NEW Erin Condren Life Planners and Accessories | Neutral Hourly | 2019 - 2020

[@racheloldaker4257]

New follower here. Going to go hunt for updated videos... I'm so sad so see this. I buy my year planner on Black Friday for the calendar year so I'm behind on watching the year videos. (On the plus side, you've given me great insight to look at some other options!) Ugghhhhh I love last years hourly neutral so much

[@aalexander1209]

The box sizes and the fact that their own stickers don't fit is a HUGE misstep, and shows a lack of attention to detail. Which is shocking for a planner company. Planners tend to be detail oriented, and I think our collective reaction reflects that!

[@HomeSweetHearth]

I’m so confused why the stickers in the back wouldn’t fit the boxes 😬😬😬 they should have made sure that the stickers fit the planner they came in! I think it would be good for them to add a half hour customization option for the hourly folks. So you could choose half hour or hour blocks and short or longer days (I.e. shorter day with half hour, longer day without) 🤗

[@PlanwithLaken]

Love that idea!

[@lynettediaz161]

My favorite thing to do with the monthly notes page is recap the month. So like an update on our family, on our household, more detail about any events we attended, wins and disappointments, any major changes and how I’m feeling about work and life. That kind of thing. I love looking back and looking at the ups and downs, reviewing my mindset at the time.

[@PlanwithLaken]

That is an awesome way to use that space!

[@gailsgrandplan3561]

I'm so glad you showed this. Totally agree, she killed this planner. I absolutely hate the curved corners too. The design and colours are lovely and the kaleidoscope is the prettiest for a long time. Shame!

[@owleyes71]

Gail's grand plan well I love it! Every year she changes things and you never know if it’s gonna be something you like - it’s a toss up

[@tracisanders3445]

Of all of the videos showing the new planners, I chose your video first to watch, you are always honest with your opinions, and I appreciate it! Thank you.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Aw, thank you!

[@saradee443]

“I operate in calendar year format” what a planner girl thing to say. I lol’d 😆😆😆

[@DivaandtheDivine]

I have the colorful vertical, and I think it's the best of them. I had hourly this past year but ended up taking my hourly planning digital, and I love that, so the vertical seems to check all of the boxes.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Oooh I'd love to see a video on your digital system too!! And how you use it with your planners!

[@Mitzi73]

Last year I switched to Plum Paper Planner because you get exactly what you want, they are highly customizable and STILL cheaper than Erin Condren. Plus their hourly has the 1/2 hour mark. I feel like EC wants her planners customized to what she wants, not the buyer.

[@lexis.6075]

I totally agree with the last sentence.

[@saracstudios5034]

The whole neutral design gives me major Inkwell Press vibes. Colors, shapes, line design.

[@JuliesPlans]

“I hope that you have some tissues ready”..... god I love you! Same on all the things! I know I’m going colorful as well but still debating in my head vertical vs. hourly. Soooooooooo sad about the half hours being gone 😭

[@ursuchazoey]

I love your video on this as well and appreciate all of you are looking into each others opinions on this! I think its sad to realize those who love neutral previously are preferring the colorful LOL - neutral should be black/white/gray, not having pops of color (i.e. peach) - if those who wanted those colors all over the planner, they would have gotten colorful lol

[@soniajohnson3369]

Thank you so much for using sticker examples and being so detailed on the planner! I was torn between the hourly and the horizontal and I was going to try out the hourly but now I’m leaning more towards the horizontal

[@goldenretrievermom7945]

Ok the quick dry on those wet erase markers is AWESOME!

[@moniquewojciula5276]

I personally like this new layout. I plan on using my hourly as a catch all so it’ll be my planner, journal, memory keeper and budget planner. I love that it goes to 9pm and if I need half hour slots I’ll just write in the middle of the box. I love the new pages in the front of the month. But I do agree I like the colorful one way better.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I am so glad you lvoe it!!

