What To Do With Old Planners? (Creative Ways to Give Them a New Life!)

What to do with old planners? In this article, we’ll cover 22 ways to reuse, repurpose and recycle your old planners.

In November 2015, as I sat in my new employer’s home and flipped through the pages of my old planner, memories flooded back to me.

My trusty companion, my planner, supported and inspired me throughout those years, reminding me of the difficulties and wins.

I can see how my personality has changed by looking at my planner.

When I embraced minimalism, I didn’t know what to do with this valuable reminder of my past.

You know what I mean if you’ve kept a planner. They become more than just a scheduling tool; they can reflect your hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

If you are looking for inspiration on preserving your planner, this blog is sure to appeal to your interests.

What To Do With Old Planners?

Here are 22 creative and meaningful ways to give your old planners new life:

1) Reuse it for next year

If your planner is still in good condition and undated, consider using it again to plan and organize the upcoming year.

It is my number one option because, in my opinion, it’s the most practical and cost-effective option. You can reuse your planner as a diary or journal to capture memories and record your thoughts for next year.

Undated planners are great when you haven’t filled all the pages and can also reuse for next year.

And if your planners have dates on them, STOP!! Check this video out before you throw away your old planners! 

2) Donate your old planner

If you’re ready to move on from a planner that no longer works for you, consider donating it.

List everything you love about your old planner and how it served you. Then, donate it to someone who could use it.

If you don’t know anyone who would enjoy your old planner, consider donating it to charity.

My blog on decluttering tips for hoarders may provide you with some helpful advice if you struggle with letting go. It will give some insights into making the transition easier for you.

3) Selling it

If your planner is in good condition and has a unique design, you could sell it online or at a local stationery store.

I’ve seen people who are selling their planners on the Facebook marketplace at reasonable prices.

It is a good idea to price your planner at an affordable price for others. If you are still deciding how much to charge, research online to get an idea of how much similar planners are selling for.

✅ You can make some money off of your old planner.
✅ You are helping out another person who may be looking for a new planner.

I love the idea of being a blessing to others, especially when discussing something as simple as a planner. It could be the right option if you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash.

4) Use it as an inspiration board

If you’re the type of person who likes to see the visual representations of your goals, then use your old planner as a place to store photos or mementos that represent them.

For instance, if one of your goals is to get fit and healthy again, you could cut out pictures from magazines of people doing yoga poses or lifting weights and tape them into your planner.

Here’s are some ideas if you’re hesitant to use your old planner as an inspiration board:

• Cut out various images representing different aspects of your goal (exercise, healthy eating, etc.)
• Paste them into a page at the beginning of each month.
• Then, when you’re feeling uninspired or unmotivated, flip through this page and see if any of the imagery sparks something inside yourself (i.e., “I want to get fit so that I can run 5Ks with my friends!”).

5) Turn it into a journal

Use the blank pages of your old planner to write down your thoughts, dreams, and reflections. It might inspire you to create new goals for yourself.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling can help manage your symptoms and improve your mood [1]. It enables you to identify triggers and find ways to address them over time.

It may even help you find the root of your depression.

A journal can also be a great resource for tracking important occasions and how they affect you emotionally.

Use it as a guide for reflecting on how you’ve been feeling during the year and what changes you can make to improve things the following year.

6) Turn it into a to-do list notebook

Use your old planner’s blank pages or sections to create a dedicated to-do list notebook for your daily tasks and goals.

Use a page per week to plan your week, then use the daily planner pages for each day.

You can also use the monthly calendar pages to track larger tasks or projects over time and use the weekly layout for regular appointments and events.

To-do list notebooks are convenient for staying on track of your priorities. You can use the planner’s pages as an index and add extra sheets if needed.

7) Take note of important dates

Ever found yourself wondering what you did last year on March 15th? Or how about April 1st?

It’s easy to lose sight of the course of your life when you’re not keeping a planner. And the reason you can’t remember is because you didn’t write it down.

But if you pen it down, all your essential dates are right there in front of you.

Flipping back through an old planner will help you plan future events by noting upcoming deadlines on its monthly pages.

8) Monitor your finances

Did you know you can use your old planners to monitor expenses and income? 

That way, you’ll never have to worry about forgetting anything.

It also allows you to know how much you spend on things like…
🥘 Food
👚 Clothing
🎥 Entertainment
✈️ Travel

The best part is that these planners are portable and you can take them everywhere.

If you’re not using a planner, it’s easy to forget when bills are due. It is especially true if you’re on a tight budget and must manage every dollar you spend.

A planner can help you organize and stay on top of your finances.

9) Plan your future

Use your old planner to jot down your plans for the future. Life can be stressful sometimes, but you feel controlled when writing.

You can use your old planner to schedule:
✅ What you want to do
✅ Places you want to visit
✅ People you want to meet.

