I don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do a Cloth and Paper review and unboxing, but it’s been at least a year. What caught my attention was the apparent quality, the attention to detail, and the carefully curated collections that made planning feel even better.
So what took me so long? I’m a planner-hopper, so I rarely commit to one size for more than a few consecutive months. I’ve also been in bound books, not rings or discs, for the past several years (just different sizes). As drawn to the company as I was, we weren’t compatible. Still, the itch to give them a try persisted. Now that I’ve finally tried Cloth and Paper, I almost want to change my habits and try harder to find planner peace in personal rings (or even A5 rings).
Bottom Line Up Front: Worth It?
Absolutely! But with one caveat…
If you’re not into rings or discs when it comes to planners and prefer book-bound ones, you’ll probably have a hard time making use of what’s in the box.
This is for you if you love planning in rings or disc-bound planners and want simple, beautiful inserts and other planner accessories that combine minimalist and luxury aesthetics.
Cloth and Paper Features
You can sign up for a subscription to match the planner you already have. Choose from the following sizes:
- Pocket 6-ring punch
- A6 6-ring punch
- CP Petite 6-disc punch
- Personal 6-ring punch
- Personal wide 6-ring punch
- HP Mini 7-Disc punch
- A5 6-ring punch
- A5 unpunched
- Half-letter 8-disc punch
- Half-letter unpunched
- HP Classic 9-disc punched
Each subscription box has eight to 12 items in it.
New to the planning/stationery world? There’s also a Beginner Bundle option if you’re starting from scratch and still need a planner.
If the beginner bundle is not what you’re looking for, you can even create a custom planner. That way, you’ll have a solid foundation and make sure you have exactly what you need but nothing you don’t want. From there, you can choose a subscription box to complement your design.
You can sign up for one, three, or six months at a time. You save a little money when you choose a longer subscription (prices range from $42.00 to $45.00 per box).
The style across the brand is clean, minimalist, and neutral.
Even if you decide the subscription box isn’t the perfect fit for your needs, it’s worth taking a peek at the shop.
Cloth and Paper Pros
- You can get a subscription for just about any ring or disc planner size you want to use.
- The timeline is clear, and they followed through on it–the box shipped and arrived within the given timeframe.
- Because of the minimalist, clean vibe, you can keep that throughout your planner or add to it to express your personality without clashing with a premade design.
- Not a fan of monthly charges? You can sign up for several months at a time–out of sight, out of mind. You’ll need to remember you’ll be charged again in three or six months and make any changes you need to ahead of time.
- Free US shipping
- Quality items you’ll actually use (none of it felt like fluff to me)
- There’s even an A6 option, which is less widely available than some sizes.
Cloth and Paper Cons
- I’d like to see Franklin Covey Compact size inserts and dividers.
- There might be better fits than this if you want something beyond functional planner items (decorative stickers, for example).
- This is a small thing, but I’d like to see a yearly subscription option. It’d be expensive to pay for all the boxes up front. Still, I like the idea of setting a subscription up at the beginning of the year and then only needing to think about it again when the following year rolls around.
My Cloth and Paper Review & Unboxing Experience
My Cloth and Paper review and unboxing experience was as smooth as the paper they print on and as fuss-free as their aesthetic. It was just what I expected it to be.
Ordering
The Subscription Box
Signing up for the subscription box was easy. All I did was click the subscription page, choose the Month to Month option, and then select a planner size from the dropdown menu. Because I signed up for the November subscription box, I got the A5 spiral bound planner with accessories they paired with it. Usually, everything in your box will match the planner size you choose from the menu.
Penspiration
When I clicked subscribe, the option to add the Penspiration subscription to the order popped up as an upgrade. It was tempting–I love getting new pens, pencils, highlighters, and similar supplies–but I declined. It would’ve taken my monthly price up to $54.99. That’s a reasonable price and less than some other options on the market. Still, I need to use up some of the supplies I already have before I sign up for a monthly subscription.
Non-Subscription Purchases
Regarding any extras you may want to order from Cloth & Paper to go with your planner, I recommend grabbing them as soon as possible because they sell out. I’ve missed out on a couple of things in the time I’ve admired the brand.
Whether you’re ready for a subscription box or not, you can pick up inserts, dividers, highlighters, notebook covers, discs for disc-bound planners, dashboards, sticker sets, sticky notes, and more.
Pricing
Pricing is the same per box, no matter which planner size you choose. The price depends on how many months you’d like to pay for at one time:
- 1 month: $45.00 per box (this is the one I selected)
- 3 months: $43.00 per box
- 6 months: $42.00 per box
Unless you cancel, your subscription will renew at the interval you choose.
Packaging
The box is a sleek representation of what’s in the box–neutral colors, minimalist style. It was black with white writing, compact, with a lid I could lift up. The design felt classy and set the stage for the items inside.
Items inside the box were individually wrapped in clear plastic for protection. I liked that I could easily see what everything was as soon as I pulled the items out of the box.
There was even a canvas bag to protect the planner.
Shipping and Delivery
As with most subscription boxes, there’s a delay between when the order is placed and when the box ships. There were just over two weeks between the day I placed my order and when it was out for delivery.
You’ll see when you can expect your order to ship when you sign up. You could be waiting more or less time than I did, based on when you place the order.