[@okiegirlie86]

Why would they make stickers that don’t fit in the layout?? I’m so upset about the hourly changes!! I don’t know what I’ll end up ordering.

[@Amyjo_lovesmusic]

About an hour ago I emailed Erin Condren at the email address on their website and made sure to put: "Deliver to the design team" at the top of the email and actually heard back. While I don't think my one email will do much, if a lot of people who are unhappy with the new hourly design email them, maybe we will be heard!! In my email, I also asked to bring back the old hour layout before the end of the year so I could order one for 2020. Doubtful, but you don't get what you don't ask for.

[@PlanwithLaken]

That’s awesome that you’re trying though!!!

[@Ssbratt]

I just emailed them as well. These changes hit me like "WTH". Idk if I will be able to work with this. I too requested the old layout, or a fix to this new one. I really want to maintain planner peace. These changes are going to kill that for me.

[@sherihicks9864]

I just emailed as well. I hope they listen and bring it back or give us the choice to pick if we want the 1/2 hour or not.

[@DarkFairyReading]

I love how you are just not praising the new designs. I love using my hourly (whether to plan my hours or using it for to do lists). Now I just feel sad. Luckily my hourly goes up to end of 2019. And I love how you showed how stickers fit in the new planner.

[@nicoleholt9537]

I ordered the hourly 2020 planner the day it became available to the EC Insiders. I absolutely LOVE the color scheme and kaleidoscope design. The fact that my stickers do not fit is the saddest I have ever been with EC. My planner is my lifeline. It's how I navigate my work and personal life. We have a blended family, with our children splitting their time between three different households while participating in sports and other extracurriculars I've always incorporated stickers for our scheduling. I'm still trying to figure out how to make this work in a way that won't drive me batshit.

[@allisonbartik3912]

Thank you so much for showing with stickers! I switched to an hourly when it came out two years ago. Regrettably, I will be going back to vertical. I am so disappointed to lose the half hours, and the hourly size being too small to put a complete appointment description in. Ugh!

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes, unless you have super small handwriting!

[@Amyjo_lovesmusic]

Thank you!! I moved from my old planner to EC when they introduced the hourly and have loved it. While I was not crazy about the dark lines every hour for this year, I will not deal with not having the half hours for next year. I am going to wait until Nov and if they do not give us the old layout back as an option by November I am going to go back to my old planner company and stay with them. I am tired of them messing around with something that worked so well for me. I would prefer to purchase a made in the USA product like EC but my old planner company was so customizable that even though they are foreign I will go back to them and I will not look back. I am going to send EC customer service an email and see if that gets heard (which I doubt). Breaks my heart!

[@myshellybuck]

What is your old planner company???

[@meredithhobson9940]

I enjoy you and your channel so much! You did such a great and thorough review and I really appreciate all the links you provided to your Planner friends videos! I hope you have a fabulous time at Go Wild and I can’t wait to see videos of your time there!

[@PlanwithLaken]

Thank you!!

[@RobynRoberto]

I am GUTTED! This is a total deal breaker for me, and the hourly is my favourite.

[@kdspratt1]

I use the monthly notes pages to write down quotes, Sunday School notes and srciptures that stick out to me, and notes from books Im reading that I want to remember.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Love those ideas!

[@bethhelland9864]

It’s not even like we can call it colorful and neutral anymore. It’s more like bright and pastel. I’m super bummed about the hourly changes. Definitely considering a vertical this year.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes! It’s pastel!

[@monicac2466]

Thank you so much for making and posting this video. I’ve honestly not been a fan of the hourly since after the first release it had in 2016. That version was perfect for me. Now that I work full time, hourly doesn’t work for anymore on its own, but if I ever went back to it, I’d buy an old 2016 one from Amazon and re-date it with sticker kits. I’m glad I’m not alone in not loving the new hourly. It had so much potential. :(

[@PlanwithLaken]

Oooh yes! Buy an old one and change the dates!

