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Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give them a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)
The assignment…
To see if Papier’s customizable guided journals, planners, and stationery are worth the steep price tag and actually improve my day-to-day organization and wellbeing.
What I tested...
The Undated Daily Planner: A planner that can be picked up and put down at any time, with a mind-map spread, pages for setting and reflecting on goals, and daily and weekly overviews to plan out your schedule and to-dos. ($35)
The Wellness Journal: A guided journal with 12 weeks worth of spreads to log intentions, gratitude, water intake, self-care practices, and meals. ($38)
The Finance Planner: 192 roomy pages for monthly budget and tracking spreads, midyear and end-of-year reviews, budgets for larger events, and bonus informative articles from a financial expert. ($38)
The Undated Daily Planner ($35)
Straight A’s in…
Flexibility. In college, I loved a dated planner to help me keep track of exams and deadlines. In my post-grad life, undated seems to make more sense for me because some weeks are more intense than others. This makes everything feel low pressure in the sense that you don’t have to worry about staying consistent with a planner and finishing it by a certain time. It also helps the planner last longer and therefore reduces waste since I'm not throwing something away that is past its use date.
Design. I went with a rainbow wavy design and added my name. Not only does this make me want to use this planner more, but the actual spreads inside are fantastic. At the very front of the planner, there are spreads for goal-setting. Next, it breaks down into your grocery list and weekly menu. The following spreads then get into your daily schedule, tasks, the most important to-dos, with a notes section. There was definitely enough space for me to write everything in, and I appreciated how straightforward and uncomplicated the prompts were to keep me organized, especially because my job (hello, this one!) requires me to track multiple deadlines and projects.
Quality. For the price you’re paying, the quality definitely aligns and feels worth it. The cover is thick and ultra-sturdy, but it doesn’t feel heavy whenever I carry it in my tote bag. The paper is smooth, soft, and my favorite pen doesn’t catch when I write.
Room for growth…
Price. These products are a touch pricey, but they last awhile, and the quality and design is worth it if you’re looking for a planner or journal to keep you on top of your routines.
The Wellness Journal ($38)
Straight A’s in…
Ease of use. As someone that has been journaling longform for at least a decade, when I tried the brand’s Wellness Journal, I was deeply impressed. The beginning has a mind-map spread where you can dump all your aspirations, followed by more fun prompts for “wonderful things to do” and a “wish list” section where you can add books you want to read, podcasts you want to listen to, things you want to watch, and more. Then, it gets into the primary spreads. On the left side of this main spread, you can start by writing down your intentions for the day and track your sleep, water, movement, and meals. On the right side, there are prompts and spaces for you to journal about what went well on that specific day, more room for you to jot down your thoughts and feelings, and a smaller space to list what you’re grateful for. The fact that these prompts all fit on one page felt the most exciting to me as I was testing, because it was a really concise way to journal.
Design. I went with a floral tile-like illustration for the cover. If you buy multiple journals and planners at once, it’s nice that you can almost color-code to flag which planner is which based on the custom labeling and designs.
Room for growth…
Honestly, I have none. Disclaimer: If you aren’t wanting to track your meals, movement or water intake, be sure to check out the brand’s Gratitude Journal instead.
The Finance Planner ($38)
Straight A’s in…
Beginner-friendliness. If you have never created or set a budget in your life or are looking to tighten up and streamline your budgeting strategy, these spreads are very easy to follow and even have little side blurbs and notes to guide you through. There’s space to reflect on the prior year’s spending, a monthly review and budget, daily spending, and more.
Expert insights. Papier worked with financial writer and expert Elle Harikleia to include four money-themed articles. They cover how to shift your mindset with money, setting realistic savings goals, creating a real-life budget, and getting out of debt. While these articles are not essential, I definitely enjoyed reading them and I think they’ll provide additional comfort and information to those learning how to be more conscientious with their finances.
Room for growth…
Not for everyone. How we track our finances is personal. If you already have a digital system or a financial planning system that works for you, this is not a necessary purchase. If you work mainly in a spreadsheet or an app, or utilize a financial planner for tracking your finances, then writing everything out in this journal and transferring it over might feel like an extra step.
Page limit. Compared to a digital spreadsheet which you can use for pretty much ever…at some point, you will use this book up and have to buy another one. For tracking finances long-term, I would rather do it online.
More about the brand…
Works best for…
Anyone that wants to integrate some sort of journaling practice into their routine, but are daunted by the idea of writing longform or creating prompts on their own.
Those looking to organize their finances, daily to-dos, or self-care routine, but don’t want the restrictions that come along with a dated journal or planner.
People that simply love stationery (👋) and want a colorful, personalized option.
Gets extra credit for…
Personalization. For each journal/planner, you can customize the front to add your name, initials, or a phrase. I love that you can pick from a plethora of fonts and colors.
Graphic design. Scrolling through the Papier website, it’ll definitely take you a moment to figure out which style you want because there are so many different graphic design options. I love that they’re all so design-forward and bright, which means they’ll stand out on your desk and be easy to spot in your bag.
How I did my homework…
In addition to my regular journaling practice, I incorporated each corresponding Papier product mentioned in this piece into my daily and weekly planning routine over the course of about three weeks. I used The Wellness Journal to track my morning routine, The Undated Daily Planner for my daily tasks, and The Finance Planner to track my spending. I’ve also been a regular customer of the brand for years, and I keep my custom stationery from Papier on hand for notes to friends and loved ones. I’ve also finished about five of their blank notebooks for personal use. I’ve even given these custom journals as gifts for birthdays and graduations.
Footnotes…
You can shop Papier products at papier.com/us, at anthroplogie.com, and at select Anthropologie in-store locations.
The Undated Daily Planner, $35, personalization options available.
The Wellness Journal, $38, personalization options available.
The Finance Planner, $38, personalization options available.
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