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All About Planners

Printable planners to organize your home, business and life!

September 1, 2017

Otto 2018 Business Planner Review (from Officeworks)

In addition to the 2018 goals planner (which I reviewed in this post), Officeworks released a business planner for 2018. If you’re a fellow Aussie that’s been thinking about getting one or just want to take a peek inside the planner, prepare for a ton of photos! 🙂

This is not a sponsored post – I paid for the planner myself – all opinions are my own. 

Otto 2018 Business Planner

The cover is very similar to the goals planner (same size) but with a blue background instead of pink.

otto 2018 business planner review australian planner cheaper alternative to erin condren similar pros cons

Related: Officeworks Otto Goals Planner for 2018 (Review & Video Walkthrough)

Quick Facts:

  • $29.95 AUD
  • Size: 7.75″ wide x 9″ high
  • Coil bound
  • Cover can be removed (inter-changeable like the Erin Condren)
  • Month starts on a Monday
  • 2 page vertical hourly (from 9am to 5pm) weekly spread starts on a Monday, with top 3 priorities for the day section
  • Plenty of goal setting worksheets
  • Weekends get their own day (not combined)
  • Laminated tabs with the months printed on the front and back
  • 1 color per month (ideal for color coding)
  • Comes in 1 style only (although there is a Business Planner and a Wellbeing Planner in the range as well)

Note: The planner isn’t available online (in store only) and not all stores stock the planner. You have to ring your local store and check they have them in stock and they’ll bring them to the front counter for you to pickup.

This planner reminds me a lot of a cross between the Recollections Planner and the Erin Condren Life Planner.

Note that it’s slightly shorter than the Erin Condren and Plum Paper. The font is very small in this planner so if you have large hand-writing it may not be a good fit for you.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE PLANNER

To enlarge the screen of the video, click the square icon in the bottom right hand corner of the video (it will say ‘full screen’ when you hover your mouse over the icon).

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more planner related videos!

Goal Setting Pages

Similar to the 2018 Goals planner (also by the Otto brand), there’s multiple pages for mapping out what you want to get done for the year including:

Business Goals Worksheets

With space for steps to complete and due dates

2018 Business Planner

2018 goal setting planner productivity color coding officeworks cheaper alternative to erin condren plum paper happy planner

The 2018 Goals Planner

The Goals Planner definitely wins in terms of the layout of the goal setting pages

alternatives to erin condren life planner 2018 otto goals planner officeworks affordable similar to ec australia review walkthrough pros cons peek inside

The Business planner does have a couple of pages for project planning (enough for 8 projects):

Social media & blog post planning

The cloud brainstorming page is a bit of a waste of space in my opinion – there’s hardly any room to plan.

The blog post ideas page is very functional (has space to record the top, post idea, date and a checkbox for when it’s been completed) but there’s only 1 of these pages in the entire planner!

otto business planner blog post ideas social media content planner cheaper alternative to erin condren vertical weekly spread 2 page layout australia

Related: 101 Blog Post Ideas (for any type of blogger)

I wish the company would release a blog planner!

12 Month Marketing Planner

This 2 page spread has the same layout as the 2018 Goals Planner

marketing planner business planner 2018 otto weekly vertical hourly appointment stickers

Monthly Planning Page

The monthly planner page is very functional. It lots of space to plan how you’re going to achieve your 3 goals for the month as well as checklists to break down what you need to do to get them done.

Each monthly spread has a divider with a tab – the paper feels slightly thicker than the rest of the paper in the planner but is not as thick as cardstock.

The goal setting pages at the front actually work with the rest of the planner – it’s not a case of writing down your goals and then that’s it – the monthly spreads tie back into those annual goals.

The monthly planning space has lots of checklist <3 including:

  • Business to do list
  • Personal life to do list
  • Things to improve / revise
  • To be implemented
  • Need to purchase

Each of the tabs features a different quote

otto business planner from officeworks planner made in australia 2 page weekly spread organization color coding cheaper than erin condren better similar

The Monthly Calendar

The monthly calendar is 2 pages like most planners.

The week starts on a Monday (as does the weekly spread – yippee! – some planners have the month starting Sunday and the week starting Monday which makes no sense to me!) It has the same layout as the 2018 Goals planner.

The month is printed on the bottom right side of the page rather than at the top which really maximizes the planning space. It’s also handy when flicking through the planner as it’s easier to find the month.

2018 otto goals planner review officeworks similar planner to erin condren flipthrough monthly calendar monday start pros cons size comparison plum paper mambi

Love the use of different shades of the 1 color – you could color code each month.

This monthly calendar gives every single day a full box planning space. Some calendars will split the bottom box into 2 to avoid moving the date to the top of the calendar – this one doesn’t do that (hallelujah!)
calendars that start the month on a monday 2 page weekly spread colorful australian planner company cheaper alternative to erin condren similar plum paper

Overall this monthly spread is one of my all time favorites for planners – it’s very functional and aesthetically pleasing!

Weekly Spread

The weekly spread starts on a Monday and features an hourly planning space from 9am to 5pm as well as top 3 priorities for each day and notes section at the bottom.