[@maggieswentik4991]

I was planning on switching from vertical to hourly, now after watching this I’ll stick with vertical

[@Deanfamily7]

Love your outtakes. 🤣 I’m glad I’m starting with this hourly. I think it will work for me. I guess I’ll be trimming my box stickers and using marker, Washi, and icon stickers a lot . 🤷‍♀️ Thanks for showing the sticker fit...I did see that some PK boxes fit! 🙌

[@PlanwithLaken]

I saw that too about PK!

[@coffeemicrobio]

Bless all the sticker designers who are currently ripping their hair out resizing boxes and rounding out corners.

[@sarajean2559]

Thank you so much for being so honest! I could not agree with you more. The hourly has been my jam since the “hourly schedule book.” I’m heartbroken that it changed so drastically. I need quarter boxes to fit in an hour. Also, the lines! Hourly users love lines and now there are less. Blah! What to do, what to do?

[@PlanwithLaken]

I know! All my quarter boxes seem useless!

[@debbiestherapy]

Take a look at purple trail.

[@goldenretrievermom7945]

I love the colors of those wet erase markers. And I agree with you! 12 on the dashboard for the monthly tracker!

[@creatingwithsteph]

Thanks for leaving links to the other channels with different planner styles!

[@Carrieloulou]

The neutral is gorgeous! I love the color scheme and the gray tabs. Now to see my beloved horizontal....

[@heatherlfd]

Thank you for the honest review with measurements and laying stickers down. I am so disappointed in most of these changes. I am thinking EC hourly is no longer an option. I had a system that I loved and now my stickers won’t fit. That will drive me batty. What were they thinking at EC?! So sad.

[@alicehhenderson]

You might consider an Inkwell Press planner in the Classic layout. It has vertical columns that fit EC stickers, but the hours are completely removed. I understand that it's a whole different thing, but your PWMs would work well in their layout. Thanks for the video!

[@PlanwithLaken]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@lifesawhispr5431]

Have been using a Limelife planner the past few years because it’s so customizable. Was going to go back to EC this year but have hated all the changes this year bummed.

[@delle3955]

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad my current goes through December. I'm not sure I'm feeling this enough to invest.

[@Bordeaux93]

FANTASTIC review! You pointed out a lot of details that other reviews did not. I am SOOOO disappointed in the new hourly. I feel like the changes really decreased the functionality of the planner.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Thank you!

[@ML-fw6yh]

The changing of the box sizes only makes sense if they are attempting to corner the market as far as stickers go, so all the shops that are sized for them can't sell them anymore, but their own stickers would have to fit for that! Which is ridiculous that they don't! Also if you did want to use the boxes with rounded corners you could get a rounded corner cut out so you'd just do the sticker that goes against the edge and not have to cover up every corner.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Great idea with the punch, tedious but would totally work!

[@MrsBunnyLove]

I’m heartbroken as well. I cannot do this new layout. I am not a fan of any the new layouts. I don’t know what I am going to do. Go back to a binder style? 😩😩😩

[@sjk2475]

Thank you SO much for this video. It was great and very detailed. It helped me make my choice for which planner layout!

[@PlanwithLaken]

You’re welcome!

[@maryannbenoche6766]

Thank you for your review! Well done and detailed. I have to say, though, I love everything about the new planner. I would be a neutral girl.

[@christinecortese9973]

Actually there are probably more planner users who don't use stickers than do, and appreciate the rounded corners as a bit of aesthetic design. I'm happy to see them.

[@PlanwithLaken]

That makes sense!

[@susangilchrist781]

I would sell that sucker in a skinny minute. I TOTALLY agree about the colorful - it's eye candy! I can see you totally hating the new hourly though. Maybe time for a vertical colorful??

[@PlanwithLaken]

But the shading...

