My Favs on Thursday is a weekly link up with my best bloggy buddies Katy and Nicole and share our favorite thing of the week.
Essentially this post could be titled, “My Favs on Thursdays:: Being Organized” because I LOVE being organized. You could say to a fault. Therefore, I love planners. I have electronic planners and paper planners. They all coordinate, but I always get sucked back to the paper planner.
I’m a visual learner– and rememberer. It helps me to remember if I write it down and see myself write it down. As my life has changed, the quest for a perfect agenda has reemerged. I’ve ordered three to compare. The Kate Spade Agenda is first since I’d heard such good things about it! The next two will come in September and October.
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First up on my agenda criteria is the cover. Kate Spade agendas are second to none. Other agendas pick patterns to be like Kate Spade agendas! You can see all the cover options here under stationery at the Kate Spade website. Despite reviews saying that the dots rubbed off, there was one very helpful review saying to use spray sealer first and the dots would stay. I’ve been using it for a week and I sprayed the cover and the dots still look like new.
Next up is size. I selected the large planner, which measures in at 9 inches high and 7 inches wide. You can select a smaller size if that’s your hearts desire, but I have a 5×7 planner done by days and it’s still not enough room for everything, so I selected the larger size. My personal opinion on the size is that it’s perfect for putting in your tote, taking to business meetings, etc. It’s not overwhelming. It is 2 inches thick however, but an elastic is attached to it to help keep it closed
Third, the
layout. Inside you’ll first find a pocket for extra pieces of paper, invitations, etc. before getting into the meat of the matter. Once past the pocket there are pages for notes, important dates, and year at a glance. Then there is a tab month by month starting in August 2014 to December 2015 so I immediately started carrying this one around. Each month tab has a quippy saying to start you out. The next page is that month at a glance with squares to fill in. The individual days are displayed via week view, as seen in the first and last squares below. This space is a tad small for my liking, since I like to also include my to-do list in my planner. I have been keeping my to-do list on post-its, which works for me too, but I would love for them to have just a little more space. Maybe 2 two-page spreads for the week? Four pages total. It would make a huge difference. I also consider the
paper when selecting an agenda since I write with
felt tip pens or
fine tip pens that can both often bleed through the paper. The fine tip pens were perfect. The felt tips bled a little, so I’m just going to stick with my fine tip, which is not enough to make me give the planner a lower score.
Overall, for my needs, the Kate Spade agenda is an 8.5/10. These agendas are well made. The spirals are protected. The cover is sturdy. It stacks up very well against my judging criteria under cover, size, layout, and paper. I would recommend it more so for those who like to be organized but keep their lists elsewhere. The price isn’t bad either for it’s comparison models. If you want one, check out all the stats and other reviews
here.
What kind of methods do you use to stay organized? In the market for a planner? Which are you considering?
Don’t forget to link up with your favorites!
I'm almost sold on the gold dots alone. š
I am obsessed with planners, too. I once dragged my best friend to Target and stood in the stationery aisle bellyaching over the merits of the different styles they carry. I've been happy with my Moleskine weekly planner that is similar in layout to the Kate Spade planner, but I understanding wanting more space in the squares and days to write lists. I'm definitely debating a KS planner for 2015 and I can't want to see your other reviews!
A local shop I love just posted their new stock of these agendas, and I've been wondering how they were. Great review! I'm also a paper planner type of gal, and love ones that are big enough to work with but just the right size to put in your bag.
i love the polka dots! xo jillian – cornflake dreams
I'm a planner enthusiast too! I'm always on the hunt for the next best thing to help me stay organized. I love the gold dots and it sounds like the Kate Spade is a very high quality. I might add it to my shopping list. The other brand on my "to-buy" list is Plum Paper Designs on Etsy!
I actually am in the market for a new planner! I just added the black and white striped one to my wish list.
Thanks for this review! Your thoughts echo my opinions of the planner – I too wish there was more space for weekly to-do lists. I find myself using post-its or jotting notes in the Saturday/Sunday spaces, as I rarely end up using them otherwise! Can't wait to see what other planners you review.
http://www.mostlymidwestern.com
Such a cute agenda!!! Looks so practical
You are welcome to visit my bog http://www.mlleepaulettegirl.com
I am a planner lover too. I have this planner and I love it! I had it last year too (the glasses print). My only problem is that it makes my purse heavy (yes I carry it with me). But I NEED it to be that big! It is a struggle, but I wouldn't be able to handle a smaller one. (Oh and for to do lists, I use the large, lined sticky notes and put them on the week so I can change it, add, take it off, etc.)
