MY 2024 PLANNER LINEUP (I SURPRISED MYSELF DUDE 🤯) 

I love your thought process and swearing, I subscribed 🤣

Lefty here who uses Hobonichi. My favorite pen to use is the unijetstream that comes with the planner. I don't have to worry about drying time. I also have a ballpoint piglet pen from Diaso that I've been using more often. Gel pens I like are the UniOne sometimes I use Zebra Sarasas. I use mildliners or tombows to highlight things the Jetstream doesn't smear when highlighted over.

As a leftie with gel pens on Tomoe River Paper, I love the Pentel Engergel in 0.5. I am an underwriter (writing below the line) so smearing isn't really an issue for me, but either way I don't find that the ink smears and has a quick dry time

I came to the same conclusion regarding the Makselife a few months ago and switched to bullet journaling. I keep it very simple but have moved all my makselife and HB90 stuff into that. Looking forward to seeing your setup!

I really appreciate your honesty and the fact that what works for you changes. I’ve had the most anxiety ever over choosing my planner this year giving my self permission to say it’s ok if I change or do something different because what I have been doing isn’t working. I think I finally decided on the common planner for work/youtube, Hobonichi cousin for personal/regular life so I can use my fountain pens, and the makselife a5 books too keep me moving in the right direction.

I’m not a lefty, but my favorite quick drying pen is the zebra Sarasa Mark-on for the Hobonichi paper! ❤

I'm so here for "I want to use this the way I want to use this" instead of feeling pressured to do fancy shit. Not enough spoons in my life to do the fancy these days. I got the Night Owl planner this year, which is very similar to the Common Planner layout wise! I'm looking forward to using that for the day job stuff and general life stuff, and then using a Mnemosyne 2024 diary for my writing stuff. It has a monthly Gantt chart that should make my time easier to review. In theory!

I still haven’t finalised my 2024 lineup 😅…I also took a while to get my head around gratitude journaling. So I use prompts that come at the concept from different angles: (1) What brought me joy today? (2) Where did I see kindness today? Including me being kind to myself or someone else. (3) What am I grateful for today? Obvious, I know, but I found it helpful to ask the question a little differently to look further in my life. Thanks for sharing your lineup. Definitely helping me solidify mine.

Hobonichi pens. Uni-jetstream is the standard and for a good reason, but if your dear leftie really wants a gel pen, I recommend Zebra Sarasa Dry. I know some will mention the 'Mark On' which is also a good choice, but I like a saturated dark ink, and I think the 'Dry' provides that better than the other.

I made a switch to the Aura Estelle A5 Weekly Essential Planner, for the same neutral love. It also uses Tomoe River paper, and has the horizontal week on one page I love; Giving me room to add what I need on the facing page for the week, and loads of extra pages at the back. Having ADD, caring for an elderly parent with cancer, and more; I really needed everything in one planner. Edit: It also fits in my hobonichi cover! Woo hoo! P.S. - Great video! I really love how you break down, and explain everything. Thank you Cindy!

My wife is left-handed and I got her the Sarasa Dry pens for her Hobonichi!

This change makes a lot of sense to me based on what you have been dealing with this year. I really like my Hobonichi Cousin because I have the weekly overview and dedicated pages to each day, whether I use a couple of lines or the entire page. I love using Muji pens in it, but I'm not left handed and I have an impression that those might smear. I currently use the pen that comes with the Hobonichi planners, which is a ballpoint pen, and those work great as well and with much less smearing potential.

Two pen recommendations for your lefty kid: Uniball Jetstream and Pilot Acroball, both in 0.5mm. They're both ballpoints. The Jetstream is what Hobonichi recommends and sells with the planners. It's the most smudge-proof for sure, but I find the ink a little unsaturated and inconsistent (i.e. it skips sometimes). The Acroball ink is much darker and smoother and never skips, more like gel. The only reason I've preferred the Jetstream over the Acroball in the past is because it dried immediately on the old TR paper whereas the Acroball needed like 1-2 seconds dry time because it's a little "inkier," but I've done a lot of testing in my 2024 Hobonichi with the new TR paper and there's no smudging or dry time with the Acroball. If they test both I'm sure they'll find a preference. Next year I'm using the Pilot Dr Grip 4+1 - it's a multipen with the Acroball ink in black, red, blue, and green for colorcoding, plus a mechanical pencil. It's fucking bomb! The Jetstream has a 4+1 version as well, so options abound.

