If you’ve never planned using printables, or are trying to decide between creating a DIY planner using printables, or buying a planner that’s shipped to your door – here are some reasons why you should make the switch!

Why I plan using printables

1. Saves time

You don’t need to shop for a planner and don’t need to wait for it to arrive in the mail. There are hundreds of planners available these days in so many layouts, sizes, colors, styles etc. it’s becoming more and more overwhelming!

Read more: World’s Biggest Ultimate Planner Roundup (Most Comprehensive List of 300 + Daily and Weekly Planners) 

2. Cheaper in the beginning and…

Pay $10 – $20 for a printable planner (dated or undated)… and use it forever!

3. Saves money in the long run

Buy once and reprint an unlimited number of times. You also don’t need to pay for shipping either.

4. Quicker

Need more notes pages, checklists, meal planners etc? Just print some more. No need to find already printed refills / inserts that suit your needs and in the size you want, no need to pay for shipping and wait for it to arrive in the mail. You can easily print at home whenever you need more.

5. Choose colors

If you make your own printables can pick whatever colors you like! And even if you choose a printable that’s already made you, you can still customise your planner setup with as many different add on pages as you like, a personalised cover etc.

Related: Favorite color tools for making planner sticker kits (all are free tools!)

6. Choose whatever size by resizing

If there’s a planner you like but it only comes in letter size and you want A5, or it comes in A5 but you want personal size etc. – do not fret! You can resize any printable following this tutorial.

From full page size:

to A5!

7. More options and variety

For a planner to be manufactured requires finding a manufacturer and paying a lot of money. Most manufacturers have a minimum print run of hundreds of the same design too which is not ideal if you only need one. And what if you don’t end up liking the planner layout?

8. Make whatever design you want

With printables you can easily tweak your design (and keep tweaking) until you’re happy with the layout. Because the only cost in making printables is software (I use Photoshop) and time, you can create printables in an endless number of layouts.

Read more: The Process Behind Making a Printable Planner

I’ve made all different kinds of planners from moving printables, a Christmas planner, coupon organizer, craft project planner to a direct sales planner etc. Themed inserts like those aren’t something you can buy off the shelf in an office supply store.

Or if you can find them, they tend to come in packs with very few pages of each page, and with very few different page designs in the collection.

These pre-printed pages also tend to be more expensive than a printables kit. And unlike a printables kit they have a certain print run and then they’re sold out – so planner pages you previously purchased may be no longer available when you need a refill.

How to organize your taxes with a printable tax planner

9. You choose the binding

I love disc binding because you can add, remove and rearrange pages. However if you did want the planner coil bound, your local office supply store will likely offer this. And if they don’t there are numerous websites that will print, bind and ship it to you.

Week 18: Making a DIY printable planner with a flexible layout 

10. Making printables is fun

…And very addictive!

Planning tutorials

If you want to get started making printables enroll in my email course on how to make a weekly planner.

More tutorials in these posts:

• How to make a planner bookmark (DIY Page Markers Tutorial)
• How to make planner printables (advice from a planner addict that’s made over 4000 printables)
• How to make an A5 size, 2 page weekly planner printable in Photoshop (video tutorial)

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