I received my Whitney English
Day Designer in the mail yesterday! That makes for a brighter Monday. I'm comparing it to my 2014 Erin Condren
Life Planner that I'm currently using (and have used for the past 3 years).
Note: I ordered mine from a
retailer since the cover I wanted was sold out on the
Etsy Shop.
First Impression: It's big. I knew it would be bigger than the LP. The dimensions are listed on the website when you order, but it still looked big to me. I primarily carry my planner day to day in a large laptop bag that I use for work so it's no big deal to me. It also fits in my purse as shown below.
It's very sturdy. I'm confident it will last for a year. The pages feel a bit thinner than the LP pages, but my favorite pen, Pilot G2 does not bleed.
I LOVE that this planner looks much more professional than the LP. If color is your thing though, maybe stick to LP. There is no color in the Day Designer aside from the hot pink inside cover. The inside color depends on the cover you order. For instance, I believe the gold and white stripe is aqua inside.
I purchased the planner for the daily sheets. It is one day per page (except for weekends that have a shared page). Each day has a list that goes from 5am-9pm which is perfect for me! I was also considering the
Simplified Planner that is very similar, but that daily page only lists 7am-7pm. I'm happy to have the extra time slots.
Download and read more about the Day Designer daily page layout
here!
I love the long to-do lists with 17 bullets. I currently use one Maybook for my personal daily/weekly to-do lists, another Maybook for meal planning and a legal pad for my work to-do's...ridiculous! This will hopefully cut down on all my extra notebooks and lists. There is also a space for Daily Gratitude, Top Three to-do, Dinner, Don't Forget (I'm going to use this for birthday, anniversaries), Due, and Dollars.
I like the laminated monthly tabs (a must), extra notes page each month, 2016 monthly lists at the end, and a pocket on the inside front cover.
The Day Designer also comes with a velvet ribbon that they show you how to tie and use as a page marker. My ribbon is already a little frayed at the bottom so I'm not sure how long it will last. I'm not even sure I like it though since it adds a little bulk to the planner when used. I may just use a cute paperclip to mark my current day.
My only first impression complaint is that the inside front cover pocket seems a little flimsy. I'm sure by the end of the year it will be ripped, but clear packing tape will do the trick if that happens!
The only thing you won't get from this planner (compared to the Life Planner) is the personalization. There is nothing to personalize on this planner. It this is a deal-breaker for you I have seen people add a sticky, vinyl monogram to the front cover. The retailer I purchased from will do this for $8.00, but I wanted to see the planner in person before deciding if it even needed it. I may have a friend, Ashley hint, hint... make me something small, but I'm still not sure if it even needs it.
This planner is also less expensive than the Life Planner. The Day Designer is $59 through the Etsy shop. I paid $60 + shipping from the retailer I used. Even with personalization, it would still be cheaper than a Life Planner. Life Planners are $50-$75 depending on the type you choose, but that is before all of the add-ons. By the time I added the stickers, pens, notepads etc. I was usually nearing the $100 mark!
With the purchase of a Day Designer you also are given a password to gain access to The Day Designer online community both on a private Facebook group and an online forum. The groups for 2015 are not getting kicked off until October 1 so I don't have much to report on this yet. I love the idea though of networking and getting tips from like-minded people. Anyone who loves planners like me is an instant friend in my book!
Let me know if you have any questions! I'm happy to help or take more pics for you.
