Simple Plan Homeschool Planner (2023 Ed)
Mardel sent me their new homeschool planner to review, and there are a LOT of new changes and updates. Let’s take a look.
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Homeschool Planner by Mardel
A quick note before I begin. I’m not paid by Mardel, nor do I work for them. The opinions below and in my videos are all mine. They sent me planners for free for an honest review. You can rest assured that my opinions are not bought or paid for ❤️
I love homeschool planners. I love lesson planners in general.
Naturally, I’m a paper-and-pen kind of planner gal. I tried to get into the digital homeschool planners, and it just wasn’t my thing. I like to hold mine, carry it with me, and scribble notes.
Back when I was a teacher, we didn’t have digital lesson planners (it was the late 90’s and early 2000’s era). Yes, I’m that old…hush 😂
It was only natural that when I started homeschooling that I had to buy a lesson planner book for myself. I didn’t know any other way. I started hunting for that perfect homeschool lesson planner.
I knew I hit the jackpot when I visited our local Mardel store. I fell in love at first sight. We lived on an Army base at that time, Fort Leonard Wood (Fort lost-in-the-woods for all you military folk). It was well worth that 90 minute drive to Springfield.
My first time at Mardel was unforgettable as a homeschool mom!
The video I know you’re all looking for, the 2023 Simple Plan Review video. Filmed in March of 2023.
The 2023 Mardel Simple Plan Homeschool Planner Review/Comparison Video
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When I held the Simple Plan Homeschool Planner in my hands, and flipped through it, it was homeschool heaven. It was better than any lesson planner I had while I was teaching.
I know it sounds silly, but I love planners. So yes, I really was that excited.
I quickly brought it home and did the one cardinal sin that you should never do….I planned out the entire year in my planner. In ink. 🤦🏼♀️
Quickly into the year, I regretted that decision.
However, I made it work and used the planner for the rest of the year. The following year, I started planning out only 1 week to 1 month at a time, which was a much better system for me.
A few years ago, Mardel reached out and started sending me their planners to review each year. This is my 3rd year reviewing their homeschool lesson planners. Here’s some of my reviews below.
Simple Plan Homeschool Planner 2021 Review
A Simple Plan Homeschool Planner 2022 Review
Simple Plan vs Well Planned Day Review
Comparison video
Design Changes for The Simple Plan Homeschool Planners
Some people are really worried about the design changes, which I address in the 2023 video. But let’s quickly discuss them here.
There are three major design changes this year:
1. Page Weight
2. Cover
3. Binding
First, the page weight. I address this in the video, but I think this is what people are the most upset about. The new page weight is a bit thinner, but, it’s industry standard for planners. It makes the planner lighter in overall weight (which I actually like), and I even tested the weight with my Flair pens. There is NO BLEED THROUGH. They are not super thin, just thinner than the previous planners. I’m not seeing a major issue with this at all, as I’m used to to the thinner pages in my business planners. I’ve paid over $80 for planners before, and they had the same weight paper as Mardel’s planner. I’m not sweating the page weight at all.
Second, the cover is laminated this year. I acutally like the laminated cover. It won’t get bent easily, and I think the design is really pretty. I’m a florals kind of girl.
Third, the binding is a metal binding and not the standard plastic spiral. I haven’t used it enough to know if this will be an issue, but I’ve had many books/planners with this type of binding without issue. Only time will tell here.
Many of these things will be personal preference. I may be in the minority, but I actually like the changes. I’ll use it this year and we’ll see how it holds up.
I’ll update my review here if needed.
Until next time,
Soli Deo Gloria,
Mandy
