The guys over at SticktoStigu.com have very kindly sent me a planner, to help me get myself organised in 2016. I’m really bad at this sort of thing, and usually buy a cheap diary most years only to throw it away in the summer when I realise I haven’t used it at all! In the meantime I’m late for everything and forget where I’m supposed to be.
I really like the way it’s laid out. I often find that diaries and planners just don’t have enough space to actually be useful. This one has a week to view, which I always like. A day per page never works for me. I need to be able to see ahead. But a month per page is just too much. I like that there are 5 boxes per day as well, meaning there’s plenty of room to keep track of Iris’s social life (which is far better than mine), blog posts and all other appointments. Pretty soon I’ll be trying to keep track of when the health visitor is coming too, so the space will be useful! 
With my due date so early on in the new year I’ve deliberately avoided making any plans for after christmas, so I have absolutely nothing apart from birthdays to write in here yet! I’ve started using one of the plenty of blank notes pages at the back to make a list of New Years resolutions though. On the left hand side of every week there is also a big space, ideal for to do lists or ideas for blog posts.
As well as all the usual organisation functions, the Stigu planner is a ‘Rest and Zest Handbook’. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this, but I love it! I’m probably even worse at self-care than I am at organisation, and I never mind being reminded that napping is good. I adore a nap. There are loads and loads of tips about how to take better care of yourself and therefore be a more productive person. Also, the illustrations are quite funny and really make the pages more interesting. 
The whole thing is thick and chunky and wire bound. It doesn’t feel as if it’ll be falling apart by the end of the year, like my old college planners used to. I especially like the tear out corners that help you to find your current page. A much better idea than those ribbons that always fall out or get mucky.
There’s a 2016 year to view planner at the front and one for 2017 at the back. I probably won’t make much use of the 2016 one, but it’s always useful to make notes of things you’ve planned for the following year. 
I think this is probably the most practical and useful planner I’ve ever owned. I’m looking forward to filling it up with notes and ideas, play dates and family trips. Roll on new year!
The Stigu planner is available on the Stigu website, where they also have a notebook and a to-do app available, or from Amazon. The planners are currently 3 for 2, which would be a great deal to take advantage of with Christmas so close. The planner would make a great present for your favourite disorganised person!
*Stigu kindly sent me a copy of the 2016 planner as a gift for the purpose of this review, but all words and opinions are my own.*
mousedogbaby 