Welcome to Planner Tales
If you’ve ever found yourself drowning in planner options—sizes, styles, binding methods, and enough acronyms to start your own secret agency, you’re not alone.
Don’t worry. We’ve walked this wild planner path, too. Whether you’re switching formats or diving into paper planning for the first time, this guide will help you make sense of it all without needing a decoder ring.
Planner Styles 101
Before we get into planner sizes, let’s talk formats. Most paper planners fall into a few main categories: ring-bound, disc-bound, traveler’s notebooks, hardbound, and wire-bound. All of them serve different planning styles and priorities.
Not sure which one fits your vibe? Ask yourself this:
Do you want to rearrange and add pages like a control freak with a label maker (no shade—we relate)? Or are you a set-it-and-forget-it type who just wants something polished and portable?
Here’s a quick rundown of each format:
Ring-Bound Inserts
Classic and customizable. These pre-punched inserts fit into a binder with metal rings—usually 6 rings for Personal, A5, and Pocket sizes. Want to rearrange pages or add accessories like dashboards and pouches? This one’s for you.
Popular binder brands include Filofax, Moterm, Louis Vuitton, and kikki.K, though we don’t sell the binders themselves, just the juicy pages that go inside.
Traveler’s Notebooks (TNs)
Traveler’s Notebooks use a flexible leather cover with elastic bands to hold multiple slim inserts inside. Our notebook refills are designed to slide right into these covers, giving you modular planning without the bulk.
Each insert is a thin booklet that can be used on its own or alongside others—for monthly planning, habit tracking, journaling, or whatever else you need. You can mix and match layouts, swap them out when full, and build a personalized system that grows with you.
We offer inserts in popular sizes like A5 and Standard, but always check your cover’s specs before ordering—notebook refill sizing isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Disc-Bound Planners
Held together by little mushroom-punched holes and round discs, this system lets you add, remove, and shuffle pages like a pro. Just be gentle—frequent rearranging can wear out the punched edges over time.
Wire-Bound Planners
Wire-bound planners include several binding types—spiral coil, twin-loop (also called wire-o), and bind-o styles. Ours? Twin-loop wire binding. It’s sturdy, lies flat, and gives both righties and lefties a smooth writing experience.
Our CityGirl Bound Planners are available in a range of layouts—from monthlies to weekly formats—and in designs that range from clean and classic to snarky and bold. These planners are not customizable on the fly like ring-bound or disc systems, but they’re beautifully structured and ready to roll.
No add-ons or interchangeable covers here—our twin-loop planners are complete units, designed to keep it simple and stylish without the puzzle pieces.
Hardbound Planners
Like a traditional book. Sleek, sturdy, and often beautiful—but you can’t add or remove pages. What you see is what you plan.
Finding Your Perfect Size
Once you’ve picked your format, it’s time to choose a size. Do you want something small enough to toss in your bag, or something with room to spread out on your desk? Consider your handwriting size, your schedule intensity, and how portable you need your planner to be.
Ring-bound sizes follow specific naming conventions (A5, Personal, etc.), and we’ve stuck to those original standards since 2014—even if other brands muddy the waters with new names and inconsistent measurements. Always measure your current inserts or check with your binder’s manufacturer to confirm compatibility.
Pro tip: Just because a binder says “Personal” doesn’t mean it’ll fit our Personal-size inserts. Name ≠ size. Measurements matter.
You can find our Planner Size Guide here to help decode all the variations.
What Makes CityGirl Different?
At CityGirl Planners, we don’t just make inserts—we make tools for people who want to own their chaos with style. Our layouts are clean. Our paper is bright and smooth. Our designs are modern, witty, and made to help you actually get stuff done.
We offer over 300 inserts and layouts across multiple binding formats, and each one is crafted in-house by real humans who genuinely love paper (and maybe hoard it a little).
Whether you’re a minimalist, a maximalist, or just trying to survive the week, there’s a planner here with your name on it—sometimes literally.
Need help picking the right format or size? Reach out to us! We’d love to help you find your planning soulmate.