If you figure out makse in notion please make a video !!! Super interested

This was helpful. I’ve also been in a stack selection loop for the past few weeks. I’ve made my choices for now: B6 and N2/Weeks Common Planner (lists, plans, micro-journaling), B6 Stalogy (creative journaling), GCal, Evernote. “I’m going to use this the way I wanna use this.”

The Zebra Sarasa Dry x30 dries in ONE SECOND. It's freaking nuts. I love it so much.

The best pen for tomoe river paper is the Uniball jetstream. Hobonichi sells these specifically to be used for the hobonichi and often gives them away as freebies if you buy the planners through their official store. They dry immediately, last forever, and there is no ghosting.

Leftie! 🫱🏿 I’m also an underwriter though so my hand doesn’t go through my writing. I like Uni Jetstream (same pen that comes with the hobo). I recently picked up a Pilot Dr. Grip multipen, which uses Acroball ink, and it pretty much works like the Jetstream ink. I do think Jetstream might be a bit smoother though. For a while I used Zebra Sarasa (regular vintage). It was fine for me as a leftie and dried enough for me to close my book without issues, but I found that I would sometimes smear the writing later if I needed to write something on the page later and my hand was rubbing over other writing that may have already been below where I was writing.

I’m using two EC planners - the A5 Horizontal and the CV. There horizontal is holding my non routine stuff I need to do every day, and my CV had the days covered and I use it for tracking. I have four categories - household tasks, pet care tasks, self care tasks, and my clothes/makeup (trying to track what I actually use for a next year declutter). So like I’ll write Household on Monday, and Tuesday will have the 7 dots to color in. Pet Care is written over Wednesday with the dots on Thursday, etc. It’s working really well for me to finally get some stuff done around here.

I love the clothing analogy 💫 Thanks for being here CBG 🤗

Pen recommendation: I'm not a lefty, but I've found the Sharpie no bleed pens resist smearing and dry fast on most notebook paper. I also love them because they work at any and every angle, even when I'm laying prone with my mini notebook overhead on a bad pain day. I buy them in black four packs from Target, and I've seen them at office supply stores and on Amazon. And the grip doesn't pain me as quickly as other pens or pencils.

As a lefty, Zebra Sarasa Dry is the GOAT of pens. Never had a smudge and it writes so smooth! You want to highlight first before writing though, if you are a highlighter.

I'm so happy that you shared this with us, I'm in a similar situation. I have 2 planners for next year because I wanted the Common Planner but missed the presale so I bought something else - then was able to pick up a Common Planner later. I have been telling myself I should find a way to use both but it felt like an obligation and I wasn't looking forward to it. Hearing that you changed your mind helped me give myself permission to let the other planner go. I think being able to have a more compact planner/notebook/journal combo this year will work better for me. Now that my kids are older I just don't plan my weeks as aggressively as I used to and I'm really looking forward to the flexibility.

For work I'm using a Hobonichi Cousin Avec. It's my first year in a Hobonichi and I'm really excited about it. Hope it will work out the way I think it could. Really don't want it to be a fail, would hate to have spend a lot of money for something not working for me... For my personal live I a bulletjournal girl. Started this year to use A6 Leuchtturm notebooks and I so much love my small BuJos. Each only holds three month, so it doesn't feel like a big commitment to set them up. turned out that this solved a lot of my planing and journaling "problems". XD

I found you with your no spend or low spend journey. I love your energy. You are one my new favorites!

I’m using a Wonderland 222. I like that the months is followed the weekly’s. All in one book.

I can't wait to move into my plum paper weekly overview horizontal with the beautiful purple Llamas on the cover ❤ I know I'm in the minority with a horizontal layout but the overview page with less details daily works for my life. I used the plum paper notes and days last year.

I am using maker life flagship planner for 2024. In 2023, I used the quarterly goal setting companions & a Happy Planner and this year I wanted to have everything in one planner.