Here is an article that explains the 4 types of planning:

1. Strategic planning is developing a long-term plan. 
   It answers the question, “Where do I want to be in five years?” It involves creating a vision for where you want your business or organization to be soon and identifying key goals that will help you get there.
   
2. Tactical planning is developing a short-term plan that answers, “What do I need to do each day or week to achieve my goals?” It involves breaking down long-term goals into specific actions you can take to reach them.
   
3. Operational planning is developing a plan that answers the question, “How do I get from point A to point B?” It involves creating a detailed plan for executing your strategy and tactics at an operational level.
   
4. Contingency planning is developing a plan that answers the question, “What do I need to do if something unexpected happens?” 

It involves creating strategies for responding if your assumptions about the future don’t pan out or if external factors beyond your control affect your ability to achieve your goals.

10) Turn it into a travel journal

Picture flipping through the familiar pages of your old planner, now adorned with souvenirs from your many journeys. A gentle reminder of the places you’ve been and things you’ve done.

Use your old planner as a travel journal while you’re on vacation or traveling for work.

Take pictures of the unique things you see. 

Add maps, postcards, ticket stubs, and other souvenirs from your travels to create a keepsake you’ll treasure for years.

Write down the date and location on each page of your planner so it’s easy to find when looking back through your memories later.

Then glue them into your planner as a visual reminder of all the great things happening around you in the world at large.

Here are 30 fun travel journal layouts using your old planner if you need some ideas.

10) Use it as a habit tracker

Dedicate the pages of your old planner for tracking habits or setting new goals, helping you stay accountable and focused.

The founders of the bullet journal invented a habit tracker, but you can use any planner to create one. The point is that you make a habit tracker for each habit you want to develop.

Mark it on your tracker with a large dot or star each day you make the habit. If you miss a day, make that dot small.

Seeing how many days in a row your streak has grown is very satisfying! And your old planner will continue to serve you well.

11) Turn it into a coffee table book

Have you ever seen those gorgeous coffee table books featured in cafes? They are full of beautiful images and words to enjoy.

Why not turn your old planner into a gorgeous keepsake to enjoy?

You can cut out the pages and glue them on each other or use bookbinding supplies to make a hardcover book. Then, you can make any arrangements that suit your purpose.

You can create something beautiful and functional, which is perfect if you have an old planner that you don’t want to throw away but don’t need anymore.

Using your old planner, you can learn how to create a coffee table book with these 5 steps.

12) Use it to track your reading

Think of it as a reading log.

Use your old planner to:

• Write down the name of every book you read.
• Where you got them from (library, bookstore, friend).
• When and where you read them (on the bus, in bed at night).
• How long it took for you to finish each one.
• Rate how much you liked it.
• You can also add in your thoughts about the book:

📚Did it make you laugh, cry, think?
📚 Did it feel realistic, or did it seem like a fantasy?
📚 Was the ending satisfying, or did it leave you hanging?

You see, old planners are useful. 

Before you throw them away, consider using them for something useful. You’ll thank yourself later.

13) Use it as a cookbook

Your old planner is the perfect place to keep your new recipe.

You can create categories such as:
✅ Appetizers
✅ Main Dishes
✅ Desserts 

Then add recipes that you’ve collected over the years. 

You can even add notes about why they’re your favorite recipes or which ones are kid-friendly.

Like this vlogger, she saved her favorite recipes by creating a journal. I may copy her style to use my planner to document mine.

If you have an old planner lying around, why not use it for the same purpose?

This strategy makes it easy to record your favorite food, and they stay aware of the shuffle.

You can also create labels for different types of cuisine, such as
✅ Italian
✅ Mexican
✅ Thai

I suddenly remembered my favorite Chinese foods like steamed chicken, mushrooms, and choy sum.

Back to our topic, how do you keep your favorite recipes?

Organizing your recipes can make them easier to use. Plus, it’s a fun way to add variety to your collection.

14) Use it as a sketchpad and doodling

Do you love to doodle and draw? Transform your old planner into a sketchpad!

Sketching and doodling are powerful ways to express your thoughts and feelings. It allows you to reflect on and analyze your experiences and emotions.

Meet this artist, who transformed her old planner into a captivating sketchpad. Watching through her planner was like watching a movie version of the artist’s life.

📌 Using your old planner as a sketchpad can provide the opportunity to nurture your artistic talents and keep all of your masterpieces in one place.

No more tearing through messy sketchbooks or loose sheets to find the inspiration you need; a planner keeps all your ideas together for better access.

15) Use it as a notebook

Repurposing your old planner as a notebook is a stroke of genius! 

Your old planner will become special regardless of what you use it for:
✅ Jotting down daily to-do lists
✅ Scribbling notes during meetings
✅ Immersing yourself in a world of creative writing

Plus, you can apply the Cornell note-taking system to make the most of your old planner. 

