Hasta La Ideas

Artistic, astrological, design-forward approaches to the new year

Time is a strange concept—especially these days—and planning our lives can feel difficult, daunting or downright futile. But calendars and planners can provide a practical way to make the most of your time, provide a little optimism and sometimes even help you feel like a proper person. Whether you’re looking for motivation, inspiration or organization, these calendars and planners (some of which are artistic, astrological, design-forward and more) will add a little charm to planning and preparing—whether it’s remembering a birthday, a dentist appointment or an important Zoom call or looking forward to a coffee date, dinner party or a vacation.

Every Day is a New Day Calendar

Full of the experimental Dutch modernist style that Karel Martens is known and loved for, the Every Day is a New Day 2023 calendar (£30) from art book publishers Walther König features a different, abstract design for each day of the year. Martens abstracted numbers remind users that “every day is a new day” and to approach each new day as such.

Photo Calendar

Filled with images by American photographer Todd Hido, this 2023 calendar ($22) from Deadbeat Press has been limited to an edition of 1000 copies. Featuring eerie shots of seemingly liminal spaces, the calendar is spiral-bound and includes moon phase information. Each one has been hand-signed by Hido himself. 

Merakilabbe Moon Calendar

With artwork by Merakilabbe (aka Vanja Vukelic—a fine artist, writer and mentor), this cloth calendar ($68) is equal parts decor and moon-tracker. Featuring all of 2023’s moon cycles, it’s made from deadstock cotton canvas that’s printed with water-based dyes and hemmed with a Merrow-style stitch. Each one is slightly different, but measures approximately 10 by 27 inches.

Brutalist Calendar

From independent publisher Blue Crow Media and printed on heavyweight paper by a family-owned printer, the Brutalist Calendar 2023 (£25) celebrates Brutalist architecture from around the world. Made in a limited edition, the calendar’s layout and lettering perfectly match the photographs of these concrete icons. Measuring 340 by 245mm when closed and 340 by 482mm when opened, this calendar includes 12 black and white photographs.

Calendar Flip Clock

Available in six colors (white, black, gray, yellow, orange or red) the Calendar Flip Clock QD-35 ($259) is manufactured in Hong Kong by one of the only remaining flip-clock manufacturers, TWEMCO, which was founded in 1968. The retro perpetual calendar not only displays the day, date and month, it’s also a precise clock with a German Quartz movement.

A1 Jumbo Year Planner

Bright, punchy and big, Risotto Studio’s A1 Jumbo Planner (£20) is printed on 100% recycled nautilus classic 135gsm paper. Days and dates are printed in fluorescent dye, and the calendar also features lunar phases as well as the Italian words for each month. Next year is the year of the rabbit, so there’s a bouncing bunny at the top, too.

Toiletpaper 2023 Calendar

Full of surreal, playful and off-kilter images, Toiletpaper’s 2023 calendar (€24) celebrates love in all its forms. The images—thought up by the design studio and magazine’s co-founders, Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari—range from lipstick kisses on a toilet to declarations of love at the butcher, and a man covered in scratches who is embracing his pet cats. This calendar will provide plenty of color, character and humor throughout the year.

Calendar To-Do List Pad

Created by contemporary American artist Ryan McGinness and published by Gingko Press, this calendar and list pad ($40) is an ideal addition to any work desk. Featuring new drawings by McGinness for each day, the slim yet spacious calendar comprises a lightly gridded space for handy note-taking, be it to-do lists, meeting memos or spontaneous thoughts. The pad’s box also doubles as storage, where old lists can be kept and archived.

Soho Diary with Slide Closure in Mara

From the distinguished British heritage brand Smythson, the Soho Diary with Slide Closure in Mara ($380) makes for an elevated organizational option. Wrapped in crocodile-embossed calf leather, the daily planner encompasses dates ranging from 14 November 2022 to 21 January 2024. Organized in a week-to-view layout, it also incorporates a section for notes. Made in England, the diary measures 5.5 by 7.5 inches—large enough for lengthier to-do lists but still easy to stow.

Hero image courtesy of Risotto Studio, all others courtesy of respective brands