I am all over the place! I started my Makselife last year using the 6 month undated planner and I loved it so much that this is the first planner I actually used without abandoning it 2 months in. Now I have 2 full planners when I could never use just 1! I purchased the flagship for 2024, but I also decided to go with a weeks for journaling. I picked up a cousin and a A5 common planner, but we'll see if I keep one of those. I need something for HB90 that is not my makselife. I am so glad that you shared this. Because it seems to me that planning is Personal and an everchanging journey. I may have been struggling with it, but you have made me want to keep up with it. Thank you!

Cindy, I, too, am using the SI A5 vertical common planner in Caramel with gold gilding. I used a B6 for the last 6 months. Loved it but I realized A5 is my size for my overall planner. I used the Makselife booklets and they’re great but couldn’t justify the shipping to Europe this year. So I’m taking what I need from them and putting it in my planner. For journaling I love my Onion Skin journal and I have a SI vertical passport for an EDC. This is the year I learn to use Notion.

You inspire with every video. Have a wonderful Christmas. Rest, recharge and enjoy family and friends!❤

I use a medium ballograf on tomoe river paper. It is the only thing I can stand. I get them from jet pens

Oh yeah, Tomoe river paper aka pissed bible paper left to dry in the sun bonanza!!!!

Oh, i am actually surprised. Looking forward to how this works for you.

Leftie here. I have used both Hobonichi and Sterling Ink Common Planner. Best pen I've used is Paper Mate InkJoy. It still will leave a little bit of an inky-pinky, but not really smear. I've found that if I have a piece of scrap paper to put under my hand it takes care of the problem.

They've done studies that show you need to write something down 3 times, say it 3 times, and hear it 3 times to really learn it. So tell yourself your appointment info 3 times in a row after you write it 3 times.

Sounds like a great fit for you! I find that the best pens for TRP are Zebra Sarasa Mark On, Uni One, Uni Jetstream.

I’ve been super happy in my Common Planner all 2023- welcome back!

When Makse Life launched their flagship planner on the coil, I bought it right away -tbh, it was a total impulse buy. Launch hype and FOMO got me good!! 🤷🏽‍♀️ As I started to really think about my lineup and my needs in November, I decided that the SI CP that I preordered in July was what really met my needs best after using a Hobonichi Cousin since 2020. Although I want to use the ML goal system, the ML flagship weekly planner is just too big, a bit overwhelming for me, if I’m being real with myself. The quarterly ML companion notebooks alongside the A5 CP is a perfect combo! Cant wait to see how you plan in the common planner in 2024!

EngerGel 5mm Needle tip in a sarasa grand pen body is my lefty's go to, or the Jetsteam ink that is also used in the hobonichi multi-pen 🤞

I've got a bound up monthly/weekly planner from Amazon. I'll be also using TN type notebooks for projects and health stuff.

I’m a lefty, tried 67 different pens on the TRP. The Tombow mono artist pen in 01 and the zebra Sarasa vintage sets are my favorite. The Uni pins are darker and very smooth. The energels are great but only in the .5. I skip the ballpoint pens as they leave an embossing of your handwriting on the next page even with a writing board. The Sakura pigma microns are of course another great choice, but the Tombows drawing pens are my current favorites

Not a lefty, but I'm just starting to use a journal with Tomoe River paper and I tend to wipe my hand over it like I'm wiping away eraser shreds from a pencil, and the pen I've been using is Prismacolor Premier Fine Line Marker in 005 and 01. The set I have is a box with 5 (005, 01, 03, 05, and 08). I found my original set from Wal-Mart, but that was 5-ish years ago (yes, they still work), and now I'm re-ordering a new set on Amazon.

Uniball One (0.38 and 0.50), Pilot Multiball Fine, Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto multipen with 0.4 refills. I'm a lefty and use both the cousin and the weeks (and also have a SI Common Planner for this year) - I am an underwriter though, but these dry fast though!

Yessssss, I’m so thrilled to start the Sterling Ink Common Planner. I’ve been rings forever, but smitten by the SICP.

Leftie here too, I agree the Sarasa mark-on is pretty good. I've done dry tests and it's okay (on the old time river paper; it'll probably perform better on the new paper bc it's supposed to help with drying). Personally I like the oniball one pen that's all green or blue body, not the white body. They feel better to hold & write with & it does dry super, super fast!