[@gracewithouttears3687]

I rarely use stickers anymore so I’m excited about this new layout with more hours in the day. I like the bottom lines for my home business so I think this will work well for me. I’m just trying to decide between neutral or colorful. I like the colorful stickers and accessory pages a lot better. The one thing that I don’t like at all is that the monthly tab isn’t even on the monthly spread page. That is going to be a problem.

[@PlanwithLaken]

So interesting! I didn’t even think of that as an issue until others have commented on it!

[@lifewithvalerie21]

I don’t really know how I feel about this. I prefer the neutral over the color. But I wish they would have kept the same layout as they had before. I was really wanting to try the EC but now I’m second guessing it...

[@jillgabriel3883]

I just started a new job and need an hourly planner and was looking at the EC planner - I'm so happy to see your review because I was looking at pics of the OLD hourly layout - the new one will not work for me :( I'd be better off getting the Vertical layout and designing it myself. UGH Thanks for your thorough and honest review.

[@sonjamarkwart8023]

Thank you for showing this. I was having FOMO after deciding on an IWP. Agreed -the hourly is ruined for me. The hour boxes without the half hour are so much smaller. I hope you are having a blast in Las Vegas!

[@angiemondragon6685]

I love all the changes to the neutral hourly and am definitely ordering during launch this year. This makes me want to change from a calendar year to an academic year because we all know 18 months is too long of a commitment for a planner girl 😂😂

[@PlanwithLaken]

Lol yes 18 months is way too long

[@salinacuffy6064]

Thank you for showing us the differences! Yes the sizes just won’t work for me anymore. The hourly just won’t work for me and i was looking forward to switching to hourly. Sadly the hourly layout just will not be useful. The colors are beautiful. Love the theme. But, the curve corners hurt my heart for sure. 😩

[@PlanwithLaken]

I feel the same about the curve corners!

[@amyzimmerman8821]

What are they saying at Go Wild? Any hope at all day of them fixing this?? I am heartbroken with you and am shocked they got rid of the half hours! All my meeting planning will not work now, nor do the stickers fit - as you said, it kind of makes them obsolete, this doesn’t work without AT LEAST the half hour slots. 😨. I have used it since they came out with it, not sure what I will do now. 🥺☹️😢😭

[@modernmilitaryhousewife2173]

I'm so glad you shared your honest thoughts. I feel the same way and I'm pretty disappointed. It's made the decision even harder.

[@lisafeit6409]

Can you buy a 2019 planner and use the date covers that come in kits and other stickers to make it look like a 2020 planner? That way you would have the half-hour time blocks and sort of create your own planner around the things you like!

[@PlanwithLaken]

I definitely am considering it!

[@lisafeit6409]

@@PlanwithLaken Is it possible to still get a 2019 planner? I can't find them on the EC site :(

[@PlanwithLaken]

@@lisafeit6409 Not from them, but if you check out WLEC Marketplace on FB you should be able to find one!

[@tbernard321]

I was so disappointed. Had planned to switch from my typical vertical colorful to neutral hourly on the basis of the previous year. Disappointed with both options this year. I use color coded pen system primarily. Colorful is too colorful for me (really don’t like the curves and colored bottom strip on weeklies). Neutral is not neutral with all those pastels and I don’t like that they don’t match the traditional colors for each month. Hourly box layout is now too narrow. I’m sad to say I’m considering a different manufacturer for my planner this year.

[@ericameisler]

Laken, this was such a great thorough review! Thank you for your honest review!

[@qtdavenport]

I’m so glad you shared. I love your honesty. I’m torn. I’m not a fan of the neutral colors at all. With all the hexagons it reminds me of Inkwell Press. I’m also not a fan of the rounded corners. I don’t get that. I’m currently in a hobonichi weeks for the rest of 2019. Not sure what I’m doing for 2020. I may just do the EC Folio or the Simplified Planner in Weekly.

