15 Best Planners for Working Moms (2024)
For working moms, a planner can help improve your everyday life by helping you manage your time effectively, increase your productivity, and improve your work-life balance. Even in an age where everything is digital, there are still some amazing traditional planners that provide the best functionality for a working mom’s needs. In this post, I put together a detailed list of some of the best planners for working moms that are highly rated and well-reviewed.
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I’m a full-time working mom of two young kids, so I am constantly busy and multi-tasking. I’ve tried everything to organize my day including digital planners and apps on my phone, productivity websites like Trello, and a physical planner. Out of those, the only thing that’s really worked for me is my good old-fashioned paper planner.
My paper planner is one that is designed specifically for working moms, the Mama’s Got Time Ultimate Planner & Organizer. It can help you implement schedules and routines in your life so that you can beat overwhelm, manage your home life, and make time for yourself and your goals.
I use my planner mostly for work, although occasionally I add in personal items that I might have to accomplish during the work day. The perfect planner for me has a weekly layout with enough space to write down everything I need to do each day, as well as space for weekly goals and other notes.
Keep reading for a full list of the best planners for working moms- you’re sure to find one that is perfect for you!
Looking for the best digital planners? Check out this recommended post: 11 Best Planner Apps for 2024
Best Planners for Working Moms in 2024
Here are some of the top planners for working moms:
1. Best Printable Planner: Mama’s Got Time Ultimate Planner & Organizer
Printable planners are so useful because you can print which pages you want and as many as you want, pop them into a binder, and organize the pages how you want. They offer a level of customization that store-bought planners often don’t have, and are usually a better value and much cheaper.
The Mama’s Got Time Ultimate Planner & Organizer is chock full of value! This 140-page planner includes everything a busy mom needs to plan her days and organize her home, so you can reduce overwhelm and have more time for yourself. It’s also pretty and has a nice design.
Some of the goodies in this planner include:
- dated and undated daily, weekly, and monthly planning pages
- goal-setting pages
- cleaning schedules
- meal planner
- self-care planner
- budget planner
- travel planner
- and even chore charts and homework planners for your kids!
And it’s one of the most affordable options on this list.
Some of the cons of this planner:
It’s a printable pdf so you’re limited if you don’t have a printer. Thankfully, pdf-editing apps like Goodnotes make it easy to write on pdfs as you would paper. You’ll save paper and have the convenience of having your planner on your tablet.
2. Best Weekly Planner: Day Designer Weekly Planner
This weekly planner is one of the BEST options out there for professionals. Here’s why:
- It includes goal setting worksheets, an annual overview, and monthly calendars.
- It has weekly planning pages, as well as To-Do pages that are undated with hourly scheduling from 5am to 9pm.
- It incorporates weekly inspirational quotes to keep you motivated and comes with a sheet of stickers for special days like birthdays.
- The Day Designer planner also comes with bonus Expenses Tracker Pages, Favorites Lists, Gift Idea Pages, Thank You Note Records, Packing Checklists, Entertaining Checklists and Bucket Lists!
- As if all that wasn’t enough, they come in beautiful styles and colors!
Cons of the Day Designer:
- This planner is pretty pricey, with the full size averaging $76!! That being said, this planner is often sold out at the beginning of the year, so it must be worth it!
3. Most Functional Planner: Blue Sky Weekly/Monthly Planners
My top pick for functionality is the Blue Sky Weekly/Monthly Planner. I started using Blue Sky planners two years ago after my close friend recommended them to me. At the time, I was overwhelmed with work and family life, and barely had time for myself, so sorting out my schedule was top priority.
Blue Sky planners are great because:
- They come in multiple fun designs.
- They are sold at many retail pharmacies or on Amazon so they are easy to find.
- As mentioned above, the daily pages have lots of space to write your daily to-dos and notes.
- They have tabs to quickly find the month of the year you’re in.
- Has a list of important holidays and reminders throughout the planner.
- Small enough to carry around with you (mine is 8.5 x 11 but they have even smaller ones at 5″ X 8″).
What it’s missing:
- Inspirational quotes, although this is more of a nice-to-have.
- More space to write out weekly goals or top priority items.
4. Best Planner for Mompreneurs: My PA Planner
Get your business and your house in order with this incredibly comprehensive planner! I was given a free copy from the creator of the My PA Planner and was eager to try it out as I’ve been looking for something that could help me organize my work life, my mom life, and my blogging business in 2024. This planner has become my new favorite planner. I highly recommend it for fellow mompreneurs like myself!
