I can resonate with you... I have purchased a lot of Happy Planners and thought woohoo, I'll decorate each month and weekly pages with stickers galore... took me 3 years to finally sit down and find my own rhythm without getting overwhelmed in trying to decorate everything. So I found it easier for me to decorate the monthly page and decorate very minimally each week, I instead ensure I'm more productive in my weeks then focusing on creating & decorating and I'm not overwhelmed & I'm loving it. 🥰
It sounds like the Hobonichi Hon helped you figure out your own journaling style. ❤ I prefer adding pictures, ephemera and doodles to my journal spreads. It's adds something special to the written memories for me and my children when I/we go back and read them later on. But I also understand why you don't like them. For my daily- vent/stream of consciousness 2025 journal, I will use an A6 Hon that I'll toss out after the year is over and a grid notebook (currently a SI B6 that should last at least another 6 months) as my daily journal/memory planner that I'll keep forever or as long as I want to. 12:10 Planner Monkey Co has great TRP notebooks.
I love PMC notebooks! I was so tempted to leave Hobonichi in August and jump into a PMC notebook. But without it I wouldn't have learned about my style - yes absolutely.
Do you plan, journal and memory keep in the same book? Mine are separated but sometimes I feel like it's too much and I want to combine everything. Will try out options for 2025.
I've always felt that turning journalling into some sort of social stunt (not blaming the influencers and people who do it for actual joy) with store-bought emphemera and calling it "scrapbooking," buying decor for every page and having a closet for your notebook was just a way to feed overconsumerism. It starts feeling like a public chore instead of a personal hobby.
With Hobonichi I feel with you... I´ve purchased and abandomed 4 or 5 of them. I adore these designs and the paper, but I´ve been bullet journaling for far too long to go back to a planner
😅So much of what you said resonated with me. The more I watch what other people are doing becomes more restrictive to my own imagination. Not that there isn't ton of inspiration but I try and just do or try something new that helps me or that meets my needs. I agree about the flipping of pages, and how the date holds me accountable, I am definitely more of just a writer free flowing of my thoughts. Leaving the hobonichi cousin next year as well. Served me very well and I learned alot about how I want to journal as well. Thanks.
Your writing looks really beautiful even on it's own!❤ Though the decorated pages are likewise very beautiful. Anyway I totally get what you're saying, and have been having similar thoughts. I got rid of Hobonichi Cousin already this year, and started with Aura Estelle B6.
I can totally relate about getting influenced! I want to think of it as just "trying things out to see if they work for me" but I definitely stuck with things even once I knew they weren't working because I wanted them to look cute or because I felt like I *should* be doing a certain thing with certain pages / spreads in my planner! And it totally does then get stressful trying to keep up with everything that doesn't actually work for you. I realized when I was avoiding my planner that it was time to tone down the decorating and the pressure to journal in it every day, and get back to the stuff that actually fills me up, helps me make the best use of my days, manages my stress levels and adhd, and brings me joy! Thanks for sharing your journey here :)
I’m proud of you for giving daily journaling a try this year. I’ve always journaled and never considered daily journaling until finding this community and while I have moments where I’m consistent with it, it’s been an overall positive experience. I’ve always steered away from all the extra that goes into journaling (stickers, etc). I’ve just always enjoyed free writing my thoughts. I think if I were to add extras, it would need to be done ahead of time, but very minimally so that I have lots of space for the actual writing. I tried using my Makselife horizontal weekly pages for journaling this year but that didn’t last long because I like to journal in my room and it mostly lived in my kitchen - which was where I needed it for me to use the goal setting parts. So I learned I can’t use a planner for a dual purpose with journaling. If I’m going to use a planner to journal, it needs to be just for journaling. I also learned the space I had in that was not enough for how much I wanted to say. So I am considering a A6 Hobonichi. Which I’m not a fan of tomoe river paper for planning because of the ghosting, I won’t mind it for journaling. 😊
@@CreatingSelfCarePlans thanks much for sharing! It’s def a journey finding what works. I love Tomoe for journaling. There’s a visceral experience when my pen hits the page that adds to the moment.
This video was exactly what i needed. I kept putting myself down (lol crazy right?) for not being able to make things look nice to the point i stopped writing. I love the idea of just going back to basics. Thanks girl!
Thank you for your insights. I love the Hobonichi because I use it as a life book: I believe that having planning and journaling in the same book gives me a much better picture of what was going on in my life. Because I have a calendar column, and a few of my to-dos, I tend to journal about items that really matter rather than getting caught up in a fifth grade level "dear diary" mindset.
