Did you preorder a Sterling Ink B6 Common Planner? I am so excited that I snagged one early, and I can’t wait to show you guys how I plan to use it in 2023!
When I say I love the new Common Planner by Sterling Ink, I am not exaggerating! This blog post is full of pictures and my thoughts on this gorgeous planner.
If you are contemplating the Sterling Ink planner for 2023, you have come to the right place!
This post is all about the Sterling Ink Planner and what you can expect.
Sterling Ink’s Common Planner
1. The Packaging
It seems like a rarity these days for planners to come in such beautifully crafted boxes. It may add to the cost, but it is well worth it in my opinion. Even though most planners come wrapped in bubble wrap, they still manage to get damaged, especially when coming from overseas.
This elegant box not only protected my planner on its journey to me, but it will also make an excellent place to store my stickers, until the end of 2023, when I will gently place my well-loved planner back into the box.
2. The Cover and Binding
This Sterling Ink Common Planner has a gorgeous black linen cover, or you can purchase a mauve leatherette. While it feels scrumptious in your hands, it is not without its downsides. The cover is very thin and can bend easily, especially if you slide it into an unfinished leather cover
The good news! Catherine said they will be coming out with a clear cover to protect your Common Planner, before 2023. There are a few others out there, but beware, they are not an exact fit and may compress the spine of your planner a bit.
Speaking of a clear cover that can fit this planner…look at the chunk this little B6 is! It is packed with 365 days worth of blank grid pages. The softcover, gold gilding, and sheer number of pages make it feel like you’re holding a chunky little bible.
The binding and gold gilding was also beautifully done. I can’t wait to see how the gold ages with daily use.
The gold embossing on the cover and spine add an elegant, finished look to the Common Planner as well.
3. Inside the Sterling Ink Common Planner
The Common Planner has the usual year-at-a-glance, and I like that she only has one for the current year. I know some prefer at least the next year so that they can preplan, but I do that in my digital calendar.
The Goal Breakdown
I have to admit that I am not familiar with this goal breakdown view, and I will be looking into it some more. I believe Catherine explains her method using this layout in a video, I just need to watch it! You can find the video HERE.
Quarterly Goals
Another section I am not familiar with, but I plan on exploring and using!
I will most likely use the left page for keeping track of personal goals.
On the right, I will log and track my Miracle Morning. You can see how I did that in my Hobonichi Cousin HERE.
4. Monthly Spread
The Common Planner starts in December 2022 and ends in December 2023.
I know a lot of people don’t use this section, but it is a must for my future and current planning. When I sit down to plan my week, this is where I start.
5. Weekly Spread
The most essential spread in my planner! I LOVE the weekly pages. From the Passion Planner to the Hobonichi, then from the Wonderland to the Sterling Ink Planner, this spread is a must for me.
I track my days hourly to make sure I am staying on task and to document my life. It can be an eye-opener and a walk down memory lane, to look back on these pages.
I never know what to do with this side space. I had a nice little break in my Wonderland planner because this section did not exist.
No Worries, I’m sure I will find something to track 😀
I am excited to have a planner that starts early again. The Wonderland starts at 7:00 am and the Hobonichi Cousin starts at 5:00 am.
I normally get up at 4:00 am, but this 6:00 am start will work well for me. I don’t usually get out the door for my run until 6:30 am anyway.
6. Daily Pages
These are unique! Just like the Wonderland planner, the daily spreads are blank grid pages. No dates and no coloring. But while the Wonderland planner is limited to 90 pages, there are 365 in the Sterling Ink Common Planner.
I have so many more options this way. I can skip planning on weekends without wasting a page. I can flow onto another page if my daily to-do list is packed, or I can divide the page and add several days to one page.
The grid is very light and less distracting than in most planners.
Did I mention that this is some of the creamiest Tomoe River paper I have ever encountered? (52gsm White)
The grid size is comfortable to write in too. (3.7mm x 3.9mm) It’s larger than the Hobonichi Weeks (3.55mm), and about the same as the Hobonichi Cousin.
And each of the daily pages is numbered so, if you keep a Bullet Journal type of planning system, this will work great for you!
Check out my unboxing and first impression video of the Sterling Ink Common Planner.