Discbound is my favorite type of planner binding but very few planners have this option… So when a reader sent me the link to The Perfect Notebook‘s website I was pleasantly surprised! The planner is discbound with a focus on goal setting as well as daily and optional weekly planning refillable inserts.

Disclaimer: The Perfect Notebook sent me a copy of the planner in exchange for this review. I was going to purchase the planner anyway. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Perfect Notebook

• Cover / Planner Size: Approx 7″ wide x 10.25″ high (the pages are slightly smaller than this)
• Goal settings / habit tracking pages
• Lined pages
• Day to a page format
• Undated
• Optional 2 page weekly spread (hourly vertical format) refills available
• Flexible, bendy dark blue cover (no personalisation option)
• Discbound (so you can add, remove and rearrange pages as often as you need)
• 2 built in rulers / page markers that can be re-positioned
• Gender neutral shades of blue feature throughout

Price: $34 USD + shipping

Let’s take a closer look!

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The Cover

Flexible cover rather than hardbound means the planner is lightweight

Rounded corners to prevent wear and tear.

The cover is a bit bigger than the inside pages to protect them from damage.

The planner has my favorite type of binding: discbound. This means it lays flat when both pages are open and when the notebook can be folded back on itself.

I prefer to keep some pages (e.g. cleaning schedules, password log, routine tasks checklists etc.) at the front and some at the back rather than having all of the pages at the back which makes it hard to find things quickly. With discbinding you can add, remove and rearrange pages as often you please!

Related: Planner Organization: Why I use the Arc Planner instead of binders

Example pages on how to use the planner which I always find helpful!

Daily planning pages

While the planner is intended for daily planning (1 day per page), I’m thinking about converting it into a weekly planner e.g. header stickers to cover up the ‘can wait until tomorrow’ into a ‘little things’ section for those random things like cleaning makeup brushes which I always forget to do.

Goal Setting Pages

There are enough copies of the professional big blocks dashboards and personal big blocks dashboards that it should last an entire year (perhaps even longer).

I really like the page on the left shown in the photo below (my favorite in the entire planner!) While the circles are intended for rating / prioritising the tasks when I use the planner I’m going to change this to a progress tracker. So put the priority number in the checkbox then shade in the 1st circle when the task has commenced, the 2nd circle when the task is progressing and the 3rd circle when the task has been completed.

Lots of reflection question prompts

Optional weekly planning add on pages

Week starts on a Monday, undated inserts starting at 7am end ending at 9:30pm (half hour intervals)

If you don’t like the ‘deadline today’ title, header stickers (tutorial on how to make them here) could be used to cover up the text and convert it into meal planning, cleaning tasks or any other phrase you need.

There are plenty of lined notes pages included as well as refill options that are perfect for list making – lined, grid, dotted and blank! This planner would be a great option if you like bullet journaling.

Tabs

There are no tabs with this planner although there are 2 built in page markers / rulers.

Pen Testing

I tried various balllpoint, gel, fine tip and marker tip pens. Unfortunately there was ghosting for all of the pens on the back side of the page. I also did some highlighter and stamp swatches and they had ghosting on the back side as well ?

My favorite pens – the Frixion Erasable –  didn’t erase smoothly 🙁

Why I prefer discbound systems

• The discs don’t get in the way when writing like binders and the fat coil binding that some planners have
• You can fold notebook back on itself and the pages will lie flat
• I can easily remove pages (without damaging them)

Pros of The Perfect Notebook

• Lots of note page refill options – lined, grid, dotted and blank that are pre-punched and can be quickly popped into the notebook
• Good size for portability while still providing enough room to write
• Really functional goal setting / tracking pages
• Gender neutral color scheme
• Because the cover is thin the planner is lightweight
• The discs are small so they don’t get in the way when writing
• Affordable price $34USD for the notebook which incldes the front and back cover, discs, insert pages plus a ton of lined notes pages

Cons of The Perfect Notebook

• Cover is a bit plain
• No options for cover personalisation
• Few options – only 1 cover style and limited insert options
• Discs come in 1 size – no expander option available
• Only 1 weekly planning insert option
• I couldn’t find a punch on the website to be able to make your own inserts and quickly and easily punch the pages
• No tabs although there are 2 built in bookmarks / page markers
• All of the pens I tried had ghosting on the back side of the page

Would I use this planner?

You guys know I’m a huge fan of discbound notebooks due to the ability to customise to your exact needs. I really like the goal setting pages in this planner and am keen to try out those pages, however, there are limited other inserts available.

If you’re looking for a day to a page planner that doesn’t have a scheduling space with times pre-printed (as most day to a page planners do), this would be a good option.

The Perfect Planner is relatively new so there is room for improvement in terms of a punch to be able to add your own inserts, larger disc sizes and more refill options. I’ll be checking this planner next year to see if there’s new stuff available!

Related posts:

• Arcing my Plum Paper Planner – everything you need to know if you’d like to try it yourself! 
• Agendio Review (custom, personalised weekly planner) 

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