When shopping for calendars, it will quickly become apparent that there is no ‘one size fits all’ option.
There are a variety of calendar sizes available to suit the varying needs of the user, though fortunately, there are a range of standard sizes which have been adopted to make choosing a calendar a little easier.
Here we will look at the standard calendar sizes available and how they can be used. Find below a drawing with specific details for some popular calendar types.
Calendar Size Considerations
When buying a calendar, there are two things you need to consider when it comes to size, which will help you choose which type of calendar works best for you.
Writing space
If you need space to write all of your important dates, along with upcoming events and reminders, then you’ll want a calendar that can accommodate this.
Many people use their calendar as a diary, noting down birthdays of family and friends, appointment times, to-do lists, and vacation dates. If you choose a small calendar, then the chances are that you aren’t going to have enough space to write down what you need to.
Display space
The space that the calendar occupies needs to be considered because if you don’t have space to accommodate it, then you simply aren’t going to use it.
If you have minimal wall space or you don’t like to have clutter with decorations on your walls, then a desk calendar is a good option. However, if you are a large and busy family who needs a shared calendar to keep them on track, then dedicate a space in the kitchen to a large calendar.
Calendar Types and Sizes
Wall calendar
A wall calendar is a calendar that will be hung on a vertical surface. Typically this will be a wall, but you could also hang it on a fridge using a magnetic clip or pin it to a noticeboard. The wall calendar comes in three standard sizes these are 5.5 inches by 8 inches, 8.5 inches by 11 inches, and 12 inches by 12 inches.
A wall calendar will typically be used in an open format, making its total surface size even larger. Imagine a book in an open position, then turn the book on its side and hang it up; this gives you the idea of how a wall calendar works.
For the smallest size of wall calendar, 5.5 inches by 8 inches, when being used in its open position, the total surface size of the calendar will be 11 inches by 8 inches.
Ordinarily, the uppermost page which is being displayed will have an image or photograph on it, while the lower page will be filled with squares and dates where you can write reminders.
The medium-sized wall calendar of 8.5 inches by 11 inches will have a folded-out open size of 8.5 inches by 22 inches. This works great for displaying portrait-size images across both pieces of paper, for example, a skyscraper landscape or a head-to-toe family shot.
The total size is the amount of space the calendar will take up when it is displayed, so before you buy a wall calendar, you should consider the open measurements against the area you want to display the calendar to make sure there is enough room.
The largest standard size of wall calendar is a square 12 inches by 12 inches. This type of wall calendar will fold out to a total size of 12 inches by 24 inches, with one page displaying an image and the other page displaying a square table for you to fill in with important dates and reminders.
Desk calendar
The standard size of a desk calendar is 5 inches by 11 inches, though you can find smaller options available if you have limited desk space to work with.
This calendar has a back page that folds out to create a stand so that the calendar is freestanding and doesn’t require any wall space or fixings to be used.
When the calendar is open, the size will not change since only one page of the calendar will be viewed at a time. Due to this, if you want images displayed on your desk calendar, then it means the space for dates is going to be quite small.
Typically, a desk calendar is there so that the user can quickly see the dates in a month, rather than being used as a diary to note down memorable dates and reminders. Some people may cross off the days as they pass with a marker, or highlight important dates with a-colored pen or a circle around the date, for example, their vacation days.
Poster calendar
A poster calendar is a larger calendar that many people may remember having when they were a child or a teenager. These types of calendars are used as more of a monthly-changing poster rather than a calendar, as a means of expressing your taste or things that you are interested in.
A poster calendar will typically feature large images and a smaller area where the dates are listed. In some cases, the dates might be set into rows allowing you to write down important reminders, or they might be in a square table.
A poster calendar will usually be held together by a spiral wire at the top, which has been shaped in the middle so that it can hang from a screw or a hook on the wall.
A poster calendar is usually quite large, but as only one page is displayed at a time, it actually won’t take up much more space than an average wall calendar.
The standard sizes for a poster calendar are 16 inches by 20 inches and 20 inches by 30 inches. These types of calendars are usually-themed.
For example, you might find a calendar that has a photograph of a different puppy for each month of the year or a different photo of your favorite musician. You can also create your own custom poster calendars with family photographs, and these make great gifts.