What Was in the Box
Here’s a quick rundown of what I got.
2024 Spiral Bound Planner
I think they only offer these in the November box, so you’ll have time to get it ready to go for January. However, what’s in the planner will give you a good idea of how the inserts and other accessories look.
Semicircle Stickers (4 Sheets, Manuka Shade)
Oblong Sticky Note in Earl Grey (Matte)
This is the first thing I used. It’s not your average sticky note because of the shape. It also sticks to paper very well and is easy to write on.
Cadence Top Tab Planner Dividers (Low Profile, Matte)
These are sturdy, and I can see them lasting through the whole year without too much wear and tear. They’re labeled Today, This Week, and This Month.
Cloth & PaperClip Duo (Manuka Shade)
Magnetic clips you can use to group pages together or tuck a special photo away in your planner without the need to punch holes in it. One is glossy, and the other’s matte, but they’re the same gold shade.
Arrow Page Flags (Matte, Three Shades: Ash, Stone, and Cafe Noir)
To/From Giftable Hangtag, January 2024 Pop-Up Calendar, and Receipt Journaling Card
You can use the tag on a gift to someone special or keep it in your planner. The pop-up calendar will look cute on a desk, and the receipt journaling card is a nice way to decorate your planner without disrupting the soothing neutral palette.
Quality
I have zero complaints about the quality of the items I received. The paper is smooth and thick. The sticky notes grab onto the paper and stay in place.
A lot of thought and care went into the planner layout. I wouldn’t usually choose a spiral-bound planner, but the cover encloses it and prevents it from snagging on things if you need to toss it in your bag. The monthly and weekly layouts are well-organized and as universally useful as a planner layout can be, with empty spaces, grids, and unlabeled, lined areas.
Undoubtedly, the same amount of care and planning goes into everything else.
Subscription Management
It’s easy to manage or cancel your Cloth & Paper subscription inside your account. No hassle. You’ll get an email confirmation if you cancel.
Other Options to Consider
- Sterling Ink: I bought one subscription box to try everything out at a discount and then kept buying individual items throughout 2023 because the washi stickers worked so well with my B6 Sterling Ink Common Planner. I stuck with that one more than any other planner in 2023 (though I still did a lot of planner-hopping). I loved the washi sticker option for the dates and days of the week. You could use these with any planner. There’s a mix of decorative and functional stickers. Outside of the subscription, you can buy planners, notebooks, paper for binders with rings, and washi tapes that complement the sticker sets. The paper is very thin (Tomoe River) but handles fountain pen ink well.
- Jane’s Agenda: Here, there are three planner box subscriptions to choose from. Depending on your preferred box, you can get 3, 9+, or 12+ items per month. Suppose the minimalist vibe differs from what you’re going for this year. In that case, this one’s worth a look (some items have color and busier patterns). Sizes include A5 rings, half-letter unpunched, and disc-bound in mini, junior, classic, and letter.
- Goldmine & Coco: You can sign up for a planning and journaling kit (the two go hand-in-hand!) here. You can find colorful washi, functional stickers, decorative stickers, planner dashboards, beautiful paper, and more inside the kit. You can purchase a spiral-bound planner separately on the site or use the planning and journaling items in your notebook or planner of choice.
- NOTIQ: This isn’t a subscription box, but the style resembles Cloth & Paper’s. You can get inserts of various sizes with a mostly-minimal look. Some of these pages are slightly busier and more ornate than what you’ll find at Cloth & Paper, but there’s still plenty of room for self-expression if you choose to add color. There are journal cards and affirmation cards you can tuck inside your planner to remind you why you’re planning the way you are and that it’s always worth moving forward with your goals.
- Peanuts Planner Co.: I’ve been printing these inserts myself to give ring-bound planners another chance. This isn’t a subscription box, but you can get minimalist-style inserts of all kinds in almost any size of ring planner you can think of, and you can print them yourself or have them shipped to you. Other planner accessories, like sticky notes, acetate, and dividers, are also available.
FAQs
Question: Where is Cloth & Paper located?
Answer: Richmond, Virginia
Question: How long does Cloth & Paper take to ship?
Answer: If it’s a subscription, that depends on when you place the order versus when they expect to ship the next month’s boxes. For everything else, they usually ship within two business days.
Their shipping policy states that it could take up to 12 business days in some cases, like holidays or when they’re launching a new product.
Question: Who is the owner of Cloth & Paper?
Answer: Ashley Reynolds. She started the business in 2015 when she couldn’t find a planner that met her needs.
Conclusion: Will I Keep the Subscription? Should You Try It?
Because I’m such a planner-hopper, I’m not keeping the subscription long-term. However, that doesn’t mean I’m saying goodbye to Cloth & Paper (I admire the quality and aesthetics too much for that). I’ll be popping back in here and there for planner inserts and accessories when I’m in a planner that works with their offerings.
If I can find planner peace in the personal size or A5 rings, I’ll likely sign back up for several months. (I’m currently in the personal size as far as ring-bound planners go, but I prefer using Franklin Covey Compact inserts over the personal size for the extra width right now.)
If you plan to stay in one planner, it’s worth considering the subscription. The quality is there, and everything I got was actually useful (no fluff to make the box look full!).
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