After trying many different planners I’ve come to the realisation that I prefer planners that have the days of the week on 1 side of the spread and note taking, list making, meal planning etc. planning space on the 2nd page of the weekly spread. So when I stumbled across the Ultimate Weekly Planner I was keen to get a closer look!

Ultimate Weekly Planner Review

Quick Facts

• Size: 7.75” tall and 6.25” wide (cover & inside pages)
• Academic and calendar year start
• Weight: 6.9 oz (very light!)
• Approx 1″ thick
• Coil binding
• 2 Page weekly spread (starts on a Monday) – horizontal format + list making space
• 2 page monthly calendar (starts on a Sunday)
• Extra pages:
  • Dates at a glance
  • Notes
  • Goals for 2018
  • Personal information page
  • Grocery list pages
• Various cover options to choose from (cover is thin cardstock)
• Pocket folder

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 videos!

The Cover

The cover is cardstock. There is no clear protective cover so not sure how well it’ll hold up after a year of use

Love the gold effect on the cover.. It’s not foil but more like a gold foil digital paper effect. Black and gold is one of my favorite combinations! <3

Dates at a Glance

Calendars for the current year and next year

Goal setting and personal information pages

The planner is small so the lines on the goals for 2018 page are quite close together

Weekly Spread

The weekly spread is the main reason I wanted to try the planner. After trying so many planners I’ve found I prefer those that have a 2 page weekly spread with 1 page in horizontal format and the other with note taking space, list making or meal planning. This weekly spread ticks all those boxes!

I’m not sure about the background on the pages though – the faded picture effect is a nice idea and something different (I haven’t seen another planner do this) but it does make the page a bit ‘busy’

Weekly spread starts on a Monday.

The weekly layout is one that could be customised in multiple ways.

That menu sidebar could be used for:

• Assessment due dates if you’re a student
• A mom could use this space for journaling a memory of what their kid did that day
• Most important task

The to do list column is quite wide so you shouldn’t need multiple rows to write 1 task like some planners (especially vertical planners). The line spacing is quite small in the checklist so if you write large you may need to write your letters over 2 lines of text.

Monthly Calendar

The monthly spread starts on a Sunday and includes a dates at a glance calendar for the following month as well as a large lined sidebar.

I like that the weekend boxes are shaded, although it would be good if the monthly spread started on a Monday (same as the weekly spread)

National holidays are pre-printed.

For being a small size planner there’s still a fairly decent amount of writing space – each daily box is approx 1″ high x 1.5″ wide.

A con of this planner (in my opinion) is that months where the last day of the month falls on the start of a new week, a new row is added to the monthly calendar (making all of the boxes on the page smaller) rather than re-starting the date numbering on the top row.

Extras Pages

I really like when planners include list format style pages.  I tend to use a sticky note for writing grocery lists so I can peel it out and take it to the shops with me, so when I use this planner I’ll use a header sticker and convert the columns into to do lists. Love that the columns are already lined!

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

Tabs

The planner doesn’t have tabs 🙁 but it does have the months printed on the side of the pages to make it easier to find the month you’re looking for when flicking through the planner

Pocket folder

The pocket folder is built into the back of the back cover:

Pen Testing

I tried various gel, ballpoint, needle tip and marker style pens as well as highlighters and stamps. I was pleasantly surprised that only the stamps bled through the page. The marker style pen (Stabilo Pen 68) didn’t bleed through the page – one of the very few planners I’ve found where it hasn’t!

Pros of the Ultimate Weekly Planner

• Affordable – only $17.95USD
• Light – doesn’t weigh much more than my kindle
• No pens bled through the page – even marker style pens
• Lined sidebar for the monthly calendar
• Minimalist – black and white
• Compact size – very portable
• Choose from academic or calendar year start
• Very functional weekly spread perfect for list making

Cons of the Ultimate Weekly Planner

• No tabs – although the months are printed on the side of the pages
• No clear protective cover or laminated cover – the cover is cardstock which will likely get damaged from wear and tear over time
• The picture printed on the back side of the pages is a bit distracting
• The monthly spread starts on a Sunday but the weekly spread starts on a Monday

Would I use this planner?

Yes, I’ll be trying out this planner in 2018!

Overall, this planner is compact, simple and functional.

This planner would be a good fit for you if you like the style of Plum Paper horizontal lined with notes but want a meal planner built into the weekly spread (which the Plum Paper doesn’t have) and need something smaller and lighter if you’re taking your planner with you on the go.

There’s also a kraft cover version of the planner if you want a gender neutral planner, or you know of a guy that needs a planner!

More Planner Reviews:

This planner is similar to the Plum Paper horizontal lined with notes.

• Favorite places to buy planner pens (online)
• Highlighters vs. Highlighter Pencils: Are they worth the cost? 
• Ultimate Comparison: Erin Condren Life Planner versus Plum Paper Planners – Which planner is better? 
• Creating a custom, personalised planner with Agendio

Planning Tips:

• How to color code bill paying in your planner (7 different ways) 
• Monthly blog post planning using sticky notes (my 6 step process) 
• How to organize small planner stickers using a reciepts folder
• Ultimate list of the best planner pen brands and how to choose colors for color coding 

Disclaimer: The creators of the Ultimate Weekly Planner were super nice and sent me a copy of the planner for this review after I reached out to them – I was going to purchase the planner anyway. As always, all opinions are my own!