There comes a time in every creative’s life when they realize they need more organization. A planner is an effective way of taking charge of your days and thus, reducing your stress. When you decrease your stress, you have more room for creativity.
We’ve reviewed the best planners for creatives. This top 10 list is based on our personal experiences as creatives in the organization niche. Keep reading to find the right planner for you. We took durability, style, and effectiveness into consideration when ranking the planners.
Best Planners for Creatives:
1. Lemome Planner – Planner Weekly & Monthly with Calendar Stickers
If you feel like you’re in desperate need of some structure, the Lemome Academic Planner is a good choice. You can write down the important tasks you need to complete to bring your vision to life. The horizontal layout provides flexibility in your planning rather than keeping you on a strict schedule.
This planner comes with 88 ruled note pages you can use for journaling, project planning, jotting down ideas, or whatever else works for you. Writing down your ideas is important in reducing your stress.
Your mind can relax knowing you won’t forget one of those great ideas you had. You’ll be able to more easily focus on your current tasks as a result.
Consumers are happy with the quality of this planner. Some have said they could write with their fountain pens. The paper is heavy, so most pens won’t bleed through.
The Lemome Academic Planner is one of the best planners for creative people who want to structure their lives more without spending a lot of time using their planners.
Features
- The attached pen holder ensures a pen is always available when you need it
- 12 months keep your planning needs covered for a year
- Two ribbon bookmarks for instant access to your monthly and weekly planning pages
- The inner pocket gives you a place to store receipts, notes, and any other important papers
- Calendar stickers can be used like tabs for finding the month you want
Pros
- High-quality paper can take most pens
- Has a pen loop for storing your pen
- Interior pocket
- Durable cover
- A full year of planning space
Cons
- The calendar stickers aren’t plastic
- Saturdays and Sundays have less space on the weekly pages
2. Clever Fox Planner – Undated Weekly & Monthly Planner to Increase Productivity
Aesthetics are important to a lot of creatives. We think the Clever Fox Planner is one of the best designer planners for creatives. It has a beautiful, yet professional design you’ll enjoy looking at every day.
The Clever Fox Planner has goal-setting pages and comes with colorful stickers. The weekly spreads make you focus on your top priorities for the week and remind you to reflect at the end of the week.
Many consumers say the Clever Fox Planner strikes the right balance between detailed planning and simple, fast planning. It won’t take up much of your time to use, yet it has important boxes like priorities and a habit tracker to keep you focused on the most crucial things in creating your dream life.
The Clever Fox A5 Weekly Planner is perfect for helping creatives stay focused on their goals and the most important tasks to complete. It’s easy to customize and decorate with planner stickers too.
Features
- The inner pocket stores your stickers and any important papers you want to keep with your planner
- Awareness and self-discovery pages give you clarity on who you are and what you want to accomplish
- Goal-setting pages focus your mind on what you want to accomplish in each area of your life this year
- 12 months of planning space let you get a full year of use out of the planner
- The pen loop provides a convenient place for storing your pen
- Three ribbon bookmarks let you immediately open your three most important pages
- Stickers add fun to the planning process
- Vision board helps you use the power of visualization and the law of attraction in creating the life you want
- 50 dot grid pages in the back you can use for drawing, sketching, note-taking, etc.
Pros
- Fast, yet detailed planning
- Guidance in setting meaningful life goals
- Lasts a full year
- Because it’s undated, you can start on any date
- Quality paper
- Pen storage loop and interior pocket
- Available in beautiful colors
Cons
- Less planning space for each day of the week compared to some other planners
- Saturdays and Sundays have less space on the weekly pages
3. Kodexlode Planner – Weekly & Monthly Planner with Monthly Tabs
Do you have a penchant for spiralbound notebooks? We think this planner is one of the best wire-bound planners for creatives. It has a durable twin-wire binding that keeps the planner together throughout the year. This planner is convenient to use and keeps planning simple.
Consumers say this planner is great for relaxed planning and customizing it to their needs. The planner is durable enough to last the entire year. They also love the notes pages in the back for writing down notes.
Kodexlode 2022 Planner is a simple, affordable planner for creatives. If you thought our top choice was too expensive, this is a good alternative.
Features
- Monthly tabs make it easy to flip to the month you need
- Inner pocket for storing important papers
- Twin-wire binding prevents pages from falling loose
- 12 months of planning space give you value for your money
- Note pages in the back provide extra space for journaling or writing down important notes
- Elastic pen loop keeps a pen with your planner
Pros
- Durable wire binding
- Easy to lay the planner flat on your desk or table
- Instantly flip to the current month via the monthly tabs
- A full year of planning space if you start on January 1
- Notes pages in the back
- Pen loop
Cons
- Saturdays and Sundays have less planning space in the weekly pages
4. Maalbok Weekly Monthly Planner
If you’ve had to pass on the previous planners because they don’t offer enough space for Saturdays and Sundays, consider this planner. It also has space to list your top three priorities of the week to make sure each week is intentional.
