Washi tape is one of the easiest ways to make a planner spread feel more finished, and you don't need any special skill to use it well. If you've got a roll sitting in a drawer and aren't sure where to start, here are ten simple ways to put it to work.
1. Frame your week
Run a strip of tape along the top or side of your weekly spread to create a clean border. Our Moon and Star Holographic Foil Washi Tape adds a subtle shimmer that catches the light without overwhelming the page.
2. Divide your days
Use short strips as dividers between days or sections instead of drawing lines by hand. It's faster, and it looks more polished than pen lines ever will.
3. Underline your headers
Lay a strip under a handwritten header or title to make it stand out. The Pastel Bow Washi Tape works especially well here since the soft print doesn't compete with your handwriting.
Moon and Star Holographic Foil
Pastel Bow Washi Tape
4. Create a washi tape "tab"
Fold a short strip of tape over the edge of a page so half sticks to the front and half to the back. Instant page tab, no extra supplies needed, and it's fully removable if you change your mind on placement.
5. Cover a mistake
Crossed out a date or made a stray pen mark? A strip of tape hides it instantly and looks intentional instead of like a cover-up. Our Pink Bow Washi Tape is soft enough to blend into most spreads.
6. Mark a habit tracker row
Instead of drawing a grid by hand, lay a strip of tape along the row you want to track and add checkmarks or stickers on top. It doubles as a visual anchor so the row is easy to find at a glance.
7. Border your monthly spread
A strip of seasonal tape along the top of a monthly layout is a quick way to signal the new month without redesigning the whole page. The Spring Tulip Silver Foil Washi Tape is a favorite for spring months especially.
Pink Bow Washi Tape
Spring Tulip Silver Foil
8. Anchor a pocket or card
Tape down the edges of a loose planner card, ticket stub, or photo directly onto a page. It holds securely without the bulk of glue and peels up cleanly if you want to move it later.
9. Build a washi tape "flag"
Fold a small piece of tape into a flag or pennant shape and use it to mark an important date. It's a quick way to make a single day pop out from the rest of the month.
10. Layer patterns for a custom look
Don't feel limited to one roll per page. Layering two or three coordinating patterns side by side is an easy way to make a spread feel custom without any advanced technique. Mixing a holographic foil with a softer pastel print is a simple combination that works in almost any color scheme.
Start your washi tape collection
Browse our full Washi Tape collection to find patterns that match your planning style, and pair them with sticker sheets or die cuts to round out your kit.
Using washi tape in a disc-bound planner
Washi tape works especially well on disc-bound pages since they lay nearly flat, so tape strips go on smoothly without a spine getting in the way near the edge. If you're building a disc-bound setup from scratch, take a look at our Planner Discs collection to find the size that matches your page count.