The Cornell notes is a popular method of note-taking among students, journalists, and other busy professionals who need to remember information quickly.

It’s a simple method that involves writing keywords and phrases on your paper, making it easy for your brain to recall later.

16) Use it as a scrapbook

Creating a scrapbook from your old planner adds new life and purpose.

You sure can turn your planner into a time capsule of moments that hold a special place in your heart.

Over time as you flip through the pages, you will relive the joy of family vacations, the laughter shared with friends, and the tender moments spent with loved ones.

And becomes a reminder of your past!

17) Use it for brainstorming

Beyond your planner’s traditional use, they serve as ideal tools for brainstorming. The paper’s smooth texture offers a relaxed writing experience.

Pull out your planner and write down your ideas when inspiration strikes while you’re out and about.

Here are 8 effective brainstorming techniques:

• Brainwriting: You can jot down your ideas without worrying about what other people think.
• 5 Whys method: The 5 Whys is a method of analyzing problems so that you can find the source and address it.
• Mind mapping: Use visual aids to organize your thoughts and develop a broad perspective on the subject.
• Role-storming strategy: Put on different hats to generate diverse perspectives and ideas.
• Gap analysis: Identify gaps in a project or plan and brainstorm solutions to fill them.
• Rapid ideation: Set a time limit and brainstorm as many possible solutions within a timeframe.
• Reverse brainstorming: Identify potential problems or obstacles and then use the information to develop a solution.
• SWOT analysis: Evaluating a project or idea’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

📌 Each brainstorming technique offers you to explore ideas from different angles. Choose the technique that best suits your creative thinking.

18) Cut out the decorative prints and use it as a sticker

Your creativity awaits when you cut out the decorative prints from your old planner and turn them into stickers!

These stickers will add a touch of artistry to your scrapbooks, cards, or DIY projects.

📌 Let your old planner be the star of your creative projects, adding a touch of elegance and uniqueness that store-bought stickers can’t match.

19) Cut out the pages and use it as sticky notes

Reduce, reuse, and recycle—it’s the mantra of many eco-friendly folks.

You can use your old planner pages as sticky notes for lists, reminders, or anything else you need them for.

Simply cut the pages into squares of any size you want (larger if they’re more important than smaller). Then, stick them onto your wall or in another place where you’ll see them often.

If you have a lot of old planners, consider cutting them up into squares and putting them in a big bowl or jar. You can use one page as a sticky note or bookmark when needed.

Alternatively, cut out the monthly calendars from your old planners and hang them on your wall for reference—they make great timelines for projects like planning weddings or conferences.

🎯 Whatever you choose to do with your old planner pages, you’ll be reducing waste and saving money by not having to buy new sticky notes.

20) Use the pages to make origami

Origami is a Japanese art form that uses folded paper to create decorative objects and figures. You can do origami as a hobby to relieve stress after a long day.

You can turn the pages of your old planner into origami art by folding them.

With its precise folds and intricate designs, the art of origami finds new life as your planner’s pages take on new forms.

Use a knife or scissors to remove the binding, then use it as a base for your new origami creations. Check out this helpful video to get you started.

21) Remove the cover and repurpose it

If the cover of your planner is too beautiful to throw away, turn it into a notebook cover that you can use year after year.

As a creative soul, you can discover the magic of transforming your old planner’s cover into a valuable piece. With a gentle removal of the surface, you can find a treasure in your hands—an elegant design that you can enjoy beyond its planner days.

22) Repurpose the metal coil

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, salvage the metal coil from your old planner to make a DIY notebook cover or photo album.

The coil is sturdy and lightweight so you can use it as a spine for your book. You can also use the metal coil as part of your decorating scheme by wrapping it around picture frames or other items needing extra pizzazz.

The planner’s transformation into a notebook was more than just repurposing, it was also an example of craftsmanship.

The metal coil that holds the book together symbolizes resourcefulness—and high-quality construction.

Reusing the coil from your old planner to craft is a clever way to add high-quality details for DIY projects.

Can You Recycle Calendars?

Yes. When the year ends and the calendar pages are no longer needed, consider recycling them instead of throwing them away.

The high-quality paper used in calendars is often suitable for recycling, and by doing so, you contribute to reducing waste and conserving valuable resources.

If you are following my blogs, you’ll understand that I value reusing. I often take eco bags, bottles, and jars when grocery shopping.

So the same way for planners. I advocate reusing calendars and not throwing them away after expiration.

It aligns with sustainable practices and a commitment to preserving the environment. 

What To Do With Old Planners (FAQs)

What to do next?

Your old planners open up a world of possibilities.

So, next time you find yourself with an old planner, remember that it holds many opportunities.

Explore the 22 ways that you can make your old planner new again.

The choice is yours!

And don’t underestimate your old planner’s value. They can evolve beyond their original purpose of scheduling into something much more powerful.