December 19, 2016

Erin Condren Planner Overview (2017?)

I don't know if I can even call this planner "2017" properly because I just ordered it and got it and looked at it, but I haven't used it. I can't report on anything other than perceived functionality. I like that: perceived functionality. Isn't that why we spend so much on planners and organizers and the idea alone of planning ahead? We perceive ourselves to be better in the new year.

Anyway. I got a new Erin Condren planner. Edited to add: They were having a Black Friday sale. Normally, with shipping, this would have cost me about $65. On this day, with a 30% off coupon, and I didn't pay for any kind of priority shipping, it was $45. That was how I justified it. More in this post

I had a EC in 2012 and then I bought one in the middle of 2013 and that lasted from September 2013 until September 2014. This time, on my receipt, it said Thank you for your third order! which is weird because I always check out as a guest, I've moved twice since then, and I've used different credit cards. Erin Condren magic, I suppose. Since I've had two in the past and it's been a couple of years, I thought I could now report in on what I see (or perceive) the difference to be and what motivated me to go back to EC.

The cover is why I bought this planner. I couldn't find a Plum Paper cover I liked. I love the sturdiness and durability and designs that EC has available. I would have gone with a rose-gold coil, but it was like $10 more and that was definitely not a dealbreaker. 

Upon opening...
I went with the neutral color scheme. I like neutrals. 

The month-long layout pages. Last time I had this planner, I used the month pages to track work things, but I think it'll be for planning/tracking Pilates now, because that's the habit I've gotten into with my current planner.



Ah, the new horizontal layout. This was the selling point. They didn't offer the horizontal layer back in 2013, and the previous morning/afternoon/night layout didn't work for me. It might work for some, but I like this so much better. 

There's a notes section and a Thankful Thought space for each week too. 

After each month, there's a notes page and a quote. This is all in color, even though I went with the neutral scheme, which is nice. It doesn't mean that the whole planner ended up in black/white.

And then there's 3 separate types of notes page at the end of the planner...
Regular lined.

Graph paper. Maybe to encourage some bullet journaling? (shudder)

And a few blank pages.

There's several pages of stickers.
I admit that these will be (and always have been) wasted on me. I'm not into decorating planners, but they come with each planner purchase.

There's a pocket in the back, and I like the black and white pattern. There's also a clear zip pouch that I meant to take a picture of and forgot. #bloggeroftheyear

A perpetual calendar that also showed up with my planner.

And this back inside cover. Is that dry erase? Do we actually know what it's for?

And if you want to talk about "perceived functionality", I stood on a chair to take these pictures on our bar. Then I took a shot of the rest of the kitchen just to prove that perception is everything.

This was before I cleaned a few things up.
But the cookie ingredients are still out because I've yet to bake the cookies. 

What kind of planner are you *planning* on using in 2017???

11 comments:

  1. I've kinda missed writing in a planner so after a year that could change but we will see! I just can't justify the $$ for an EC but am in love with them.

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  2. I just can't justify the cost of an Erin Condren, the last time I priced them it was about $100 with shipping and the exchange rate. I'm giving the Happy Planner a go this year, although I'm not completely sold on it yet I think I can make it work.

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  3. I desperately need to get a new planner, the calendar on my phone isn't cutting it.

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  4. YESS! love planner posts. So glad you got yours on sale because f*ck full price!

    I already have a planner in play - my Kikki K. I've already started planning for 2017 (printed out my inserts for Jan-Apr 2017 and working on my monthly calendars.

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  5. I always love the EC planners & how you can individualize it a bit.
    I do the columns version - works for me - but love the options of it.

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  6. I never liked the Morning, Afternoon, Evening layout, and that's what always steered me away from EC. I might have to look at it again... in 2018 ;) I have my Plum Planner for 2017 and so far, I'm loving it! Even though it hasn't been touched yet.

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  7. Every time I see a post like this I'm like, "Maybe I DO need a planner!!"

    And then I'm like...$65...and I'd probably never use it. Nah. $10 for a rose gold coil when you're already spending that much? That should be like, a $2.00 upgrade at MOST.

    But I do think, since you do use them, you picked a good one. I'm with you on the horizontal vs. vertical daily layout. I never like the look of vertical days.

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  8. I think EC planners are so pretty, but I just can't justify the cost. I also *need* an academic year planner. It's just how my mind works. The planner I use has a monthly layout which is where I write down everything that's going on. If I need more room for more detail, I put an asterisk by the event on the monthly layout and write more details in the weekly layout. (So I do have a similar set up to the EC you have!) But I also really don't think that I use my planner enough to justify a splurge! I'll be ordering my new planner in June. I'm sure I'll definitely need to keep using planners now that I'll be adding a baby into the mix!

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  9. Thanks for sharing! I've never used an EC planner. I had a really small one for my blog stuff for this past year, but I really want to get a nicer one for 2017 so I can keep all of my things in one planner. I think it would be really helpful.

    -Lauren

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  10. I'm getting a new planner for Christmas (perfect timing!) but nothing special, one I randomly picked based on the cute cover at the bookstore and told my family to buy it for me. I actually do like a little bit of bullet journaling, but casually--usually I have one strictly-business planner that's a bit messy and mostly to-do lists, and one notebook that's a bit prettier and designed and I write town things I want to be reminded of long-term, not just for day-to-day tasks. Like I keep a list of books I've read, and stuff like that. I've never recorded books I've read until this year--and I've found that actually helpful for remembering the names of new authors I want to read more from.

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  11. ooooooh that cover is GORGEOUS. i want it. so pretty. you got a great deal as well, though so weird about the magic of them knowing it was the 3rd order. but what's with the dry erase? how strange. stickers are wasted on me as well. i know i'm in the minority but i don't understand decorating planners :-|

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