A 68 gsm TRP notebook allows you to use a lot more pens than the 52 gsm in the Hobos and CP. I bought the take a note planner and I can use any pen and it doesn’t ghost.

I'm a leftie and I prefer ball point pens. The ink dries faster than a gel pen. I know that Jet Pans does specifically state which pens work better for lefties. Not sure if the descriptions on website say that but the videos do.

I am so excited that you are in a full year a5 Sterling Ink!! I will be too. I did the half year b6 SI and then switched to the a5 undated half year for the 2nd half and LOOVED it. Totally one of my faves of all time. I LOVE the ML system and the weekly action/reflection pages but I am so freaking over the plain boring tabs and non-interchangeable covers so I already took off my flower cover, chopped the first spiral off each page and frankenplanned it with tabs and other weekly spreads I love (EC!). Great ability to PIVOT! (LOL) your lineup to fit your life. As a lefty, favorite pen for TRP, Energel Clena or Sharpie S Gel. Most pens take a second to dry, but I just have learned over the years to not put my hand directly over what I am writing, generally hand is positioned below my writing so no smudgy smudgy.

I'm left handed, and these are my favorite pens in the Hobonichi! - b-len 0.5 mm Sleek pen body, smooth writing ballpoint pen. I love gel pens, and I didn't quite like any other ballpoint I've tried. I like how it indents the paper a bit as you write. - Zebra Sarasa Vintage 0.5 mm Bold gel pen! It does smear, but I still like it. I'm just careful with it. - Energel Clena 0.4 mm This gel pen has very little smearing in my experience. - Uniball Signo RTI 0.5 mm This gel pen I feel smears less than the Zebra Sarasa! It still smears tho. - Uni Pin Pen Size 01 0.28 mm I love this felt tip pen especially for writing in the monthly section. - Kuretake ZIG Clean Color Dot Double-Sided Marker Great for creating little dots for to-do lists I hope this is helpful (:

I have the exact same Sterling Ink A5 common planner. Love the color and the gold edges. I took it to a work conference last week and have already used up the first 50 or 60 pages of the pages in the back for notes. I used a turquoise uni One in 0.7 and I love the matte finish on it on these pages. It's really something. Not sure what/if I will use the front part, because I do have a work planner and also a hobonichi cousin again for 2024. I used the cousin for all of 2023 and it's chunky and awesome. absolutely no regrets about the SI CP, though.

I’m leaving my Hobonichi cousin for the B6 common planner in quartz. Also leaving the Hobonichi weeks mega for just a regular Hobonichi weeks. I bought an A6 full year common planner too and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with that .. I might sell it. I’m so excited you are using the common planner!!

Excellent as always . I am definitely finding surprises in my lineup this year. Like you, I thought I had it figured out, and I partly do. My main catchall planner will be an Agenda 52 A5 with horizontal weeklies. I like this year's setup so much, I am even keeping the dividers and deco, and only replacing the pages. EDC is more up in the air. I have a B6 with wire-o binding that won't fit in any B6 covers I own, and cover is a must. I really love my A6 Chic Sparrow TN, so I will probably end up ordering Yellow Paper House inserts for that, since I am having difficulty fnding a bound agenda that is really A6 - all the ones I find that say they are A6 turn out to be pocket, and mixing sizes is a no for me. On the plus side, hubby now has a lovely pocket Moleskine monthly.

I am a lefty, and vastly prefer the Uni Jetstream Ballpoint pens in 0.5. A close second is the Pentel EnerGel in 0.5. I do press hard while writing, which is my biggest trouble with the Hobonichis, so I've gotten real familiar with the shitajiki boards as well!

The fastest drying gel pens I know of for the Hobonichi's Tomoe River paper is the Zebra Sarasa Mark-on (I use a .4, it dries quickly and it's advertised as safer for mild liner use), and the Zebra Sarasa Dry (I also have the .4, and it seems to write like a .5). For ballpoint pens, the Hobonichi (when ordered directly from them) ships with a Uni Jetstream .5 3-in-1 for a reason, it's great on the paper and I've had good experience with not messing up my planner with that as well. Oddly though, my Extra Fine TWSBI fountain pens when used with the Lamy Inks I have (Turquoise & Blue) have also given me very little trouble with Tomoe River paper and dried much faster than many of my gel pens. Disclaimer: I'm not a lefty, but I usually forget to notate things and end up reaching up to find ink on my hand. These pens have left the least amount so far. I'm using a weeks again for 2024, but I did upgrade to the Mega since I'm not going to keep a separate note book this time for my goings on. I'm going to Bullet Journal style keep it all in the one planner with all the notes pages. If I need a work planner, I'll use a Bullet Journal so I can learn my needs, and just to keep my personal information safe, I have a separate planner for health tracking. I'm trying out the Happy Planner Mini Dashboard Layout. I think it'll have the room I need. Good luck through the holidays, and best wishes for 2024, Cindy!

