Discbound planner–Happy Planner
I first discovered discbound planners during my time studying in the UK(check “Disc Binding” post). With ring planners, you have to press the ends of the binder to open it when changing inserts or moving pages. The rings are centered, which makes it impossible to lay the planner completely flat, causing discomfort when writing. Moreover, as soon as the ring’s diameter increases even slightly, the amount of unusable space grows due to larger margins.
Then I encountered Atoma, and it felt like a game-changer. While in the UK, and later transitioning to North America, I noticed that although Atoma wasn’t commonly available here, discbound planners were widely used. One of the most popular brands I saw was The Happy Planner. If Atoma gives off a clean and minimal vibe, The Happy Planner feels more bright and playful—almost like a cheerful lemon.
The Happy Planner website: https://thehappyplanner.com/
Happy Planner uses large disc rings as a standard, but that’s not really my style. I prefer smaller disc rings and avoid using planners with a lot of bright or varied colors. Here, however, people seem to carry planners as if they’re encyclopedias—super thick! Many use stickers and decorative elements like scrapbooking, which naturally makes the planners bulkier, so they opt for larger disc rings.
The hole punches in Happy Planner, like those in ARC, differ from Atoma’s design. If you compare them, ARC’s punch pattern is more similar to Happy Planner’s than Atoma’s.
Happy Planner offers a total of five sizes, listed here from largest to smallest:
- Big (8.5 x 11″)
- Classic (7 x 9.25″)
- Skinny Classic (4.125 x 9.25″)
- Mini (4.25 x 7″)
- Micro (3 x 4″)
Right Photo: A comparison of punch shapes. On the left is the Happy Planner, and on the right is Atoma. The elongated part of the punch is often referred to as the “stem.” Compared to Atoma, the Happy Planner has a longer stem. I have an ARC punch stored away, so when I get the chance, I’ll try to post a comparison shot of all three.
These were items I purchased 4 years ago, but looking at the official website now, it seems that the Half Mini has been discontinued.
The Mini size is almost identical to Freitag Agenda inserts. Although I’ve never actually used a Happy Planner, I purchased one to understand its sizing. Based on that, I designed and used my own covers and inserts tailored to the size. The sizes I’ve mainly used are Mini and Micro. The Mini is spacious enough to write down a variety of things, while the Micro is a palm-sized, compact option perfect for quick notes or carrying lightly. The Mini uses 7 disc rings, just like the Freitag Agenda, while the Micro uses 4 disc rings.
The Micro size is incredibly compact—small enough to fit entirely in my hand, even with my small palms. While it’s too tiny for lengthy writing, it’s perfect for quick notes. I’ve often used it for idea sketches, grocery lists, and simple memos.
For anyone interested in discbound planners, trying out products from Happy Planner is definitely a great option! 🙂