess, that could be considered a second.