It's pretty ironic that as a designer and artist first I create something that is completely void of design elements. Unico was the brainchild of my very rare need to see function first, then design. As any artist can tell you, it's very hard to do that instinctually. Creatives like to look at cool stuff but so often that cool stuff is hardly functional.
First, a little backstory:
It always seemed like I was trying to fit my life into other people's aesthetics when it came to digital planning. As time went on (close to 3 years) I kept buying planner after planner, thinking that it was the one. That didn't last long! Some were very nice to look at, but felt bloated with a lot of features I didn't need. Then came the dreaded pressure to use all of the various templates to justify the purchase. Soon things felt overwhelming due to lack of time or interest to update everything. It felt like a thankless chore. I threw the idea of a planner to the side for a few weeks. Found a new planner. Rinse and repeat.
That process got really old, really fast. I was dealing with constant work responsibilities, moving, organizing, volunteering, and so on. I didn't have time or energy to dedicate it to sitting down uninterrupted to fill in endless templates over every little aspect of life. I understand the need for it, but they weren't my needs.
And that's how the Unico planner was born.
That's not to say there aren't any great digital planners out there, but in trying to do everything I wound up with nothing. I needed the basics and then, if I wanted to, I'd add onto it if I felt like it.
Unico is void of design because oftentimes colors and designs distract you from the task at hand. You have to stick to specific colors, fonts, and element choices. Now instead of reminding yourself that Sunday is laundry day the moment you open your planner, you're stuck having to change pen settings in your app, seeing if you have any stickers that match your planner, choosing fonts that don't look weird against the planner defaults, and so on. Without realizing or wanting, you just created another thing to do. Big no no.
The tone of this first post is not to sound cynical but to inspire hope in finding "planner peace". Every element within the planner was created thoughtfully with the goal to accomplish everything life throws at you. It has definitely helped me stay on track and more grounded than ever. Hope it helps you out as well!