I'm someone who loves paper; books, magazines, planners, notebooks, cards, etc. I love holding an actual paper in my hands, I'm constantly printing out things I could read online or writing down lists in one of my 50 notebooks.

I've been that way forever and I've documented that many times before. School supply shopping was always my favorite and when I graduated college, I knew that shopping trip in August would be the one thing I missed most. However, I've found my way around that and I'm always adding to my ever growing collection of stationery.

I don't discriminate either; I love all kinds of paper goods from things in the dollar section at Target to my Henri Bendel planner. I actually have to stop myself from buying more notebooks on the daily because I have too many and not enough uses.

I figured it'd been a minute since I wrote about stationery and with the start of planner season around the corner, what better time than the present!

I'm going to break down my current favorites as well as some items I have my eye on!



1. Louis Vuitton Agendas: This was a big win of 2017 and I think it'll continue to be my favorite for years to come. I use two of these (I got them pre-loved for like $50 each which is a STEAL), one for my blog planner and one for miscellaneous lists. I keep them with me at all times and they are so handy because you can truly customize it.

2. Small, Hardcover Notebooks: I have so many random notebooks sitting in my drawer and they all have something in common; they have random lists in them from over the past year or so and they're all small, hardcover notebooks with adorable sayings and such. I literally had to stop myself from buying this cute marble notebook because I have about 6 of a similar size not getting enough love.

3. Whitney English: Years ago I did a post on Whitney English & The Day Designer for Target; I haven't picked one up since then but am always tempted each year. Last week while I was in Target, I bit the bullet and bought an adorable leopard planner. I don't know what I'll do with it but I have it and I love it! (The planners are not online yet so check your local Target!)

4. May Designs: Can I really do a stationery post without mentioning my beloved May Designs? I don't know how many I have in my collection but I stop myself weekly from buying more. However, they just released an appointment layout that I have my eye on! Also, don't even get me started on the folios -- they are too cute for words.

5. Notepads: As much as I love notebooks and agendas, I love a good old fashioned notepad just as much. Making a single to-do list on a nice piece of paper, whether it's adorned with something cute in the corner or just a regular paper, I'm addicted.

Honorary mention: Post-its are God's gift to the Type A and I just got these ADORABLE coffee & donut ones from Target. I've had these marble ones in my collection for a while too and I love them. They make any note feel that much fancier. Also, I've started an obsession with these awesome diamond pens.

PS: I just discovered this Etsy shop and I need everything from there immediately. She has the cutest notebook designs!

PPS: Evelyn Henson also has some wonderful notebook prints that I've been dying to get my hands on for years but never pulled the plug!

Below are some items that are currently on my wishlist:

I am swimming in a sea of planners and I couldn't be happier. I've talked about my love of planners a lot on the blog, especially in the past few weeks, and I'm not stopping now!

There is just something I've always loved about planners, it's one of the most Type A things about me. I love writing things down, I love being organized, and I love making to do lists. I like to be able to look at my planner and know exactly what's coming at me, and how I can approach each situation.

Crazy right?

I've also been a huge lover of "stuff." My mom would ask me (and still does) "Why do you just buy STUFF?!" I don't buy clothes, or accessories (I buy a lot of make-up clearly), but I buy STUFF. I'll buy notebooks, and fancy pens, and keychains, and just random little items like that. I love stuff, and planners & stationery has always been one of my top "stuff" items to buy.

We've already established that I can't wait to start using my ban.do planner, and that I was going to use the BlueSky planner for work, or get a Lilly Pulitzer agenda.

But, that all changed when I saw that Whitney English (creator of the Day Designer) was coming to Target. UH........

HELLO THIS IS HUGE!

The Day Designers are hard to get your hands on, and they are a pretty penny ($50 if I remember correctly). I had a Day Designer last year as that was the planner we received in our Smart Girls Group Conference goodie bag(side note, attendees got Erin Condren planners, the OG of the planner world and I'm jealous) and the Day Designer really was a Type A's dream.

Is it worth the $50 to me? Eh, probably not but that's just me!

That's why I was so excited to see that Whitney English was coming to Target...and it was released in stores YESTERDAY July 12th!

*You can also get these on the BlueSky website if you can't find them at your local target

One of the main components of a good planner is it has to be cute. Isn't that the reason I didn't like the Kate Spade planners? I need color and fun and life in a planner. It makes organizing and day to day tasks so much more fun. Not to mention, they look awesome in Instagram photos #basic.

Is that just me? Does anyone else need a pretty planner over everything?

Well, Whitney English is bringing her A game to Target.

I received three planners (to my surprise) in the mail and almost wept tears. The reason I was weeping was well, because the planners are beautiful, and because I now have too many planners to choose from.