The planner also has an inspirational quote on each month as well as monthly tabs. Another nice touch is the quote “Today is a new beginning on the inner pocket.” — helpful in keeping you optimistic each morning.
Consumers like the cute cactus design and find the planner an easy way to stay organized. They describe the paper as thick enough to prevent bleeding through.
The Maalbok 2023 Planner is one of the best inspirational planners for creatives who want a quick, easy way of staying on top of what needs to get done.
Features
- Twin-wire binding prevents the binding from falling apart halfway through the year
- The inner pocket provides a place for storing important papers
- Monthly tabs make it easy to find the current month
Pros
- Unique cover design
- Top three priorities for each week
- Plenty of planning space for weekends
- Durable binding
- Monthly inspirational quotes
- Monthly tabs
- Inner pocket
Cons
- No ribbon bookmark for immediate access to the current week
5. Legend Deluxe A5 Planner
If you’re searching for the best motivational planner as a creative, we recommend the Legend Deluxe A5 Planner. “Prepare to win, and expect to win” is inscribed on the cover. You can tell this planner was designed for success in your pursuits.
This planner has more detailed planning than The Clever Fox Planner. The weekly planning pages have a habit tracker, to-do lists, and end-of-week reflections. You also have goal planning and self-discovery pages to help you intentionally create a life you love.
People who’ve used this planner like the goal-setting pages and the quality design of the planner. Creatives also like the dot grid paper in the back for sketching important ideas and journaling.
The Legend Deluxe A5 Planner is a great planner similar to the Clever Fox Planner that guides you in discovering what you value and becoming clear on what you want to achieve.
Features
- Pen loop ensures you always have a pen with your planner
- The inner pocket provides a secure area for storing papers
- 12 months of planning pages cover your planning needs for a whole year
- Three ribbon bookmarks make it easy to turn your three most important pages
- 120 gsm paper can handle almost any pen
- Colorful stickers for decorating your planner
Pros
- Self-discovery and goal-setting pages
- Monthly reflection pages
- Dot grid pages for taking notes, sketching, journaling, etc
- Ribbon bookmarks for marking important sections
Cons
- Saturdays and Sundays have less writing space in the weekly pages
6. GoGirl Pocket Size Weekly Planner
Creatives who are looking for a planner easy to fit in their bags will like this planner. It has goal-setting pages, so you can regularly review your goals for the year.
The weekly planning section has a habit tracker, to-do list, priority list, and space for additional notes and creativity. Creatives often like using the notes space for drawing and inspirational words.
Customers love the lightweight, compact design of the GoGirl Pocket Size Weekly Planner. They also like that they can use their favorite pens and markers without bleeding through problems.
The GoGirl Planner is one of the best professional planners and organizers for creatives who need an on-the-go planner.
Features
- Pen loop for keeping a pen with the planner at all times
- Three ribbon bookmarks serve as an easy way to mark your three most important pages
- 120 gsm paper prevents bleedthrough problems
- The inner pocket provides an area for storing stickers and papers you want to keep with the planner
- 12 months of planning pages keep you covered an entire year
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Has a goal-setting section
- Undated, so you can begin at any time
- Dot grid pages for journaling, drawing, or creating graphs
Cons
- Less writing space on Saturdays and Sundays in the weekly section
7. You Are a Badass 17-Month Planner
Do you want a planner that matches your sassy personality? This planner features sassy quotes that will both amuse and motivate you.
It’s the first planner on this list that has a vertical layout instead of a horizontal layout for the weekly pages. If you have a lot of meetings and appointments, this type of layout is often better. Each day of the week also has a checkbox list you can use as a to-do list.
Creatives love the layout of this planner as well as the fun quotes throughout it. The planner helps them stay on top of essential tasks and schedule their weeks with ease.
This creative planner is suitable for those who find it important to laugh and have fun every day. You’ll like the amusing quotes throughout the planner. It also keeps your life structured in the way you want. There’s flexibility in how you use it.
Features
- 2 sheets of stickers to customize your planner
- Reinforced monthly tabs for quick access to the month you need
- Two inner pockets provide space for storing important papers
- Twin-wire binding keeps the planner securely together while offering the convenience of laying flat on the table
- Perforated squares offer flexibility in keeping an important slip of paper with you
Pros
- Great for scheduling appointments, meetings, and other tasks to be completed at a certain time
- To-do lists
- Humorous, motivational quotes
- Spiral binding makes it easy to write in
- Lasts 17 months
Cons
- Smaller space for writing under Saturdays and Sundays in the weekly pages
8. Blue Sky Day Designer Academic Planner
This planner has a clear pocket cover you can use to insert your photo. It also has storage pockets and monthly tabs. The inside of the planner has a beautiful, colorful design.
