How to Start Paper Planning: The Essential Tools You Actually Need

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Why Paper Planning Still Works

With all of the productivity apps and digital calendars available, you may wonder why anyone would choose to use a paper planner. In fact, I actually use GoodNotes on my iPad to do memory planning. As much as I love technology, I still use paper planning. I believe paper planning still has its place even in a digital world, and it comes with its own set of perks. You can feel free to read my previous post, Why I Still Use Paper Planners in 2026, where I go into details on why I love using a paper planner. Personally, things tend to stick better for me when I write things down with a pen and paper. Using a pen and paper helps me organize my thoughts. It also gives me time away from the blue light screen so I can enjoy time away from the digital world.

Disc-bound paper planner with colorful pens and a Mildliner marker for organizing weekly plans. — Finding the right planner layout makes it easier to create a planning routine that fits your everyday life.

Paper Planning Essentials for Beginners

Planner
Quality pens
Highlighters
Sticky notes
Stickers & washi tape
Planner accessories

Now, let’s discuss how each one of these items helps you build a good planning routine you will actually use.

The Must-Have Paper Planning Tools

#1 The Right Planner

Decide what layout you want to use. Dashboard, weekly, monthly, horizontal, vertical, and hourly are popular layouts.

There are disc-bound, spiral, and ring-bound planners. The disc-bound and ring-bound planners allow you to easily pull out and reinsert your planner pages. You can also buy additional pages to add to the planner. As a result, disc-bound and ring-bound planners offer more flexibility for planning methods such as frankenplannng. The spiral planners do not have that option.

You will also want to consider what size of a planner you want. Some sizes are:

Desk planner
Pocket size
A5
B6
Half-letter

All of the planners work if you work it. You have to choose the type of planner you will actually use.

#2 Good Quality Pens

You also want to make sure you use good quality pens. Since you will be referring to this planner often, you want to make sure that the pen you use has the following qualities:

Comfortable grip
No smearing
Fine tip

You can purchase pens in multiple colors if you like to use a color system for your planning. I typically stick to black, but you can use whatever system works for you. I recently purchased some pens with a bigger grip so that it is easier to write. While I like a cute pen, comfort is important when you have a lot to write. If you are looking for an ergonomic pen, you can check out the ones I purchased here. As you can see below, they are cute with sparkles. They come in different colors, but the ink is black.

Colorful comfort grip pens for paper planning, journaling, and writing daily tasks in a planner. — I recently added these comfort grip pens to my planner supplies. They are easy to hold and write smoothly.

#3 Highlighters & Markers

You can also use highlighters and markers to color code categories in your planner. I use a form of this in Google Calendar and Apple Calendar. For example, you can code work tasks/appointments one color and home/family tasks another color. You can also use highlighters to mark deadlines and create time blocks. I personally use Mildliner. They are very sleek and colorful, but they are not overpowering on the planner. You can purchase a set like mine here.

Four pastel Zebra Mildliner brush markers in purple, blue, gray, and pink on a desk. — My Mildliner brush markers for adding color without overwhelming my planner pages. Perfect for highlighting, color coding, and making important tasks stand out.

#4 Sticky Notes

I like to use sticky notes or notepads to jot down information quickly. I can always transfer information from my notepad to my planner later. I also use them to write additional notes that I don’t necessarily want written on my calendar. I use them for things I need to remember and random thoughts I have during the day.

#5 Stickers & Washi Tape

If you are a creative person, you can add stickers and washi tape to your planner. I like stickers. There are decorative stickers and functional stickers. You can use a combination of both. Stickers make planning more enjoyable because it is like arts and crafts. However, I understand that some may prefer the focus of functional planning. Lately, I have taken that route as well. However, stickers can highlight important details to catch your attention.

Use functional stickers for:

Appointments
Bills
Reminders
Habit tracking

Use decorative stickers for:

Seasonal themes
Affirmations
Quotes

You can order stickers and washi tape online or at a crafts store.

Planner sticker books, washi tape, and accessories used to decorate and organize a paper planner. — Planner stickers and washi tape can add creativity and function to your planning routine. Whether you like decorative spreads or simple layouts, your planner should work for you.

#6 Planner Accessories

Some additional items you can use for your planner are:

Tabs
Paper clips
Rulers
Bookmarks
Dashboards
Charms

These help you find pages faster and decorate your planner, making it uniquely yours.

Paper planner accessories including a ruler, bookmark, paper clip, and notepad used to personalize a planner setup. — Small planner accessories can make your planning system easier to use and add a little personality to your daily routine.

How to Create a Paper Planning Routine You’ll Actually Stick With

Keep it simple
Keep your planner visible
Check your planner every morning
Keep a weekly planning session timeslot available

Disc-bound paper planner with a weekly layout, functional stickers, and handwritten tasks for organizing daily plans. — Your planner does not have to be perfect to be helpful. A simple weekly planning routine can make a big difference.

Your Next Step

Keep in mind that your planner does not have to look perfect in order to be useful. Keep it simple. Start with a planner, pen, and a few extra tools. You can always build your collection as you discover your planning style.

You don’t have to overcomplicate your organization system. That would defeat the purpose. Start with a simple to-do list, add appointments to your planner, and go from there.