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All About Planners

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October 3, 2018

Otto A5 My Goals Weekly Planner Review (Pros, Cons & Video Walkthrough)

The Otto Goals Planner review for 2018 was quite popular so after getting requests for the A5 2019 version – here’s the review!

Quick facts

  • Size: Approx 5.75″ wide x 8.25″ high
  • Wire binding
  • Softcover
  • Dates at a glance
  • Goal setting pages
  • Monthly dividers
  • Notes pages
  • Colorful inside pages
  • 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
  • 2 Page monthly calendar (starts on Monday)

Price: $20 AUD (Approx A5 Size) ($30 medium size)

Let’s take a closer look!

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).

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The Cover

I’m not a fan of the cover… Birds and flowers is just random and why would you put that on the cover of a planner? I don’t like it at all.

The cover is just flimsy cardstock – there’s no plastic cover to protect from wear and tear.

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren recollections australia officeworks video

It has a pocket folder on the back side of the cover – similar to the Orange Circle Studio Planner.

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week

Approx 1.5cm thick

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren recollections australia officeworks video pros and cons

Dates at a Glance

Despite the cover, the inside pages are much better (and very colorful!)

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small year at a glance australia

Since it’s an Aussie planner it has Australian school terms for each state for quick reference:
otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small australia public holidays printed

Yearly planners like these aren’t much use at A5 page size. The most you can put is a couple of letters or numbers against each day so you’d need to develop some sort of coding system. E.g. V = Vacation, P = period, numbers for each goals and the days you’re going to work on them etc.
otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small dates at a glance

Goal setting

The same page layouts as the 2018 version, just shrunk to fit the smaller page size.

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small dream life goals brainstorm

The first thing you’ve probably noticed about this planner is that the writing space / line spacing is really small.

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren important dates lined goal planning

These goal setting pages have great layouts, I just wish they had a bigger writing space.

otto goals planner worksheet project colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small goal setting

Monthly Calendar

Week starts Monday (consistent with the weekly spread).

The notes sidebar is very small and cramped

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small

The numbering restarts on the top row 🙂 (rather than splitting boxes in half like some planners do)

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week montly calendar

Monthly Dividers

Different quotes for each month:

otto weekly planner divider inspirational quotes similar to recollections australia

Weekly Planner

The weekly layout is different to the medium size (which is vertical).

I love horizontal weekly spreads in the format of the right page (refer below). However I’m not a fan of the left page of the spread. The writing space is far too small.

officeworks otto goals weekly planner horizontal 2 page spread

officeworks otto goals weekly planner horizontal 2 page spread

Extras pagesaustralian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week lined notes

I’m not sure why some planner companies still include contacts pages since most people (well I do) keep their contacts on their phone. I’d re-purpose these as a password log.

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week contacts

Tabs

There are no tabs in the A5 version (there is in the larger coil bound version).

Instead, the A5 version has the month printed on the side to help find it easier. Each month is also printed in big font in the bottom right hand corner.

otto my goals weekly planner review a5 size horizontal colorful cheaper alternative to erin condren monthly calendar pros and cons monday start small tabs features

Planner Stickers

A mixture of functional and decorative stickers in colors that match the planner.

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week lined notes appointments lists label

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week lined notes appointments lists quotes

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week lined notes appointments lists

australian planner similar to erin condren otto my goals a5 size review horizontal monday start 2 page week lined notes planner stickers appointment

Pen Testing

I tried various ballpoint, gel, fine tip and marker tip pens. Overall, the paper quality wasn’t very good… but to be expected for a $20 planner.

Everything had some ghosting on the backside although the ballpoint pens was very feint.

otto my goals planner pen testing a5 australia officeworks gel fine tip bleed through ghosting review

otto my goals planner pen testing a5 australia officeworks gel fine tip bleed through ghosting review aussie

Pros of the Planner

  • Portable size
  • Colorful
  • Week starts Monday on both the weekly and monthly calendar
  • Pocket folder
  • Stickers
  • Affordable

Cons of the Planner

  • The writing space is too small – especially in the weekly spread
  • No tabs
  • Ugly cover
  • Cover is flimsy cardstock

Would I use this planner?

No. I like horizontal planners with days of the week on 1 page of the spread and lined notes or list making space on the other page. After trying & reviewing so many planners, I’ve found that A5 page size is too small for me. Combined with the fact that this planner has some of the tiniest writing I’ve seen in a planner, there’s just not enough room to write – especially on the second page of the spread. This planner would be much better in a medium 7 x 9 ” page size!

officeworks otto goals weekly planner horizontal 2 page spread

Comparison to 2018 Otto Goals Planner

Officeworks have bought out the coil version again which is very similar to last years. The A5 size has the same colors and style – just the weekly layout is different.

Click here for my review of the 2018 version.

otto my goals weekly planner comparison 2018 2019 versions horizontal monday start 2 page monthly calendar colorful

This planner is available in my sister’s planner supplies shop (click here).

More planner reviews:

  • Mi Goals ‘Goal Digger’ Weekly Planner Review
  • Little More Notebook
  • Blue Sky Teacher Planner

Planning Tips:

  • 7 Ways to make colors POP when printing using an Inkjet printer 
  • Planning 101: Need versus want versus wish list planner supplies
  • 6 Useful ways to efficiently plan your week using highlighters 

Browse all posts

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otto my goals weekly planner 2019 review a5 page size horizontal 2 page weekly spread colorful cheaper alternative recollections

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Posted In: Horizontal 1 Page Weekly + Notes, Planner Reviews · Tagged: 2019 goals planner, 2019 weekly planner, aussie planner, australian planner, australian planner company, officeworks planner, otto goal planner, otto weekly planner

Comments

  1. Dianne says

    October 4, 2018 at 11:36

    certainly spot on about the cover, it is butt ugly. wouldn’t purchase it for that reason alone. Also as I wear glasses, the small writing spaces are a no go zone for me.
    I do like most everything else

  2. Samantha says

    October 8, 2018 at 05:29

    Can you buy this in the U.S.?

    • Rachael says

      October 8, 2018 at 18:07

      No, the planner is only available from Officeworks here in Australia.

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