5 Game-Changing Accessories to Customize Your Laurel Denise Planner (Plus My Setup Tips)
If you've invested in a Laurel Denise planner, you already know it's simply unmatched. The gorgeous covers, the thoughtful layouts, the feel of the pages. I came to Laurel Denise this past July after spending months creating digital planner products. I loved the concept, but when I actually tried using them for my own planning (and even selling them to others)? They didn't stick. I needed something that gave me structure without feeling restrictive, and freedom without feeling overwhelming. That's exactly what I found in Laurel Denise. And the real magic happens when you add a few key accessories that make it work specifically for your life and planning style.
These aren't decorative additions (though some happen to be beautiful). These are the five accessories that have transformed how I use my Laurel Denise planner - making it more functional and more likely to actually get used every single day.
1. Official Laurel Denise Accessories (Start Here First)
Before you go hunting for third-party solutions, start with Laurel Denise's own accessories - they're designed specifically for their own planners, which means they fit perfectly and maintain a cohesive aesthetic.
What I swear by:
PIPs (Pop-In Panels): I use a PIP for family meal planning and for planning my IP content - they're reusable and easy to move around in your planner.
Inserts: The checklist and daily planning inserts are my personal favorites to dig a little deeper into my plans.
Banner Stickers: These are great if you want to decorate without all the fuss. They're basically curated sticker sheets for you to use throughout your monthly and weekly spreads. Highly recommend!
Sticky Notes: Laurel Denise's sticky notes are perfectly sized for the planner pages. I use them for preplanning events and tasks that I know might need to move around.
Pen Pouch: They're cute. They're spacious. They're functional, especially the elastic ones.
Washi Tape: Again, if you want to take the guesswork out of decorating and just want some pre-designed decor for your planner, pick up a set and they match perfectly! Washi is also great for "taping" smaller/spare paper into your planner. I know others also love it for covering mistakes (because imperfectly planned, right?).
Where to shop: Use my link to browse their full accessory collection and support this blog! ❤️
2. A Quality Hole Punch (Your Secret Weapon for True Customization)
This is the accessory that unlocks unlimited customization potential. A disc-bound hole punch lets you add absolutely anything to your Laurel Denise planner.
What you can punch and add:
Printable inserts that you find on Etsy or create yourself
Important documents that need to live with your planning system
Worksheets from courses or programs you're working through
Specialized tracking pages
Notes from meetings or events
Receipts you need to track for budgeting
Pro tip: Punch papers before they go into your planner. There's nothing worse than trying to align a punch with pages already in your discs.
The punch I use is the Bira Craft Mushroom Disc Bound Hole Punch from Amazon. Keep in mind LD recommends a max of 12 inserts, so if you're adding things, make sure you keep that in mind. I've certainly had more than 12 inserts in my planner at once, but YMMV. Insert at your own risk! You can also remove any outdated or lesser-used inserts and store them in the box your planner came in.
3. Happy Planner Sticker Sleeves (The Organizational Hack You Need)
Here's where I think I'm clever…😅 Happy Planner Snap In Sticker Protectors aren't just for stickers - they're perfect for loose papers, project planning sheets, or anything you need to keep visible but contained.
How I use them:
I punch additional holes into the sticker sleeves and pop them into the month where a project is due or when I'm actively working on it. For example:
Tax documents go in the April section
Birthday party planning goes in the month of the party
School papers with several events laid out over a given month
This keeps everything accessible without bulk. When the month is over, I remove the sleeve and file or toss what's inside. It's like having a mini filing system built into your planner.
Why it works with Laurel Denise: The sticker sleeves are thin enough that they don't add significant bulk, and they punch fairly cleanly with a disc punch (see above for the one I use!).
4. Avery Tabs (Simple but Transformative)
You know those basic Avery Ultra Tabs you can find at any office supply store? They're a game-changer for navigating a Laurel Denise planner, especially if you're a back page or inserts user.
How I tab mine:
Bill tracker gets a tab
Frequently referenced back pages get a tab (pages like my vision board or yearly goals)
Special project sections
Important reference pages (contacts, passwords, etc.)
The beauty of Avery tabs is that they're affordable, repositionable, you can write on them, and some come in cute colors/styles.
Installation tip: When you stick them to the edge of the pages you want to tab, slightly stagger them so you can see them all at once when the planner is closed.
5. Your Favorite Goal-Setting System (Make It Actually Work)
Here's the truth: your Laurel Denise planner is gorgeous, but it won't plan your life for you - no planner will. The final "accessory" you need is a goal-setting and review system that you'll actually use.
This doesn't have to be complicated. Pull a simple system into your planner. I use a mix of Hustle Sanely and MakseLife! Another place where my hole punch comes in handy - I can pop any pages I want into the planner.
Want Laurel Denise planner inspo? I share my setups and behind-the-scenes of my planning system on Instagram @plannedimperfectly - follow along for weekly imperfect inspiration!
The Bottom Line: Customize for Function, Not Aesthetics!
Your Laurel Denise planner doesn't need to look like the perfectly styled photos on Pinterest. It needs to work for your life—your schedule, your projects, your brain. I fall into the aesthetics trap every now and then. And don’t get me wrong, it’s super fun! But at the end of the day, I know my planner’s job and I always make sure it’s working 😉
These five accessories have transformed how I use my planner:
Laurel Denise's official accessories for seamless integration
A hole punch for unlimited customization
Happy Planner sticker sleeves for project organization
Avery tabs for quick navigation
A goal-setting system for intentional planning
Start with one or two, see what works, and build from there. That's imperfect planning in action.
Shop Laurel Denise accessories using my affiliate link and grab those Happy Planner sticker sleeves to get started. And if you want to see how I set up my planner each week/month, follow me on Instagram @plannedimperfectly for real planning inspiration (no perfect spreads, just fun and functional).
Want even more inspo? I highly recommend joining the Laurel Denise Loves (LDL) Facebook group! SO many great ideas in there. Happy planning!
