I never thought of myself as this highly organised person/control freak before I became a mother. I also never thought I’d live my life according to a schedule, but here we are. With a husband, two lovely boys, and a Golden Retriever later, I spontaneously became the wife, mum, and dog owner who likes to plan – and plan a lot!

I plan trips to the dentist as much as I plan shopping for home essentials and weekend getaways. With a 9-to-5 work life, obligations with school for the kids, the extracurricular activities and the sports they practice, plus a fluffy canine who loves hugs and games, it’s not easy to juggle the responsibilities. This is true even when you have an amazing husband who’s more than willing to share them with you.

In demanding times like these, I found a friend in the most unthinkable places – a planner. Mind you, not just any planner, a Hobonichi Techo planner that impresses with its minimalist and functional design. Available in different varieties, including daily and weekly, plus Japanese and international (English) versions, it’s simply a must for the modern-day busy woman. Yes, this is true even for those of you who never imagined filling up a planner before.

What Is So Great About Hobonichi?

The fact it originated in Japan is enough to answer this question. The Japanese are famous for functional and aesthetic innovations that simplify daily life, and it’s no different with this planner. Although it appeared in 2001, it’s undergone considerable upgrades in terms of looks, options, and features. All with the users’ approval, of course, as this brand likes to test its creations in real life.

What I love about the planner is that it’s compact, lightweight, and easy to carry around. It doesn’t matter if I’m at the grocery store, in the park or the metro, or at the campsite, it’s easy to slip into a handbag, tote bag, or even a diaper bag. And best of all, it doesn’t take up much space, nor adds to the overall weight. This goes for all the options, be it the A6, the A5, or the horizontal formats.

If you’re in for daily planning that would simplify your life and help you keep track of all the details, the neatly organised pages of the Hobonichi Techo are just what you need. Many love the original because of the daily views format allowing you to manage your day down to every hour with utmost care.

The monthly overviews are equally helpful, all nicely put together in a perfect layout with neat structures to make planning a piece of cake. The paper, Tomoegawa’s Tomoe River paper, or even Sanzen’s version used for it is a story in and of itself. Most planner users seek it for its properties like the non-bleeding of ink and non-feathering.

The fact this brand of planners also gives you an overview of your weeks, months, and even years (like the five-year A5 Techo planner) makes everything easier and more enjoyable for all of us visual persons, instead of it feeling stressful and overwhelming. And wait – there’s more: they offer you contact pages for your most important contacts, space for personal notes that you can add on the sides, a “to-do-list” and “my 100 list”, international size conversion charts, lunar phases, 24-hour timetable, mini calendar, and so much more!

As the cherry on top, you get these incredible Hobonichi planners’ covers that are true artworks and the perfect accessories you want to keep in your handbag. Some are beautiful to look at with their designs, patterns, and colours, whereas others can be even used on their own with convenient compartments you can use to store your credit cards, IDs, and some special photos or notes. All this without the worry the weather can damage them as they come with the perfect PU cover with a zipper. May be slightly pricey, but they’re really worth it in the long run!

How Do I Use My Hobonichi?

First and foremost, for what it was purchased for – organising my days, weeks, months, and years. Sometimes, there isn’t much in a day that I need to do or schedule beforehand, so there may be some blank slots left, however, it isn’t that much of a distraction or an eyesore since that’s the main purpose of the planner for me.

Using a planner may seem insignificant, yet it’s not because it can be the very thing that can help you stick to a new hobby or even a new habit, and the best of it all is keeping track of the improvements, further motivating you. Speaking of keeping track, the Hobonichi journal is just as fit for changing your lifestyle, whether it’s sleeping hygiene, diet, or the way you do your work-related tasks.

Whatever your interests may be, whether it’s gardening, learning a new language, or travelling, the planner will help you out. With this thought in mind, specifically in terms of developing and sticking to new routines, it’s even great for the kids in school. Ethan is all interested in bullet journaling, so we’re in the process of working on our Hobonichis together, whereas Noah is more into doodling.

And while I’m at it, besides the schedules, lifestyle, habits, hobbies, work and study-related topics, you can use the planners as journals, discussing your days and deepest thoughts, or you can customise them as your scrapbooks with your doodles, stickers, and whatnot. All in all, they’re a valuable investment that I highly recommend for any mum in need of some organisation and creativity to make her daily life bearable, easier, and fun!