[@heatherabner]

With the notes pages, I like that they have the notes pages that is more the END of the last month and then we have notes pages at the beginning of the next month. Review and set up of some sort? Just thoughts! 😊

[@PlanwithLaken]

Love that idea!

[@robinhill6162]

Totally wondering why they just didn't leave out the bottom four blanks and use that space to keep the hours (and half hours) the same size. I think i can make this work because my hourly is more of an approximate schedule (rather than down to the minute), but it does seem to have a ton of wasted space.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I’m glad it’ll still work for you!

[@ChrissyLillysLife]

I don’t use an hourly, but I agree with everything you said. Gah, so disappointed in the neutral. What I liked about the neutral when they first brought it out is that it was truly neutral with the tiniest pops of colour. This just feels like they’re trying to incorporate their accent colour too much for me as well. Going to go watch Kayla’s video now. The pictures you shared make the vertical look SO much more beautiful!

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes! It’s not neutral it’s pastel...

[@goldenretrievermom7945]

Omg, I want those blue ones to be headbands!

[@lienverhaert1094]

I'm loving the colours of the neutral and how classic it looks, but I'm gonna miss the half hour lines... No idea how I'm gonna make it work now

[@sydnowlan3500]

I am so glad I watched this video, I would have gone crazy getting those stickers and them not fitting and I personally didn’t notice them not having the half hours in there, i wanted to use this for my job (cosmetology) and i could handle not having the 15/45 but I definitely cant use JUST the hours 😕

[@annacbrown1986]

I'm glad I watched your video. Having not two lines per hours makes this planner completely useless for me as a mom 😭

[@shelbysanchez4563]

I love the pattern! I wish I could have the colorful quotes but neutral weekly. I can't bring myself to order a colorful because I don't like the colored boxes in the weekly spreads. So neutral it is! I will miss the half hours, but I need the lines too much to switch to vertical. Thanks for your honest review!

[@PlanwithLaken]

At Go Wild, Erin mentioned that will be an option in the future!!!

[@goldenretrievermom7945]

Those dual tip markers are delicious looking. I love that hot pink. But I haven't wanted to get them all because of overlaps. I did get all the Tombow brush marker sets and have so many overlaps!

[@TNgirl546]

There goes the hourly for me - I hate that they removed the half hours :( - Oh well, guess vertical it is

[@coffeemicrobio]

I hate that they also shrank the boxes on the hourly to add a bigger box at the bottom. Kind of annoying for what I use it for (to write my experiments or whatever in the lab), since I don't write teeny tiny. *sigh* I'm having all of the regrets on going hourly AND binder for work...

[@AmyRaePlans]

Love your video! Thanks for sharing everything. Are you going to pick up a colorful planner? Colorful with silver would be my jam!

[@PlanwithLaken]

I did get one....

[@AmyRaePlans]

@@PlanwithLaken yay! :)

[@samisargent2293]

😬😬😬 I’ve been waiting for you to post!!! I’m so excited! Have fun in Vegas!

[@HotMessMama]

I’m a fan of the neutral color scheme and LOVE the kaleidoscope theme. Love the ruler! Hate the price increase when we are virtually gaining nothing. Haven’t decided if I’ll purchase 😅

[@PlanwithLaken]

Ah! I didn’t even know about the price increase until I saw Jen Ross’s video!

[@HotMessMama]

PlanwithLaken I’m really looking at plum paper for this year but I don’t know how stickers fit. I hated the solid lines on the hourly last yr. So I was hoping to go back to EC but I just don’t know.

[@jharvey2279]

Ughh i just bought a recollections planner but i absolutely love the layout and colors of this planner!

[@naomiirvin6545]

I’m glad I got an 18 month last year. I have till December to either come to terms with the changes or find another option... I will say, the planner is gorgeous, I just don’t know that the changes wouldn’t frustrate / annoy me.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Exactly!!!

