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How to Make Your Own Planner Book: Complete DIY Guide

A handmade planner book made with Planify Pro templates
A handmade planner book made with Planify Pro templates

Build a bound planner book: pick a booklet template in Planify Pro, export and print the inserts, add a glossy sticker cover at 120%, then bind with a Cinch.

If you enjoy cutting and crafting, a planner book might be just what you need! Customize it to fit your daily schedule or tracking needs. With Planify Pro, you can design your own pages and print them out. Here’s what you’ll need to prepare before crafting your planner book:

  • A binding machine (we recommend the Cinch with squared holes)

  • 20 or 30mm 2:1 o-wires or any wires compatible with your binding machine

  • Cardstock for the covers (1.2mm – 1.6mm thickness)

  • White glossy sticker paper

  • Paper for inserts (pre-cut US half letter or A5 size will be easiest)

1. Go to Planify Pro for Premade Planner Template

The Search for Planners menu open in Planify Pro

Typing Planner booklet into the template search bar

Applying a planner booklet template chosen from the search results
  • Click on the menu Search for Planners

  • Type “Planner booklet” in the search bar

  • Select the planner template you prefer and apply it

2. Customize Planner Template

You can customize your planner template as you prefer on Planify Pro. Here are some features that you can play around with to personalize your planner book with just a few clicks!

  • Change pattern to match your band

  • Adjust calendar, schedule, todo list widgets

  • Upload your own sticker files *Discover more tips to customize your planner

3. Rearrange Pages for Ring

The Save and Export menu with Export PDF selected

Choosing the paper size that rearranges the pages for binding

Follow these steps to have Planify Pro automatically rearrange all your pages for you.

  • Go to top menu bar Save&Export

  • Click Export PDF

  • Select your desired paper size

  • Export to PDF file

  • Open file andPrint out

4. Create Cover Book

Starting a new planner in Planify Pro to build the cover

The Size menu used to match the cover to the planner size

Turning on Edit Layout so the template widgets can be removed

To create cover book, to Planify Pro

  • Click Create a Planner****

  • Go to Size on top menu bar

  • Choose your planner size

  • In the “Edit Layout” section, click to turn it on

  • Remove widgets to to create a blank page

Widgets removed to leave a blank page for the cover

The blank cover page ready for a pattern to be applied

The Pattern menu open while picking a background for the cover

Selecting Full so the pattern covers the whole cover book

Adding a button widget from the left menu to hold the title

Customizing the color, text and size of the cover book name

To design your cover book, go to Pattern menu on top

  • Click on the pattern you prefer

  • Select Full to display entire pattern on cover book

  • Go to widget on left menu bar and add button

  • Customize Color, Text and Size for the cover book name

5. Export & Print out

The Save and Export menu with Generate PDF selected for the cover

The exported cover PDF opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader

The print dialog with the custom scale set to 120 percent

Photo Glossy Paper and Best quality chosen in the printer settings
  • Go to Save&Export on menu bar

  • Click Generate PDF

  • Open File with Adobe Acrobat Reader

  • Insert sticker sheet to your printer

  • Adjust the custom scale to 120% for easier sticker sheet covering

  • Choose option Photo Glossy Paper and Best quality

  • Print out

6. Binding Your Planner Book

The printed cover sheet with corner margins marked for wrapping the edges

Cutting the printed sticker cover out along the marked edges

Smoothing the glossy sticker cover onto the cardstock board

Wrapping and pressing the sticker edges around the cover corners

A plain sticker sheet applied to the inside of the cover

The finished cover trimmed and ready for hole punching

Printed planner pages lined up in the hole punch

Punching squared holes in the cover to match the pages

Punched pages and covers stacked ready for the o-wire

The o-wire threaded through the punched pages and cover

Pressing the binding machine to close the wire

The finished planner book with its glossy printed cover and closed wire

*Click on images to see full sizes

  • After printing the book cover, mark the corners with an extra few millimeters to cover the edges.

  • Cut the sticker and place it on cover

  • Place empty sticker inside cover (optional)

  • Put your planner paper and cover into the hole punch

  • Insert paper and cover in ring binder

  • Press down firmly to close the gap in the binder

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