I'm not consistent enough with planning that I can justify the price of a Hobonichi. The A5 I bought two years ago is still lying around with a cover I love and a cover-on-cover completely untouched. The little planning/tracking I do happens in rings because that allows me to move pages around and throw them out when they're no longer needed without wrecking the binding. The paper doesn't have to be fountain pen-friendly. I can mix (undated) planner pages with dot grid and/or grid paper. I use a Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 multi pen. There's a local-to-me brand that has dated planners with Japanese paper (although they don't specify which brand) in A6, B6, and A5 with cloth covers for a fraction of Hobonichi products. They also offer clear covers and pencil boards. I thought I'd use a Weeks more than I ended up doing this year after being way more consistent in similarly sized planners that cost less than three dollars a pop from a local stationery store for two years. I'm still tempted to give it another go because I saw a very cute cover. I have all of Q4 to think it over. I like fountain pen-friendly 5mm grid paper for long-form journaling in undated B6 hardcover journals best with A5 being a close second. It gives me the flexibility to write as much or as little on any given day. I have a stash of LT1911 (both 90gsm and 120gsm) in A5 and a couple of local fp-friendly hardcover journals in B6. Some people have complained about ghosting and feathering on LT paper, but it's worked fine for me. I only used washi tape to create columns and a few stickers. The local journals have fairly absorbent paper which is good for lefties. It doesn't bring out all the ink qualities, but I'll take that over inky fingers and smudged writing. I have more than enough supplies for 2025 and need to make a dent in my stash.
@@sujeyplans7720 Thank you. That's very kind of you to say so. I feel it's so easy to get caught up in the hype leading up to the annual launch and then FOMO. I see a similar phenomenon in the fountain pen community where some brands are known for dropping LE pens (Sailor and PenBBS, I'm looking at you!) that cause feeding frenzies. I must admit I did get the Hobonichi shopping bug last year when I saw A6 and Weeks covers that made me want (not need!) them. At least, they'll keep and I have all the time to decide if I want to resell them at a later date.
I definitely ended up falling into trying the trend of making things look pretty when I first started. Just like you, I found it to be exhausting and difficult to keep up with. Now I simply use a thick pocket-sized plain graph notebook with tomoe river paper in a traveler's notebook cover for all of my work planning. I've been missing writing on a daily basis, but I knew I didn't want to get a hobonichi again because I don't need the weekly spreads and I don't like the wasted space from the quote on the bottom of the daily pages. I decided for 2025 I'll try the Midori Hibino. It has tomoe river paper and 2 page spreads per day in an A6 size which seems perfect to me. I'll still keep the pocket TN for work planning, but I will daily journal in the Hibino. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, a lot of them resonated with me!
I'm so glad you could see yourself in some of this! The Hibino sounds like a great transition. How the community influences us is important to pay attention to. How we've learned form it is most important.
I am trying the Hobonichi cousin after 10+ of using the happy planner i totally understand we should enjoy our journaling or planners I am going to be changing my set up as well feeling less pressure to have that set up that may take me more time than I have. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I really find your reason valid!!! I have been influenced many times and waisted so much money on journals 😢 but once I got back to just writing and not caring that the pen isn’t fountain or a certain color the freedom and love of the hobby returned!!!❤❤❤
Love this video! Sort of same intentions, but I'm staying with Hobonichi. A6 for daily pure script journal, and weeks for cutesy entries, memory keeping, trackers and more 😊
Absolutely loved this and your insights! I tried to merge my photo memory keeping in my A5 HON journal and couldn’t keep up with it and I found I like a separate journal for that too. I also love how you split it all out! I tried to consolidate but found I like things separate too!
There is just something about a place for everything and everything in its place! I compartmentalize all of my planning and now its moved into my journaling as well. Its a personal preference you should lean into - although I just warned everyone about influence LOL
Yessss! It’s funny also because I’ve tried out many systems and ways but sometimes it takes someone else to say it or shine light on it and that’s when it clicks too! Sooo glad I found you here!
Thanks for sharing your journaling experiences with Hobonichi. Sometimes you have to experiment with different formats, whether it's a notebook style or layout. I'm glad you've found a solution that works for you.
