I'm a big fan of planners that start in July or August and go all the way through to the end of the following year. With both kids in school, our household functions on the academic year and I like to be able to plan their entire school year in one book.
Some people are fussed about the "wasted" 5 or 6 months in 17 and 18 month planners. I'm not, because those pages aren't wasted. I start the planner at the beginning, and I use those last 6 months to plan my summer and into the next school year. When I get my new planner, I transfer that info into my new planner. This also keeps me from having to carry around two planners at the end of the academic year.
I wish there were more options in 17 and 18 month planners. There are quite a few but they can be harder to find than 12 or 13 month academic year planners (which I posted about recently here.)
Here are the 17 and 18 month planners I know about. Please post a comment if you know of other ones!
The 18 month Moleskine weekly notebook is always very popular. It is available in pocket, large and extra large sizes. They are easy to find everywhere.
Paperblanks makes beautiful 18 month planners with vertical weekly formats.
Organised Mum makes a couple of different 17 month planners: traditional horizontal weekly, and family weekly grid. The new ones come out at the end of June or beginning of July. You can see my review of the Family Life Book from last year. We've been using it as our family calendar all year and it's been great, I'm definitely getting another one for next year.
One I've never tried is the Amy Knapp family organizer. I like the week + notes layout and that it has month grid calendars.
A quick search shows that Poppin has 18 month planners this year, they look nice.
Here's one that looks good: The 18 month Runwell planner by Shinola. Has anyone tried this one?
Gallery leather has 18 month planners now, they look great. Too bad they don't have monthly calendars or I would probably spring for one.
Leuchtturm makes an 18 month planner but it goes from the beginning of September through to February. Our school year starts in August so this doesn't work for me. (February? Why?)
MyAgenda/ MomAgenda makes 17 month planners (Aug-Dec). I've never tried them but they look nice.
Of course there are the Erin Condren planners, which are big and colorful but be warned, the prices range from shockingly high to ridiculously high.
What have I missed? What other 17 or 18 month planners are out there?
I no longer need these, but they would have been wonderful. I had to deal with 2 planner/calendars to cover the school year.
ReplyDeleteLast fall I bought a Quo Vadis Scholar at Barnes & Noble and was surprised to discover it was August 2014 to December 2015. The Quo Vadis site says the Scholar is August to July, but my Scholar must have been marketed just for Barnes & Noble, because their name is printed inside. I don't need an academic year planner so will likely just order a Hebdo refill for 2016.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, the 17 month Scholar is just for Barnes and Noble, their usual version of the Scholar is August to August. It is a great planner.
DeleteIn a strange way academic planners make sense in more ways that meets the eye for even non students .. the advantage of a ring bound planner you have a rolling year in your planner... but for me I wish there was a bound planner that started in April for the new financial year... I know some planners you can start from any part of the year.. and I think the hobonichi starts from April ( note I think)
ReplyDeleteThere is indeed a 'Spring' Hobonichi that starts in April. It comes in A6 (original) and A5 (Cousin) sizes, just like the January start diaries.
DeletePlum Paper on Etsy- the standard is 12 months, but you have the option to add up to 6 more. You can also pick your start month and choose either column or horizontal wks - it's super-customizable!
ReplyDeleteI purchased an Amy Knapp Family Organizer just because it went through to December of 2016, plus the layout was adaptable to my needs. But in my opinion the covers and wire-o binding are both pretty flimsy for 18 months of wear. If I do use it, it will need to be re-coiled with sturdier wire and the covers reinforced.
ReplyDeleteGood to know, thanks Christine.
DeleteWait, you use a Family Life Book? I hadn't realised! I know you tried it a few years ago but I didn't realise you use it regularly. Would you mind sharing details how you use it please? I assume you don't carry it around with you. Is it for the other members of your family to write in, or something?
ReplyDelete...Never mind. Just saw your old post *head-->desk* sorry!
DeleteNo worries Gail! We've been using the Family Life Book all year and have really enjoyed it. My kids love having their own separate space each day to see what they have going on, and to write their own things in. It stays on a book stand on the kitchen counter so it's always visible. I use a separate planner because I need more page space for my own personal use, so this means I duplicate writing everything into both planners. But for us it's worth the effort. Love it!
