With Thanksgiving and Black Friday now just behind us, it is officially the holiday & gift giving season! Whether you’re looking for gifts for your friends or simply want to treat yourself, planner and stationary items are a good way to go. Who wouldn’t love a new set of pens or a blank notebook to start the new year with?
Today, I want to share with you my favorite planning and stationary supplies. Most of the products I’ve been using for years, so they stand the test of time and are good quality for an even better price.
1. Michaels Creative Year Rose Gold Planner by Recollections™
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I am a Bullet Journaling enthusiast, but I don’t Bullet Journal in the most traditional sense. I was using a blank notebook for a while, which worked decently, but I was starting to get really frustrated by not being able to move pages around. Enter in: Ring Bound Planners.
There are tons of ring-bound planners on the market, but I am definitely partial to this one by Michaels. Its one of the most affordable ones out there, and it is very easily accessible. I’ve been using this planner since December 2018, and I’ve had no issues with it. My only critique is that the rings can sometimes be hard to open and close, but considering this planner is under $15 when on sale (and it’s usually on sale), you won’t hear me complaining!
2. A5 Dot Grid Planner Inserts
Since I Bullet Journal in my ring bound planner, dot grid paper is my preferred insert. This paper specifically is the best I’ve found for the price. It doesn’t ever bleed through with any of the pens I use (more on those below), and it holds up really well over time. I haven’t seen any wear or tear on the edges of the pages, even on pages that have been in my planner for a year. Although it wasn’t made by Michaels or even specifically for the planner I mentioned above, it fits perfectly in the binder!
3. Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens, Medium Point, 0.7 mm, Assorted Colors, 22 Count
These pens have been my favorite since college (going on 3+ years now). I love every color that they have out there, and they last a LONG time – longer than any other gel pen that I’ve used before. I use the black pens every day to write all my to-do lists and notes with, and I probably only go through 2-3 over the course of a year. I have never had to replace any of the colored ones since I got mine a few years ago, although I don’t use these nearly as much as the black pens. I have recommended these pens over and over and over to people, and most of my friends will agree that they’re the best! I also really like the 0.5 mm version of these pens, but the colored pens only come in 0.7 mm.
4. BIC Wite-Out Brand EZ Correct Correction Tape
I love writing in my planner with pen so much more than writing with pencil, but I am definitely one of the people most prone to mistakes out there! This white-out tape is my personal favorite. I used to use liquid white out, but I found that it would take way too long to dry to be practical for me. This white-out tape is awesome – just run it over your mistake, press it down for a second to make sure there are no bubbles, and write over it. It also layers nicely (in case you make multiple mistakes!), and it blends in really well with the color of the paper that I use. The only problem I’ve I occasionally have is that my pen written over the white out smudges if I don’t let it dry for 30 seconds to a minute, but it has never really been that big of an issue.
5. Post-it Super Sticky Lined Notes, 4″ x 4 “, Assorted Colors, 3 Pads
I’ll be honest – I love all Post-it brand sticky notes. They stick better than any other brand out there (but not so much that you rip your page), they have great paper feel, and they are a great price. I do have a special place in my heart for lined sticky notes though, specifically the 4X4 inch size. They are great for making a short list or note, and they help me write more neatly. I loved using these when I was in high school and college for taking notes and annotations within a book or textbook. Now, they’re great for when I want to make a small list that I want to move around in my planner, like a list of things I’m waiting on or a few notes about a project.
6. Avery UltraTabs, Mini, Writable, 1″ x 1.5″, Metallic
While I love using dividers in my ring bound notebook, they can really bulk up the binder. Enter in these tabs. They are amazing! I can place them on any page and instantly make a divider in my planner. I love using these to divide out each month in my planner, and make tabs in my other planner sections, like different categories in my “Notes” section of my planner.
7. Pencil Case
I’ve been using this pencil case since early 2017, and it has lasted so well! I love the dashboard on it where I can store my most used and favorite pens. I also like that is has extra pockets to store smaller sticky notes and page flags. It even has a slot for a mini-stapler (which came in so handy during college!). I love that it comes in multiple colors, but the teal/green is definitely my favorite. While $9 is a little pricey for a pencil bag, this one is definitely worth it for the quality and how much it can store.
There you have it! My favorite planner supplies of 2020 (and really of all time). These products have stood the test of time and are definitely things I would repurchase again and again. Let me know in the comments what your favorite planner supplies is!
What is your favorite planner and stationary item?