The shaded box at the top could be used for events, birthday’s, meal planning etc.

otto 2018 business planner girl boss blogger roundup vertical hourly cheaper alternative to erin condren

The sidebar of the planner had a top 3 weekly goals, important tasks, reminders and to do/to buy list

otto business planner 2018 review officeworks australia cheaper alternative to ec vertical hourly minimalist

2018 business planner otto cheaper alternative to erin condren vertical minimalist similar plum paper

The Tabs

The tabs are laminated and durable – the month is printed on both sides.

otto 2018 business planner marketing social media blogging affordable australia planner company cheaper alternative to erin condren vertical hourly review

The Extras

Like with the Erin Condren, this planner has a snap in bookmark / page marker

otto 2018 business planner blog organization vertical hourly goal setting affordable under 50 dollars australia

A couple of notes pages at the back

2018 business planner otto notes pages simple minimalist similar to erin condren life planner vertical hourly plum paper australia

It also has 4 sheets of colorful and functional & motivating stickers at the back

Some of the stickers included:

  • Meeting
  • Appointments
  • Day off
  • Free time
  • Priority

Blank task labels and dots that are great for list making. As well as mini task stickers

business planner stickers review minimalist colorful color coding officeworks planner

Motivating stickers

otto 2018 business planner review officeworks color coding motivating appointment label

As well as a double sided pocket folder (the photo below is from my review of the 2018 Goals Planner by this brand) The pocket folder is the same in this style of the planner and I was too lazy to take another photo…

otto 2018 goals planner peek inside vertical life planner similar to erin condren cheaper alternative for australians affordable week starts monday

The front and back covers have gold foil style font. And the back cover has a nice quote printed on it!

Otto 2018 business planner review, officeworks, vertical daily planner, hourly , cheaper than erin condren

The coil is about 1.25″ thick

cheaper alternative to erin condren, spiral bound planner, similar to plum paper, hourly, vertical, business blog planner

Pen Testing

I tried a variety of well-known (and not so well-known!) pen brands including Papermate Inkjoy, Staedtler Triplius, Pilot, Kikki K, Uniball Signo, Typo, Smiggle etc. Both the ballpoint pens and gel pens had some minor ghosting (see through) on the back side of the pages.

Otto officeworks goals planner pen testing ghosting no bleed favorite pens for planning gel versus ballpoint frixion erasable supplies-min

Pros of the Otto Business Planner

  • Very well though out out planner – there is no wasted space
  • lots of goal setting pages – much more than most planners
  • Durable laminated cover
  • Laminated tabs and the month is printed on the front and back of the tab
  • Affordable – only $30AUD
  • Love, love, love the colors!
  • 1 color per month – great for color coding
  • Boxes of the months aren’t split in 2 – every day of the month has the same amount of planning space
  • Plenty of checklists
  • The weeks on the monthly and weekly spreads both start on Monday (some calendars don’t do this)
  • Cover can be removed (interchangeable like the Erin Condren)

Cons of the Otto Business Planner

  • Pens show slightly through the other side of the page (light ghosting)
  • The writing (and writing spaces) are small. if you have large hand-writing you may find yourself running out of room
  • Only available in store – rather inconvenient that you can’t buy it online. If you live outside of Australia you won’t be able to buy this planner unless someone lists them on eBay
  • More extras pages – especially the blog post ideas page – would be ideal

Size comparison

The Business planner is the same size as the Otto Goals Planner. Because I was too lazy didn’t have time to take photos, here’s the Otto goals planner in comparison to the Erin Condren.

It’s wider but shorter

otto 2018 goals planner officeworks size comparison to erin condren life planner pros cons similar peek inside australian planner vertical

Related: Planner pen testing in the Erin Condren Life Planner, Plum Paper, Happy Planner by MAMBI and Limelife Planner 

Same deal for the MAMBI Happy Planner…

otto 2018 goals planner officeworks size comparison to mambi happy planner pros cons similar peek inside australian planner vertical

Related: Honest review of the Happy Planner by Me and my Big Ideas (MAMBI)

…And the Plum Paper Planner

otto 2018 goals planner officeworks size comparison to plum paper planner pros cons similar peek inside australian planner vertical

Related: Plum Paper Planners Haul & Review (better than the Erin Condren?)

Would I use this planner?

Overall it’s a very functional planner, has nice colors and I’m excited to try it for the 52 planners in 52 weeks challenge!

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Related Posts:

  • Plum Paper Planners Haul & Review (better than the Erin Condren?)
  • Favorite black pens for planner addicts
  • Review of the Plum Paper Memory Keepers Book 
  • Planners you’ve probably never heard of (but will want to know about!) 

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  • Officeworks Otto Goals Planner for 2018 (Review & Video Walkthrough)Officeworks Otto Goals Planner for 2018 (Review & Video Walkthrough)
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Posted In: Blogging & Online Business, Planner Reviews, Planning Tips & Inspiration · Tagged: 2018 planner, affordable alternative to erin condren, aussie planner company, Australian version of plum paper planner, best business planners, best vertical weekly planner, blog planner, cheap planner, cheaper alternative to erin condren, cheaper alternative to plum paper, cheaper alternatives to erin condren, erin condren knock off, favorite aussie planners, favorite Australian planner companies, favorite Australian planners, favorite planners for moms, favorite planners for students, functional planner, goal setting planner, officeworks stationery, officeworks stationery haul, otto 2018 business planner, otto 2018 planner review, otto stationery, peek inside officeworks planner, peek inside otto 2018 planner, planner addicts, planners similar to the erin condren, top 3 planner, vertical weekly planner, vertical weekly planner roundup, young adult planner

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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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