r/notebooks • • Jul 09 '26

"What can I do with this notebook?"

174 Upvotes

This is a pretty common question in subs like this. Either someone received a new notebook as a gift, or they couldn't help themselves from buying a new one, or they have a partially used notebook they want to fill.

Or they're trying to figure out what to do with the massive stack they've accumulated after years of "I'll find a use for this" and allowing that as justification to keep buying more... Ahem.

Beyond the normal "Just write in it, use it as a diary," here's some ideas on what you could do with an unused or unfinished notebook:

  • Commonplace / zibaldone journal
  • Brain dump / soliloquy journal
  • Quotes / lyrics / poetry
  • Media / entertainment tracker (Movies, tv shows, games, etc)
  • Bullet journal (method for a DIY daily planner, get started here)
  • To-do lists
  • All kinds of lists (e.g., "lists of 100" like "100 things you saw this week")
  • Gratitude
  • Grievances (the opposite of gratitude, what bothered you today)
  • Idea notebook
  • Quick thoughts
  • Art (Sketches / drawings / zentangles)
  • Dream log
  • The Artist's Way Morning Pages
  • Travel journal
  • Things you've learned
  • Bucket list / goals
  • Unsent letters
  • Dedicated handwriting practice
  • RPG journaling (there's games you can find online for it and r/Solo_Roleplaying)
  • Food or drink tracker, such as keeping track of teas you've tried
  • Things you overheard that are worth remembering
  • People you meet
  • Funny facts
  • Gaming journal
  • Language practice

Added since I made this post-

  • Keep track of plants/gardening
  • Master index for all your journals
  • Project tracker
  • Hobby tracker
  • A place to write down memories and stories from your life
  • Memories of friends and family
  • Review places you go
  • Homeowner notes like chores, bills, and when things need to be fixed/replaced
  • A journal to give your child(ren) someday, such as letters to them and their milestones
  • Notes and milestones for pets
  • Things like tarot or shadow work
  • Swatches (ink, yarn, embroidery thread, ribbon, washi tape, etc)
  • Scent tracker (perfume/cologne, would not suggest attempting to store the actual scents in there)
  • General feelings
  • Chronic pain tracker
  • Prayer/devotional journal
  • "Practice" journal to get thoughts out before actual journaling
  • Distractions when you should've been doing something else

Feel free to suggest more in the comments.


r/notebooks • • 20h ago

Made this sketchbook for my SIL

311 Upvotes

And I still can't get over the design of the Florentine paper I used for the cover 😍 If you have an affinity for stationary products and paper in general, I do not recommend getting into bookbinding.

It has become an expensive hobby 🤣 and I am running out of places to store handmade paper.


r/notebooks • • 2h ago

DIY Just another Louise carmine diy

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11 Upvotes

So I felt like I was outgrowing my TN and my techo was feeling cramped. Wanted something a little bigger for my daily journal so I went with a MIDORI A5. Well I needed a cover for it so I threw this one together in an afternoon.


r/notebooks • • 6h ago

Notebook Share My first pocket notebook I wrote the periodic table of elements

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14 Upvotes

lol my first pocket notebook I bought I wrote the entire periodic table of elements because Boy Scouts are always prepared and really because I was practicing my writing


r/notebooks • • 2h ago

Need help finding a durable journal cover

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5 Upvotes

Hi guys, first time posting in this sub. This past year I have really dedicated myself to journaling and have done a lot of trial and error with which journals/ecosystems best meet my needs.

With that being said, I am looking for a DURABLE journal cover that can hold up to four A5 notebooks. I use midori and regular inserts I buy off of Amazon for self study and work. I have a journal right now with two strings and it’s perfect for holding two journals but I would like to expand to something chunkier so I can keep my journals on me at all times. Please send recommendations.

I am also ALL about aesthetics. I am obsessed with the clear vinyl covers from cloth and paper and also forma & folio. Just ordered an A5 journal cover from this latter brand but I am worried it will be too flimsy

Picture of current journal for attention 😅


r/notebooks • • 7h ago

Do you keep track of the coffees you’ve liked? I made a pocket log for it

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10 Upvotes

I kept having the same problem: I’d have a great cup at a café or finish a bag I loved, and a month later I couldn’t remember the roaster, the origin, or what I’d done to make it taste that good.

