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!

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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.

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

Approx 1.5cm thick

Dates at a Glance

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

Since it’s an Aussie planner it has Australian school terms for each state for quick reference:

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.

Goal setting

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

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

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

Monthly Calendar

Week starts Monday (consistent with the weekly spread).

The notes sidebar is very small and cramped

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

Monthly Dividers

Different quotes for each month:

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.

Extras pages

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.

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.

Planner Stickers

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

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.

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!

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.

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 

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