What I love about the My PA Planner:
- Specific planning pages for your brand and business, including sections for marketing, social media, and finances
- Tons of goal-setting and planning pages for the entire year with thought-provoking questions
- Inspirational quotes to keep you motivated
- Reflection pages at the end of each month
- Comes in multiple colors and 2 silky bookmarks.
Cons:
- It’s a BIG planner, so it’s not ideal if you’re looking for something portable that you could throw in your purse. However, if you’re like me and just leave your planners on your work desk, this shouldn’t be an issue.
5. Best Planner for Home and Family Organization: Amy Knapp Family Organizer
You can tell Amy’s Knapp’s Family Organizer was made by a busy mom. It includes helpful items like a grocery list and plenty of space to keep track of appointments, projects, and school activities.
Amy Knapp’s Family Organizer pros:
- Features more space to write than the usual planner, so that you can keep track of appointments, house projects, kids’ birthdays and other special events
- Covers 17 months beginning in August (tracking the academic calendar)
- Includes monthly and weekly spreads
- Storage pocket for holding receipts and notes
- Tear-off grocery lists and menus
- Goal-setting pages
- Motivational quotes
- Colorful stickers you can use to highlight important items
Amy Knapp’s Family Organizer cons:
- Lacking tabs to quickly find the month or section you’re looking for
- If you’re getting this planner for the new year, it’s a slight annoyance that it starts 5 months prior (August vs January).
6. Best Undated Planner: Amazon Basics Daily Planner
If you’re looking for a no-fuss undated planner, then look no further than Amazon Basics Daily Planner. Perfect for those who prefer flexibility to use their planner any time of year.
Benefits of the Amazon Basics Daily Planner:
- Versatile as it offers blank spaces that can be filled in with the current date
- Great for short term project and goals as it has 6 months of planning space
- Soft cover makes it easy to throw in your totebag on the go
- Very inexpensive
Drawbacks of the Amazon Basics Daily Planner:
- Only includes 6 months of planning pages, so not ideal for someone who needs a year-round planner
- Customers complain about the layout due to the planner being divided into months, weeks and days instead of grouped together
7. Best Planner for ADHD: Clever Fox Planner PRO
The Clever Fox Planner Pro is excellent for those with ADHD who need to organize their thoughts and tasks in a systematic manner, reducing the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed. Its layout allows you to organize and prioritize your daily to-dos, keep track of your habits, and take note of your personal development.
What’s to love about the Clever Fox Planner PRO:
- Provides a structured format with designated spaces for daily, weekly, and monthly planning
- Has tools for self-development including an Advanced Awareness and Self-Discovery section and Vision Board, which can contribute to a positive mindset
- Encourages users to block out specific time periods for tasks and activities, which is particularly helpful for individuals with ADHD who may struggle with time perception and organization
- Comes in many different attractive colors, and the use of color-coded sections and visual elements can enhance the overall organization and clarity
Disadvantages of the Clever Fox Planner PRO:
- Pricey for a planner, currently almost $35 at the time of this post. However, based on the raving reviews, it appears to be worth it!
Recommended post for mompreneurs: 19 Lucrative Stay At Home Business Ideas for Moms
8. Best Quality Planner: Erin Condren Life Planner
If you’re looking for more luxury in your planner, look no further than the Erin Condren planner. Not only are they visually appealing, but they are made in the USA from high-quality materials, including durable aluminum spiral coil and thick premium paper that prevents ink bleeding. You’re lookin’ at the Porsche of planners.
What’s great about the Erin Condren Weekly Planner:
- Has a unique hourly weekly planning layout allowing you to break up tasks based on your needs (ie. between morning/afternoon/night or business/home/personal)
- The covers are interchangeable
- Comes in a variety of beautiful artsy designs
- Includes yearly, monthly and weekly goal planning
- Has tabbed monthly calendars
- Includes great features such as inspirational quotes, productivity pages, and stickers
Cons of the Erin Condren Weekly Planner:
- Like the planner above, the price of Erin Condren planners is STEEP, over $60 as of the time of this post! But it seems you get what you pay for with this planner- its durable and incredibly useful to get motivated and organize your life
9. Best Daily Planner: Blue Sky Day Designer Planner
This is another great daily and monthly planner from Blue Sky. Designed specifically for a modern woman’s busy and chaotic life, the Day Designer Planner allows you to plan each day in detail to help you stay ahead of your many to-dos.
