To be very honest, there is no perfect 2025 planner or even a perfect 2025 planner lineup. However, as someone who has been planning for almost two thirds of her life, I want to share my planner picks for 2025. This is in hopes to help you get inspired. As we approach a fresh year, choosing a planner that meets your goals, habits, and lifestyle can set the tone for a more organized and productive 2025. With so many styles, layouts, and features to choose from, finding the planner that’s best for you can feel overwhelming. Not to worry though because your Internet Planner Bestie will help!
*Some of the links included may be affiliate links which means that I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase. However this does not affect the end price. These are all products I use and love so I am sharing my true opinion on these. Thank you for your support!
1. Define Your Planning Needs
Before you pick a planner, think about what you need it to accomplish. Do you need a space for detailed daily schedules, or do you prefer an overview of the week? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you like to plan daily, weekly, or monthly?
- Are you looking for a place to keep track of habits or long-term goals?
- Do you need a large layout for notes or brainstorming?
- Is portability important?
Certainly, these questions can help narrow down options based on what matters most for your 2025 planning needs.
2. Choose Your Planner Format
Planners come in various formats, each with unique advantages. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Daily Planners: Ideal for those who need a detailed schedule every day, especially useful for managing busy workdays or personal routines.
- Weekly Planners: A popular choice for those who want a bird’s-eye view of the week, balancing appointments, tasks, and priorities without overwhelming detail.
- Monthly Planners: Great for long-term planning and big-picture views, such as tracking project timelines, school terms, or travel schedules.
However, if you want a true breakdown of nearly every planner out there, check out my Planner Directory. It provides a deep dive on different planners. My Top Pick: Erin Condren Life Planner Collection – There are several options for the Life Planner including vertical weekly, monthly, A5, etc. Be sure to take a quiz on their site to help you choose a planner that works best for you.
3. Select a Planner Layout That Matches Your Style
Layouts can range from minimalist to highly structured. If you enjoy a lot of structure, look for planners with guided sections for goals, habits, and reflections. If you prefer flexibility, opt for more open layouts.
- Minimalist Layouts: Simple, clean, and great for those who don’t want too much structure.
- Goal-Oriented Layouts: These include sections for setting, tracking, and reflecting on goals, ideal if you want a personal development focus.
- Bullet Journal Style: A customizable option for those who like creative freedom and can set up pages to fit their exact needs.
My Top Pick: Erin Condren Life Planner A5 Daily Duo – This planner has a perfect layout for those that need structure every single day. Recently, this has truly become a favorite of mine because of how versatile it is. Don’t just take my word for it: Watch me plan in this daily planner on YouTube.
4. Consider Size and Portability
Think about how and where you plan to use your planner. If you’ll be carrying it everywhere, a compact size is likely ideal. If it will stay at your desk, larger planners with extra space for notes or sketches might be best.
- Compact (A5 or smaller): Lightweight and portable, fitting easily in most bags.
- Medium (A5 or B5): A versatile choice, offering enough writing space without being too bulky.
- Large (A4): Best for those who need lots of room for notes or for desk use.
My Top Pick: Erin Condren A5 Compact Vertical – It’s lightweight and easy to slip into my bag, making it perfect for on-the-go planning.
5. Look for Extra Features That Add Value
Planners often come with bonus features like habit trackers, budgeting sections, meal planning pages, or even stickers and pockets. Decide which (if any) of these extras would add to your planning experience.
- Habit Trackers: For those focusing on daily routines, such as fitness or mindfulness.
- Budgeting Pages: Ideal if you want to keep financial goals in the same place as other planning.
- Notes Pages: Perfect for those who want space for lists, ideas, or sketches.
My Top Picks: Erin Condren and The Happy Planner – Truly, both of these brands have a tremendous amount of customizability. From dashboards to accessories you hadn’t even heard of, these brands have it all.
My 2025 Planner Lineup
After years of exploring various planners, here are my top picks for 2025, each offering something unique. I go through and give my own personal thoughts on each one but everyone’s planning style is personal! Definitely take what you can from my thoughts but it is important you explore and find your own style!
Main Planners
Erin Condren Monthly Planner – This is one of my main planners for this year as I found I had shifted from vertical weekly planning to daily but I need that 7×9 space to plan out my monthly layout. The 7×9 Erin Condren size is the perfect size for those that do not want a full letter size planner but A5 is too compact. Truly, the monthly planner is also just that, a monthly planner of course. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of added weekly pages that can sometimes be overwhelming.
Erin Condren A5 Daily Duo Ring Agenda – This is my new favorite Erin Condren planner as it provides all the space for you to lay out your daily plans. However, despite having all that space and possibilities to write, the more compact A5 version doesn’t feel overwhelming. Additionally, I love the customizability of being able to add pages wherever you want versus a coiled planner. It’s incredible how this planner has it all!
