My Blogging Planner: The Day Designer

I don’t usually write posts just to talk about products, but this planner has been part of my routine for so long that it felt like time to finally write about it. I’ve been using the Day Designer for years, long before I ever became an affiliate, and it’s become such a steady part of how I organize my blog, my ideas, and honestly, my life. This post isn’t meant to sell you anything. It’s simply me sharing what’s worked for me, what I love about it, and why I just can’t quit it.

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My Blogging Planner: The Day Designer

My first purchase with Day Designer was back in 2021. I was in the market for a new high-end planner for two reasons:

My previous planner’s CEO did something exceptionally disappointing and tone-deaf
I wanted a smaller, more portable planner

When I was looking at the Day Designer Mini, I had a few reservations – especially the cost. I wasn’t ready to shell out that much on a planner I couldn’t touch and feel in person. But after subscribing to their newsletter, I realized they run sales throughout the year and even do a clear-out of their half-year school planners each fall.

Since I wanted to try it without fully committing, I bought one about a quarter of the way through the year. Turns out, I loved it – but what I’ve loved most is how consistent it’s been for me, year after year.

What I love about the Day Designer

The Paper

Besides consistency, the number one thing I love about my planner is the paper. I know. Turns out – I’m a huge paper snob. I love thick paper., and this one is at 100 GSM White Paper.

The Layout

You can choose between a daily or weekly layout, and both are uniquely different. This year, I bought a weekly mini planner because I wasn’t always using the daily to-do lists and schedule. It felt like a waste of paper year after year. When I discovered the stack of daily pages in the back of the weekly planner, it solved everything! Plus, I love the weekly quotes and that Saturday and Sunday are broken out.

Structure (without pressure)

At the beginning of the Day Designer, there’s a special section for building your hopes and dreams for the entire year. This includes a self-assessment page to review what matters most to you, a section to review goals by quarter (self-care, relationships, personal development, etc.), and a page to break it all down – monthly, weekly, daily, and progress strategies. There’s even a place to plan your dream weekly routine and day!

In the back of the planner, there’s a tab for notes and another tab with pages full of ways to stay on track. This includes pages to track expenses, a favorites list (for books and movies), gift ideas to remember (perfect for holidays and birthdays), thank-you note record keeper, an entertainment checklist for planning parties, pages for bucket lists, and my absolute favorite… a packing list.

Why this works for my brain

I have no doubt I have ADHD. The act of writing and creating lists every day helps my mind remember. I can write a digital list until my thumbs go numb, but I promise you – I’ll forget. It feels like the Day Designer just gets how my brain works and gives me the gentle structure I need to stay on track. You know?

I’m also wildly obsessed with the calendar boxes. I add stickers and little Post-its everywhere, and I love being able to shift my blogging schedule if something comes up and I need to change a publish date.

What’s Not Perfect

Transportation

There’s a lot to love about this planner, but not everything is perfect. My biggest challenge is that even though it’s 6.625″ wide x 8.3″ tall x 1.25″ deep (including the binding), it’s still fairly large – and heavy. The mini is 1.4 lbs and the full size is 1.9 lbs, which is just too bulky to travel with.

If this is going to sit on a desk or be transported to and from school or a coffee shop, you’re totally fine. But it’s not something you’ll want to haul on a flight.

Cover Art is Limited

There are so many other companies that allow more customization. I have a girlfriend who uses a company that personalizes schedules by her kids’ names. The one I used prior to Day Designer let you customize covers with photos, colors, and layouts – and honestly, it was overwhelming.

While this is technically a con for me, there’s something refreshing about limitations. It used to take me hours (sometimes days) to design my planner. The Day Designer keeps it simple with two layouts (weekly or daily), three sizes (original, mini, A5), and seven cover choices.

Cost

Honestly, the cost was the biggest hesitation for me at first. I could buy a $10 planner at the grocery store and survive just fine. This one isn’t in everyone’s budget, and that’s totally understandable. That said, the quality shows – durable hardcover, no-bleed paper, gold foil tabs, protective metal corners, thick gold wire binding, and a built-in bookmark ruler. They don’t skimp.

I put aside $5 a month for the whole year, which covers the cost and a few extra stickers. I also never buy without a sale or promo code.

A Quick Note on Affiliates

While we’re on the topic of promo codes, I want to share something that feels like a really sweet full-circle moment for me. Becoming an affiliate partner with the Day Designer team still feels a little surreal, mostly because I’ve loved this planner long before this partnership ever existed. I only partner with brands I genuinely use in my own life, and this one has been part of my routine for years – from my 2021 review to my Blue Sky Day Designer post in 2023 and so many little mentions along the way.

Support is always appreciated, but truly, never expected. I’m just sharing something I genuinely love building and organizing my life with. If you do decide it’s the right fit for you, I always recommend keeping an eye out for sales – and if it helps, you can also use my affiliate code for 15% off your order: DDAFFILIATE15.

Design and Stickers

Before signing off, I know my friend Shanna will appreciate this – she’s a huge sticker fan too. Here are a few Etsy shops I love and have personally ordered from multiple times (these are affiliate links as well!):

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for being here and being my little virtual friends. 💕 I would love to know what planners you use. Do you stick with the same one every year, or do you mix it up?

Extra love today and happy planning!