What I love about the Day Designer Planner:
- Has a daily layout with separate sections for your schedule, to-do list, and Top 3 priorities
- Includes goal setting pages for long term planning, daily routines, and checkpoints
- Has plenty of space for notes
What I wish the Day Designer Planner had:
- It’s a January to December planner, so it’s not ideal if you’re looking for an academic year planner.
Set the perfect morning routine with this guide: The Perfect Morning Routine for Working Moms in 9 Easy Steps.
10. Best Design: bloom Daily Planner
The bloom Daily Planner makes it fun to stay organized! It comes in 24 beautiful designs and includes bonus inspirational features to help motivate you all year long.
Benefits of the bloom Daily Planner:
- Comes in a variety of unique colorful patterns
- Has 2 page monthly spreads and plenty of space in weekly planning for keeping track of priorities and daily tasks
- Weekly pages include bonus trackers for daily habits and water intake
- Includes over 20 “life coaching” pages, such as purpose and values worksheets, habit tracking, and a bill payment log
- Comes with a bookmark and fun stickers
Drawbacks of the bloom Daily Planner:
- Some of their planners come in the 5.5″ x 8.25″ size, which users complain is too small for their needs
11. Best Customizable Planner: The Happy Planner
This planner’s mission is literally to help you plan a happy life! Bring more positivity to your day with this upbeat and customizable planner.
The Happy Planner is great because:
- Cover and interior personalization options include different colors, sizes, layouts, and accessories
- Monthly layout is perfect for those who want to plan entire months in advance and focus on goal setting
- Designed around different themes including collections centered around Organic Wellness and Budgeting.
The Happy Planner’s negatives:
- Doesn’t come with stickers, although you can add in your own
- They can be pricey, averaging $29.00 depending on the theme
12. Best Planner for Prioritizing: Tools 4 Wisdom Planner
This planner was created by a former project manager of a Fortune 500 company. It’s designed to help you get focused and break down your goals into small monthly, weekly, and daily priorities.
What’s to love about the Tools 4 Wisdom Planner:
- Includes thought-provoking questions throughout the planner to help you organize your thoughts
- Made to last with durable, quality materials and thick paper to prevent ink-bleeding
- Includes large, durable tabs to help you navigate easily through the planner.
- Has plenty of empty pages for note-taking
- Comes in different designs and includes over 200 planner stickers and a silky bookmark
Disadvantages of the Tools 4 Wisdom Planner:
- This planner is on the pricier side, at over $40. However, customers seem to love the planner’s layout and durability, so it seems to be worth the hefty pricetag!
13. Best Bullet Journal: Scribbles That Matter
The Scribbles That Matter Journal are ideal for bullet journaling! It’s flexible so that you can use it for whatever you need: a planner, a space to write your thoughts, or to keep track of your goals and plans.
The Scribbles That Matter journal has some really nice features:
- High quality thick paper (no ink-bleeding) with 2 options of paper thickness for traditional journaling vs. more creative mediums.
- Soft and durable vegan leather cover.
- Has an elastic band to keep the journal closed securely.
- Includes nice details like 2 bookmarks, a “Scribbler” pen and pen holder, a removable ruler with measurements, and a pocket inside the back cover.
- Affordably priced at less than $15, which makes it a great bargain compared to other planners.
Some negatives of the Scribbles that Matter journal:
- Some reviewers have complained of quality-control and delivery issues, like wrong order of numbered pages or receiving the wrong color they ordered.
14. Best Self-Care Planner: Erin Condren Designer Petite Planner
These days it’s as important to plan your own self-care as it is your daily chores and work-related tasks. The Erin Condren Designer Petite Planner is perfect for keeping you accountable and ensuring that you get the me-time you need.
What makes this planner great:
- Includes trackers for sleep, water intake, and steps taken
- Its small size makes it easy to throw in your purse and take with you on the go
- Has 6 months of planning and goal setting pages so you can track your progress and achieve your health-related goals
- Comes with fun and inspirational stickers
- Includes different cover options in beautiful, bold designs
Some ways the Erin Condren Petite Planner could improve:
- Some customers complain about receiving previously used planners with writing on them.
- It’s only a 6-month planner, so you’ll have to buy another one halfway through the year
Recommended post: Realistic Sunday Routine Reset for Working Moms
15. Best Planner for Managing Projects: The 12 Week Year Planner
The 12 Week Year Planner is a game-changer when it comes to managing projects. It’s associated with the productivity and goal-setting methodology outlined in the best-selling book “The 12 Week Year” by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. It shines for its commitment to short-term focus, breaking down the traditional annual planning into dynamic 12-week cycles.
