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All About Planners

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February 21, 2020

My 7 Favorite Planner Supplies for Making Lists

If you follow my blog you’ve probably noticed I don’t do ‘traditional’ weekly spreads – I tend to just use different forms of checklists.

These are my go-to tools for making lists:

1. Discbound notebook

If I could only use 1 notebook for the rest of my life it would be a discbound notebook. After you try it out and realise you have the ability to add, remove and rearrange pages as often as you like, it’s hard to go back to a normal notebook!

My favorite discbound notebooks are:

  • ARC A5 size (with the sturdy leather cover)
  • Happy Planner Classic size (the Happy Notes book)
  • Happy Planner Classic half sheet

Related: Guide to Discbound Planners & Frequently Asked Questions

I keep an entire notebook just for list making with tabs to organize everything – business to do, blog to do, life to do etc.

diy half sheet printable for mambi happy planner checklist rainbow printing tips tutorial on how to make your own inserts for classic size

Read more: Happy Notes Half Sheet Review + DIY Half Sheet Printable Inserts

2. Dot grid or lined paper

I used to never use dot grid paper but now I probably equally alternate between dot grid and lined. If I’m doing a brain dump e.g. at the start of each month on a master task list, then I’ll use lined as it keeps things neater. If I have time to be a bit more creative e.g. weekly spreads, then I tend to use dot grid paper.

mambi happy planner weekly spread checklists simple quick easy minimalist functional rainbow stabilo boss pastel highlighers lined insert refill ideas stamps erasable pen

Weekly Planning with Happy Planner Inserts and no weekly spread

My favorite page size is around 7″ wide x 9″ high. I’ve been using my Happy Notes with my printables more and more as A5 is just a bit too small and A4 is just a bit too big.  For inserts at this size I either resize a printable I’ve made using my printer’s menu (only takes a minute – tutorial here), or I use some Happy Planner Inserts.

I tend to alternate between these:

  • Happy planner classic size and classic half sheet lists
  • My checklist printables
  • My anything list printables
  • Free printable dot grid paper I made (download it here, existing subscribers can login to the library here) in my ARC notebook
  • Colored lined list paper I made (it’s letter size but you can resize following this tutorial)

Download this dot grid printable paper here. Existing subscribers can login to the library to download here.

mambi dot grid refill paper template free download printable classic size 7 inch wide x 9.25 inch high happy planner bullet bujo

3. Colored pens

Colored pens are ideal for color coding, and adding color to what could otherwise be a boring list. As lists don’t really lend themselves to using too many stickers, washi tape etc. ..

I like the Frixion erasable pens – specifically the ones with the clear lid (they’re harder to find but way nicer to write with more and better colors). I also like the fineliner style but I’ve only seen them in Europe.

pilot frixion ball erasable pens rainbow color coding favorite planning supplies stationery light green dark green no smear medium fine tip

4. Colored highlighters

Colored highlighters are obviously great for color coding lists. Just make sure you use quick drying pens. I prefer to use ballpoint pens (especially Smiggle pens and the Papermate Inkjoy 100) with highlighters – they’re less prone to smearing than gel pens.

Read more: Pens & Highlighters Smear Testing: Which ones don’t smear 

My favorite highlighters for lists are:

This list contains affiliate links. If you click one of the links and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission in exchange for referring you.

  • Wax highlighters – no smearing as they don’t need time to dry – I like the Thorntons Office Supplies wax highlighters
  • Stabilo Boss and Staedtler Textsurfer – the chisel end is 5mm which is the same as the dot grid spacing for most bullet journal notebooks –  they come in pastel and bright colors too!
  • Erasable – I like the Frixion erasable (bright colors only though, the pastel are so light it looks like you haven’t even highlighted anything)
  • Dual tip highlighters – the thin and fat ends are good for dividing up a page for lists and underlining list titles

gel highlighters favorite highlighters for planning thornton's office supplies color coding wax highlighter typo review

stabilo boss pastel versus j burrows officeworks australia cheap versus expensive highlighters dupe alternative recommended swatches bullet journal

More highlighter reviews

  • Pens & Highlighters Smear Testing: Which ones don’t smear 
  • Best highlighters for planning 
  • Favorite dual tip highlighters for planning (roundup) 
  • Best highlighters for bullet journaling

5. Color coded checklist paper

Color coded either by writing the checklist on colored paper, or using different colors for different categories.

PAIPUR hybrid notebook weekly spread bullet journal dot grid lined notes list maker color coding pastel stabilo boss highlighters_07

List makers spread in the PAIPUR hybrid notebook

Download my free color coded lines notes paper here.

free printable color coded note paper planner diy accessories notes page planner insert rainbow erin condren kikki k filofax plum paper

If you want pre-made colored paper, MAMBI have tons of lined and checklist colored pages.

weekly planning using happy planner inserts 7 x 9 classic size list making review pros and cons lined

mi goals inserts favorite color coding supplies checklist classic size mini tips organization discbound refills

Read more: Favorite Happy Planner Refill Inserts

6. Colored dot stickers

Ideal for color coded lists instead of drawing checkboxes, or adding to the bottom corner of the page to act as a key and help you find lists easier in your notebook or planner.

blog post planning spread ideas layout printable template bullet journal rainbow resize printables to suit happy planner classic size

Blog & project planning using printables resized for MAMBI Classic

Another alternative is to get white dot stickers and choose your own colors using highlighters – like I do with date dot stickers.

planner hack color coded date dot sticker prima planner minimalist to colorful simple quick easy planner decorating ideas

7. Self inking stamps

Self-inking stamps are the only type of stamps I’ll plan with. They’re quick and there’s no mess like with normal stamps. I really only use the Frixion erasable stamps:

erin condren take note notebook weekly spread pink theme personalised frixion stamps checklists to do productivity layout

I also like the MAMBI checklist stamp:

monthly planning using happy planner checklist inserts refills self inking stamps list categorised by week parkoo erasable pens frixion

More supplies you could use

  • Flag list stickers – plenty in the Happy Planner sticker books
  • Colored washi tape – use for strips on the side of the book to flag popular lists or could stick some tape underneath the heading if you like to plan using minimal color but still want to color code
  • Checklists stencils – I find the columns on the stencils are too narrow to fit more than 2 words but if you write small they might work for you
  • Checklist stamp – I tried this once but the lines tend to be either too widely spaced or too close together so I rarely use them nowadays. Plus it was hard to perfectly line up the stamps
  • Colored pencils or zooms – if you want an alternative to highlighters (tend to be cheaper and last forever!)
  • Ruler for dividing up a page (I like the Poppin Ruler as it’s heavy and doesn’t slip, also work well with stitched notebooks that don’t tend to lay flat)

color coded notes pages using washi tape school subject category how to use blank note paper

More planning tips

  • 50 Category Ideas for Color Coding Your Planner
  • After trying more than 20 pen brands, these are my top 5
  • How to use functional icon planner stickers

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Posted In: Planning Tips & Inspiration · Tagged: best planner supplies, best to do list, checklist planner supplies, favorite planner supplies, planner essentials, planning inspiration, productive to do list

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Welcome to All About Planners! I’m Rachael, a 20-something Aussie addicted to graphic design and all things planning. On the blog you’ll find more than 1,000 posts about all things planning including planner reviews, tips, favorite supplies and some of my past weekly spreads.

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