I went over the top with my hobonichi purchases this year. What happens when I watch so many unboxings. However, a lot of what I’ve bought are covers and they at least last. I’m enjoying the hon cousin this year so went for the gingham cover which is a bit smaller and thinner so I can enjoy swapping covers. My cousin is a catch-all. Pages I miss I go back to fill with all sorts and I use the index to track those items. I’m not a huge ephemera user but enjoy a sticker here and there. Your written pages look beautiful, I agree there is something about the simplicity of pen and paper. Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas.
I also chose to separate my daily journaling from my ephemera/memory keeping. I found it was getting difficult to keep up with journaling my thoughts because I wanted the memory keeping part of the journal to look pretty like in the videos/posts we would see from the community. Thank you so much for sharing!
Yes! I felt the same! It was robbing me of the joy of both those things in trying to bring them together. I appreciate you sharing as well! Its nice to know others have experienced this.
Pen and paper with a few added stickers/washi to me looks beautiful. I love the simplicity and it just looks clean and elegant. I'm not influenced by other creators with all the ephemera etc. I just recently learned for myself i can't write with the bulk underneath. Example i added a card from a few days ago and the slightest bump because its not a flat surface is driving me nuts. Plus like you I have an A5 HON so i don't like the thickness of a book bound. And yes i like switching my covers.
I am very much a decorative planner/journaler. I understand your choice. For me, who enjoys collecting ephemera, I have decided that the best type of book for these are hard bound books such as Hemlock and Oak or Archer & Olive. The paper thickness is better suited for postcards, etc. I enjoy primarily using washi stickers and/or photos simply printed on good quality printer paper (HP Premium 32 paper in my journal. We have to all find what’s most comfortable for us. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I also have fallen down the rabbit hole of what I see others doing and trying to recreate it for myself, only to realize that it’s just not for me and too time consuming. Also, I think it’s okay to try different planners/journals to see what we like! How else are we supposed to know?! Also, last year I just decided to use a plain SI Standard TN size notebook as my journal.
Yes to it all! my biggest lesson learned is FUNCTION over aesthetics! For my daily task lists, I stick with an N1/N2, and keep my journaling completely separate. I romanticized the "one notebook to rule them all", but I really loved keeping my to-do lists strictly to do, and journaling to my hearts content without worrying about it not looking "instagram pretty". Ultimately, like you, I am currently preferring a free grid notebook, because it allows for so much more room to play with spreads. Thank you for this video!
I have an Hon A5 and I have a cover on it and a cover on cover on that. I ALSO have an A6 Hon with a cover on it. And a cover on cover. I also love everything about the Hobonichi. I think it’s a fantastic schedule and planner. Seems like you’re going to be saving a lot of money going forward using a notebook- not a planner.
Yes I have fallen in love with the B6 Rollbahn grid notebook. I do a combo of to-do, journal and I can use as many pages as i want per day. I use their pocket size for shopping lists or a master to-do list.
I am using the Hobonichi Avec from June this year for a writing project. I can't journal in it as I find its just too tedious to decorate, etc. - but I love it for planning and writing notes, progress and next steps etc. I think the Cousin A5 is really good for very specific practical life goals. 😅
Going with an A5 Scribbles That Matter (vintage style, faux leather exterior, all graph paper) for my 2025 planner (brain) and a B6 Stalogy for my journal (heart & soul). Enjoying the B6 Stalogy - love the paper!
Hobonichi didn't teach you. YOU taught yourself, going with your intuition, respecting YOUR OWN likes/dislikes & finding your own path. You will change more things in the future and you might even return to some things. That's how life is. Different things for different seasons in life.
I think I have been influenced to try different things and I don't think that is wrong however, I only stick with things if they work for me. My planner is too important for me to not use it and if I don't find it functional then whatever I'm doing has to change. Great video!
embarrassed the influence got to you? that's not at all how i view that! getting inspired by others is a wonderful thing, and a great starting point of a new creative practise. i love that doing that made you realise what you enjoy doing, but don't feel bad for the road you took to get there 😊💘 personally i love experimenting and trying new things, best way to figure out what the hell i like😁 much love!
At the end of the day, it has to be what works for you. I love seeing what works for other people and sometimes I’ll incorporate small pieces of that. I figured out that I need horizontal spreads with a blank opposite page and it has to be an A5. Aura Estelle gave me that for 2024 and Sterling Ink is giving me that for 2025. Vertical doesn’t work for me. I don’t like dated dailies or timelines. And I love ephemera. I need to save more receipts!!
