In the age of digital overload, printable planners are making a strong comeback. Whether it’s a daily, weekly, or goal-setting planner, people crave organization tools they can print and use at their own pace. If you’re looking to design your own printable planner — either for personal use or to sell on platforms like Etsy or Gumroad — Canva is a perfect, beginner-friendly tool that makes it easy and professional.
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you step-by-step through how to design a printable planner from scratch in Canva, covering layout, fonts, elements, and exporting. No graphic design experience needed — just creativity and a little patience!
Why Canva?
Before we dive in, here’s why Canva is the go-to design tool for creating planners:
- Free and easy to use
- Professional templates and fonts
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Works in-browser or mobile
- Ideal for creating high-quality PDFs
Let’s get started!
Step 1: Decide on the Type of Planner
First, you need to know what kind of planner you’re making. Here are popular options:
- Daily Planner (focus on day-by-day tasks)
- Weekly Planner (see your week at a glance)
- Monthly Planner (great for long-term planning)
- Goal Tracker or Habit Tracker
- Fitness, Meal, or Budget Planners
- Business or Social Media Planners
Choose your niche and decide how many pages your planner will have. Start simple — you can always expand later.
Step 2: Create a New Canva Design
- Go to www.canva.com
- Click “Create a Design” > Choose Custom Dimensions
- For printables, use US Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) or A4 (8.27 x 11.69 inches)
- Click Create New Design
Now you’re in the Canva design dashboard.
Step 3: Set Up Margins and Guidelines
To make your planner printer-friendly:
- Click “File” > “Show rulers” and “Show guides”
- Drag guides to create ½ inch margins around all edges
- Keep text and design elements inside the safe zone
This ensures nothing gets cut off when printed.
Step 4: Design Your Planner Layout
Add a Heading
- Use the Text Tool on the left toolbar
- Add a heading like “Daily Planner” or “My Week at a Glance”
- Choose a clean, readable font like Montserrat, Raleway, or Lato
Add Structure Using Lines, Grids, and Shapes
Click on Elements > Lines and Shapes to start laying out the planner:
- Use lines to divide sections
- Use boxes or grids for time slots, to-do lists, meal planning, or notes
- Use dotted lines if you want a handwriting-friendly style
Popular sections to include:
| Daily Planner | Weekly Planner |
|---|---|
| Time-blocking | Weekly overview |
| To-do list | Daily tasks section |
| Meal plan | Top priorities |
| Water tracker | Notes |
| Notes or doodles | Weekend section |
Take your time arranging these. Drag and resize elements to align everything perfectly.
Step 5: Add Icons, Illustrations, or Decorative Elements
Canva offers thousands of free and premium icons and illustrations.
- Go to Elements > Icons or Graphics
- Search for simple icons like checkboxes, coffee cups, dumbbells (for fitness), dollar signs (for budgeting), etc.
- Keep it minimal so the planner stays functional and printable
Pro tip: Use a neutral or pastel color palette to keep the design printer-friendly. Light grey, beige, or soft pinks work well and won’t waste ink.
Step 6: Use Text Strategically
Add section labels like:
- “Top 3 Priorities”
- “Appointments”
- “Gratitude”
- “Notes”
Use heading fonts for section titles and body fonts for smaller text. Canva lets you easily match font pairings.
Keep font sizes legible:
- Headings: 18–24 pt
- Body text: 10–14 pt
Avoid overly decorative fonts — stick to clean, sans-serif fonts for a modern look.
Step 7: Duplicate Pages to Create a Full Planner
Once you’ve designed one page (e.g., your daily layout), click “Duplicate Page” to reuse the structure for other days or formats.
Want to create a 30-day planner? Just duplicate and update the title or date fields.
You can mix layouts too — for example:
- Page 1: Cover
- Page 2: Monthly Goals
- Page 3–32: Daily Planner Pages
- Page 33: Habit Tracker
- Page 34: Reflection Notes
This way, your planner becomes a complete productivity system.
Step 8: Add a Cover Page (Optional)
If you plan to sell or bundle the planner, a cover page adds a professional touch.
Design tips:
- Use a bold title (e.g., “2025 Life Planner”)
- Add decorative elements like leaves, abstract shapes, or minimalist illustrations
- Include a subtitle or your brand name
- Keep it printable: avoid heavy colors
Step 9: Export Your Planner as a Printable PDF
When your planner is ready:
- Click “Share” > “Download”
- Choose File Type: PDF Print (High Quality)
- Check “Flatten PDF” if you have layered elements
- Click Download
This creates a high-resolution file that’s ready to print or sell.
Step 10: Test Print & Edit
Before selling or using your planner:
- Do a test print at home or at a local shop
- Make sure everything aligns and text is readable
- Look for spacing issues or misaligned elements
Once satisfied, you’re ready to share it with the world!
Optional: Sell Your Planner Online
If you’re designing a planner to make money, here’s where to sell it:
Platforms to sell printable planners:
- Etsy – Top platform for digital downloads
- Gumroad – Simple to set up, great for email list building
- Payhip – Another beginner-friendly marketplace
- Your own website – Use Shopify, WooCommerce, or a landing page
Tips for selling planners:
- Create multiple covers or color versions
- Bundle daily, weekly, and monthly versions
- Offer freebies or samples to grow your audience
- Promote on Pinterest and Instagram for organic reach
Quick FAQ
Q: Can I use Canva’s free version to design planners?
A: Yes! Most of the features you need are available in the free version. However, Canva Pro offers extra fonts, templates, and features like resizing.
Q: Can I sell planners made with Canva elements?
A: Yes, but make sure your design is original and doesn’t just use a template as-is. Always read Canva’s Content License Terms.
Q: What’s the best file format to sell printables?
A: Always use PDF Print (High Quality) for digital planners and printables. You can also include JPG previews for listings.
Q: How long does it take to make a planner?
A: A simple 1–2 page planner can take 1–2 hours. A full 30-day or 50-page planner may take a few days, especially with testing and revisions.
Final Thoughts
Creating a printable planner in Canva is one of the best DIY design projects you can do — and it’s even better if you plan to turn it into a source of income. Whether you’re organizing your own life or starting a digital product side hustle, Canva gives you all the tools to design something beautiful and useful without needing to hire a designer.
So go ahead — open Canva, get inspired, and start creating your perfect planner today!
If you’d like help coming up with planner ideas, niche-specific templates, or selling strategies, let me know in the comments or reach out — I’m happy to help!
Would you like me to turn this into a downloadable lead magnet PDF or add Canva template links for different planner types?