Planner Review: 2022 Simplified Daily Planner

Planner launch season continues, as does this series of posts reviewing the planners I will be using for 2022. Last week’s article had a review of the 2021 Cultivate What Matters PowerSheets Goal Planner. This week, I’m reviewing Emily Ley’s Simplified Daily Planner.

This year marks my 4^th year of using a Simplified Daily Planner. I decided to give it a try when my weekly, catch-all planner wasn’t big enough to hold all the tasks I have each day. As I’ve said in prior posts about this planner, Emily Ley probably would like to see more empty lines in my to do list column, but with my jobs, family, medical issues, etc., I really do need to list out all of those tasks.

So, before I get into the review, I will say that this year’s cover selections were impressive. In the past, they sometimes seemed like variations on a theme: similar colors and designs, so no matter which one you got, it wasn’t a huge standout from the rest.

This year, the covers provided a greater variety of colors and patterns. In the past, I tended to go with one of two things: a pineapple design and/or a mint green color. But, when I saw the bright floral design of the Fuchsia Chinoiserie, I knew I had to break from my tradition.

Above are all of my Simplified planners- from my 2019 mint green pineapples to this year’s hot pink floral. I absolutely love how they keep changing things up!

I have reviewed Simplified Planners in the past and have even provided some tips for how to use all the blank space built into the daily pages. (See that review here). Because I’ve provided thorough reviews before, this review will focus on the differences between this year’s and last year’s planners. I will also include a section on the accessories you can purchase from this shop.

Planner Review: 2022 Coil-Bound Simplified Daily Planner

I will start by saying that I absolutely love Simplified products. Emily Ley, the founder of the Simplified company, has made it her mission to help women live their best lives by simplifying their homes and routines. In addition to designing planners and planner accessories, Emily Ley has authored several books, one of which I reviewed over this summer, “When Less Becomes More.”

All of her products reflect this mission, but none more so than the planners. They are minimal in design and provide space for you to plan without overwhelming you with suggested sections for things you might not even be inclined to include in your planner.

As I noted above and wrote about last year, there is plenty of space to write down not only a daily schedule and to do list, but about a third of each weekday page is devoted to notes. There is even a strip of white space at the top where you can include some more notes or short lists.

I personally follow the advice of the company and do not write on a page until the night before or morning of that day. This ensures I start with a blank slate for my day. I use a separate notebook to brainstorm my day and transfer appointments from my weekly planner. I then figure out how to block my time around the appointments to maximize the time spent on my tasks. More on this in last year’s article.

If this is your first time purchasing a Simplified product, here is a referral link to 10% off of that first order. (Although I am not a Simplified Affiliate, by clicking on the link, you do help me to earn points toward future purchases.) On to the review!

Similarities with last year’s planner.

The coil-bound, calendar year Simplified Daily is similar to ones from year’s past. In it you will find:

• General Layout: The same size, layout, and general features such as the nameplate page, intro page to the Simplify brand, welcome letter from Emily Ley, and prepwork pages.
• Embellishments: Just like last year, the small icons in the pages before the calendars and daily pages are shaded in with color.
• Paper. The paper is still the beautiful Mohawk paper that is just thick enough not to allow bleed through and yet is thin enough for there to be pages for every day of the year. Also, the same 7 colors were used to mark Monday through Sunday on the daily pages.
• Binding. The binding is still a twin O-ring coil with a sturdy chipboard cover and gold corners.
• Pocket folder. The front cover still has a small accordion folder built in (mine is a lighter pink) that was filled with a sticker sheet.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Differences from last year’s planner.

What I appreciate about a planner that is known for its simplicity is that you can count on not much changing from year to year. But, the changes they make can be noticeable:

• Colors and Tabs. The most obvious change was the colors of the tabs on each calendar spread. For the past several years, there were 6 main simplified colors on the laminated tabs. This year, there is a different colored tab for each month of the year. It is just a lovely rainbow of tab colors! And, as in year’s past, the names of the months on the monthly layouts match the colors of the tabs, so there were new colors for each page.
• Holidays. Another change is one you might otherwise miss unless you compare this year’s planner to those of past years. The holidays listed on the “2022 Holidays” page include several new additions: Lunar New Year, Holi, Ramadan, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Orthodox Easter, Eid al-Fitr, Flag Day, Juneteenth, Eid al-Adha, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Diwali, and Kwanzaa. I’m sure not every holiday that is celebrated by every religion or ethnic group made the list, but this revised holiday list demonstrated a sincere effort to be more inclusive, which I really appreciate.
• Stickers. The page of stickers in the 2021 planner were really different from those of years past. Rather than the cute lettered and doodled images in those stickers, the 2021 stickers were mostly functional flags and icons with a few rainbows and “hoorays” on the side. This year’s stickers are a nice mix of fun and functional stickers. There are also way more flags – some horizontal and some vertical. The less functional stickers include words and images that go with the seasons as well as some planner-related words like “Cover Reveal” and “Launch Day.” There’s even a nod to one of Emily Ley’s catchphrases- “Grace not Perfection.”

• 

• 

2022 Simplified Accessories

As always, the Simplified store launched some accessories that could be purchased with the planner. I got a few things this time around and will note some others that I saw on the site.

• Magnetic Page Markers. I usually try to grab these whenever I purchase a planner. They match the Simplified covers and make great little gifts.
• Mini Notebooks. These small, lined notebooks are a great way to have a book in one of the signature cover patterns. I was agonizing between the Fuchsia Chinoiserie planner and the Navy Hydrangeas, so I chose the former for my planner and the later in a mini notebook.
• Planner Pouches. This year’s planner pouch was just as roomy and well-made as last year’s, measuring in at 9″x12″. One pleasant difference I noticed was the lack of toxic smell when I opened it. It’s fabric-lined inside and has a wipeable coating on the outside. I also chose the Navy Hydrangeas for this.
• Other accessories. The Simplified company also sells patterned binder clips, stickers, pens and highlighters (Frixion ones this year!!), stretchy bands to hold your planner closed, a variety of notepads, dry erase boards, office supplies, home décor, books, and washi tape. One accessory I’m particularly excited to see back in stock is the Clipfolio, which is a clipboard that opens to include a storage space inside. I’ve ordered one and cannot wait to get it. Once I do, I’ll likely feature it on my Instagram- @planonthesunrise.

I will say I was disappointed that there was no sticker book in this year’s collection. I’m hoping they have one in next year’s launch.

A lack of sticker books aside, this year’s planner launch revealed a mix of well-curated pieces that are both attractive and functional. The planner is such a useful tool, so it is a huge bonus that it is as beautiful as it is.

Are you using a daily planner this year? Do you use multiple planners to keep you organized? I’d love to hear about your setup, so leave a comment below!

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a link and make any purchase on Amazon, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you which will help me maintain this website. 

**Image credits-images on graphics and in article are originals by Vidalia Patterson.

© Plan On The Sunrise, Vidalia Patterson, 2021. No part (including, but not limited to articles, photographs, and graphics) of this site, PlanOnTheSunrise.com, may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the express permission of the copyright owner. Please see the Privacy Policy page for contact information.