April Start Cousin | My experience 1 year later

[@adelinerivero]

I just bought an April Start because my birthday is the 23rd of March and it really helps foster that fresh energy.

The reason why Japanese planners, calendars, diaries etc. start in April is due to how they organise their dates. The Japanese year starts in April with the spring festival, so everything starts there. It's their January, so to speak. I do like that because here in Europe January and February tend to be somewhat empty months, with life picking up in late February or March. Then there's holidays on July/August and back to life in September/October until December when everyone disappears for a month xD

[@vanessasmith9646]

This isn’t accurate. They start a new school year in April.

[@KristinwithanIN]

Just started my second April-start Cousin! I love how this format gets me through the hectic holiday season without losing momentum. Then, just as I’m running out of January Fresh Start energy, I get a whole new planner!

[@RachelleinTheory]

YES exactly its such a weirdly good time to start a planner haha

[@lroche2164]

Considering the April Start Cousin in Canada ranges from $70 to $83, I would be heartsick if I bought it and didn’t use it.

Roughly the same in Europe (~€60), they are quite dear yes.

[@hollisunderwood-pn7sf]

This is probably a business expense she could write off as a content creator.

[@TheTmtherp]

Thank you so much for removing the background music! it's so much easier to listen to you and helps if I need to speed up the video. Love your content!

[@RachelleinTheory]

Thank you for the feedback!!

Yeah, I find it easier to focus on the content without music. Though I do the opposite, I find her speech way too fast and I have to slow the video down. 😅

[@PorschaWrites]

I know this is an old video but I really want a cousin but with seasonal depression I never feel like I'm starting anything until at least March. I'm blanket forting the first couple months of the year so I've told myself I'll wait until the April start and I know I'll use every bit of it. Also as an Astro girly I feel so conflicted that the year is "starting" in the middle of the winter when astrologically it's Spring. Okay rant over, thanks for the video.

[@wplants9793]

I totally agree!! On both points - hibernation mode in winter and Astrology spring start ✨

[@DianeShugart]

I should stop watching Cousin videos because by the time they end, I want one. Loved it when I used it but I now have cobbled together my version of the weekly-daily spreads with a Weeks and A6 which I'm very happy with but...ohhhhh, the Cousin is like that first love that you know you're over but still think about. (And thanks for another great informative and fun video.)

[@nguz29]

Using a Cousin for the first time this year and I love it.

[@Book_on_the_brightside]

This video is so relatable!!! I bought my first Hobonichi for 2023, the A5 planner (English version). And even though it’s so much more compact and portable, I found that a page a day actually doesn’t work for me. There are so many pages I never filled out. So I’m going to try the day free planner this year because it’s not dated or the page per day format.

[@littlemissharmy]

I love the April start as a teacher, even with a September start of term I do much of my planning in the summer term. Also nice to set up at Easter rather than starting again in Jan when it’s pretty busy.

[@margaritathurman5007]

I have an April start Weeks due to your April launch video! I’m finding my way this year with planning and Hobonichi! I’m very grateful for your videos!

[@RachelleinTheory]

Thank you Margarita!!! I hope you love your April start weeks and I wish you SO much luck on finding yourself in this process

[@mybookishdelights4767]

I got the undated common planner and started it as an April start. And you're right... there's something special about starting one in April. It would also be nice to go through the last quarter of the year without stressing about setting up a new planner system. All of our birthdays land in those last few months along with the holidays and it would be nice to just focus on that. We'll see if I make it through the whole year though. haha

[@RachelleinTheory]

Oooh, I know those birthday feels. Mine, my partners, my brother's, and my sister's birthdays AND my anniversary is all in the beginning of the year lol. Let me know how the April start goes!

[@PlanBudgetDisney]

I thought that too, an April to December planner would be awesome. I'm going to start a Spring Techo A6!

[@greengirlva]

I have that same relationship with the Cousin. I leave it as I have 8,000,000 other planners but when I touch it and look at it I miss it and I feel I have to buy one each year. If I was to have only one planner and it was a bound book, it would be the Cousin. As a bound planner, I do think it is quite perfect--so much so that many others are making various versions of it.

[@RachelleinTheory]

I totally agree, it's really great.

[@jhecaquitaleg8639]

My very first cousin is also an april start. Last year i veer away from hobonichi but everytime i see my cousin and flip through the pages i always miss it especially the special memories that it hold and so for this year i bought myself another april start cousin and i must say that i am head over heels with it. So cheers to hobonichi for giving us opportunity to switch our systems hahahaha

[@taniamcdonald3053]

i really appreciate you giving feedback on this planner as i bought a a6 techo original for 2023, wanted to test it out to see if i like the smaller version better, obviously the a6 hasn't got vertical weekly's just the days and monthly's, if i don't like it come end of year then il prob by the a5 cousin for next yr -April start or January start.

