Planner Plans

So it's October, three months before my current planner is finished, but I'm already thinking about what I want to use next. For the past 6 years or so I've used leather covered books like this one (pictures from Barnes & Noble ):

 ^ this is what the inside of my 2011 planner looks like ^

Right now I use it for all kinds of things:

• Monthly Calendar
• Weekly schedule
• long term planning
• daily to do lists
• Big picture to do lists
• Blog ideas and to do lists
• keeping track of medicines
• recording when I exercise
• reminders to myself

I divide each day into sections and fill them to the brim. I've been thinking... it might be fun to make my own planner for 2012. It would give me a chance to customize everything. I wouldn't have to section off each day, because I could put that in my planner to start with. Plus, it would be fun to choose the colors, fonts, graphics... everything!

I've been working on templates for my pages (and having lots of fun doing it! it brings back memories of year book staff...) but now I'm wondering how I want to bind it.

There's always an A5 size 3 ring binder (from Staples):

 OR this one (from Rebinder):

I would probably cover either one with fabric like this one:

But I'm not sure it would be as easy to tote around as something thread bound. There are lots of tutorials for thread binding (here, here, here, and here for example)

Right now I'm having fun looking at other people's handmade planners:

From KatieMcelroy on Etsy

From KatieMcelroy on Etsy

From DoubleHappiness on Etsy

From DoubleHappiness on Etsy

From Bubbo on Etsy

From Lemon and Raspberry

From ihanna

From Callaloo Soup

From Decor8

From Wild Olive

From Crystal Wilkerson

From Here

From Here