I'm using the Hobonichi Cousin (goodbye Happy Planner). I'll be watching your videos for set up and planning using this planner. I'm interested because I agree with the extras in the Cousin I don't want or need. Thanks for your videos!

I’m using the Sprouted Daily Planner. I chose it because it has a weekly page and daily pages. I also have a Hobonichi Weeks to use for a quick journal. I have a blank book that I started last January for my journal but then everything in my life went crazy when my husband got so sick I never really wrote in it. I did end up putting every little piece of ephemera in it. That’s what I’m going to keep doing. I was really surprised to see you choose something other than what you’d been using.

I'm using a stalogy B6 notebook for my bullet journal and portable planner and then I have the PPP Home Planner for my mainstay. So put me down for a horizontal layout fan and a Sunday start fan (hahaha!).

Aside from just a regular mechanical pencil, I use the pilot frixion and occasionally staedtler triplus fineliners in my weeks. I haven’t had a problem with either of them smudging, although the staedtler does take a bit longer than the frixion to dry

Im using a Reading Bujo i set up myself (GASP) B5 and then the HoboCousin! And I will have an undated Medical A5 Malden rings .. Im getting a pocket size malden for everyday carry and NOW (THANK YOU CINDY LOL) im thinking about getting a HoboWeeks specifically for gratitude/pics/practice drawings etc... Hrmmmm decisions decisons!

As a lefty, I often think of reaching out to you Cindy bec I know you review/test or just try out pens quite often on your channel and I often feel lost trying to figure out which pens are gonna work for me. I have at times found on Amazon planners (around B6 or A5 sizes) that are trying to be hobonichi dupes/copycats, and I get so close to purchasing them just to have for the future because one huge upside is that they use THICKER paper! I'm not sure I could get used to the thinner paper or not. As for the planner I currently have, I went the opposit direction of this last year and bought a full size 8.5 x 11 planner, looks like it would be perfect for a teacher, but its definitely just a regular planner w/ monthly, big weekly vertical pages, and a ton of functional stickers, like 6 or more full size sheets (although the sticker quality has some issues honestly being awkward size compared to planner layouts, and not repositionsble). Its made by the Global Printing Company they are selling a ton on amazon now, and I got the 14 month one. I can already tell its gonna be a lot to carry around, I have a life organizer discbound binder that is also a full sheet size, so its possible that I uncoil the planner & punch it and place it all in my discbound notebook, which would mean I could easily just hold back 6 months of the planner til its time to use. Otherwise, you're gonna laugh at this, I'm thinking about getting like one of those zippered Five Star binders (the kind where the rings are removable) and putting all my fill size stuff (discbound & new planner) into there, and going retro old school with it 😂😂

I am liking your line up and can't wait to see what you do with them!

Excited, this is great! Do you have info about the cover you purchased? I'll be using a Sterling Ink Common Planner, the blue one, and I similarly will be using to do a hybrid of weekly/structured planning and bullet journaling. I'm excited to see your videos!

Still in the Weeks Mega, HB90 and dotted journal for my writer's notebook.

Lefty here! I've been using the Pilot Hi Tec C ink for a couple of years now and I highly recommend it. I use mine in a coleto because I like to color code, but they come in single pens as well. Another ink I like is the Uniball One. That one comes in some really unique colors. I've used both of these in my Hobonichi and Moleskine without much issue. I've found that the smaller points in most pens smear much less, if at all (I typically use .38, .4, .5mm). They're both on Amazon and Jetpens.

Bought my Baron Fig flagship dotted notebook for bullet journaling next year! Finally trying it out based on your review of it (a couple years ago now I think?)