Nikki
thefashionablewife.com
I'm all about planners and this one sounds amazing! I'm using the Emily Ley planner now and I love it š
xo,
Angela
Love this planner, I actually just got a new one yesterday š
I realllllllly want this planner, but my issue is not knowing if I'd use it! I also love the larger space, but I'm not sure if I'd carry it around with me. Ohhhh decisions.
xo Jackie
Something About That
I love Kate Spade. Seriously, ANYTHING Kate Spade. Havent seen this planner before. Gorgeous! Love the way the page is laid out too. I'm so picky about my planner pages. Some have not nearly enough space to write and some have WAY too much space to write. It's difficult to find that balance.
That is a cute planner, but I can honestly say the fact that you needed to spray protectant on it from the start is a little crazy. This thing has to get carried around and beaten up for a whole year! I would be very annoyed if my gold dots flaked out on me mid way through.
While I like being organized, I love my icloud calendar. I don't even have a normal hanging calendar anymore. I'd forget to write things, forget to turn the months, it's easier for me to type things into my phone.
Of course I love the idea of a tangible planner, I know it would be wasted on me.
Chic on the Cheap
i am old-school and need a planner. i am not good with digital calendars!
In unsurprising news, I am exactly the same, I carry a lesson plan book, a journal, and occasionally another planner to boot! Love this one and can't wait to see what else you share. Do I need to order this one now??
I almost bought this one but opted for a cheaper one from target that has an attached pencil case, I was sold by the extra organization and always knowing I would have a pen handy to actually write in my planner
I love that you did this. I still carry a planner and all my clients (and my husband) think I am so weird for not trusting my iPhone calendar! I need to go look at this one. I figure for an entire year the extra cost is justified.
xx Cara
http://www.carascliche.com
Love that agenda!
xx
Lauren Elizabeth
Petite in Pearls
Thanks Lauren! Can't wait to check out your blog.
That and it's pretty! It's hard to find a pretty planner that's also functional. I totally get having a paper planner still!
Haha! I can barely get in my Target at the moment with all the college kids back in town. I would've loved to have look around there because I've gotten some great things from Target that are far less expensive and just as nice.
Haha! You can wait and see the others I'm reviewing too. I think you might like one of the others better because I think I do too. I carry a planner, my blog planner, and a spare notebook. Great minds. š
I am more apt to write something down before I am to plug it into a digital calendar. We can be old school together!
I totally get that. My old boss keeps several different Google calendars for her plans and it all works for her. I tried for a little bit, but it didn't work for me.
Had I gotten the striped one, I wouldn't have had to spray protectant on it. That's the price I pay for wanting gold polka dots. They're that gold leaf stuff. If they had been printed on, the dots wouldn't have come off as easily.
It is so hard! I agree. That's why I am continually on a quest to try different planners! Thanks for visiting Lindsey!
If youre not a planner person, I can totally understand that. I'm very much a pen and paper person even though I keep a digital planner too.
What kind of planner did you get? I know being a teacher you always have to stay super organized.
I can't wait to order an Emily Ley planner. I think it might work for my life better than this one, as much as I love it.
Haha! I carry mine with me too. I'm using it the exact same way with the large lined stickies. I can't be without my planner!
I would love to! Thanks for commenting!
When I saw yours I knew I had to give the KS agendas a try as pretty as it was and knowing how much you have going on, I was so sure it would work for me. I love it!
The black and white stripe one is beautiful! For practicality I would've loved that one since I wouldn't have had to spend the time sealing the cover, but I love me some gold dots!
RIGHT?! Polka dot fever!
Oooooh Moleskines have some of the best planners. I debated big time over getting one of those at the beginning of the year since they had those adorable disney and star wars designs and I'm a total nerd for that kind of stuff. You might like one of the other planners that are coming down the review pipeline if you like square spaces!
Hi Ashley! This is exactly that kind of planner. You may even favor the one that's one size smaller too.
I couldn't resist the polka dots especially since they were gold!
I will have to check out Plum Paper Designs. I can't settle on one planner without trying them all!
Love the agenda and review! What kind of sealant did you spray it with?
It's a clear coat sealant spray. The brand I like to use is design master. It dries quick and is quite durable.
Thanks! I don't think I can find design master here in Canada but I'll definitely look around! š
Love the review! I just bought this planner for my friend and I. I was wondering.. how has your sealant trick been working up until now? Thanks!
Very well actually. You can tell the spots where I missed coating it, like parts of the edges because there's a little bit of dot missing, more so on the spine because of how I put it in my bag. It's looking quite new otherwise!