Additional Planners
Happy Planner Vertical Planner – This is my first year trying out the Happy Planner and I am here for it. The Happy Planner has a feature that I immediately fell in love with and that is the year at a glance pages where it lists out all of the days in the month conveniently for you int he first pages of the planner. Apart from the amazing designs, these planners are also highly customizable as you can add and remove pages. They are the pioneers in disc-bound planner systems and the price point is excellent!
Erin Condren Focused A5 Planner Inserts along with the Aura Estelle Ring Planner – When I tell you I literally scoured the internet for A5 Planner Inserts, I mean it. Well I even created a whole article on ring planner inserts and you can see it here. I figured if I did all the research, why not share it with you as well? After looking for something perfect for me, I came back for Erin Condren (mostly where I always end up) and found this beauty. This is a truly neutral planner that I will be using as my work and business planner. It also pairs beautifully with the Aura Estelle Cloud Ring Planner which is absolutely stunning.
Kell of a Plan 6-month Disc bound Planner – Also a new to me planner, I was surprised by how fun it is to plan in this! I will be using this planner as a content planning planner because it provides a lot of space to leave notes. This is also a vertical planner and is undated which allows for further customizability. I also bought a pack (that is no longer available) that included a sticker book to further customize your planner.
Specialty Planners
Erin Condren A5 Budget Planner – Listen, I am a digital planner when it comes to budgeting, but nothing beats that cold splash of water on your face when you actually write down everything you are spending. Ultimately, when you see for yourself where your finances are spilling, it helps you make better decisions. The Erin Condren budget planner is a very practical way to organize your finances without it feeling overwhelming. Take a look at this video where I go into detail about my budget planning system on YouTube.
Erin Condren Condren Wellness Log – I recently hit my highest weight and I am feeling like my health is not the best. Sometimes, getting down and journaling about your wellness is the best way to restart healthy habits. This planner is from the Erin Condren Petite Planner collection. Therefore, it doesn’t seem overwhelming because you don’t have to spend a lot of time jotting down every single thing. Additionally, it is undated which gives me the freedom to get in and out of using it periodically.
Decorably Meal Planner – Honestly, I was surprised by how much value this planner packs! It is very affordable and something you can pick up on Amazon. What I love about this planner is that it is full letter size, giving you the space to plan out your meals. However, it is not just for meal planning. It has a section for you to write out your groceries while you are planning your meals. Then, you can easily tear off the grocery list and take it with you when you do your grocery shopping.
Notepads and Deskpads
Decorably Daily Planner Pad—If keeping a planner is not for you, using planning pads can be a great alternative. I use this daily planner pad when I just need to be hyperfocused one day. It has helped me stay on top of my tasks. I don’t always have time to decorate my planner, so I have had to revert to just jotting down my infinite to-do list on paper once a week. Definitely give it a try and it is inexpensive too!s
Erin Condren Weekly Productivity Deskpad—Similar to a daily pad, sometimes you just need a weekly pad to track your weekly tasks. I love how I could personalize this Erin Condren pad with the headers I need. I use it to track my business and personal tasks. If I have a week where I don’t have time to plan, this is a great alternative.
Calendars
Erin Condren Monthly Metallic Deskpad – If I could only choose one planning product for the rest of my life, I would choose this. This calendar is absolutely stunning aesthetically. However, it is also highly practical. You have the option to use it as intended, a deskpad. Or you can use it like I do, as a giant wall calendar by simply sticking each sheet to your wall. You can use virtually any marker on it because the paper is so thick.
Decorably Desk Calendar – This nifty little calendar is a great addition to your desk. It is the perfect size to sit on your desk and not take up too much space. The paper is also thick enough that you can use any pen on it without it ghosting. I always have this calendar around while preparing my weekly or daily spreads in my planner so I can review dates carefully.
Decorably Wall Calendar – This is a simple and affordable calendar that you can hang in any visible part of your home. Although it has many designs, I chose a minimalist black and white design to use as my family calendar in my home for my husband to reference as well. I love that the paper is high quality and allows for you to write with different markers without it bleeding through.
Erin Condren Monthly Calendar Sticky Notes – Did the sticky note and calendar have a baby? Another great find from our Erin Condren friends! This is a half-letter-sized calendar that is great for pre-planning. Then after you have written your plans for the month, you can stick it somewhere you can reference. I just think that having a post-it that is also a calendar is the best thing in the world.
Final Thoughts
Finding the perfect planner is a personal journey. The key is to select one that aligns with your planning style and keeps you motivated throughout the year. I hope my tips and top picks inspire you to find a 2025 planner that will help make your year organized and productive!
Happy planning!