I can really appreciate the pivot you made. ❤ i am using the monk manual planner. I was drawn to this planner as it's less focused on the doing but more on the being and focusing on what is truly important to me.

I agree with the Sarasa Mark On pens. They are my favorite! I can highlight over them in my cousin. Love them!

Leftie here! the mark on is good - can get it in a 0.4! Personally I use ballpoint most of the time, or the Pilot Frixion, the new dark ink one (picked mine up from Yoseka!) Also Cindy I just have to say.. I love that you've joined the TRP dark side!! ❤

The absolute best pen if they’re ok with a ball point that writes as smooth (though slightly less bold) as a gel is the uni jetstream. Otherwise I’d vote Sarasa mark probably.

I used B6 and A5 common planners this year. Loved them. But there’s parts of the Wonderland222 I prefer so using the A5 unstacked all in one in 2024 and then the Franklin daily for work. I’ve got a common planner (N2 weeks size…but the compact not the full one you’d bought) in my EDC options. I’m using a few EDC options to try things out and play in some fun planners. And I’m adding the makse life into my system. If you hate the paper you might want the RoseyLife that’s not TRP.

for pen's the hobonichi gives out with their order. The uni jetstream dry so quickly and don't stop writing.

I too am not a lefties but my pentel energetic 0.5 dries almost immediately. Love it so much in my sterling ink.

I love it, love your logic!

I am not a lefty but I am a sweaty-handed person and found that any gel pen in the Hobo cousin will ultimate smear or transfer so the best bet is a ballpoint pen. I use the Uni Jetstream SXR refills in whatever cute pen I have that will fit it.

I'm mostly a one planner kind of gal. So I have a B6 Common planner. I use a modified makse life system as goal setting, using their free printables and storing it all in my planner. The last two years I've been in a B6 W222 so not a huge change there. I also use Google Cal and a homemade teacher planner in a TN. That's all!

Frosting Finish…..definitely using that now 👌🏻 😜

I'm downsizing and sinplifying this year. Going from classic vertical to a A5 week on one page.

I’m back in to my Erin Condren life planner , my hobonichi weeks and Personal rings planner

I liked using my hobonichi cousin for the year or so that I used it but I really noticed that I didn’t use the daily pages enough. I focused on the monthly and weekly and rarely used the dailies. Then the weeklies were too small for what I really needed. So I moved back into a passion planner medium which is a bit larger and has no dailies but about 20 undated notes pages in the end which is perfect for me. I miss the hobonichi cover and CoC but the layout of passion planner works just perfect for me. For a daily journal, which I have never tried 😬, I got a 13 Moon Journal by Moon Phase Studios. It is a beautiful semi-guided journal focused on the moon phases, astrology, and pagan celebrations. Beautiful artwork of flower, landscapes, and celestial. It already started (because this first moon phase already started!) and I’ve been consistently journaling so it’s motivating me to journal. I’d love to see a review, Cindy, if you can get your hands on a copy.

I use Pilot Acroball BALLPOINT (!!!) pens on Hobonichi paper. I order .5 from JetPens, because I like fine. .3 is too fine, however. I’m a lefty, too.

I'm sure I'm lame but I like Happy Planners because I like the ring system. I've decided to try the dashboard layout this year and I'm going to possibly add in some scheduling pages if necessary. I'm finding that I really like just one planner, I no longer have time for an hourly planner for appointments and a second one like I've done in the past. I am just planning appointments in google and calling it a day. I did decide to try a little journaling this year in a little tiny no-name planner I got at Michael's. I feel like maybe journaling daily or weekly might make the time feel like it's going a little slower. Right now everything is just racing. Best wishes for a Happy New Year, Cindy!

As long as your planner works for you, then I'm in your corner. Not sure about use on TRP, but Sarasa Marks On is great for lefties. Quick dry and no smear on regular paper and can get it on Jetpens.

I switched to the Sterling Ink B6 for next year. A little less room than the Cousin I had been using. I just found that it was too much room for me and I had a lot of blank space to try and fill up. If I could draw it might not have bothered me.

My Makse is my main planner for life planning, goals and school. I just ordered a Hobonichi Weeks for Health and Wellness. I feel like it will also help me to figure out if I like TRP. My Makse still works well for me, although I’ve never done all the things associated with the goal planning system. It is redundant for me to write weekly goals and reflections so I don’t do those.

