I have played with several different planners and organization systems through the years, including digital systems, and haven’t been able to find one that quite worked for me. I think that may have changed this year, as I try out my new system. This beautiful Happy Planner is what I have chosen for 2025.
The first thing that I love about it is how infinitely customizable it is.
There were several options from the start that I didn’t realize I was quite choosing, but made the best options for me. The first is size. There are three main sizes to the Happy Planner (and a few side options) Big (8.5” x 11”), Classic (7” x 9.25”), and Mini (4.625” x 7”). It seems that the Classic size is the most popular, with the most options and easy portability. I personally chose the Big size. To many, this may seem huge, but it is actually the same size as any standard notebook.
I really liked the idea that I could print off new pages on standard size printer paper to add to my notebook without having to cut them down, but YMMV.
The second choice that I unknowingly made was the layout. There are several popular options for this: vertical, horizontal, dashboard and colorblock, and some specialized layouts based on function. I chose the dashboard layout. First, it was because I liked the planner. Secondly, it was something that resonated with my style. I don’t really need daily pages. I like the weekly summary pages, and the combined weekly/daily format.
So far, I am using it as a planner/diary. I am trying to get used to logging in events and appointments that are going to happen, but also writing down things that have happened. For example, I am writing down my actual hours/shifts worked at the end of the week, and any events that I may want to take note of. I also have scheduled a few appointments and such ad documented them. It’s a bit of a trial and error.
Overall, I am happy with my choice, right now, and I really appreciate the customizability of the planner. I have printed off things like section dividers, an intention for the year, and a few other things. I purchased some lightweight card stock for this purpose, to fit in to the planner well, along with some sleeves, but I’ll get more into my personal customizations in another post.
