6” x 8.5” dated planner
Available at papier.com
Available at Amazon
Description:
A hardcover yearly planner (it is made to order, so depending on when you purchase, it may be a full year, running from December to December, or mid-year planner, running from June to July) with a customizable cover. It opens to a year view, then is followed by a month view section, followed by a monthly goals section, followed by a week view section. The back of the book contains 2 pages for noting important dates, 4 contacts pages, and 4 pages each of lined, dot grid, unlined, and grid pages for doodles and notes. It comes with one ribbon marker.
My experience with the Le Moderne planner:
It took me a few years to actually pull the trigger and buy a planner from Papier. The website kept coming up in searches and I would longingly gaze at the rows of planners. But at $35, it was too steep a price for me. Then came the day, near the end of the season, when the dated yearly planners were 30% off, and I clicked “buy.”
My planner came quickly and was securely packaged in a sturdy, attractive eco-friendly box. Considering that the planner covers are personalized, meaning it is printed when it’s ordered, that’s pretty impressive.
But when I picked up Le Moderne for the first time, I was a little disappointed. While the print quality is nice, it’s not as high quality as I expected, based off the photos on the site. My cover is also slightly off-center. Enough to get my OCD going a little bit, but it doesn’t affect the functionality at all.
Opening the planner – the paper is a heavy weight cream stock and silky to the touch. However, if you use a pen with a high flow rate or markers, the ink will show through on the other side. Another disappointment, as my trusty Staedtler felt tip marker pens don’t work the best on this paper. (However, my Arteza felt tip marker pens don’t show through. AND it gave me an excellent excuse to buy more pens!)
This planner comes in two sizes: medium and small. While I knew this going in, and thought I’d be okay with it, I do miss a larger planner, especially in the monthly view. It feels like there’s not enough space. Good thing I have small handwriting!
The biggest con for me, though, might be the binding. I prefer hardcover over paperback or spiral bound … when it lies flat. This one doesn’t. It’s a challenge to write on. Don’t know how many times I’ve cracked and creased the spine to encourage the book to lie flat – and, as a testament to its good binding, it hasn’t fallen apart yet. I use this planner every day and continue to wrestle with it.
It has one ribbon marker, which is good, but I wish there was a marker for each of the 3 sections you will use most: month view, monthly goals, and week view. I currently use the ribbon to mark the month view section and have placed two re-stickable paper tabs to mark my places on the monthly goals and week view sections.
But even with these drawbacks, I do really like Le Moderne. I like how simple it is. Minimalist. No frills or decorations that take up space. No affirmation boxes or habit trackers, which I personally don’t use or find helpful. The lines are thin and gray – such a little detail, but so much easier on the eye. Papier really has put a lot of thought into designing this planner, and it shows.
It’s not the perfect planner for me, but it’s in my top 3. It’s a great planner.
Pros:
• Simple. All the essentials you need. Nothing that you don’t.
• Well organized. Easy to use.
• Customizable, durable hardcover. A myriad of cover choices, including foil stamping.
• Cream-colored pages are easy on the eyes and silky to the touch.Cons:
• Size. While it’s a standard 6” x 8.5” size, I personally prefer more room. The monthly pages especially feel cramped.
• Hardcover binding can be challenging to write on. Pages don’t lie flat.
• Pages are slightly see through. Depending on the ink in your pen/marker.
• Price. It sells on Papier.com for $32, plus at least $5 shipping. If you’re interested in buying one, wait for the end-of-season sales.Conclusion:
While there are some features of the Le Moderne that I love – layout, creamy paper and customizable cover – I probably won’t purchase it again. While I like the hardcover, it can be a challenge because it doesn’t lie flat. The thickness of the paper limits what type of pen or marker can be used. And the price is a little steep for my budget-conscious brain. I’m still looking for my perfect planner, but this might be the perfect planner for you.
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