10 Ways to Use A Blank Notebook
Brand new notebooks are so exciting, don’t you agree? They are a blank canvas that you can transform into anything you want.
I love notebooks and might be slightly addicted to all notebooks, journals, pens, markers…etc. You get the idea, basically, school supply time is my Christmas. But, what do you do when you find yourself staring at a stack of notebooks three feet tall? Use them of course!
Here are some great ideas to get you started…
10 Ways to Use Notebooks
Project Journal – Some people find it difficult to plan their ideas and organize their thoughts. This is where a project journal can come in handy. Use it for planning a high-level overview of the goals and objectives of your project, as well as the tasks required to complete it.
This journal is a place for reflection, planning, and organizing thoughts about your project. It should be used as a place where ideas are captured before they are forgotten or lost.
Holiday Journal – Record family traditions, meal plans, favorite recipes, etc. For the last 5 years, I’ve been creating a December memories scrapbook. I include pictures and journaling from each day. It’s great to look back at past years as I’m getting ready to start a new scrapbook.
I’m even more excited this year because my oldest grandson
Home Journal – Journal about decorating ideas and DIY projects. Include clippings, cut-outs, paint samples, and color pallets. When I was a teenager I used to have a notebook chock full of sketches, notes, ideas, and pictures I would find in magazines like Seventeen, YM (Young Miss), and Sassy…does anyone remember that one? It was one of my faves. Somewhere along my travels, that notebook disappeared but now I have one for my whole home and not just my bedroom.
Gardening Journal – Include garden layout ideas, photos and sketches, doodles, favorite plants, and information about them including planting and care tips.
Keep a record of how well, or how bad, your garden did during the season that way when you’re getting ready to start planting you can look back and see what worked and what didn’t in previous years.
Fitness Journal – Record your goals, format your plans and track your progress. Write about how your workout went - is there something you want to change next time? Write about the path you took on your walk or run - was it too short/far or did you see anything interesting along the way?
Creative Business Planning Journal – If you want to start a business or already have one, keeping a business journal can be a great benefit. I use mine to plan out ideas and get my thoughts organized.
I record any notes or random thoughts that pop into my head so I don’t forget them. It’s also where I record my weekly/monthly/annual goals and the action steps I need to take to achieve them. Basically, anything that concerns my business gets written in this journal.
Positive Affirmations Journal – Fill this notebook with your favorite quotes and affirmations. Write in it daily to remind yourself that you are worthy of everything you desire or create a type of reference guide with all of your favorites and read from it daily.
Love and Romance Journal – Journal about all the things you love about your significant other. Include special memories, dates, or anything you don’t want to forget.
Another idea is to have a journal that you and your partner share. You can write each other love letters or to help work through an issue that is too difficult to talk about.
Current Events Journal – Each day choose an article from the newspaper and journal about your opinion on the topic. This is a long-time favorite of mine, ever since high school when we had to keep a current events notebook for history class.
Lately, I’ve been writing about current events in my daily journal. I still include a photo or text from the article and my opinion on the topic. There definitely isn’t a lack of articles since there has been so much going on in the news recently.
Poetry Journal – Fill it with your favorite poems. Include the entire poem or just a quote. Journal about why they’re your favorite and what you love most about them.
BEFORE YOU GO:
JOURNALING SUPPLIES I RECOMMEND
Even though you only need a pen and paper, here are some of my favorite journaling supplies if you want to check them out:
I like to use a few different notebooks for journaling but my favorite is this Leuchtturm1917 Softcover. I prefer the squared pages but you can also get the dot grid, lined, or blank formats.
If you would rather use a spiral binding, these notebooks are the best! I love that they come in a three-pack so I always have an extra one on hand. These are also squared format but I think they are available in line and dot grid too.
To be honest, my go-to pen is a simple, classic black Bic but when I want something a little fancier I use either use these Muji Gel Pens or these Micron Sakura Pigma.
Get creative with your journaling and add some Washi Tape, Stickers, or if you’re artistic you can draw your own doodles.
Sometimes I like to add photos to my journaling and over the years I’ve tried a bunch of different printers. I started out using this Fujifilm Instax Mini but it wasn’t very practical to carry around all the time. Since the quality was so much better when I use my phone for pictures I decided to splurge on the Canon Ivy Mini Printer. It connects directly to my phone through the app and easily prints on 2x3 sticker photo paper that I can add right to my journal page instantly.
I want to also mention that you can also try digital journaling if that’s more your style. All you need is your phone and the notes app.
THE ULTIMATE LIST OF PRODUCTS, APPS, TOOLS, AND RESOURCES I USE ON A DAILY BASIS
Here are a few more posts you might like:
Printing Tips:
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