You know the drill. You buy the planner. You’re filled with hope. You fill out two weeks, miss one, and suddenly… It's collecting dust in a drawer.

If you’ve ever said, “I just need a planner that works for me,” or maybe you’ve wondered, “Are there even planners that work for ADHD brains like mine?” you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong. You just haven’t had the right system yet. Let's change that!

If You’ve Tried Every Planner and Nothing Sticks — This Is for You

We talk to frustrated planner users every day — overwhelmed moms, multi-tasking side hustlers, caretakers, creatives, and people juggling it all with very few minutes to spare. And they all say the same thing:

“I’ve tried so many planners and systems, but nothing sticks.”

“I want to be organized, but I can’t find a planner that actually works for my brain.”

Here’s the truth: it’s not about “doing it right.” It’s about finding a planner that adapts to you. Your brain, your rhythms, your chaos.

What Makes a Planner Actually Work For Real Life?

What should I look for in a planner that will finally stick?

Let’s get clear on what a planner system needs to help you stick with it and actually feel calmer because of it:

1.  It Should Fit Your Life, Not Force You Into Boxes

Your life doesn’t run in perfect blocks, and your planner shouldn’t try to. You need flexibility — space for lists, different ways of viewing the same thing, reschedules, changes, and real life.

2. You Need to See More Than One Thing at a Time

When you can view your month, week, and day all at once (without flipping), your brain stops scrambling. You stop forgetting. You start breathing again.

3. It Needs to Be Easy to Stick With

No guilt, no “you missed a day so you failed” energy. Just a tool that supports you; even if you’re planning messily, in crayon, with 3-day-old coffee stains. Here at LD Planners, we don’t judge.

The best planner for you is the one that:

• - Helps your brain see everything without flipping pages
• - Leaves space for changes, flexibility, and chaos
• - Doesn't shame you for missing a week or coloring outside the lines
  

How Laurel Denise Planners Were Designed for Real Life

Our founder, Laurel, created her planner because she couldn’t find one that worked for her brain. She was juggling a growing business, motherhood, and ADHD,  and traditional planners just weren’t cutting it.

So she made one that let her:

• - See her month, week, and lists all at once
• - Create flexible sections (with stickers, washi, or handwriting)
• - Pivot when life changes; no shame, no overwhelm
  

And now? Thousands of customers have shared the same story:
It’s the first planner they’ve ever stuck with. Why? Because:

• - It fits how real brains work (especially scattered, beautiful, creative ones)
• - It’s forgiving. You don’t have to use it “perfectly.”
• - It gives you a visual rhythm — a sense of calm — that grows with you

“I’ve always known that I should keep a planner, but up until last year, I really struggled to stay consistent with them—and because of that, I honestly didn’t find them to be super helpful. I'm embarrassed to admit how many planners I've purchased over the years that have gone untouched or have maybe one or two pages written in them.I personally use the weekly horizontal planner from Laurel Denise, and it's the first planner EVER that I've stuck with. I love it!!” - Haylee Crowley

Not Sure Which Planner Layout to Choose? We’ve Got You.

One thing we hear all the time is:

“Okay, I’m in. I want a Laurel Denise planner! …But which layout is right for me?”

If that’s you , you’re not alone, we’ve got your back. Here’s a quick walk-through to help you decide:

If you’re new to planning, don’t need time blocking, or want room to write, go with The Nancy (formally the Horizontal Weekly) or The Rose (formally the Four Column and Project Planner) layouts.

• - Great for daily to-dos, simple scheduling, and brain-dump space
• - Ideal if you like to categorize tasks, have larger handwriting, or prefer flexibility over structure
  

If you like to time block or organize your day in clear sections, try The Anne (formally the Vertical Weekly) layout.

• - Perfect if you think top-to-bottom (like a digital calendar)
• - Lined daily columns help you break your day into tasks, times, or categories
• - Best for those who love structure and routine

If you want vertical planning in a more compact design, check out The Scout (formally the Portrait Weekly) layout.

• - Wider columns for big handwriting
• - Spiral binding instead of coil
• - Monthly + weekly days that align beautifully

Also check-out our free and easy resources we made with you in mind: Compare Our Planners,  How to Use Our Planner Systems, 

TL;DR

• - You’re not bad at planning; you just haven’t had a planner that fits your brain yet.
• - A great planner should adjust to your life, not force you into a box
• - Laurel Denise planners are flexible, forgiving, and built for how real brains (yes, even ADHD ones) actually work.
  
• - If you’re overwhelmed by choices, we’ve made it super simple to find your layout match. 
  

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “just not a planner person,” it’s time to let that go. The truth is: You’re absolutely a planner person — you just needed the right one.

Whether you’re balancing work and kids, running a side hustle, or just trying to get out the door without forgetting to take off your slippers and put on your leaving the house shoes, a good planner won’t add pressure …it’ll give you peace.

So if you’ve been wishing you had a planner that actually works…you’ve found it!