I am doing the same. I figured out that sometimes 1 page day is not even enough for me and i didnt want to spread my thought into the extra pages at the back of the planner. So i have a not even A5 (its some funny size of an almost A5). This is a weekly one on the left with a lined page on the right. I have prolonged the days with lines onto that. That makes me able to keep some bullet points important for each day. And then i have a grid notebook in A5 to extend my thought every day. Sometimes i write just half a page or not even a whole one, but on some days i am able to fill 5-6 pages when something is happening. And i like that system. Both of those books have an amazing paper which does not bleed trough whatever i am using. Highlighers, markes, brush pens or even a fully coverage alcohol brush pen in a gold color, which i use to cover my typos. Believe me, having something like that to cover your typos makes the journal look soo cool. And that system is amazing. You dont need expensive planners just because its fashion and you feel influenced by SM :). Keep going and have fun with your new found journal routine
I really thought this was building up to a Sterling Ink Daily for the simple design and dated pages. I too have been influenced. I think of it as an experiment. It’s all for fun.
I have the same Hobonichi HON and a lot of what you said resonated with me. BTW, is Sujey short for Sujeily? I'm Dominican and Sujeily or Sujeyli is a very common name here in the DR. Also, I saw in one of your pics a traditional costume very similar to ours 😅
I’m glad this resonated! I learned a lot if nothing else. It’s not short for anything! But I’m definitely Dominican and grew up knowing a lot Sujey+ending :) it is a pretty common name with variations lol I use to hate my name but have learned to appreciate it.
I am trying the Hobonichi cousin after 10+ of using the happy planner i totally understand we should enjoy our journaling or planners I am going to be changing my set up as well feeling less pressure to have that set up that may take me more time than I have. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I can resonate with you... I have purchased a lot of Happy Planners and thought woohoo, I'll decorate each month and weekly pages with stickers galore... took me 3 years to finally sit down and find my own rhythm without getting overwhelmed in trying to decorate everything. So I found it easier for me to decorate the monthly page and decorate very minimally each week, I instead ensure I'm more productive in my weeks then focusing on creating & decorating and I'm not overwhelmed & I'm loving it. 🥰
@@carmencruz1600 less is truly sometimes more!
I learned to do my own thing this year, and I REALLY like what I’m doing. I’m not following anyone’s advice, and just doing my own thing. It’s so fun.
Love this! Embrace all of that!
It sounds like the Hobonichi Hon helped you figure out your own journaling style. ❤
I prefer adding pictures, ephemera and doodles to my journal spreads. It's adds something special to the written memories for me and my children when I/we go back and read them later on. But I also understand why you don't like them.
For my daily- vent/stream of consciousness 2025 journal, I will use an A6 Hon that I'll toss out after the year is over and a grid notebook (currently a SI B6 that should last at least another 6 months) as my daily journal/memory planner that I'll keep forever or as long as I want to.
12:10 Planner Monkey Co has great TRP notebooks.
I love PMC notebooks! I was so tempted to leave Hobonichi in August and jump into a PMC notebook. But without it I wouldn't have learned about my style - yes absolutely.
Do you plan, journal and memory keep in the same book? Mine are separated but sometimes I feel like it's too much and I want to combine everything. Will try out options for 2025.
Literally what i wanted to hear. Feels like there’s this pressure to make all the pages cutsie and aesthetic but fr i would burn up
let that ish go! It's exhausting, and theres so much to benefit from with journaling.
I've always felt that turning journalling into some sort of social stunt (not blaming the influencers and people who do it for actual joy) with store-bought emphemera and calling it "scrapbooking," buying decor for every page and having a closet for your notebook was just a way to feed overconsumerism. It starts feeling like a public chore instead of a personal hobby.
**snaps** that truly describes the situation! chore vs hobby and how that gets blurred - so well said!
With Hobonichi I feel with you... I´ve purchased and abandomed 4 or 5 of them. I adore these designs and the paper, but I´ve been bullet journaling for far too long to go back to a planner
Those odds are not great! So glad youve found a better place to be.
😅So much of what you said resonated with me. The more I watch what other people are doing becomes more restrictive to my own imagination. Not that there isn't ton of inspiration but I try and just do or try something new that helps me or that meets my needs. I agree about the flipping of pages, and how the date holds me accountable, I am definitely more of just a writer free flowing of my thoughts. Leaving the hobonichi cousin next year as well. Served me very well and I learned alot about how I want to journal as well. Thanks.
We have a lot of commonalities! We are living and learning along the way!