So I made myself a small coffee log, and I’ve started selling them in my Etsy shop. Each page covers one coffee: roaster, origin, process, and roast date. There’s a box for brew numbers (dose, water, ratio, grind, temp, time), quick 5-point scales for acidity, body, sweetness, and bitterness, tasting notes, and a “buy again?” checkbox. It works for café visits too, since half my best cups weren’t brewed by me. The inside cover has starting ratios and grind sizes for the common methods, plus a short list of flavor words for when I’m stuck on “what do I taste?”

It’s 3.5 × 5.375, so it actually fits in a pocket. That was the point, because I’d never carry a full-size journal to a coffee shop.

Curious how other people do this. Do you log your coffees at all? Notebook, app, a note on your phone, or just memory? And if you do, what’s the one field you’d never skip?


r/notebooks • • 14h ago

DIY Made this notebook from scrap cardboard, loose leaf paper and an art print. Not the best but it's mine and am proud.

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22 Upvotes

r/notebooks • • 16h ago

Notebooks in Pop Culture Cuaderno inspirado en la película Guardianes de la galaxia.

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23 Upvotes

Groot como protagonista. En esta tapa grabada a mano. Tintas al alcohol y terminaciones para proteger el cuero.


r/notebooks • • 4h ago

Recommendation Journal brand recommendations?

2 Upvotes

The brand I used for 4 years stopped selling the type of journal I liked and now I’m stuck trying to find a new one as someone who is SUPER picky. I love a journal that has paper that is thick enough for ink to not bleed through, is not wide ruled, is hard cover and is durable. I don’t want anything too big or too small, just an average or slightly larger than average size. I’ve been using moleskine since the beginning of this year and it is a super durable and sleek journal with nicely spaced lines, but the paper is very thin. When I want to make charts or use highlighters, it just looks ugly.

I have been journaling since age 8 consistently so I need something that is popular enough that I know it won’t just stop selling journals, something I can use for the rest of my life honestly. If anyone has similar preferences and loves a specific brand let me know! I’m willing to buy something pricey if it’s going to be one I love.


r/notebooks • • 18h ago

Advice needed How do you keep work and personal notes in the same notebook?

27 Upvotes

I use one notebook for pretty much everything: weekly planning, personal stuff (journaling, junk journaling, wishlists, trackers, etc.) and work stuff (meeting notes, brainstorming, project notes, etc.).

The thing is, whenever I'm at work, I'm worried that my colleagues might accidentally see my personal pages. My work notes are super plain and colourless, but my personal pages are full of colours, washi tape and stickers (ie very unprofessional hahaha)

So I've been brainstorming some ideas for my next notebook:

- Front and back: Personal notes start from the front, while work notes start from the back. Eventually, they'll meet in the middle.

- Magnetic bookmarks and clips: Use them to keep the more decorated personal pages together and somewhat hidden.

- Tabs: Make it easier to jump between work and personal sections without flipping through everything.

All of these have pros and cons, and I'm not sure which would work best.

How do you deal with work notes? Do you keep separate notebooks or use just one? Any tips or clever systems you'd recommend?


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

Notebook Share My Two Worlds Colliding

158 Upvotes

I made this for a friend. The Bordeaux leather from Italy and the chocolate brown cord looks so good together. I'm tempted to cut up another leather to make myself one 😩


r/notebooks • • 16h ago

DIY Hace estos cuadernos inspirado en Cyberpunk

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8 Upvotes

Cuadernos de cuero. Retazos costura y metales son parte del diseño de la portada. En su interior hay hojas envejecidas.


r/notebooks • • 11h ago

Pen Recommendations for Midori One Year Diary

3 Upvotes

I’m having trouble with my fountain pens in this diary. Any suggestions?


