As the days get colder and the sun disappears earlier and earlier, my brain automatically drifts toward all things new year planning (and sleep 😅).
⚠️ Warning: This post does not contain any stickers. (But I promise, I’m okay!)
Maybe it’s the early sunsets, maybe it’s the cocooning mood, maybe it’s just my low energy lately (thank you, winter germs…), but every November I feel the urge to refresh my stationery setup.
Not overhaul — just refresh.
A few intentional little choices to make next year feel calm, cute, and easier to manage. ✨
And this year, that meant picking out my 2026 planner and treating myself to some pretty dual-tip dot pens I’ve been eyeing for a while. These two items are absolutely going to shape my planning routine next year, so I wanted to share what I chose… and the reason behind each choice. 💛✨
- 📘 My 2026 Planner: What I Picked & Why
- 🖊️ Dual-Tip Dot Pens: My New Favorite
- 🌟 Why These Purchases Matter for My 2026 Setup
- 💌 Final Thoughts
📘 My 2026 Planner: What I Picked & Why
Confession time: maybe it’s just the way I’m wired, or maybe it’s pure habit… but I ended up going back to a Happy Planner for 2026. 😅
If you’ve read my earlier post where I said I was stepping away from the brand, you might be raising an eyebrow — and honestly, same.
Don’t get me wrong: I loved the convenience of a smaller, glue-bound planner. I loved having everything all in one place — monthly spreads, weekly spreads, and daily spreads. But as the year went on, I started feeling more and more overwhelmed. By the end of October, I wasn’t even opening my planner anymore.
It wasn’t the planner’s fault. If I had more time and more brain-energy to decorate, fill the pages, and keep up with all the spreads, it could have been a long-term love affair. But right now? My life needs something gentler as I planned the fourth novel in my series and some fun surprises for this blog. 💗
I needed a planner that wouldn’t demand productivity — just support it. A planner that works with me, not against me. And that’s why I circled right back to Happy Planner: because they offered a layout that gives me the flexibility I need.
🌅 The Planner I Picked
When I started shopping for my planner, I knew I wanted something a little more guided than a blank page — so dot grid notebooks were out. I’ve also been using vertical layouts forever, and it felt like a bit of a struggle to fill an entire vertical column every day.
When I re-stumbled upon the Happy Planner dashboard layout after all this time, it suddenly felt right. That’s what I need, I thought. A place to write one weekly to-do list along with clearly labeled spaces for priorities, tracking, and deadlines. It felt perfect — structured but not demanding.
So I browsed through all the dashboard options and finally settled on my 2026 planner:
✨ The Undated Cat Coq x Happy Planner Retro Sunset Planner ✨
💕 Why I Chose That Planner
Here are the biggest reasons I went back to Happy Planner:
- ✨ The disc system — I can easily add pages or move things around and lay the planner flat or fold it backwards
- 🖊️ Thick paper — it can handle my markers, dot pens, and highlighters
- 🎁 Rewards points — which will (hopefully!) lead to future discounts
- 🌈 Nostalgia — I used Happy Planner for years and missed it a little
When I checked their dashboard planner options, I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed by how limited the selection was. And yes, there’s always the new custom planner option, but with tariffs and shipping from the US… my wallet said: “maybe not this time.” 😅
I also knew I wanted a classic-size planner because the big ones are just too big for my tiny desk.
So I literally picked the cutest, most affordable dashboard option I could find — and honestly? I’m surprisingly happy with my choice! I’m even excited to see how the dashboard layout fits into my routine… and whether it becomes my new go-to. 😀
🖊️ Dual-Tip Dot Pens: My New Favorite
Next up: dot pens! ✨
You know that feeling when you buy something and instantly think, “Okay yes, these were absolutely worth it”? That’s me with these dual-tip dot pens.
I’ve seen people use them for:
🌸 Habit tracking
🌈 Color-coded weekly spreads
📋 Quick notes
📅 Marking important days
💡 Gentle highlighting
🎨 Even art!
…and honestly, they’re even better in person.
What I love most is how effortless they are. On low-energy days, when I don’t have the bandwidth to make decorative spreads or juggle ten markers, these are perfect. Just one pen and a few taps — a dot for a task, a dot for a habit, a dot for a mood. Done. ✅
They make planning feel light, approachable, and fun — even on tired days when my brain wants to nap instead of plan. ☁️💭
🎨 The Dot Pens I Picked
Okay, confession time (again 😅): I already own dot pens. Two different sets, actually! One of them even has soft, pastel-y colors that I adore.
But when I saw someone using these on social media, I just knew I had to try them.
So… I went online and ordered the Ohuhu Dual-Tip Dot Pens (24 colors) — and I have zero regrets!
(If you’re in the US, they don’t seem to be available on Amazon, but you can get them on the Ohuhu website directly right here.)
💖 Why I Chose These Pens
Top reason? The colors! There’s so many of them and they’re so, so pretty — with a dreamy mix of classic, pastel, and even five metallic shades. ✨
But that’s not all. The small brush tips are perfect for calligraphy, headings, and coloring tiny spaces. And I love Ohuhu for their quality, their creative community, and their positive vibe (seriously, just visit their website and you’ll see what I mean). Plus, these dot pens come with the cutest pouch! 😍
So yes, even though I already owned dot pens, now I have more colors, more possibilities, and a lot more inspiration. 🎨💫
2026, I’m ready for ya!
🌟 Why These Purchases Matter for My 2026 Setup
This year, I’m trying to approach planning with a softer mindset. Life gets busy, I get tired, and winter is… well, winter. ❄️
I realized that while I love decorating my planner spreads, sometimes it eats up the creative energy I need for writing and drawing. Life’s been a little heavy lately, and I want to focus on gentle creativity — without giving it all to my planner pages.
That’s where my new planner and dot pens come in. Together, they feel like the perfect tools to keep me organized, inspired, and rested — all without sacrificing the cuteness that makes planning fun. 💛
It feels like the right beginning for 2026. ✨
💌 Final Thoughts
Getting ready for a new year doesn’t have to be complicated — especially when the days are dark, the weather’s cold, and your energy is low. Sometimes, all you need are a few cozy, well-chosen tools to set the tone for the months ahead.
For me, that’s my new Happy Planner and Ohuhu dot pens — simple, cheerful choices that already make me excited to start fresh in January. 💖
If you’re preparing your own 2026 setup, I’d love to know what you’re using!
Leave a comment or email me at hello[@]miss-stickers.com — let’s start the new year feeling inspired (and well-stocked with cute stationery)! 🥰🎀
Miss Stickers 
Leave a comment