I have a bit of a confession, although to anyone who writes or journals may be in the same predicament. I have a hoarding problem. I have more notebooks and notebook covers that I can possibly use.
I’m a bit of a paper snob when I comes to what I use to write in and to house my notebooks. If I’m not happy with the paper, I won’t use them and they will be banished to the book of discarded notebooks. The notebooks I prefer to use are from Hobonichi, Moleskine, Sterling Ink and Stalogy. As for covers, I’m a little less of a snob. I do, however prefer covers from Chic Sparrow, Documented Journey, Handstitched Leather T and Travelers Company. The covers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors and materials and give me the freedom to change things up a bit when I get bored with how things “look”.
Rather than talk about my entire collection (let’s be honest, no one has time for that), I thought I’d share my current line-up. These are the notebooks I am using on a daily basis. Is it a lot? Quite possibly, but these are the things that keep me sane and organized.
Tarot Journal // In the past, my tarot journals have ended up being way too complicated and more than I was able to keep up with on a consistent basis. This year, I moved it from a B6 Stalogy into a Sterling Ink compact weeks planner. I have enough space to jot down key words for my daily tarot draws and space for larger readings in the back. What I like the most about keeping this kind of journal, is that it helps me learn the key points of the cards without getting bogged down by ALL the possible meanings are interpretations the card could have for that particular day.
Daily Journal // I have kept a journal since I was in high school. I have boxes of them! These notebooks house my hopes and fears. They are filled with all kinds of rants, stories, recaps of events and everything else I needed to get out of my brain but wasn’t necessarily willing or reading to share with anyone. My current journal is also from Sterling Ink. I am in love with the paper in these notebooks. It makes writing an absolute joy. This travelers notebook cover also houses my dream journal (that is still a work in progress) and a notebook for fun quotes, song lyrics, ideas from other than I hear along the way.
Daily Planner // I also refer to this as my second brain. I have Notion. I use an Outlook Calendar. And Google rules the planning on my phone. But if I don’t write things down, they don’t stick. All the digital reminders don’t help either. So, I go “old school” and I love it! I don’t know how many years I have used the Hobonichi weeks for my planning, but’s its small and compact and makes sure I am where I need to be and when!
Work Bullet Journal // If you’re familiar with the Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll, this set up should sound familiar. If you’re not, it’s essentially a notebook that keeps you organized by creating daily tasks via bullet points, lists and daily reminders. It’s a system that is completely customizable to what you need and is able to be adjusted as your needs to change. I have used this set up for the last 4 or 5 years and it has made a such a difference in my productively at work and ability to stay on top of tasks and project I need to get done.
School Bullet Journal // I will be using the same system for school that I use for work, as I am heading back to college. My hope is that sticking with the bullet journal method for school will help me stay organized and on top of my assignments as I adjust to life as a student, again.
What kind of notebooks or planners to do you like to use for planning and writing? I love to hear about your favorite brands or types of paper to write on.
Happy writing!