[@cjwallace2149]

So I was planning on getting a hourly neutral for the next school year to align better with my school stuff and my soon to be kindergartner's school calendar. The biggest reason i was planning on switching from a vertical to a hourly is because of the half hour time spaces. The stickers fitting is kind of a minor thing for me (coming from someone who has NEVER used an hourly idk how much it would bother me once I got the planner in hand). I guess I could make time strips now?? idk. Now i feel like i'm back to square one for a new planner for me....

[@PlanwithLaken]

I thought about time strips too!

[@cjwallace2149]

@@PlanwithLaken I'm in a recollections vertical now and i really enjoy it! I wanted an erin condren for a specific cover, and noe after seeing a bunch of reviews idk if I'm willing to pay that much for just the cover... idk... i have to think it over some more...

[@607Michelle]

Such a great review- a great idea to show the stickers - I agree they should have kept dimensions the same since people have serious investment in stickers already bought. Thank you for sharing.

[@saracstudios5034]

Just got to the part where you used a label from the planner on the hourly space and it doesn't fit!! What the heck!!?? LOL!!

[@kjracke]

ZoëKCreations on Etsy Definitely a major miss on EC’s part.

[@sweetteacher79]

You seem like the type of person that complains about everything. You can also use the dot pages to create a habit and mood tracker. I personally love that!

[@lisa-mariecuspard5879]

I can do understand your disappointment. Team colorful all the way. So grateful you showed neutral because I would have been upset. Not so upset about losing the half hour time slot. Like that it goes till 9pm, more realistic.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes! I know a lot of people requested it go until later!

[@aalexander1209]

@@PlanwithLaken I just wish that they could have found a way to make it go later without sacrificing what was already working, and essentially changing the entire system up.

[@janelwitter9784]

Love your video!! I am NOT happy with all these changes this year. It is not NEUTRAL! Its PASTEL. So frustrating and I am an hourly girl and hate how they took out the half hour. :(

[@ursuchazoey]

Its literally earth tone pastels, not neutral lol! To me neutrals are white, black, grey. People get the neutral to avoid the colors (i.e. peach)

[@emilymichels5646]

Thank you for sharing! I’m also so sad about the change to the hourly layout. 😔

[@goldenretrievermom7945]

Oh - Laken I would LOVE to see a test of those magnetic bookmarks. I bought a set from MIchael's awhile ago and they sucked. I have a couple of sets from The Happy Planner and they are ok, but I'd like to see if the ones from EC are better.

[@dawnbowles4323]

It’s a no from me with the new hourly I need the half hour space, the curved corners are not nice I liked the dots on the side and I’m with you I wouldn’t use the new notes pages before the monthly. I’m feeling bad for anyone that has stock piles of kits and stickers 😔 how are all the sticker shops feeling? X

[@MochiWeenieMom]

As an hourly user I’m disappointed. It feels like all of the other layouts got a subtle change and the hourly is totally different. I can understand why some users wanted more hours but I think the option of just removing half hours doesn’t work. Now I’m looking at all of the other layouts and have no idea what to do. It’s such a shame.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes, I think they listened to the request to extend the hours at the expense of the half hours!

[@ashley86.1]

I feel they could have dropped the 6am hour and started at 7 and the evening hours could go until 9 if the currently blank spot is used for the 9pm hour. You'd lose "washi space" but if youre needing functionality over decorative then it would work.

[@opal_redvixen]

I am heartbroken too. I don't even know if I am going to get a plan for 2020 from Erin Condren at this point.

[@keeperofsecrets88]

Less than 10 minutes in & I'm happy! I need to see a vertical to be 100% sure but l like a lot of the changes. I was leaning neutral so I don't feel annoyed by my stickers not matching the colors of that week & now I'm even more in love because that the new extra page is dot grid!!! Some of my habits aren't as solidified as yours so l was thinking of uncoiling & adding dot grid pages for a large habit tracker then using the weekly side bar for tracking stuff that's new or changes based on week/season. I also have tasks that go along with caring for my mom so while I agree about the birthday box being a bit weird I think I'll use the other stuff on that page too. I still think the old lined page might end up being neglected though 😕

[@keeperofsecrets88]

Though I agree about the beginning & end pages are cuter colorful but the dot grid wins for me. But the stickers on no!!!!! Maybe they will sell them? Not a bad way to make more money.

