My Favorite Planner EVER! {A Plum Paper Review}

I’ve tried a lot of planners over the years, but my Plum Paper planner is my all-time favorite. In this post I will tell you all about why I love it so much and why I would recommend it to every woman I know. 

**Links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you click that link and purchase the product, I may receive a small compensation. I am, however, committed to honestly assessing the products mentioned. Please read my disclosure policy for more details. **

I am a total planner junkie. I have loved planners ever since they started making us use them in the sixth grade. Possibly even before then. I am a scatterbrain by nature, so I absolutely NEED a good planning system to keep my life in order and my head on straight.

As I mentioned in my post 8 Ways I Rock My Schedule (And Get More Done!), I use a combination of digital and paper planning. There is just no way that either one could be everything I need it to be. So I do both.

For my paper planner, I have tried mannnny different planners. Simple ones, cheap ones, complicated ones, specific ones, generic ones … I’ve tried a lot of planners. And there has always been something that’s not quite right about them.

Until now.

Last year, I was elated to find that I had FINALLY found my dream planner. No other planner I’ve tried holds a candle to this planner. 

That planner is my Plum Paper planner, and I want to tell you all about it. Not because I want to sell you anything (they don’t have an affiliate program *sad face*), but because I know moms are always on the hunt for a great new planner that will organize the 100 different areas of their lives. And I’m confident that Plum Paper will do that for you!

I have a lot to tell you about these planners, so let’s dive right in!

**Full disclosure: Plum Paper graciously offered me 20% off the purchase of my planner for my review. I was already set to purchase this planner at full price, so that was simply icing on the cake! It had no bearing on my opinions or my review whatsoever. **

About Plum Paper

Plum Paper is a stationery company out of San Diego. They started out making notecards and invitations, but quickly began to focus on planners as their line of planners and notebooks became their most popular products.

Each of their products is handmade from start to finish, and it is obvious that the people behind the company care about their customers. The thought and planning (hah!) that goes into the design and layouts is amazing, and they are definitely made with their customers’ needs in mind. As you will soon see, there is hardly a planning stone they have left unturned as they have crafted their wide line of products, and the possibilities with these planners are nearly endless.

Pros

Extremely Versatile

The #1 pro to these planners is the many, MANY different add-ons. The basic planner has several different layouts to choose from, which is a plus in and of itself. But then the add-ons — oh my! There is literally something for everyone in this list.

There are two kinds of add-ons: section add-ons and page add-ons.

Section Add-ons:

• Meal section
• Blog section
• Budget section
• Fitness section
• Baby section
• Teacher/Class section
• Direct Sales section
• Wedding Planning section
• Homeschool section
• Brainstorm section
• Travel section
• Social Media section
• Photography section

Page Add-ons:

• Gratitude pages
• Notes pages
• To-Do List pages
• Checklist pages
• Contact pages
• Student Contact pages
• Party Planning sections
• Parent Communication pages
• Behavior Log pages
• Bill Tracking pages
• Cleaning pages
• Correspondence pages
• Meetings pages
• Mileage Tracker pages
• Prayer pages

Different Layouts

The 7 x 9 planners have 11 different layouts. You can choose between monthly and weekly, horizontal or vertical, hourly or sectional, and more. There is even a specific fitness planner, student planner, teacher planner, and homeschool teacher planner.

 

Starts on Any Month

This is another feature that sets it apart from a lot of other planners. Most planners are either 12 month or 18 month, which makes it frustrating when you need to switch to another planner. You either end up wasting a good chunk of your planner or not being able to switch when you want.

I got my current planner right before Andrew was born (September 2016). I didn’t want to buy a planner for four months, but I also didn’t want to wait until the new year to start planning. I loved that I could start my Plum Paper planner on the exact month I wanted.

Durable

Plum Paper planners come with a tear-proof, water-resistant cover that holds up and is easy to clean. I carry mine around in my purse all the time, and it’s still in great condition. 

Affordable

I wanted a cute, customizable planner, but I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. The 7 x 9 Plum Paper planners start at $32. Extra months and add-ons do add to the cost, so depending on what you get, you could end up spending as much as you would on an Erin Condren planner. But the basic planner is much more affordable.

Customizable

Oh, the options for customization!! This is my second favorite feature about these planners, and one of the deciding factors that made me a repeat customer. Not only is my planner super functional, but it is beautiful and unique!

 

There are about a hundred different cover designs to choose from (not an exact number — I didn’t actually count them — but there’s a lot!), and for an additional fee, you can now get them as interchangeable covers.

But my favorite thing about the covers is the personalization. There are several different shape, script, and color options, and you can get your initials or name and a line or two of writing. For my 2018 planner, I chose my name and one of my favorite verses dedicating my plans to the Lord.

One final customizing option I wanted to mention is that you can also have your planner sent unbound and unpunched if you want to punch and bind it yourself with rings. This might be a good option if you think you may want to add or remove pages later.

Cons

Overall, I can’t think of any glaring cons. The only reason I can think that you wouldn’t want a Plum Paper planner is if you’re looking for a very specific layout or planning feature. But between all the different layouts and add-ons, these planners would fit almost any need.

But every review needs some cons, so here are a few minor drawbacks:

Price

Although more affordable than a lot of other planners I’ve looked at, and an awesome value for what you get, it is still more expensive than other, albeit simpler, options.

Accessories

Plum Paper does not have as many accessories and stickers as, say, the Erin Condren planners. But you could easily buy those separately from other companies and add them to your Plum Paper planner.

Add-ons placement

I don’t like that the pages add-ons automatically get added to the end of the month. I wish there was an option to have them added to the beginning. I added a page of to-do lists to my 2018 planner, and I really wish they were at the beginning of the month.

My set-up/Add-ons

To give you an idea of what you can do with a Plum Paper planner, I want to briefly show you my personal planner choices.

My Current Planner

When I picked out my 2016/2017 planner, I opted for the hourly layout because I love time-blocking. And I liked it. But I really only need to time-block on my days at home (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and even then, a lot of days are fairly routine. So I didn’t end up using the hourly layout as often as I thought I would.

My 2018 Planner

For 2018, I decided to try the 7 customizable section layout. I’ve been organizing my daily Evernote to-do list in a very similar fashion, so I thought it would be a good fit.

 

I also added a page of to-do lists to each month. As I stated earlier, I wish that it was at the beginning of the month rather than the end, but adding a tab or clip to the page should make it a little more convenient.

I’ve had a lot of planners over the years, but none of them hold a candle to my Plum Paper planner. The array of layouts and add-ons is incredible, and the covers and personalization options totally put the “fun” in functional.

Take a closer look and see everything Plum Paper has to offer. If you like what you see and want one for yourself, send me an email and I will send you a coupon for 10% off your next order!*

**Offer applies to new account sign-ups ONLY through the referral link I will send.

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• How I’m Accomplishing More (By Doing Less)
• How I Made Over My Evenings (and Restored Balance to My Life)
• How to Organize Your Entire Life: The Ultimate Answer to a Cluttered Mind