Your writing looks really beautiful even on it's own!❤ Though the decorated pages are likewise very beautiful. Anyway I totally get what you're saying, and have been having similar thoughts. I got rid of Hobonichi Cousin already this year, and started with Aura Estelle B6.
Thanks so much! Excited for your foray into the AE B6! I love their paper.
I can totally relate about getting influenced! I want to think of it as just "trying things out to see if they work for me" but I definitely stuck with things even once I knew they weren't working because I wanted them to look cute or because I felt like I *should* be doing a certain thing with certain pages / spreads in my planner! And it totally does then get stressful trying to keep up with everything that doesn't actually work for you. I realized when I was avoiding my planner that it was time to tone down the decorating and the pressure to journal in it every day, and get back to the stuff that actually fills me up, helps me make the best use of my days, manages my stress levels and adhd, and brings me joy! Thanks for sharing your journey here :)
@@megwithintention thanks so much for your comment! You’re truly not alone.
I’m proud of you for giving daily journaling a try this year. I’ve always journaled and never considered daily journaling until finding this community and while I have moments where I’m consistent with it, it’s been an overall positive experience. I’ve always steered away from all the extra that goes into journaling (stickers, etc). I’ve just always enjoyed free writing my thoughts. I think if I were to add extras, it would need to be done ahead of time, but very minimally so that I have lots of space for the actual writing. I tried using my Makselife horizontal weekly pages for journaling this year but that didn’t last long because I like to journal in my room and it mostly lived in my kitchen - which was where I needed it for me to use the goal setting parts. So I learned I can’t use a planner for a dual purpose with journaling. If I’m going to use a planner to journal, it needs to be just for journaling. I also learned the space I had in that was not enough for how much I wanted to say. So I am considering a A6 Hobonichi. Which I’m not a fan of tomoe river paper for planning because of the ghosting, I won’t mind it for journaling. 😊
@@CreatingSelfCarePlans thanks much for sharing! It’s def a journey finding what works. I love Tomoe for journaling. There’s a visceral experience when my pen hits the page that adds to the moment.
This video was exactly what i needed. I kept putting myself down (lol crazy right?) for not being able to make things look nice to the point i stopped writing. I love the idea of just going back to basics. Thanks girl!
Back to basics! Using it period is whats most beautiful!
Thank you for your insights. I love the Hobonichi because I use it as a life book: I believe that having planning and journaling in the same book gives me a much better picture of what was going on in my life. Because I have a calendar column, and a few of my to-dos, I tend to journal about items that really matter rather than getting caught up in a fifth grade level "dear diary" mindset.
HAHAH dear diary mindset ... I love that analogy!
I'm not consistent enough with planning that I can justify the price of a Hobonichi. The A5 I bought two years ago is still lying around with a cover I love and a cover-on-cover completely untouched. The little planning/tracking I do happens in rings because that allows me to move pages around and throw them out when they're no longer needed without wrecking the binding. The paper doesn't have to be fountain pen-friendly. I can mix (undated) planner pages with dot grid and/or grid paper. I use a Pilot Dr. Grip 4+1 multi pen. There's a local-to-me brand that has dated planners with Japanese paper (although they don't specify which brand) in A6, B6, and A5 with cloth covers for a fraction of Hobonichi products. They also offer clear covers and pencil boards.
I thought I'd use a Weeks more than I ended up doing this year after being way more consistent in similarly sized planners that cost less than three dollars a pop from a local stationery store for two years. I'm still tempted to give it another go because I saw a very cute cover. I have all of Q4 to think it over.
I like fountain pen-friendly 5mm grid paper for long-form journaling in undated B6 hardcover journals best with A5 being a close second. It gives me the flexibility to write as much or as little on any given day. I have a stash of LT1911 (both 90gsm and 120gsm) in A5 and a couple of local fp-friendly hardcover journals in B6. Some people have complained about ghosting and feathering on LT paper, but it's worked fine for me. I only used washi tape to create columns and a few stickers. The local journals have fairly absorbent paper which is good for lefties. It doesn't bring out all the ink qualities, but I'll take that over inky fingers and smudged writing.
I have more than enough supplies for 2025 and need to make a dent in my stash.
There’s so many great takeaways from your comment! There really is a lot of time to figure things out.
@@sujeyplans7720 Thank you. That's very kind of you to say so.
