Scout vs Nancy: Which Laurel Denise Planner Is Right for Me?
4 minute read. Choosing your cover may take considerably longer.
One of the questions we hear most often is:
“What’s the difference between Scout and Nancy?”
Honestly, they’re a lot alike. Think best friends who share the same values, borrow each other’s favorite pens (the good ones, naturally), and somehow still have completely different personalities.
Both give you our patented month-and-week view, so you can see your monthly calendar and weekly plans together without flipping pages. They also share many of the same features, including Plan Ahead pages, checklists, habit tracking, dot grid and graph pages, and extra room for notes.
The biggest difference isn’t what you can put inside them.
It’s how your brain likes to see that information.
Just Tell Me Which One to Get
Choose Scout if seeing the big picture helps you feel clear.
Choose Nancy if keeping your notes and details close by helps you feel in control.
Tell Me More, Tell Me More
Choose Scout if you want a simple, big-picture view with vertical weekly columns and larger monthly calendar boxes.
Choose Nancy if you want horizontal weekly rows on short pages with a notes dashboard visible behind them for lists, projects, and all the thoughts you’re trying to keep track of.
Okay, Give Me All the Details
Choose Scout if…
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You like vertical weekly columns.
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You lightly time block or keep shorter daily lists.
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You write a lot inside your monthly calendar.
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You’re happy keeping notes at the beginning and end of each month.
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You often think, “I just need to see it all.”
Choose Nancy if…
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You like horizontal weekly rows.
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You make detailed lists or organize tasks into categories.
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You want a notes dashboard visible behind your weekly pages.
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You don’t need as much writing space inside your monthly calendar.
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You often think, “I need to keep track of everything.”
Picture Your Life Inside the Pages
Choosing a planner is a little like walking through a house for the first time. Cue another analogy because why not?
You immediately start imagining where everything would go. The couch could live there. Your favorite chair would be perfect by that window. And yes, there appears to be enough light for your gazillion plants. We see you, plant lady. We are you.
You’re not just looking at the rooms. You’re picturing your life inside them.
Choosing a planner works the same way. Where will the grocery list live? What about your work tasks, party-planning details, school reminders, and that appointment you absolutely cannot forget again?
Okay, house-hunting analogy complete. Let’s meet them.
Meet Scout
You keep thinking:
“I just need to see it all laid out.”
Scout is the friend who looks at everything you’re carrying and says, “Okay. Let’s make this feel simple.”
Her vertical weekly columns line up with the dates in the monthly calendar above, creating one continuous view. You can see the big picture first, then look directly below it for the details of your week.
Your monthly calendar might hold appointments, birthdays, and activities, while the weekly columns below hold work tasks, dinner plans, errands, or light time blocking.
Scout also gives you space for habits, lists, and notes at the beginning of each month, plus extra notes pages at the end.
She’s wonderfully uncomplicated and easy to take in at a glance. Very helpful when Monday feels like it arrives approximately five minutes after Friday.
If you want one continuous view that makes everything feel a little clearer, Scout may be your girl.
Meet Nancy
You keep thinking:
“I need to keep track of everything.”
Nancy is the friend who arrives with snacks, extra pens (.38 erasable, obviously), and a place to write down every single thing. She says, “Don’t worry, friend. We’ll keep track of it together.”
Nancy uses horizontal weekly rows on short pages with a dedicated notes dashboard visible behind them. Her weekly spaces give you enough structure to plan without locking you into an hour-by-hour schedule. We have Anne for that. She loves a timeline.
Your monthly calendar holds appointments and events. Your weekly rows hold all the details needed to make those plans happen, like where to park, which side of the jersey to wear (white or yellow?), and whether you’re the snack parent.
Then, your notes dashboard can hold the grocery list, work priorities, project notes, things to order, and that thought you’ve been repeating in your head for three days.
Ahhh. It’s so calm in here we could cry so many tears of joy.
If clearing out your brain tabs has become a weekly event, Nancy is ready. Some weeks we have a truly impressive number of tabs open.
If you want every thought to have a place near your weekly plan, Nancy may be your girl.
Still Not Sure? Try Them on Paper
Sometimes you can compare layouts all day and still have no idea which one will work until your actual handwriting enters the chat.
Download our free planner size comparison printable and test both layouts at home. Add a few appointments, a grocery list, work tasks, and whatever else is currently taking up residence in your brain.
You’ll usually notice pretty quickly which layout feels more natural.
Remember, Scout has larger monthly calendar boxes. If monthly writing space matters most, she may be the better fit.
If you’d rather keep detailed lists and notes visible behind your weekly pages, Nancy will probably feel more like home.
Scout or Nancy? Choose the One That Thinks Like You
Scout gives you simple, big-picture clarity.
Nancy gives your lists, projects, and details room to spread out.
Choose the one that makes sense to your brain and gives your life a comfortable place to land.
Just like choosing a house.
I knew that analogy would come back.
Ready to Meet Your Planner?
By now, you may already know which planner feels like home. Browse the Scout and Nancy collections to find your size, cover design, and perfect planning companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest difference between Scout and Nancy?
Scout has vertical weekly columns and larger monthly calendar boxes. Nancy has horizontal weekly rows on short pages with a notes dashboard visible behind them.
Which planner has more monthly calendar space?
Scout has larger monthly calendar boxes than Nancy. If you write extensively inside your monthly calendar, Scout may be the better fit.
Which planner is better for detailed lists?
Nancy gives you more dedicated space for detailed and categorized lists. Scout is better suited to shorter daily lists, light time blocking, and big-picture planning.
Are Scout and Nancy available in different sizes?
Yes. Scout and Nancy are both available in Large and Small. Use our free size comparison printable to see the layouts at their actual size and test your handwriting before choosing.