[@keeperofsecrets88]

And I forgot to thank you for saying which planner the people you linked previewed! I'm spamming the hell out of this video but it's just because you're so wonderful! 💖

[@PlanwithLaken]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I like the idea of a large habit tracker!!!

[@Ssbratt]

I don't understand why they couldn't stretch the top of the week (in the week's page) back up and keep the half hour box. I don't need the extra space at the bottom. I need the time slots. I do like that it goes to 9pm, but I'm very upset over the loss of the half-hour. I can deal with the rounded corners, but like you, I am frustrated with the box size change and the fact that NONE of my stickers will fit right. Having said that, I will probably try to make it work, but omg it's going to be difficult. I love the theme and the colors on both the colorful and neutral, but I had planner peace. Now, idk. I am not feeling so peaceful about this set-up. Why such major changes to the hourly set-up? Yes, most of us wanted more hours, but not at the cost of the space. The included label stickers do not even fit in the boxes. If you could see the severity of the eye-roll going on over here, you'd probably fall out laughing. I can't function in a vertical. IDK what I'm going to do. *** edited to add: I emailed the EC team with the hopes that it reaches the design team. I am hopeful they get enough feedback on this to make changes before the end of the year, or at least offer the option of the old layout. Either way, at least I tried. They won't know if we don't tell them how we feel or what we really need.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I know a lot of people have emailed them!

[@angiewatts3431]

Thank you for an honest review. I’m bummed. I love my hourly but this won’t work for me. And what’s with the color on the bottom boxes of the vertical. Ugh.

[@PlanwithLaken]

Yes! The shading bugs me!

[@bradfordwedwards]

I'm completely with you on this whole review. I had JUST recoiled my colorful vertical with neutral hourly insides and had finally found my planning groove. I use lots of functional stickers, mostly Planner Kate, and none of them are going to fit. I can live with all of the changes except basically every single change to the weekly spread - the weird line/mini box up top, the wasted space up top, the lack of half-hour lines, and the boxes in the bottom that are a different size. All of these changes stink! PK has already said they will continue to base their sticker sizes off of EC planners so it sounds like they will change their sizes beginning in 2020, so at least there is that. Ugh. Not excited. Oh, and I can't believe those dang stickers don't even fit in the box and they came with the planner. Don't the people at EC know that planner people are freaking OCD? That shit is planner sacrilege right there. Thank you for the honest review!

[@PlanwithLaken]

You’re welcome! I was thinking of mixing a colorful and neutral too!

[@loveidbareminerals1]

I'm with you on having the colourful with silver foil etc. I really don't like gold or even rose gold. The struggle is real. Lol

[@BleuEye]

I have used EC for years in the colorful vertical. I love the colorful Kaleidoscope this year but am afraid to get the neutral because (even though blue is my favorite color) it looks like there is a lot of peach and muted colors. Plus, aren’t all neutral colors stickers difficult to find? Would the color stickers look good in the neutral? Whereas, I used the vertical colorful for years and loved it before at first but then got sick of the colors after a few months. Any suggestions as to if I should get neutral vertical Kaleidoscope or colorful Kaleidoscope vertical? Any suggestions would be appreciated! I don’t have anyone in my life that loves Planners like I do and they just “don’t get it.....”?

[@PlanwithLaken]

I agree that the neutral is more of a pastel scheme!

[@Robin-px9rc]

I tried the hourly (for 18/19) and thought the half hour boxes were just too tiny to fit anything in. Went to the vertical and those boxes were too narrow. I’m in a horizontal now. Haven’t seen a review one the horizontal yet. I love the new notes pages and the curved lines.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I have a few horizontal reviews linked in the description box!

