University of Kwazulu-Natal

The Best Planners Journals And Diaries Of 2025 The Nod Mag

Bonisiwe Shabane
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the best planners journals and diaries of 2025 the nod mag

January—the month where we all collectively lie to ourselves about quitting vaping (insert any other daily vice), joining a gym, and becoming a more organised and better version of who we were last year. But this time, you mean it, right? Right? Whether you’re plotting world domination, tracking your cat’s moods, or just trying to remember what day it is—a good planner can be your trusty self-improvement sidekick. But because no two people are the same, we’ve got planners to suit every type: the chronically overcommitted jetsetter who needs every itinerary micromanaged, the minimal mystics who believe less is more (but make... From manifestation affirmations to sticker-filled chaos, we’ve rounded up planners so good they’ll make you feel like you’ve got your life together...

even if you’re still Googling “how to meal prep” for the third year in a row. So, grab a cup of coffee (or your fifth), pull out your cutest stationery, and let’s find the perfect planner to make 2025 your most organised year yet. Because, if you can’t control the chaos, you can at least colour-code it. This planner is peak elegance. No neon colours or cutesy designs here—just classic layouts, muted tones, and maybe a touch of gold foil. From timeless classics to quirky indie finds, these are the best journals, reading logs, and planners for 2025.

The inimitable Nikki DeMarco is as well-traveled as she is well-read. Being an enneagram 3, Aries, high school librarian, makes her love for efficiency is unmatched. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is passionate about helping teens connect to books. Nikki has an MFA in creative writing, is a TBR bibliologist, and writes for Harlequin, Audible, Kobo, and MacMillan. Since that leaves her so much time, she’s currently working on writing a romance novel, too. Find her on all socials @iamnikkidemarco (Instagram, Twitter, Threads)

As we turn the corner into 2025, it’s time to embrace the blank pages of a brand-new year. Whether you’re a goal-setter, a dreamer, or someone who just wants to keep track of life’s endless to-do lists, the perfect journal or planner is out there waiting for you. These tools aren’t just about staying organized—they’re about carving out space for creativity, self-reflection, and, let’s be honest, a little bit of sanity in a busy world. The variety of planners today can be overwhelming. That’s why we here at Book Riot are helping you narrow the overabundance of choices. You can go sleek and minimal with professional designs, dive into guided prompts for mindfulness, or fully customize layouts to fit your unique style.

Want a planner that doubles as a habit tracker? Done. Need a journal that inspires gratitude? Got you covered. The options are as diverse as the people who use them, so there’s truly something for everyone. To help you find your perfect match, we’ve rounded up some of the best journals and planners for 2025.

From timeless classics to quirky indie finds, these picks are here to inspire, organize, and empower you to start the year strong. So grab your favorite pen—it’s time to plan your best year yet. The Strategist’s carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here. Find this story in your account’s ‘Saved for Later’ section. The Strategist’s carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides.

Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here. Instead of an app or gadget that claims to jump-start your productivity, consider investing in a good paper planner. There is plenty of research that shows how actually writing down your to-do list and schedule for the day — rather than typing it out on a laptop or iPhone — makes you feel... And once the calendar year is complete, a physical planner becomes an artifact — a time capsule, if you will — of its happenings. Leafing through the well-loved Hobonichi Techo planners I’ve used over the years brings me almost as much pleasure as scribbling in them did. While I’ve been devoted to Hobonichi Techo for most of my adult life, I’ve covered the Strategist’s stationery beat long enough to know that finding the right planner out of the very vast and...

(I have, after all, updated this list faithfully every January and was tasked with selecting the best 100 notebooks for our massive notebook-testing story.) Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. I was born to write this story. Ever since I received my first homework planner in grade school, I’ve relied on an agenda—and I mean truly relied. To me, a planner is non-negotiable; going without one is simply not an option.

I bring mine everywhere with me in my tote bag. How can I possibly be expected to keep track of, well, everything without putting pen to paper? My planner is an extension of myself, and I’ve used dozens throughout the years. I understand the artistry and nuances. It’s rarely love-at-first-sight with these; it takes time to learn what you like. I’ll get more into that later, but for now, here’s what you need to know: The following nine planners are the cream of the crop.

