Most people have probably not given much thought to planning for 2022. But those of us who are obsessed with stationery and planners have been thinking about 2022 planners for a few months now. Why start in September, you may ask? Because September 1 is the official kickoff of planner season. And I’m making the case for why you should consider getting a Smythson Cosmic Diary.
Overview of the Smythson Cosmic Diary
My love for the Smythson brand is well documented at this point. I’ve picked up some bargains here and there- items on sale, preloved items on eBay. So I was interested in their agenda selection for 2022 and started considering my options when the full selection was released in late July. (Yes, people apparently buy agendas six months in advance!)
I decided on the Smythson Cosmic Diary mainly because of it’s size (Soho- slightly smaller than A5) and the one-day-per-page layout. Most of the Smythson diaries are week-on-two-page. What can I say- I have a lot of things to do every day, and there is no way I can fit my to-do list in those tiny boxes!
Here’s the overall layout of the diary by category since the Smythson website is very light on details (note to Smythson: people like A LOT of details):
- Personal contact information and lots of miscellaneous (and delightful) info-20 (more below on that)
- “Contacts”- 3
- “Details to Remember”-2
- 2022 year planner on 2 pages-2
- 2023 year planner on 2 pages-2
- One page per day from 1/1/22 thru 1/5/23
- “Future Engagements”-4
- “Memoranda”-1
- World maps (more below)-21
- Subway/transit maps for Hong Kong, Tokyo, London and NYC
What I love about my new Smythson Cosmic Diary
Beautiful, classic colors
Smythson is a classic company, and although they may go a little crazy with light purple or even (shocking!) silver, most of the colors they offer are very classic and very beautiful. And while I do love the signature Nile blue, I wanted to get something that will stand up to a year of being handled and transported all over the world (I can dream, can’t I??) So I went with a lovely rich navy in the Panama leather. Perfect!
One day per page
I really need a day per page. While I admire the person who can either remember a lot more than I do and don’t need a lot of space to write tasks down, or the rare individual who has achieved scheduling nirvana with lots of free time, I am neither of these people! But at least I can be confident in knowing that I will be using every square inch of my Cosmic Diary in 2022.
Featherweight paper
The featherweight paper is really the OG Tomoe River paper (and if that makes no sense to you, no biggie!) It holds up wonderfully to fountain pens, it has a great feel, and I love the unique light blue color. It’s immediately identifiable to anyone who knows Smythson. I am looking forward to using it every day in 2022 to plan for doctor’s appointments and remind me that taxes are due.
British touches throughout the diary
I seem to be in the minority (at least on blogs and YouTube); I really like the funky pages at the front of the diary listing law sittings, birth stones, vintage wine ratings, theaters in the West End in London. It’s all very charming to me. Others seem to think these pages are a waste space. I think they are quirky, British, and although I won’t look at them every day, make the Smythson Cosmic Diary just a little bit more special.
Mini atlas included
The Smythson Cosmic Diary is ostensibly a travel diary- hence the reason they give you one page per day, to plan and record your fascinating travel adventures! So it’s a lovely touch to include these beautiful full color maps in the back of the agenda, covering the globe. And it’s great travel inspiration for those of us hoping we will get back out there in 2022.
What I’m not loving about the Smythson Cosmic Diary
There are a few aspects of the Hobonichi Cousin that I will miss in 2022- like the pages that can easily be used as habit trackers, the weekly pages that I use for exercise details, and the big monthly spreads over two pages. I have plans to supplement the Cosmic Diary to cover those needs- but it’s not ideal.
And that brings me to the price. It’s not a cheap option- and unfortunately it’s highly unlikely that you will find a bargain one for 2022 on The RealReal or eBay. It really needs to be perfect or close to it to justify the price.
And for me, it does… I love the size, the way it feels in my hand, and I know it will make me happy to use it every day. I also love the idea of collecting them, year after year, on my bookshelf (along with my 10 year diaries!) So if you are as into planning as I am, and love beautiful (British) things, consider trying out the Smythson Cosmic Diary for 2022.
