Sometimes, the secret to being a little more productive is having an organizer that actually makes you look forward to mapping out your day—rather than being one thing to do. That’s what immediately drew me to Notcoy: The look was fun and whimsical, with colorful pages that took the pressure out of rise-and-grind scheduling out your day. But would it really be an effective planner? Here’s what you should know.

First, Let’s Judge It By Its Cover (Kinda)

Notcoy sells seven cover options, but I love the Slice of Summer style best. They all feature a fun, retro, laidback vibe and a coppery, spiral-bound spine. Some may immediately dismiss that as cheap, but spiral-bound designs are great for staying open as you write. (And there’s nothing flimsy about these coils.)

Second, Let’s Break Down What’s Inside a Notcoy Daily Planner

Simplicity is the key to this planner. There are no dates, so it’s a start-anytime sort of agenda, and each day spans a full page that’s broken up into a few categories:

• Things I Really Gotta Do (aka your top three priorities for the day)
• Other things I Gotta Do Too (10 lines for addressing any other to-do’s)
• Schedule (a table with space for five meetings, classes or appointments)
• Break Time Things (a reminder to unwind and/or practice a little self-care)
• Notes & Doodles
• My Day Was… (a reflection moment where you simply color in or check off the flower that resonates most with your end-of-day moode, ranging from “AWESOME!” to “nevermind”)

There’s also a weekly planner section, where you can set goals for the week—and day by day—as well as a habit tracker (in case you’re trying to ensure you drink a certain amount of water each day or exercise a certain number of times per week) and shopping list.

My Take on the Planner:

The Notcoy planner is the opposite of a bullet journal—and I mean that in a good way. Rather than investing a ton of time designing each page (which can make you fizzle out on maintaining by week three), it’s quick and easy to fill out. You can brain dump whatever’s on your mind, freeing up some mental space to actually get things done—or think creatively. It’s taken care of the aesthetics for you.

That said, I think this planner is most effective for people who don’t have a lot of meetings in their day, as the space is quite limited for that (once you hit five things on your calendar, you’re writing in the margins). Also, since it’s undated, if you tend to plan things weeks or months out and like to jot them down, that can be a challenge—unless you take the time to date every page for the next few weeks (or up to six months).

The Verdict: Is the Notcoy Planner Worth It?

Yes! At $34 for a six-month planner—particularly one on such thick paper, with a sturdy cover and a sleek design—this is a solid deal, especially compared to other aesthetic planners like Papier and LH Agenda (though I love those too). It also comes in a cute box with bookmarks and planner stickers, making it a great gift for Mother’s Day, graduation or birthdays. I’d say it’s best for students and creative types, especially people who love color, pattern and a dash of whimsy.