These are companies that I know, trust, and love. If the style or format shown isn’t quite what you want, I recommend browsing alternative options from these brands. In all likelihood, you’ll find what you’re looking for on these sites. A few of them are even sold on Amazon. Ahead, the very best planners for 2025. You want options?

Papier has them. The worst part about these planners—which are available in daily or weekly formats with spiral or hardcover bindings—is picking just one! Dimensions: Length: 8.5 inches; width: 6 inches Shopping | ES Best Home | Home & Garden | Home Accessories The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter for hot deals, best buys and expert reviews I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. A new year brings forth a whole host of organisational activities. New year, new you, new plans, right? We know that if you write it down, it becomes more official, so if you wish to make this coming year your year, you’re going to need a good planner.

Go ahead and map out grand goals or just keep track of everyday tasks – a good planner can make all the difference. With so many options available, we’ve rounded up some of the best picks for 2025 that we can ship straight to your door. And trust us, we’re good at organizing things! If personalization is your jam, this classic Papier diary will be your best friend in 2025. Choose from various cover designs and customize it with your name or a favorite mantra. It’s available in daily or weekly formats, so you can pick the one that fits your planning style.

Customers love its sleek design and high-quality paper, perfect for jotting down thoughts or daily to-dos without worrying about ink bleed-through. Customer Review: Absolutely gorgeous notebooks, like a work of art. Makes mundane things like studying or working feel a little bit more special. – Danika This planner from Target combines beauty and practicality (and a great price) with its wire-bound format and cute floral design. It offers both weekly and monthly layouts, making it perfect for big-picture planning and tracking the finer details.

As we can see, reviewers rave about its sturdy construction and thoughtful extras, like goal-setting pages and inspirational quotes to keep you motivated all year long. Customer Review: I love all the goal setting & inspo content. What a great extra touch! – Cateblack A new year brings forth a whole host of organisational activities. Though arbitrary - you can make changes on any one of the 365 days in the year - there’s something about opening the first blank page in a new planner that gets stationery geeks...

When the clock strikes midnight on January 1, it feels as though the entire year ahead is fanning out before us in one never-ending spiral. From planning personal budgets for future events like holidays, birthdays and parties to personal aspirations regarding job goals and mental health milestones, picturing a year in which we’re well-organised enough to achieve everything we... Diaries, planners, journals and organisers help us to bring a sense of control and order to the chaos that is the start of a new year. Bullet journalling took off in 2013 when digital designer Ryder Carroll brought it to the public arena, yet the notion of creating schedules, reminders, to-do lists and brainstorming all in one neat notebook has... The very best planners and journals have the distinct ability to ignite an immediate incentive to get motivated and organised for the year ahead. There’s just something super satisfying about having a good old-fashioned diary to keep track of your daily to-do lists, curate your monthly calendar, and most importantly, cross something off when it's completed.

Plus, writing down your resolutions, aims, thoughts and plans is a sure-fire way to keep your energy and motivation flowing. So much more so than typing notes into a phone or keeping track of plans on a Google calendar. We have far too much screen time as it is – so spending time with a trusty notebook and pen can only be a positive. Rise and Shine Hardback 2025 Weekly Diary So, with the new year creeping up on us, the search for something we can keep close all year is on. Of course, for the stationery fanatics among us, choosing the right 2025 planner is a high-pressure task.

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even if you’re still Googling “how to meal prep” for the third year in a row. So, grab a cup of coffee (or your fifth), pull out your cutest stationery, and let’s find the perfect planner to make 2025 your most organised year yet. Because, if you can’t control the chaos, you can at least colour-code it. This planner is peak elegance. No neon colours or cutesy designs here—just classic layouts, mut...

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Want A Planner That Doubles As A Habit Tracker? Done.

Want a planner that doubles as a habit tracker? Done. Need a journal that inspires gratitude? Got you covered. The options are as diverse as the people who use them, so there’s truly something for everyone. To help you find your perfect match, we’ve rounded up some of the best journals and planners for 2025.