Oh hey ya’ll! Let me tell you, it has been a little while since I have written a blog post & I have missed it so much! I had been so busy the past few months launching my Etsy shop for printable planner inserts I just had put my blog posts on a hold a little bit. But I’m back!
Today I am here now with a new blog post all about comparing my two favorite sized planners: A6 planners vs. pocket planners!
I have a video all about it here if you prefer to watch & see the comparison, but will still leave some valuable information below if you prefer to read about it 🙂
I feel I was the perfect candidate to compare these two size planners. I have used almost every size planner out there, but am known for using more compact planner sizes. With the planning system I have created for myself over the years, I genuinely can pack all the info I need into a small planner to use as my everything planner!
(Feel free to check out this video for how I use only one planner, and it being pocket size!)
Pocket size is honestly what I think I have used the absolute most in my life.. well my planning years (which dates all the way back to 2002/2003, I started using planners young). I am currently using my A6 Van Der Spek planner & have been in A6 size a while.
There are so many pros for using smaller size ring planners in general! Let’s jump into that to start before I start. comparing the 2 sizes!
PRO 1. They are so travel friendly! Whether you are carrying your planner on the go for errands, to your kid’s soccer games, doctor appointments or where ever, smaller planner sizes like pocket & A6 are so easy to toss into a purse, backpack, bag or even just carry as a wallet/planner combo! I have never been able to stick to a large sized planner, it just was not fun to lug around when I didn’t need to.
PRO 2. They are less expensive than larger planners. Since these smaller sizes use less materials to make, you get the perks of paying less for them! Sounds great to me!
PRO 3. Smaller size planners force you to simplify your planning system. You ever go through your planner and think, “hmm.. why do I need this in here? I never use this.”? Well, I see this happen often in many people’s planners. When you have more space, you tend to just stuff it more..kind of like handbags! LOL. So if you are going with a smaller planner size, you really have to figure out what is important for you to keep in your planner.. from the inserts you put in to the information you are storing on them. Simplify to what is actually useful to you to get better use from your planner.
Now that you heard the pros of using a smaller planner size in general, let’s dive into the comparison of my two favorite small ring planner sizes: POCKET v A6!
The size difference between these two planners, although not huge, can still make a big difference in someone’s planning system & the use they get out of their planner. I am going to walk you through some random things to think about when deciding between these two planner sizes.
But first, measurements: As you read above, these are both smaller planner sizes. BUT, they are not the same planner size, one has to be a bit larger. A pocket planner measures approximately (when closed) 5.6″h x 4.75″w whereas an A6 approximately (when closed) is 6.75″h x 5.5″w. So the inserts that would go into each of these ring planners would also differ in size. It is also important to note these measurements are comparing the Moterm & VDS shown above. My VDS is the “Senior 25mm rings” & I did NOT get it widened as a true A6 although the senior size as it comes fits all a6 inserts & an a6 stalogy! I just wanted to let you know becasue there are some A6 planner ever so slightly larger, but not by much! 🙂
#1. Price: Since pocket is smaller than A6, it does cost a little less.
#2. Popularity: Pocket size has been around and more popular than A6 for a long time. Although A6 continues to become more used, you still tend to find that pocket sized inserts, planners & accessories are more available than A6. You also tend to see alot more planner inspo social media accounts showing more pocket sized than A6.. however, A6 certainly has been gaining quite the following!
#3. Sticky Notes: This might seem like a silly one but honestly, could make such a difference to someone. Sticky notes do not fit perfectly on an insert for a pocket ring planner. You either have to slightly trim it, let it rub against the rings or let it stick off ever so slightly of the page whereas in a6, they fit with extra room around them on the pages.
#4. Back Pockets: Let’s chat large back pockets for a second. Not every planner has them, but if you are looking to buy one that does (which I always recommend for smaller planner sizes), note that in an A6 planner, a letter sheet of paper can be folded once in half and perfectly slip right into that back pocket. in a pocket planner, you need to fold it a few times to make it fit. Depending on if you get or carry many larger sheets of paper on you, this could make a bug difference.
#5. 4×6 Photos: Another silly one, but a 4×6 printed photo fits darn near perfect if you want to punch it and put it in the rings of your A6 planner. Cannot the say the same about a pocket planner, you would certainly need to trim it down quite a bit.
#6. Stalogy & Hobonichi: Two popular bound planners in this community, for great reason which the amazing experience of writing on the paper in them. I have used both of these many times before and love them. As some of you may know, they come in A6 size. So, like my own a6 planner, you can easily slip one in the back of your planner and get the best of both world’s between rings and bound book! These brands do not (hopefully in the future they will) carry pocket size. However, in my pocket planner I always kept a moleskine pocket notebook in the back.. which worked great. But if you are a lover of Stalogy or Hobonichi and think you might want to incorporate one into your ring planner, a6 is the way to go for that.
#7. Handwriting & Info: It sort of goes without saying that if you write a little larger or a ton more info down and simply need more space on an insert page, a6 is going to offer you that little bit more of space.
The final conclusion? I honestly love both of these sizes. I can’t say one is better than the other necessarily because it will all depend which of the two is fitting our planner needs at that time. Pocket planners always hold a special place to me, but A6 has been working so perfectly for me right now in life. It is still the perfect small size to toss in my bag all while allowing me a bit more space for info. I originally went from pocket to A6 all because I wanted to fit my a6 stalogy notebook into my ring planner so I could get the best of both world’s. And, it has been amazing!
Hopefully this post has helped you out if you were thinking about getting either of these planner sizes!
Be sure to check out my Etsy Shop if interested in super functional printable planner inserts! Check out my freebies page as well here on my website & take a glance at my Shop My Favorites page!
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helped me a lot this post,I really like you blog
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found it helpful 🙂