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

The reason my family both hates and loves me

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302 Upvotes

My family gets overwhelmed with planning. I like to break things down and figure out what we’re doing, what we need (my mom’s famous line: “oh, do you know what we should’ve done?”), and who’s doing it. I try to anticipate my mom’s question before the event. They thank me after and get aggravated with me in the process, and that’s ok :) We started having a chili cook-off a few years ago in the fall, and they love it.


r/notebooks • • 14h ago

Advice needed What’s the notebook with the measurements of 95mm by 210mm?

3 Upvotes

I have been using a weeks (n2) journal for the past month when I came across a to do list journal I got for my wife a few months ago that was the same width as an n2 but the height of an n1 and I’m just wondering what this sizing is called and where can I get one with normal grid paper?


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

Review Leather field note cover made in BC Canada

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43 Upvotes

Got this cover to use as edc when out and about and at work . The 3*5 notebooks don’t get worn out and the loops hold a Japanese pen. It just works so well


r/notebooks • • 19h ago

Advice needed High Quality A4 Notebook

3 Upvotes

Hi, I’m looking for a new notebook for a year long project and am looking to grab a big A4 beast. Ideally I’d like something like the Smythson Portobello, unfortunately I’m not blessed with that level of budget - see here

My budget is sub £60, my requirements are -

• Soft cover
• Lays flat
• 90gsm+ (I hate ghosting and use fountain pens)
• I’d consider a B5 rather than A4 but needs plenty of room

For my day-to-day journals I use A5 Dingbats or Midori MD and have been happy with those.

Any suggestions?


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

Advice needed Replacement for Midori B6 Slim Inserts

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64 Upvotes

The Midori B6 Slim Light notebooks, the skinny ones in the 3 pack, were discontinued right around when I decided to build a system around them. Just my luck!

Has anyone else found a replacement for them yet? I've been interested in some from Muji but not sure if it's worth a big online order before trying. Sterling Ink is too pricey for how I use them, looking for under $5 each if possible.

I use lots of fountain pens, mostly fine but occasionally wider architect nibs and flex nibs.

(Obligatory note that this not my photo!)


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

Notebook Share Almost 4 years of daily use

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117 Upvotes

Annual post about my setup. ❤️

I outlined the contents last year, if you’re interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/notebooks/s/IAdnfwbzIi


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

New Notebook Cover

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15 Upvotes

I received a new a6 OxKnight notebook cover and I love it. It came in a black box with a dust bag but not IN the dust bag. It has a little of the black from the box on it but not enough to return it. What could I use to clean it?


r/notebooks • • 11h ago

Students who take paper notes: how do you include images and diagrams?

0 Upvotes

Im building sticker camera, a camera that you can edit and print stickers, and researching whether it would be useful for studying.

If you take handwritten notes, what did you do the last time you needed an image from a slide, textbook, or screen in your notebook? Did you redraw it, print it, leave it on your phone or skip it?

Id especially like to hear what you study and how often this comes up.


r/notebooks • • 2d ago

Notebook Share I couldn't find a Lochby that I could order online at an affordable price, so I got my own alternative

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241 Upvotes

Also fits my X4 perfectly!


r/notebooks • • 2d ago

I made my own trifold and notebooks

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352 Upvotes

I paid $50 for a large half shoulder of 4 - 5 oz leather (enough to make 3 x A6 and 1 x A5 trifold.

$90 for dye, conditioner, wax, soap and thread (still waiting for thread), still have some stitching to do.

It's chunky, perfectly rigid and I'm really happy with it.


r/notebooks • • 2d ago

DIY How I’ve been making pocket notebooks

1.7k Upvotes

With fabric covers bound to book cloth. Pamphlet stitch with colored waxed thread. Also a fun decorative hand-marbled sheet inside.


r/notebooks • • 1d ago

Advice needed how do you find one random note months later?

3 Upvotes

an index sounds sensible, but keeping it updated sounds like a second hobby lol.

do you use dates, tabs, page numbers, or just trust future-you to remember where things are? curious what still works once a paper notebook is properly messy, especially when one page has three unrelated things on it.