The number of things on our plate and what we do day to day may change, but calendars have consistently been a good way to keep track of it all.
In this post, we’ll share what you need to know about calendars and give you inspiration to create your own.
What Are Calendars and Why Do We Use Them?
The concept of a calendar has been around for thousands of years. The first calendars were lunar calendars, which tracked the phases of the moon and its impact on agriculture. Sun-based calendars followed, and eventually, people began to add days, months, and years.
Today, calendars are used by nearly everyone to organize their lives. Whether it’s for work, home, or personal reasons, calendar customization is an important part of life for many people. A custom calendar can help you stay organized, plan events, and track your progress toward goals.
Popular Sizes and Formats For Calendars
There are a few different sizes to consider, depending on what kind of calendar you’d like to create. A standard wall calendar is 8.5 x 11 inches, while a poster size is 16 x 20 inches, and a desk calendar is 5 x 11 inches.
Use this simple chart to find the conversion from inches to pixels for common calendars.
| Calendar type | Inches | Pixels |
| Wall | 8.5 x 11 | 816 x 1056 |
| Poster | 16 x 20 | 1536 x 1920 |
| Desk | 5 x 11 | 480 x 1056 |
| Mini | 5 x 7 | 480 x 682 |
Types of Calendars to Inspire You
Need some calendar ideas to help you figure out what to create? Check out these options and find the right one for your needs.
Best Personal Calendars
Use these calendars to stay on top of important information or events in your life.
Calendars with Pictures
Get more photos off your phone and into print by adding some of your favorite photos to your calendar. Choose a theme or select different photos for every page to find the perfect place for each picture.
Birthday Calendars
Never worry about missing someone’s special day again. Keep a calendar and document the birthdays every month. That way, you’ll always know exactly when to call or send a gift.
Advent Calendars
Holidays are times of tradition, and you can create one that’s unique to you or your family with an advent calendar.
Whether it’s notes, candy, or small gifts, you can fill an advent with whatever you’d like and open one each day as you count down to a special occasion.
Best Calendars for Work
Need a calendar to help you take note of what’s happening in your career? Stay on top of everything at work with these popular calendar concepts.
Wall Calendars
Keep a calendar in your office to note special events and any important tasks. If you design your own, you can keep it plain or switch up each page to match the seasons.
Mini Calendars
Small calendars can still have a big impact. Keep one to ensure you always know the right date. This is perfect for if you only need to reference a calendar at a glance.
Desk Calendars
Record and keep track of important dates with a calendar that’s always in your workspace. This way, you don’t miss anything important.
Creative Calendar Creation Ideas
Looking for a calendar that you can personalize more to suit your tastes? Try one of these options.
Hand-Drawn Calendars
Have complete control over your calendar by creating it by hand with the materials of your choice.
Daily, Weekly, or Monthly Calendars
If you want a little more organization in your life, you can have multiple calendar layouts to track all your important commitments.
Digital Calendars
Have all your appointments available in a single tap by keeping a digital calendar on your devices.
How to Make Calendars Using Shutterstock Create
Ready to design your own ideal calendar? Shutterstock Create makes it possible in a few simple steps.
Here’s how:
In Create, click Create new > Templates. Search “Calendar” in the Templates sidebar. Select your favorite template to preview it in the Editor.
If you don’t see any templates you like in the results, try a more specific search and more templates will appear.
Click Images > upload. Search and select stock images or upload your own. Customize further with graphics, effects, colors, and more.
Click Download on the top toolbar to export your masterpiece as a JPG or PNG.
Want to start from scratch? Just click Create New > Blank Canvas. Select from the templates listed, or type your own dimensions into the dimension boxes in the top-right corner of the blank canvas screen.
Print Options for Your Calendar
When it comes to printing, the most important things to think about are the ink and paper you choose. Select a high-quality ink and pick a paper that’s the ideal weight for calendar projects.
Typically, you’ll want a weight of between 200 to 400 grams per square meter for cover pages and 150 to 300 grams per square meter for interior pages. Having these materials on hand will ensure that your calendar comes out looking like it was professionally crafted.
Looking for more tips on how to put together a calendar that keeps you organized every day? Check out our post How to Make a Monthly Calendar for 2022 next.
License this cover image mockup via Red Confidential, oksanka007, and Seohwa Kim.
