I’m always on the hunt for planners made in Australia (where I live). One of those that I recently stumbled across is the Amelia Lane Planner! I saw the functional weekly planning page and things only improved from there.  The cute flamingo cover, funational monthly calendar and numerous extras pages? Must have!

I’d already downloaded and printed the free weekly layout from the Amelia Lane Paper website before I decided I just had to get the physical planner since I like the layout so much!

Quick Facts

• Overall size of the  cover: approx. 198mm x 220mm x 35mm
• Page size: 140mm wide x  210mm high (A5)
• Sturdy, laminated tabs – tabs for each month plus the extras pages
• Gold elastic band closure
• Divider page for each month with quotes
• Hardcover (multiple patterns/ styles to choose from)
• 2 Page monthly calendar (starting on a Monday)
• 2 Page weekly planner (starting on a Monday)
• Lightweight
• Pocket folder at the back
• Daily and weekly planner layouts available
• Bright white 100gsm paper (bit thicker than normal printer paper)

Let’s take a closer look!

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The Cover

There’s a few cover options to choose from – I chose the flamingo! I don’t know what it is about flamingos at the moment (and pineapples) – they’re adding an extra cuteness factor to anything I see them on!

The planner has a binding style I haven’t seen on any other planners (so far). It’s wire bound and then that’s bound into a binder. The binder is about 1.5″ thick

The planner arrived wrapped in bubble wrap inside a box wrapped in bubble wrap – there was no way the planner was going to get damaged!

The cover also has an elastic closure and gold details on the corners which match the gold binding of the planner <3

Dates at a glance

For 2018 and 2019. These start on a Monday (consistent with the monthly calendar and weekly spread)

Goal setting pages

Very functional goal setting pages with space to map out your goal, action steps, due date and tick off when the task has been completed.

Food journal

Something most planners don’t include: food journal pages. They’re undated so you can start using them anytime and not feel guilty for missing a week as you’re not ‘wasting’ pages.

The boxes are a decent size at approximately 1.25″ wide x 1.25″

You could white out some (or all) of the headings and write in your own (or use header stickers to cover up the ones already there). One option could be to use the weekly spread that comes with the planner for you and utilise these food journal pages instead as a family calendar or a blog planner.

Related: How to make your own custom header title section planner stickers (step by step video tutorial)   

There’s enough of these pages to last an entire year (so it’s like you get 2 planners in 1!)

Dividers

There are dividers for each month as well as the add on sections – health and budgeting. I was disappointed to find they’re made of what feels like cardstock that’s barely thicker than paper 🙁 But they’re protected by the cover that extends beyond the tabs so I can’t see them getting damaged.

Each one features a different quote.

Monthly Calendar

The monthly calendar starts on a Monday and so does the weekly spread 🙂 For whatever weird reason not all planners coordinate the start days!

The simple black and white colors means you can add a ton of color without worrying about it clashing with the colors of the planner.

The daily boxes are approx. 1.25″ wide x 1.25″ high.

I really like the monthly calendar as the layout is really functional. Some planners split the last box into 2, others add another row and shrink all of the boxes for that month but the Amelia Lane planner is sensible and adds the date at the top row. And for the daily boxes that aren’t required, removes the lines from the layout to create additional functional planning space. This is one of very few planners I’ve seen that do this! <3

One thing that’s disappointing though, is that the font for national holidays is large in comparison to the size of the boxes so you lose a lot of planning space on those days.

Related: Finding planner peace: 18 things to check before choosing a planner 

Weekly Spread

I’m intending to use each day’s section in the weekly layout for top 3, events, birthdays, or due dates on the 2 lines below that, then meal planning in the box and then to do’s using the built-in checklist on the right.

You’ll need to write small as the lines are close together.

The weekly spread has the month printed in the top right hand corner making it easier to find the month you’re looking for when flicking through the planner.

Amelia Lane also have a daily planner option if you prefer one day per page. The daily planner layout is also really functional with scheduling space, a checklist, meal planning and notes page.

In addition to the monthly calendar, public holidays are also printed on the weekly spread.

The line spacing is approx 0.5cm / 0.25″ high.

Budgeting – Expense Trackers

One expense tracker page and 1 budgeting page for each month

Extras Pages

Lined notes pages and blank ideas pages at the back of the planner.

Pocket Folder

The pocket folder is really deep and double sided so you’ll be able to stuff a lot of paper in it… although that could be a bad thing!

Tabs

The cover extends beyond the edge of the pages so the cardstock (and laminated) tabs are protected from wear and tear.

The tabs are quite small, however there are tabs for the extra sections – health and budgeting – making it easier to find what you’re looking for. Most planner companies don’t include tabs for notes / add on pages.

Con: the font on the tabs is too small and the cursive font makes it hard to read.

Pen Test

I tried various gel pens, ballpoint pens, highlighters and stamps. Overall the paper wasn’t too bad. There was some ghosting on the marker pen, mambi stamps and sharpie ultra fine pens (which seems to be the case for every planner I try 🙁 )

Price:

A bit on the pricey side – $59.95 AUD for the weekly and $69.95 AUD for the day to a page layout plus shipping.

If you’re a fellow Aussie the planner was made in Australia = cheap shipping rates!

Related: Planner companies that don’t ship to Australia (or have expensive shipping to Australia) 

Pros of the Amelia Lane Planner

• Monthly calendar starts on a Monday and the weekly spread starts on a Monday
• The planner arrived wrapped in bubble wrap inside a box wrapped in bubble wrap – there was no way the planner was going to get damaged!
• Lots of extras pages (and functional extras pages too) food diary, budgeting, goal setting, checklists, blank notes pages – more extras pages than I’ve seen in any other planner (so far)
• The cover extends beyond the pages so the tabs are protected from damage
• Sturdy tabs – tabs for each month plus the extras pages
• Multiple cover pages to choose from
• Small portable size
• Pocket folder at the back
• Daily and weekly planner layouts available

Cons of the Amelia Lane Planner

• The font on the tabs is really small – it wouldn’t be as hard to read if the font wasn’t cursive – the tabs are also quite small (0.5″)
• The coil can get in the way when writing on the left page (if you’re right handed like I am)
• The font size of the public holidays on the monthly calendar is too big and takes away planning space in the boxes
• The folder style cover means the planner is a bit bulky (spine is approx 1.5″)
• The planner is a bit pricey

Would I use this planner?

Definitely! I’d already downloaded and printed the free weekly layout from the Amelia Lane website before I decided I just had to get the planner for real since I like the weekly layout so much!

You’ll need to write small as the lines are close together – this planner would be perfect in a slightly bigger 7 x 9″ size.

Overall this is a great ‘all in one planner’ with a monthly planner + weekly planner + fitness planner + meal planner + goals tracker

Amelia Lane Daily Planner

Amelia Lane also have day to a page planners with a really functional layout

Image Credit

Disclaimer: The creator of the planner, Chanel (who is super nice!) sent me a copy of the planner in exchange for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

More planner reviews:

• Lorna Leigh Lane Weekly Planner Review (Pros, Cons & a Video Flip through)  (another Aussie planner!)
• Passion Planner Review – Compact and Classic Sizes (Pros, cons and video walkthrough) 
• Life Organized Weekly Planner by Paper House (similar to the Erin Condren Life Planner)
• Honest review of the Happy Planner by Me and my Big Ideas (MAMBI)

Planning posts:

• How to choose a binding system for your planner (comparison and which one I like the most) 
• Buying a planner versus DIYing and making your own (pros and cons) 
• Setting up a new planner: 70 Tasks to add 
• What is the best day of the week to plan?
• How I plan my week: my 6 step process