Is the Rifle Paper Co. Planner for you? Well, let me tell you a little about them, and you can decide for yourself. Pros and cons and plenty of pictures to scrutinise for your approval.
Why you will love a Rifle Paper Co. Planner
1. They are as a strong as they are lovely.
Rifle Paper Co.’s planners aren’t just some of the prettiest you’ll find, they are also of the best quality. I have had two of these now, and they last their whole 17-month planning life and look fab on the other end of it. I am hard on my planners- actually I treat them with kid gloves the first two months, but the next 15 all bets are off. They are recklessly tossed into bags, accidentally stepped on, clumsily spilt on by tea. They are workhorses. Gorgeous, gorgeous workhorses.
2. They include the most thoughtful details.
First of all, let’s discuss that back pocket. SO HANDY. I did not appreciate this feature when I first picked up my own Rifle planner, but my oh my, it soon became a non-negotiable the next time I bought a planner. 
3. They are one of the most functional planners I’ve used.
- The size is perfect- not so small you are writing with super small script that you can’t read later, not so large you can’t carry it in your bag. The classic-sized Rifle Paper Co. planner is 6.25″ x 8.5″
- Also, it is tabbed. This is a huge deal when you try a planner that doesn’t have them! Do you see those monthly tabs in the picture? When you don’t have those, you are stuck leafing through the pages back and forth. It seems small, but it bugs. I speak from experience.
- Another feature I really appreciate is being able to see all my important dates for the year at once. You don’t even have to tab through each month with those hand dividers I just mentioned. There is a whole separate section to keep important dates right in front of your face.
Great to jot in birthdays, anniversaries, project deadlines- whatever you canNOT forget! - May I also mention the stickers? A fad, a trend- I won’t use these at all. This is what you think, but they are SO handy for really drawing your attention. And they are so fun and cheerful. I love making the mundane special, and these really do the trick.
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- Rifle Paper Co Planner stickers
- Just tell me these arent cute…
- They are ADORABLE!
- You’ll also find the 2-month calendars at the top of each weekly page a real help at really random times. They are great to have that overview of where you are in the next couple months.The 2-month overview in the top right-hand is fab. Also, I love the wee quotes at the top. They pick good ones, too.
- Another seemingly minor feature you realise is a non-negotiable when you are without one- an elastic enclosure. You can toss it into your back without fear that they pages will get all bent up because it will land half-splayed.
4. They are 17-months. Cue controversy!
Ok, when I asked you on stories about 12-month vs. 17-month planners, it got heated! But let me explain the reasoning for the 17-month calendar, how you can use them, and how you can co-exist with them.
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The reasoning:
My theory is that 17-month planners exist to make ONE planner appealing to a wider audience. The real passion isn’t behind 12- vs 17-month as much as it is between a Jan-Dec planner vs. a Sept-Aug calendar. In the grand scheme of things, it is really more wasteful for a company to come out with two different versions of a planner than to just a few more pages to each.
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How you can use them:
These are fantastic for future planning. Not all careers plan out so far in advance, but teachers, professors, mums, project managers, wedding planners (wedding industry ANYTHINGS), bloggers, speakers, etc do. When I was a dietitian and had more of a daily rhythm than a seasonal one, I wouldn’t have used it much.
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How you can co-exist with them:
If you aren’t into the overlap between planners, just use those pages as notes. No need to waste, and you’ll find them quite handy. I personally like the overlap because when I transfer from one planner to the next the rewriting (that really doesn’t take that long) helps me process and rethink things. That’s just me. To each their own.
5. They are beautiful. I mean, BEAUTIFUL.
You have 3 very distinct styles to choose from and you can’t go wrong with any of them. The gold foil detailing on the covers, the dreamy endpapers, the non-OTT flourishing throughout. Truly perfection.
Why you might not love a Rifle Paper Co. Planner
After all of this, the mind reels that there could be any downsides to such a planner, but this is what I think would be cons to their planners.
1. A US company means US holidays.
The biggest con would be that you would have to write all the UK holidays in yourself. I will later put up a post with all conceivable UK holidays so you can write them in without having to look them all up, but for some of you, it may still be a deterrent.
2. You can’t get over the 17-month thing.
I’m not going to say I understand it, but I also won’t judge. Listen, planners are a really individual thing. If it bugs, it bugs. I will be getting in an undated yearly planner that is minimal, yet adorable, and I trust you will find satisfactory.
3. You hate beauty. JOKES!
As perfect as I think the Rifle Paper Co. planner is, I totally get that they aren’t for everybody. I am a huge believer that stationery is an extension of your personal style, so if you decide against one of the planners, I’m sure there is one out there for you.
Tell me what you think- What are non-negotiables when you are searching for a planner?