[@xxblueeyesskyexx]

I like the April start because it falls in line with my work's "fiscal year". We run April - March so I can have one full year in one book.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@mariaruiz8820]

Hello Cousin fans! An idea for your weeklies is to bullet journal in those weeks. I create a horizontal week on the right hand side Monday through Sunday and log my meals and on the left side of the page I bullet journal, sleep steps, and I track my vitamins and medicine. Happy spring start dates to you all!

[@reihwan]

I feel you on the "need to switch planners" and nor liking the vertical weekly suddenly. I just made my Cousin weekly to a Weeks dupe with a set of washi to block out the top section and just redraw it like the weeks weekly. I'm probably bad at explaining this, but I'm just forcing myself to create something out of it. xD I've done this thing before for a month and it helped me to view it as a "new planner" all of a sudden. Layouts get boring or you want to try what you see online, so I just make the Counsin weekly pages fit those. Dailies are just a journaling space with word vomit to me.

[@jeaniev.5952]

Thanks so much for your fresh view on how to consider if a planner is actually working for you or not! More videos should show that it is harder for some to stick to just one format for an extended time. Great job! 👍

[@RachelleinTheory]

Thank you so much Jeanie! I appreciate it this note sm ♥️

[@katsmith8263]

(Shows almost empty Cousin) . You could still use it as a bujo if you ignore or cover the dates on the daily pages

[@LeslieMishigan]

Hahaha, like mine, I hate empty planners, but I want try the hobonichi

[@sameeralazawee7524]

Beautiful >>> Thank you

[@deniseholmes7958]

Do love your channel. This is my first year in a Cousin, January start. I do love it, but struggle with the weekly pages. What changed in how you use them this year in the Sterling Ink vs. the 22 Cousin? I'd love to find a non-redundent use, since the monthly and daily pages are working well for me. I really appreciate your approach and your ability to hop around in different planners!

[@RachelleinTheory]

Thank you so much Denise! What honestly changed for me is that there is less space in the Sterling Ink B6 Common Planner. There ISNT a 24 hour time log in the weekly; it goes from like 6 a.m. to midnight. I was finding that my weeklies in the Cousin looked weirdly empty since I go to bed at like 9 or 10 and there was so much extra empty space at the bottom of the page. It bugged me and I didnt know what to fill it with.

[@deniseholmes7958]

@@RachelleinTheory same here... I see your reasoning behind the move. I've been trying out drawing a line at the 20 or 21 hour and using the space below for different small lists that just need to get done anytime during the week, like errands, non- grocery items to order, shopping lists for certain stores. Then I take a picture of the lists on my phone so I don't have to lug the planner into the store. (It waits politely in the car while I'm shopping😉) . So far this is working ok... we'll see how long it lasts... Again, love your channel!

[@kmizo27]

I'm not sure which versions are available, but I've seen the Avec sold individually. I know it's not exactly a spring start, but it might be an option for people new to Hobonichi or if someone wants to try something new or different in the mid-year.

[@RachelleinTheory]

Ooo good intel. Is it sold individually on like a website? Or just by resellers?

[@kmizo27]

@@RachelleinTheory I've seen it on Amazon randomly, but I also haven't checked if other sites sell it that way as well.

[@rosemarysoto8912]

I just got the undated Common Planner and am making it an April start. I agree that April is about when you’re ready to try something new because we’ve actually been working on the next year’s planner before it even starts so we’ve been “in” a 2023 planner since Oct or Nov or 2022. Lol

[@RachelleinTheory]

Lol that's so true

[@craftymummy8335]

Love that case ❤❤

[@cothgunt]

the animal crossing cover is so stinkin cute im so jealous

[@taranickoledesigns3340]

I have an April start cousin. But I cut it down to standard size!

[@RachelleinTheory]

This sounds like the hack! How do you do weeklies when you do that?

[@taranickoledesigns3340]

@@RachelleinTheory I usually just share Saturday and Sunday. I just posted a video on it! I did a different layout for this week 😃😃 I hope it works out 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@RachelleinTheory]

@@taranickoledesigns3340 I'll have to watch!!

[@taranickoledesigns3340]

@@RachelleinTheory aww thank you! I hope you enjoy!

[@plannininmypjs7869]

I could never use a planner like that it’s completely dated and I prefer undated I prefer my monthly’s to start on Sunday and it’s way to busy on the paper plus I’m not a big time blocker because I don’t have the need for it ! And I don’t like the foreign language in it either ! I prefer an American planner mostly undated except for the monthly calendar part 😊

[@RachelleinTheory]

Tbh undated planners have never fully worked for me but I do like the idea of them! Glad you found something that works :)

[@AlexandraTejero]

Hi there! Mmm... I'm looking for the links you mentioned and can't see them anywhere 😕

[@annameredith4204]

the quiz seems like it's no longer live- will it be coming back?

[@bedhead-studio]

i really wanted a spring start but they sent a jan start.

[@RachelleinTheory]

That is so bizarre! I would double check what you ordered and then send them a note. They might resend!