Between my ban.do planner, the BlueSky planner, and these adorable Whitney English ones, I didn't know what to do.





I wound up falling head over heels for the large, cloth-bound Monthly & Weekly Planner and decided it was much more professional and a little neater than the other BlueSky planner. I already started using the BlueSky planner so I'll probably just keep that home as a all around calendar.

This planner is gorgeous. I've never had a cloth-bound planner before because I really do love spiral planners (The ban.do planner is hardbound so I guess we're going non-spiral this year!) and it feels so luxurious. It's nice and big, and has a similar layout to the original Day Designer with the 'to do' lists next to the weekly layouts.

I only got this planner last Wednesday and used it at work on Thursday & Friday and already love it. It's definitely smaller than the original Day Designer and will take some getting used too but it's really practical for work.





The other two planners I received are floral printed, smaller versions of the Day Designer, very practical for everyday. They're spiral bound and have a nice, plastic protective cover.

These planners have the same layout of the blue, cloth-bound planner which I think is the jist for the entire Whitney English for Target collection. They're small enough for your purse, school, or work bag,

The thing about the original Day Designer that I don't really like is that it's too big to carry around. I would've never used that planner for school because it was just too much.





With my three planners came a booklet of the entire Target collection and there are so many different and fun prints! They also seem to have the classic, original Day Designer in White & Black stripes (I think it's safe to say it has the same layout as these planners, otherwise it'd just be the regular Day Designer).

The prices are ON POINT! The clothbound planner is $13.99, while the "original looking" Day Designer is $14.99.




They have a horizontal planner *which seems awfully interesting and desk pad calendars. The collection also consists of a small cloth-bound planner, which I think is great. It's always good to have options for everyone!

The designs are too cute for words and I may have to make a trip to my local target just to get a glance in person.

Because I have too many planners and not enough use for them, I decided to do a little giveaway for all you lovely planner nerds out there!

I have two planners, so there will be two separate giveaways and winners: one for the Medium Sized agenda & one for the smaller one. Feel free to enter both Rafflecopters below. The giveaway will end in one week-- GOOD LUCK :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the past three years, I've relied on my trusty Lilly Pulitzer planner to get me through college and my first post grad year.

I knew this year that I wanted to change it up. I tried last year and really disliked the Kate Spade planners. That was way too plain and dull for me.

I also had a Whitney English Day Designer, but it was too big for everyday so I used that for my blog. Then, once I started my new job, I left it at work, because it's perfect for writing to-do lists and daily notes.

This year, I decided to have two planners--one for my blog & everyday life, and then a larger one to leave at work.

It was just a matter of which two planners I was going to choose. I was thinking of Erin Condren, or another Day Designer, and definitely another Lilly, but fate stepped in one faithful morning a few weeks ago.

I was at work, on Instagram, and saw that the new ban.do planners were being released for pre-order. I've followed ban.do on Instagram for a while but never had purchased anything from them. I've seen the planners before but quickly did an Instagram search to see what previous planners looked like.

I was immediately sold and purchased my favorite out of the three offered, one I've seen many times, "I'm Very Busy". I knew it was smaller than the Lilly planner, but a little bigger than the small sized Lillys. It seemed like the perfect size.

It took about two weeks for my planner to arrive and the moment I opened the package, I fell in love. I never have felt this way about a planner, not even my Lilly. I'm being so dramatic but it's true.

It's the sweetest, smallest little planner but big enough to not feel like you're cramming everything into a few lines. There is plenty of room for all your planner needs. Yet, it's not heavy and small enough to carry around everyday.

It's so adorable too, it's colorful and fun, with cute little sayings on each page, and fun little designs. It's very well made (I like that it is bound and not spiral, easier to not destroy), and it's very detailed. There are little details in every corner of this planner. You can tell that a lot of thought went into designing these planners and I really appreciate that.

It comes with a set of stickers that are so fun, I can't wait to use them.

I have had this baby sitting on my desk since I got it because I don't have the heart to hide it in my drawer. I just need it to be August so I can use it, it's been killing me!!!

If you couldn't tell I really, really love this planner. I am SO happy that fate stepped in and I saw that Instagram post at the right time. I think I have officially converted to band.do planners & the entire company. It's just so fun and full of life, and so girly. It's awesome!

I will still (probably) be buying a Lilly planner to use & keep at work since that is slightly bigger.

Here's a little peek inside the ban.do planner!














What planner did you decide to use this year? Have you ever used the ban.do planner? Tell me in the comments!

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Emily welcoming all of us smart girls!

How to Achieve Your Dreams by 30 panel

Onli provided delicious, bubbly drinks for the whole conference

Swag Bag :)