Every Laurel Denise planner offers a unique blend of daily, weekly, and monthly views to help you stay organized. Some layouts focus on just monthly or weekly views, while others combine weekly, monthly, and even daily pages for more detailed planning.

In the Horizontal Week + Month Planner, the short weekly pages in the center have horizontal rows and sit on either side of the coil when the planner is open.

In the Vertical Week+ Month Planner, the short pages in the center have vertical, lined columns designed for time-blocked scheduling. They sit on either side of the coil when the planner is open.

The Portrait Week + Month Planner is spiral-bound, with the short weekly and daily pages running along the bottom. Each day has a lined vertical column for structured planning.

The 4-Column Month Planner doesn’t include short daily or weekly pages around the coil (though inserts can be added!). Instead, it offers a more open layout with a large monthly view on the left and space for categorized lists or brain drops on the right.

The Simple Monthly Planner is our most traditional layout, featuring a large monthly planner.

Curious about our other layouts?
You can find a full list of all our planner formats in our Help Center.

Choosing a planner size is a big decision, and handwriting size can matter. We have images on each product listing showing several people's handwriting so that you can see how your handwriting compares and which size to pick based on that.

Plus, we offer a free size comparison printable so you can test your handwriting in each layout before purchasing.

Here’s a quick guide to help you find your perfect fit:

Mini Size: Small but mighty

• Perfect for simple planning and lighter schedules
• Fits easily in most handbags and totes, great for on-the-go
• Less open space helps keep things feeling manageable for beginners

Standard Size: Room to breathe

• Ideal for juggling work, personal life, kids, and all your lists
• Plenty of space for detailed planning, notes, and to-dos
• Portable enough to carry (about the size of a traditional laptop)
• Great if you want to spread out and see your whole week at a glance
  
  

Choosing a planner online can feel tricky, especially when you can’t flip through it first.

Before You Buy:

• View photos and videos on our product pages and socials to get a feel for each layout.
• Download our free printable to test your handwriting in each planner size
• Check out our Compare Our Planners page for a side-by-side layout guide.
  

Planner Sizes at a Glance:

• Mini: Compact and portable, about the size of a cookbook, great for simple planning.
• Standard: Larger, like a 15" laptop, perfect for detailed planning.
• Portrait: Tall and narrow, about the size of a sheet of paper, with vertical weekly pages at the bottom.

After It Arrives (Before You Write):

• If you’re unsure, hold onto your packaging and wait before writing in it.
• Test writing lightly on a blank sheet over the layout to check spacing.
• Hold the planner and feel how the coil sits, comfort matters!
• Flip through and imagine using the layout to see if it fits your style.

Returns:
You can return unused planners within 30 days. Following these tips helps keep your return option open. See our full policy here.

Helpful Resources:

• Compare Our Planners and How to Use Our Planner Systems pages.
• Check out our YouTube channel for planner tips and walkthroughs.

Planning can feel overwhelming at first, but we’re here to make it easier! Whether you’re a seasoned planner or just starting out, we’ve got you covered. Our YouTube channel is packed with content designed to inspire and guide you, and we share daily advice and ideas on Instagram Stories. You’ll also find practical tips in our blog posts, especially 6 Tips to Help You Get Started.

If you are truly just getting started with planning and aren't sure what people put into planners, check out this free printable on Getting Started: What to Put in Your Planner.

For even more inspiration, check out the "How to Start" and "Tips + Tricks" Highlights on our Instagram. If Instagram isn't your thing and you're already feeling a little overwhelmed, here’s some quick advice from Laurel to help you dive in and make the most of your planner:

Laurel’s Quick Planning Tips

1. Start with a Brain Drop
   Write down every task, appointment, and idea floating around in your head. Get it all out onto paper or a digital note. (For extra fun, use one of our notepads designed just for this.)
2. Input Deadlines
   Transfer the deadlines and projects from your brain drop into your monthly and weekly planner views. You can set this up one month at a time or map out your entire year in advance. (Pro Tip: Consider planning just three months ahead. Use sticky notes as placeholders for appointments in later months—your planning style might evolve, and this approach keeps things flexible.
3. Assign Tasks
   Take the remaining tasks from your brain drop and assign them to a specific day, week, or month. Focus on imminent tasks first, and place long-term ideas in the corresponding month’s list to revisit later.
4. Track Unassigned Items
   Keep a small sticky note or one of our Pop-In-Panels handy with tasks that don’t have an immediate deadline. Address these as you find time and mental capacity or delegate them when possible.

Remember: Planning Is a Process

We revisit this process often, starting with a brain drop and working through the steps to organize our swirling thoughts into manageable actions. No matter where you are in your planning journey, be kind to yourself. There’s no such thing as perfect planning.

If you have any questions or need more guidance, we’re always here to help. Happy planning!

We share new content on our YouTube channel almost every week and post daily updates on Instagram, featuring creative planner spread ideas and lots of fun. For layout-specific inspiration, explore our Instagram highlights, neatly organized by layout type.

Don't miss our How to Use our Planners Page that features images of some of our favorite filled in planner spreads.