Pocket calendars are information planners that fit neatly into breast pocket found on the inside of a suit jacket. In appearance, a true pocket calendar resembles a basic checkbook. The smaller size makes it possible to easily carry the calendar in a jacket pocket, a purse, or a computer bag or briefcase without taking up much room.
The typical pocket calendar will include pages that are very similar to a wall calendar. A full month will be laid out on one or two pages, and include enough space to allow the user to write in notes on each date. This makes it possible to make quick entries regarding appointments, special days to remember, or any other data that the user wishes to record. Some calendars of this type will cover a total or fourteen months, making it possible to begin selling and using the calendar at the end of one year and for the entire following calendar year.
However, the contents of the average pocket calendar do not end with smaller calendar month pages. Many of these also serve as a day planner, and include other pages to record information such as travel expenses and mileage, a listing of major holidays, and even sections for mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. These handy pocket planners and calendars keep a great deal of information in a small binding, making it easy to pull them out and consult or enter new information when needed.
While the pocket calendar continues to be a useful tool for many people, the advent of portable technology has cut into the market for pocket calendars somewhat. All the same functions can be handled with calendar and planner software that are included in handheld devices such as cellular phones, and in software included on laptop computers. In addition, these modern electronic options can hold much more information than the simple pocket calendar, making them more attractive to people with busy lives.
Still, there appears to be no danger of the pocket planner and calendar disappearing any time soon. Card and stationary shops still routinely carry several different brands and models of the pocket calendar. Some are simple paper refills that fit neatly into a cover that may be plain or sport an image of some sort. Others versions include pages that are professionally bound to the front and back cover and feature gold gilding on the edges of the sheets. The diversity in materials used to create various brands of the pocket calendar make it possible to purchase inexpensive types that are functional, or more elaborate and costly versions that look impressive as well as providing space to records all sorts of information.