If you’re tired of over-complicated planners, start here

It’s that point in January when everyone seems to be buying new notebooks and searching for the best 2026 diary. Social feeds and inboxes are full of promises about fresh starts, new systems, and planners that claim they’ll finally make life feel organised. I’ve always loved the clean slate of a new diary, but after years of buying, trying, and quietly abandoning them, I’ve realised that what most of us are really looking for isn’t motivation – or even the perfect 2026 diary. We’re simply trying to find one that fits the life we actually have.

Over the years, I’ve tested more than a dozen diaries and planners, using them for everything from running a freelance writing business with relentless deadlines to managing the chaotic logistics of a family of five. Some diaries were utterly beautiful but totally impractical. Others were cleverly designed but too complicated for real life use. For this edit, I’ve stripped away the hype and focused on just six diaries – each one used, tested, and lived with – that genuinely make managing a busy life easier.

This is not a search for perfection. It’s a considered, hands-on selection shaped by experience rather than idealism. I’m no longer looking for a 2026 diary that might change my life; I want one that earns its place on my desk and quietly does its job well. During my decades-long quest, these are the diaries and planners that came closest to ticking all my boxes – and the ones I’d confidently choose again for my 2026 diary.

Curated by

Curated by

Heidi Scrimgeour

I’m a lifestyle journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and a long-standing planner obsessive. I’m also a certified coach, which means I care about how tools like planners support real life – not just how they look on your desk. This guide draws on years of buying, using and mentally rating planners and diaries in my everyday life.