I moved to a Hobonichi Cousin! I've been a planner gal for roughly ever. However. I'm tackling some mental health things in 2024 and will need to track more. Weekly view plus daily pages ... fingers crossed!

Ahh I'm using an A5 common planner as my main planner also (the compact version w/ fewer pages in the back though). I had used the B6 part of this past year and switched to the undated A5 common planner in the second half of the year and love the amount of space. I also got one of the A5 common planner monthly booklets for work schedule stuff so I can easily tuck it in next to my main planner when I need. I did some combining of Makse goals into my common planner last year and want to do more of that this year. Excited for 2024!

I got the Makselife companion notebooks last year after watching you use the goals system, and I really liked it. For this year, I bought 5 small Muji notebooks to replicate it (4 quarters + 1 reflections/year goals), since I was just messy single-pen in the Makselife notebooks anyway. I might eventually merge the goals stuff into my bullet journal, but for now I like scratching out my reflections and goals separately, then adding my action items into my bullet journal task lists.

I really want to try to do better about following through with my goals this year, and that is much more likely to occur if my goal planning is part of the planner, so I’m sticking with Makselife. I will miss your cover, though!

I'm heading back into a ML full on this time. I loved Agendio for the larger size (8.5x11), but it was expensive to order quarterly & took so much time to move in ML stuff with it.

As for my 2024 planner, I'm using a Hobonichi Cousin. The monthly will track media releases, appointments and shipments. The weekly will track health and habits. And they daily will be my new journal setup. Plus, I got the Avec (Jan to June and then July to Dec.) so when that mid=year itch to 'change' happens, I'll be set to decorate a new cover, setup new insides, etc. and beat that before it can become an issue.

You asked about planning for next year. I spent the money for the moxie life so that’s going to be used. In the past couple of weeks I found the Laurel stuff with the HUGE planner that was like a business checkbook…as usual you said something and I followed up on it. I love the idea of being able to see everything without flipping. So far I can’t imagine I can’t talk myself into spending the money for that. If I did I would, like you, use the moxie goal planning. I love that! The second thing I use, and will continue to use, is a journal. By this I mean a place where I try to write every day, concentrating on my thoughts and ideas and feelings. Also I have a reading journal. I hope your new system works for you. It seems like I’ve spent a lot of my time worrying about you and hoping that things go well with you. However, recently I’m beginning to feel I am losing you! You are so beyond me in the Technical stuff. I didn’t understand at all the things that you did with notion. , I’m much older than I think most of the people are who follow you are. I’m in my 70s… And I used to be very good with technology! I hope I will be able to follow your personality, your life, and your expertise about pens, journals, notebooks and everything. I’m glad vlogmas is virtually over as I know this was really hard for you. Stay well!

This year’s planners are Commit30 and my FIRST Hobonichi Weeks. I started the Commit30 in July 2023 for my all in one work planner. As the year has progressed I have decided to try it out as purely a goal planner. The Hobonichi Weeks is a perfect (for now) work planner. I am enjoying using the blank right page for my running to do list. It’s what I felt was missing in my last work planner. I am a recovering spiral bound addict but I feel really good about the book bound - and lay flat - planners ❤

Love the video. Suggest a rollerball pen for the cousin

I'm continuing in the TUL horizontal half letter.

That thumbnail had me wondering if you were going back to a bullet journal, but this totally makes sense for you.

Uni Jetstream works the best for me as a lefty. No drying time and no smudging.

Lefty and HoCo user here - I use the uni jetstream and muji polycarbonate ballpoint pen (oil based ink) which is different from the regular muji pens everyone else uses (i had to ask a rep in the muji store to find ink refills for me because it's usually hiding lol)

Oh, wow, WE MATCH! Well, almost I have a Hobonichi Cousin as well. I'm using the Common Planner strictly for grad school, and the hobonichi for life.

The pen that comes with the Hobonichi usually works best in my opinion. Or I use a bic 4color pen. I'm using a common planner A5 compact vertical as my EDC. Maskelife as my goal setting planner. A TN standard common planner full year horizontal as my health wellness planner journal. And a moleskine expanded as a journal. Plus a couple other random other books for specific things.