[@chiquitajo516]

Removing the half hours and changing the size of the boxes all comes across as a cheap marketing ploy to me...people are going to need/want to spend more money to adjust their sticker supply to accommodate the new planner. I was strongly considering switching back to hourly from vertical. Now I think I will be sticking with vertical. I have also been a neutral person since neutral came out, now I will be going colorful. The neutral reminds me of a rainy day.

[@nicolestauffer6751]

I am in COMPLETE turmoil for which planner to go with for the upcoming year now! :( I've only ever done EC (since forever) and am a colorful hourly gal since the first release. I just can't this year. I can't do without the half-hours and I hate the shading at the bottom of the colorful layouts and on the monthly view notes portion. :sob: I have no idea what I'm going to do now, hahaha! Either Franken Planner it up or jump ship completely to something that's customizable like the Plum Planner now that it's got the new Mohawk 70 lb. paper. I feel ya', girl!

[@PlanwithLaken]

Oh I didn't know that PP changed their paper!

[@nicolestauffer6751]

@@PlanwithLaken that was news to me as well! I emailed them for a sample of their new 70 lb. paper so I can try it out before I make final decisions. 🤞

[@purpledoneright]

Cindy also did neutral horizontal.

[@HookedbyDominique]

The hourly is a loser. lol I’m going back to vertical and definitely colorful. Great video and good eye on noticing the different size lines on the bottom. What were they thinking?!

[@purpledoneright]

Yeah this would not work for me at all. What's an alternative planner company to this?

[@PlanwithLaken]

I know a lot of people use happy planner and plum paper, too!

[@vicky_plans_budgets]

Hating the hourly layout 😭 will be moving to vertical neutral... also don’t like the monthly calendar on each page 🤦🏻‍♀️ but do love that goals page addition without the lined page being sacrificed.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I’m glad they didn’t sacrifice the notes page either!

[@maggiesantos2140]

I was going to get the hourly vertical but, with your honest review, I think I’ll order from personalplanner dot com as you can personalise the ENTIRE planner to your planner preference!! Thank you, great eye opener!!

[@debbiestherapy]

Hate the new layout. Switching this year. 😥. I'm trying out Purple Trail. Will be reviewing when it arrives. I like plum paper too but they do this repeat of the last week of each month that makes me crazy. Other than that it is great with nice paper and 1/2 hour boxes.

[@christiehorton5327]

I love lots of the changes (the colorful is beyond gorgeous) and don't like lots of the changes but we'll figure out a way to adapt, right? I will say, removing the half hour in the hourly and shrinking the boxes is my #1 dislike, in a big way. The fact that the EC event stickers don't even fit should have been a sign to them that it was a bad call. Your comment about feeling like your stickers are obsolete is spot on. Could people make it work, of course (and they will) but it forces all the sticker shops to reformat and it means that planners have lots of stickers that might never be used = wasted money. I do want the hourly to go later, but they way they did it isn't the best way. Start at 7am, keep the half hour slots and go all the way to 9pm. If people don't want to plan that late, they won't. People who do plan for things that late will at least have a spot to plan.

[@PlanwithLaken]

I had the same thought about 7am too! Most people covered that space up anyways!

[@elizabethlutz7839]

Wow! I am absolutely heartbroken about the new hourly layout! I might have to go back to vertical! :(

[@elizabethvalentine9767]

I currently use the recollection hourly and it gives you 7am to 10 pm with the half hours. I was seriously thinking about going back to EC but I think I will stick with my recollection

[@PlanwithLaken]

Oooh that’s interesting! How is the paper?

[@elizabethvalentine9767]

@@PlanwithLaken the paper is not as thick as the EC but for the price it does the job and it feels smoother to me verses the coarseness of the EC.

[@Chrissy213]

Thanks for sharing and linking the other channels Laken!