What sets the 12 Week Year Planner apart:
- Enhances accountability by urging you to set specific, measurable, and time-bound goals within the condensed 12-week timeframe
- Flexible to allow for adjustments so you can respond to changing circumstances or priorities effectively
- Has regular assessments at the end of the 12-week cycle, so you can reflect on your progress
- Thrives on simplicity and has an intuitive and user-friendly design
While the 12 Week Year Planner has garnered widespread acclaim, there are considerations:
- It has a limited planning duration of 12 weeks, so it may not be suitable for those who prefer a longer planning timeframe.
Why Every Working Mom Should Have a Planner
A planner is a great tool to help you manage your time and achieve your goals in life. While calendars on our phones are convenient for quick scheduling, they don’t enhance productivity and time management like a proper planner can. Especially if you’re a busy working mom, using an effective planner will allow you to keep track of everything you need to do, prioritize important tasks, and plan for the future.
Here are some top reasons why you should consider getting a high-quality planner:
- Scheduling Made Easy. A planner is the easiest way to keep track of your daily schedule and make sure that nothing falls through the cracks. You can never go wrong with writing down what you need to do for each day and reviewing your schedule at the end of the day. To learn more about how to create a family schedule that your family will actually stick to, check out this post.
- Prioritize Your Tasks. As a working mom, your top priority is your family, but you also have to make time for work and taking care of yourself. A planner will help you balance all three top priorities by keeping track of what’s going on every day and reminding you about important events that you might otherwise forget.
- Organize Your Life. Get your errands, personal goals, and work-related tasks out of your head and onto a paper planner! Once you start writing it all down, you’ll be amazed at how much more free space is left in your brain for other things.
- Track Your Progress. You know that feeling when you have a lot to do and aren’t sure where to start? A planner can help you track your progress on a daily basis through weekly goals and monthly milestones. When you see how much you accomplish every day, week, and month, it will motivate you to push yourself even further!
What Makes a Good Planner for a Working Mom?
There are certain elements that make a planner better and more functional for working moms over others. When you find the right one for your needs, it will help organize your day and keep you focused on taking care of yourself, your family, and everything else.
Here are some top qualities to look for when choosing a planner:
- Space to Write Down Your To-Dos. Make sure that there is enough space in each day’s schedule to write down everything you need to get done. If you can, look for a planner with the following: bullet points, checklists, to-do lists, and number of tasks per day.
- Space for Yearly, Monthly and Weekly Goals. Look at the planner’s overall design and layout. Did I mention that I love Blue Sky’s planners? The planner has a full checklist for your annual goals as well as plenty of notes sections to keep track of your monthly goals (i.e., top family goals, top work goals, top self-care goals).
- Space for Notes. You might also want to look at the planner’s notes section. A good planner should have space where you can write down miscellaneous information, like quick notes from a work meeting or errands that have to get done.
- Important Dates and Holidays. Let’s be real, as busy moms we often forget when there is a holiday coming up. It’s crucial that any planner you get has reminders of important dates and holidays so you can plan accordingly if you need to.
Where Can I Find a Good Planner?
You can find a planner in most local bookstores and on Amazon. Even pharmacies, such as CVS Pharmacy, sell planners and in fact, that is where I buy my planner.
The prices for planners range depending on how detailed the planner is and what you’re looking for. You can find a planner for as little as $10 or as much as $50. All depends on what your needs are and how detailed you need it.
Conclusion
As a working mom, choosing the right planner can be an overwhelming task. I hope this guide helps you find a planner that helps you get organized and increases your productivity in the 2024 year!
Take the first step on planning your most productive week ever and download our FREE guide “How to Plan a Stress-Free Week without Burnout” so you can have more time for yourself and your goals!
Hi I’m Yesenia,
a working mom of two kids. I’ve experienced all of the beautiful and crazy moments of early parenthood: breastfeeding, picky eaters, toilet training, balancing work with kids, and the list continues!
I created Hard Knock Mama to help working moms navigate through their child’s early years and find a successful balance in their home, work, and life.
I live by my planner! I’m excited to check out these options!
These suggestions are amazing! I’ve used the Day Designer for the past several years and have been looking to switch it up this year. I’m going to have to try one of these other ones!