Shopping for…daily planner/organizer

The expert: Cooper Lawrence, host of her own nationally syndicated radio show (aptly named The Cooper Lawrence Show, from Dial Global, airing weeknights 7-10pm). Author of four books, her latest is The Cult of Perfection: Make Peace with Your Inner Overachiever, published by The Globe Pequot Press.

The product: daily planner/organizer

What I want: Stylish and portable, but also durable since I am pretty hard on my stuff.

I must have: Each day set up by hour since, like most women, I have a tight schedule to keep and like to see what lies ahead in my day so I can budget my time accordingly or be prepared if something unexpected arises. Daily planners are the next best things to hiring a personal assistant and they are much cheaper!

What I hate: They make me feel untech-savvy and while I like a Blackberry, if it goes down or something gets accidentally deleted I’m in big trouble, so while a planner makes me feel like I’m in the dark ages, I find it very satisfying to write it down.

Savvy shopper: Planners are very individual so when shopping for one you need to decide ahead of time what its most important feature is for you –small so you can carry it in your overstuffed bag…a well placed address section so you can have quick and easy access to your contacts...the months laid out week-by-week or day-by-day depending on how your life is structured.

My pick: The Kate Spade “Anne” canvas personal organizer is 7.5” x 7.7” and includes a weekly and monthly calendar, tabbed sections, storage pouch and pockets ($95, www.katespade.com).

Next best thing: Day Runner Designer Classic Organizer because you can easily refill and tear out pages and go if you can’t lug around your planner. It’s 5.5” X 8.5”, features tabbed sections including undated monthly and weekly calendars and an A-Z telephone directory ($44.39, Staples).

as told to Laurie Squire