DeleteLaurie, I cut my planner teeth on your posts. I'd been using a big DayTimer for years and then went back to monthlies and lists and then to Plannerpads when I found your blog and just devoured every post. What I miss is the "what I'm using" feature because it kept me up to date with how you were swinging with the winds of life, and inspired new ideas. I love hearing what you are doing with your planners, so every mention like this one makes me happy!
DeleteThanks Christine! Yes I stopped doing the "What I'm Currently Using" posts awhile ago, mainly out of planner frustration. This year I've been going back and forth between hand-drawing my own in a notebook (size and layout I prefer) and my personal size Filofax (forward planning and flexibility plus space to plan things like travel and my kids' birthday parties well in advance). I've been Bullet Journaling for almost 2 years now, which I wrote about here: http://www.plannerisms.com/2015/02/a-year-and-half-of-bullet-journaling.html
DeleteI can't think of any 18 month planners you missed and there were a few I hadn't heard of. I've tried several on this list. (Moleskine, momAgenda, Gallery, PaperBlanks).
ReplyDeleteI wish there were more them. My job is on a July-June fiscal year, plus the Sep-Jun school year, makes an 18 month Academic planner the best for me. I'm carrying 15 months of monthlies in my A5 right now (Apr 15 - Jun 16).
One of the things I've admired about the ring planner brands like Franklin Covey and Day-Timer is that they offer their regular designs in quarter starts, so there are more options for a July start.
One thing that boggles my mind is how poor the photos are on most planner web sites. The descriptions mention all these different views, and all we get to see is the cover. Or only one of the interior layouts.
Now that planner shopping is almost completely online, and sometimes international, I'm sure it prevents sales. I've walked away from many a planner site that doesn't bother to show me the interior. And if I'm interested enough to ask, I rarely get a reply.
I did ask Shinola and they replied. Here is the Runwell weekly view: http://edgecdn.shinola.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/r/u/runwellplanner_v2_2000x1150.jpg
DeleteThanks for the link Bree! I like that weekly layout.
DeleteOkay, having real troubles here to get my reply to post. Do you moderate comments? If so, then that's the problem. Feel free to delete a few of mine if they all suddenly show up. sigh.
ReplyDeleteAnyway -- I was trying to say that Gallery Leather does have an 18-month with months in it. It's this one:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2016-large-academic-salmon-cartier-planner-gallery-leather/1121324710?ean=9781613263761
It's soft bound, ribbon to keep your place. Months all in the beginning, one month per page. Then the weeks follow, one week on the left side page and a blank lined page on the right. I love this format. My only problem this year is I don't like the color options. lol.
Hi Lorraine, I don't moderate comments, but for some reason Blogger eats them. What happens is you type your comment, hit publish, it goes to the Login screen, then when you come back to the blog your comment is gone and you have to type it all over again. I have posted about this in the sidebar asking if anyone knows any fixes for this issue because it is annoying!
DeleteThanks for the link! Great to know that version has months.
Yes, that's exactly what happened. Well glad to know it wasn't me doing something wrong. Now I'm wise to it I'll copy any reply I make first before I hit "publish". :p
DeleteBut I can't tell you how much I LOVE this Gallery Leather planner. omg, I write EVERYTHING on that weekly blank page. No more writing things on little bits of paper that would then get lost. Now if I need some bit of information I *know* I've written it down, it's just a matter of paging back through the planner to find it. :)
Lorraine: It comes in a lot more colors directly from Gallery: http://www.galleryleather.com/planners/leather-academic-planner
DeleteHi Laurie! I wonder how your Midori is going? Do you still use it?
ReplyDeleteHi! I stopped using my Midori after just a few weeks, for no good reason. The main thing that bothered me was that I couldn't plan as far ahead as I like without putting in too many insert booklets. So I went back to my Filofax for planning and my notebook for recording. Some day I might go back to the Midori though when I get fed up with shuffling books and want everything in one portable book again!
DeleteDid you see? Boxhouse Publishing have launched their new line! I love the new front covers!
ReplyDeleteYes I stalked the website until it was back up and bought my Family Life Book as soon as it was available! I love the beautiful new cover designs! I can't wait to get it and fill in everything for the new school year.
Deletehnmm limelife planners and inkwell press are also bound (coil bound similar to the EC planner) this is omg 2 months late but hey better late then never?
ReplyDelete