Each day of the week, excluding weekends has a to-do list on the right and your schedule on the left. The weekly section has an inspirational quote and a box for gratitude as well.
People who’ve used this planner love the beautiful design and say there’s plenty of space for writing everything they need to do. Working professionals, graduate students, and others have all found it suitable for their needs.
This planner is great for creatives who want to structure their lives in a way that’s supportive of success while having a beautiful layout to look at each time they check the planner.
Features
- Goal-setting and ritual-setting pages to set yourself up for success
- Monthly tabs for instant access to the current month
- Weekly inspirational quotes help you stay positive
- Twin-wire binding increases the durability of the planner
Pros
- Goal setting pages
- Morning and evening ritual setting
- Helps you stay focused and motivated
- To-do lists
- Durable spiral binding
Cons
- Starts in July
- Saturdays and Sundays don’t have to-do lists
9. Emily Ley Simplified Large Customizable Planner
Do you like having a lot of writing space? You’ll like the larger size of this planner.
It has a beautiful, colorful layout that satisfies your aesthetic side. The planner comes with a simple challenge to help simplify your life and reduce stress. It also features a bucket list and to-dos in the weekly planning section for weekdays.
Customers love that this planner helped them simplify their lives and stay focused on the most important things. They also like the attractive design.
If you work from home, the Emily Ley Simplified Large Customizable Planner is a great creative large planner to choose from.
Features
- Monthly tabs make it easy to turn to the month you need
- Twin-wire binding for leaving the planner open on your desk
- 12 months for an entire year of planning
- Bleed-resistant paper lets you use quality pens and markers
Pros
- Ample writing space
- Beautiful, colorful design and layout
- Simplicity tips
- Durable
- Resistant to bleedthrough
Cons
- Saturdays and Sundays don’t have to-do lists
10. Ban.Do Academic Planner
This creative planner has a more freeform style for the weekly planning pages. You’re given blank boxes instead of ruled lines for planning each day. The planner also has tabbed dividers to make it easy to flip to the current month. A fun quiz is included in the planner that lets you know what color your personality is.
Consumers like that this planner is durable and has an attractive design. They found the layout effective in organizing their lives as well. A criticism some have is the monthly boxes are too small.
If you like drawing, you’ll enjoy having blank boxes for each day of the week. The Ban.Do Academic Planner have a layout that’s hard to find among planners.
Features
- 12 months of planning pages to avoid the need to buy another planner during the year
- One ribbon bookmark to mark an important page
- Colorful tabbed dividers make it easy to flip to the month you need
- Uplifting quotes help you stay positive
- Ruled pages provide extra space for taking notes or creating lists
- Stickers for decorating your planner
Pros
- No ruled lines in the weekly planning pages
- Lasts a full year
- Monthly tabs
- Colorful, attractive design
- Uplifting quotes
Cons
- Saturdays and Sundays have less space in the weekly section
Factors to Consider
A basic planner or an all-in-one planner
Do you want a basic planner or an all-in-one planner? Basic planners only provide pages for planning your days whereas all-in-one planners offer additional functionality, such as reflection, vision creation, goal setting, and habit tracking.
Horizontal or vertical layout
Should you choose a planner with a horizontal or a vertical layout? In general, people say horizontal layouts provide more flexibility and are easier to use with custom stickers that create sections you can write on.
Vertical layouts are ideal for those who have a lot of appointments and meetings to keep track of. Choose whichever layout you think best suits your needs and personality.
Extra boost of motivation
Do you need an extra boost of motivation to finish your projects? You’ll want to browse your options in inspirational planners like the Maalbok 2020–2022 Planner, the Blue Sky Day Designer Academic Planner, and the You Are a Badass 17-Month Planner.
Notes pages
Having notes pages is also helpful for creatives because it provides room for you to brainstorm, mind map, sketch ideas, draw graphs of your progress, journal, and take notes.
You can use these pages in whatever way works for your approach to creation. If you’re a very visual person, dot grid notes pages are better than ruled pages because your drawings will look better on dot grid paper.
Making the Decision
Creatives often struggle with structure but find out that some level of structure is necessary for life. You can achieve your creative goals much faster when you use a planner to organize your life and write down what next steps you need to take to complete a project.
For these reasons, we listed the Lemome Academic Planner as our top choice. If you want an all-in-one planner rather than a basic planner, our top pick is the Clever Fox A5 Weekly Planner. The 10 planners on this list are what we think are the best planners for creatives. You’re sure to find one that works for you.
