Chic notebooks and planners you'll look forward to using every day

For years I’ve been trying to switch to digital planning and note-taking, but no matter how hard I try or how many great online planners I find, none of them can compare to the notebook I’ve had by my side for years. To be honest, I’m not particularly great at jotting things down every day, so my notebooks and planners, despite all my best intentions, never look perfectly curated like those beautiful bullet journals we see online, with carefully written calligraphy and perfectly aligned tables on every page. I always try to create a nice layout, but at the end of the day I still use my notebooks for what they’re meant for – quickly writing down thoughts and ideas without thinking about aesthetics. Over time, I’ve learned to embrace this process, to accept that my planners and notebooks will always be an intriguing mix of perfectly drawn, color-coded tables and spontaneous notes I’ve scribbled down messily during a phone call.

The rise in popularity of paper planners

Lately, it seems to me that social media users are rediscovering the joy of writing down thoughts and tasks with a pen, as evidenced by countless videos that walk us through the process of creating a personalized Louise Carmen notebook. It’s a luxurious notebook that the online world has completely fallen in love with, and as someone who has used planners and notebooks since childhood, I truly understand the appeal. You can create these notebooks in any color you like, choose the type of paper that suits you (or a combination of several), and finish it off by decorating it with adorable charms. Watching videos of people showcasing their Louise Carmen notebooks has become my new and unusual guilty pleasure – I can genuinely spend hours exploring all the available options. And if you’ve ever searched for the perfect planner, you know that personalization is the easiest way to get a notebook you’ll actually use, from home to business meetings.

Rebekah Hayward

What are the best types of planners for 2026?

Still, while it’s certainly tempting to dream about refined, luxury notebooks, a good planner doesn’t have to be expensive – and you don’t need to travel all the way to Paris to find the perfect one. Online shops, as well as local bookstores, offer plenty of incredibly chic notebooks that you’ll want to write in every day – and carry with you everywhere. And although I find the process of decorating planner pages soothing, lately I’ve been gravitating more toward options that are already structured. You can find undated planners suitable for any time of the year, as well as dated ones – 2026 planners are already on sale, since the new year is around the corner (yes, I can’t believe it either). Also, keeping a journal has become much easier now that we can buy notebooks with guided (self-)reflection prompts or those designed for organization and wellbeing, and planners also make a wonderful gift.

The world of planners is truly vast, and I believe everyone can find the right notebook or planner for themselves – whether it’s a dated planner, a dotted one, a well-being journal, a leather-bound notebook, or one with colorful covers. Planners also make a wonderful gift: a small luxury many people wouldn’t buy for themselves, yet one that looks chic at any business meeting.

Below are some exceptionally chic 2026 planners and notebooks that you can gift to yourself or someone else.