I’ve done a LOT of thinking lately about my tendency to planner flip-flop throughout the year and how I seriously do not want to continue with that pattern. While it’s fun for social media posts, it’s not fun for my bank account! Not only is it expensive but it’s also wasteful, since I don’t use most of what I purchase for the entire year, if at all.
So, I decided to draw a line in the sand for the coming year and commit now to ONE SIZE binder and ONE SET OF INSERTS. I'm not saying I won't make use of binders that I already own in one size, but I won't change in and out of different sizes during the year.
After much pro/conning, here is what I’ve decided:
I’m going with ……drumroll please…...Franklin Covey Classic.
I love the portability of a Filofax Personal, or a Franklin Covey Compact but I feel like the older I get the more writing room I need, not to mention that my eyes aren’t what they used to be, so the larger font size is much easier for me to see. I’ve never been much of an A5 girl for some reason, as it does not feel as natural to me as half letter does.
With FC Classic I have decent page size and also the ability to fit it all my handbags except for the smallest ones (which I wouldn’t carry if I needed a planner with me anyway). Classic is also going to be the size with the most FC insert and form options available to purchase (since I am totally incapable of anything DIY when it comes to planners).
I've purchased the 2026 Carrera inserts from the Franklin Covey website because they are simple, clean and have minimum design, and I am committing to them for next year.
Between my reduced work hours, inflation, the end of de minimus exemptions and the tariffs, my goal for 2026 is to spend less, save money and use what I have. My hope is to get back to simpler times when I was content with one size planner and one set of inserts for an entire year. I planned this way for decades in the past; I’m confident I can do it again.
What about you? Are you a “planner switcher” or you are a steadfast user of the same planner for the long haul? As always on Fridays, feel free to discuss anything ring planner related and have a great weekend!
Switching can have different "dimensions". Mainly paper size and punch pattern. And I think that makes the switch somewhat uncomfortable for many users.
ReplyDeleteIn most cases, if you change the paper size significantly, you have to switch the punch pattern anyways. And in rare cases, if you switch the brand (or the paper size slighty), you need to change the punch pattern.
So the questoin would be: Which switches are easy, and which would be awkard?
My personal case some time ago was to decide between Filofax Mini and Succes Mini. So I developed a combo punch pattern that fits both, as I do the punching (in that case drilling) myself.
An example of an awkward switch would be between A5 and the "half letter" you chose. The punch patterns are so different, that a combo punch would require two slots and nine holes. Did anyone ever come up with that option?
Steve already pointed out some options to use M2 and Mini sheets in larger formats. That could be an option to have a small planner, and then take some sheets with a larger format if needed.
I just re-arranged my punch patterns overview, and noticed that the Franklin Covey Classic should fit centered inside a Filofax Deskfax. Can anyone confirm that?
DeleteAnd a Filofax Personal sheet will fit the upper or lower 2/3 of a Deskfax?
Hans
I also have several Filofaxes that I don't use (I should do something about that), but I've developed a fun method of switching among the ones I do, that doesn't require anything but opening rings, moving the contents over, and snapping them shut: I have one Filofax personal for each season. It's fun to pull out an old friend at the changing of the light, and three months is just about when I often start itching for something "new."
ReplyDeleteI use an A5 ochre Malden for work. I don't keep personal and work in the same binder for both practical and philosophical reasons. A note to my fellow Americans: I find that half-letter paper works just fine in an A5.
A5 being 148.5 x 210mm, and half letter being 140 x 216mm, I can certainly see why that works. Most binders extend quite a bit outside the paper dimensions (Clipbooks excepted), so the extra 3mm top and bottom will easily fit in most binders. A5 paper in a half letter binder might be a bit of a squeeze horizontally, with those extra 8.5mm.
DeleteI've put myself on a planner but do use multiple sizes. On my desk is an A5 using half letter inserts and I'll carry anything from a FF personal to pocket to a hobonichi knockoff.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a year of planner monogamy. Like most of us, I have a number of planners in different sizes, but in truth the one I always reach for is my Personal Size Malden, so I will aim to stay with that one. I have others set up for specific topics, but for my every day needs I will aim to use just one and not switch. Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteSome of you know that over the last year (since December2025) I've been working on downsizing back into Personal from A5. I've now decided, after much experimentation, that I really need to be in A5, so I'm going into 2026 on that basis (sorry Zsu!).
ReplyDeleteI feel that I've given Personal really good go over the last few months so I don't feel bad at all about this decision. It hasn't een a flip-flop, it's been an experiment that has ultimately not served me well - at least for the time being.
I completely understand you going to Franklin Covey. In the US half letter is much more the standard than it is in the UK, where ISO A5 is more the norm. I can buy 500 sheets of good quality A5 for around £12.and I can print all my own inserts easily from both the Philofaxy files and other sources, so I'm happy that I won't have to invest in any more proprietary calendar pages - just spend a while over the printer!