If you’re like most planner nerds, it’s hard to explain to loved ones what it is about paper and pens that is so exciting. That’s where the online planner community comes in!
From inspiration for usage examples to information about all the different planners and how to buy them, planner communities are self organized into a wide variety of interests and sub interests catering to just about every type of planner. It can be fun to join them for inspiration and also to have somewhere to go when your excitement about a new spread that’s working really well for you is met with blank stares from your non-planner nerd friends.
Below is a list of some of the more active ones:
Functional Planning!!!
Functional Planning!!! is a Facebook group that includes people who use just about every type of planner, and also people at all different parts of their planner journey. The posts are centered on functional planning, though some spreads are more decorative than others. But what really shines about this group is that its members turn to one another with questions and problems to solve, many of which produce really interesting answers. You’ll see fewer people in this group who are art journaling in their planners or purely talking about stationery hauls than in other similar groups.
Hobonichi Techo Users
There are MANY Hobonichi groups, including groups dedicated to specific Hobonichi books and other generalist or planning style-specific groups. Hobonichi Techo Users is a bit more consistently active than its peers and seems to have a slight edge in terms of knowledgeable users and moderation. It includes people who do all kinds of planning and journaling in Hobonichi books and also people who love Hobonichi covers and accessories. And, because Hobonichi makes planners in a variety of formats, even non-Hobonichi planners can learn some interesting things form it’s users (just don’t post about anything not Hobonichi). There is a similarly sized group called Hobonichi Lovers that is active, and the differences in the vibes are subtle, but there. There are helpful people in both.
Hobonichi Lovers (Discord)
Yes, there is a whole Discord about Hobonichi. Most of the channels aren’t actually very active but the general chat has activity, especially around Hobonichi season (late summer when the new lineup drops and people start ordering their 2024 planners).
Take a Note Users
Take a Note is a very specific layout design and this Facebook group is one of the best places to find examples of how people are putting it to use. It’s a much smaller community than its Hobonichi counterparts but still active. These planners are not quite as well known but something about their following and the unique layout seems to bring out creativity, and whether or not the format works for you the members of this group might give you some serious FOMO.
Stationery Nerd Herd
This is an active Facebook group about all things stationery, not just specific kinds of planners.
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