I feel it's so easy to get caught up in the hype leading up to the annual launch and then FOMO. I see a similar phenomenon in the fountain pen community where some brands are known for dropping LE pens (Sailor and PenBBS, I'm looking at you!) that cause feeding frenzies. I must admit I did get the Hobonichi shopping bug last year when I saw A6 and Weeks covers that made me want (not need!) them. At least, they'll keep and I have all the time to decide if I want to resell them at a later date.
I definitely ended up falling into trying the trend of making things look pretty when I first started. Just like you, I found it to be exhausting and difficult to keep up with. Now I simply use a thick pocket-sized plain graph notebook with tomoe river paper in a traveler's notebook cover for all of my work planning. I've been missing writing on a daily basis, but I knew I didn't want to get a hobonichi again because I don't need the weekly spreads and I don't like the wasted space from the quote on the bottom of the daily pages. I decided for 2025 I'll try the Midori Hibino. It has tomoe river paper and 2 page spreads per day in an A6 size which seems perfect to me. I'll still keep the pocket TN for work planning, but I will daily journal in the Hibino. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, a lot of them resonated with me!
I'm so glad you could see yourself in some of this! The Hibino sounds like a great transition. How the community influences us is important to pay attention to. How we've learned form it is most important.
I am trying the Hobonichi cousin after 10+ of using the happy planner i totally understand we should enjoy our journaling or planners I am going to be changing my set up as well feeling less pressure to have that set up that may take me more time than I have. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I got influenced into a personal Filofax and the Common Planner 😅
I’m sticking to the enjoyment of watching people’s spread
Ah, and those are very popular! We are living and learning.
I really find your reason valid!!! I have been influenced many times and waisted so much money on journals 😢 but once I got back to just writing and not caring that the pen isn’t fountain or a certain color the freedom and love of the hobby returned!!!❤❤❤
The love of the hobby returned! So well said. Bravo!
Love this video! Sort of same intentions, but I'm staying with Hobonichi. A6 for daily pure script journal, and weeks for cutesy entries, memory keeping, trackers and more 😊
@@pransreads it’s a great planner! It will certainly be the right fit for plenty of folks.
Absolutely loved this and your insights! I tried to merge my photo memory keeping in my A5 HON journal and couldn’t keep up with it and I found I like a separate journal for that too. I also love how you split it all out! I tried to consolidate but found I like things separate too!
There is just something about a place for everything and everything in its place! I compartmentalize all of my planning and now its moved into my journaling as well. Its a personal preference you should lean into - although I just warned everyone about influence LOL
Yessss! It’s funny also because I’ve tried out many systems and ways but sometimes it takes someone else to say it or shine light on it and that’s when it clicks too! Sooo glad I found you here!
Thanks for sharing your journaling experiences with Hobonichi. Sometimes you have to experiment with different formats, whether it's a notebook style or layout. I'm glad you've found a solution that works for you.
Thanks so much! It was a great learning experience! I feel wiser and more in-tune with my interests.
I went over the top with my hobonichi purchases this year. What happens when I watch so many unboxings. However, a lot of what I’ve bought are covers and they at least last. I’m enjoying the hon cousin this year so went for the gingham cover which is a bit smaller and thinner so I can enjoy swapping covers. My cousin is a catch-all. Pages I miss I go back to fill with all sorts and I use the index to track those items. I’m not a huge ephemera user but enjoy a sticker here and there. Your written pages look beautiful, I agree there is something about the simplicity of pen and paper. Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas.
I appreciate the kudos! I’m going to really lean in to that simplicity.
I also chose to separate my daily journaling from my ephemera/memory keeping. I found it was getting difficult to keep up with journaling my thoughts because I wanted the memory keeping part of the journal to look pretty like in the videos/posts we would see from the community. Thank you so much for sharing!
Yes! I felt the same! It was robbing me of the joy of both those things in trying to bring them together. I appreciate you sharing as well! Its nice to know others have experienced this.
I kept everything separate, but most days it seems like a lot, and I want to combine them.
Pen and paper with a few added stickers/washi to me looks beautiful. I love the simplicity and it just looks clean and elegant. I'm not influenced by other creators with all the ephemera etc. I just recently learned for myself i can't write with the bulk underneath. Example i added a card from a few days ago and the slightest bump because its not a flat surface is driving me nuts. Plus like you I have an A5 HON so i don't like the thickness of a book bound. And yes i like switching my covers.
Thanks for chiming in! I love attuned you are with your preferences!
I’ve come to the same conclusions as you but I don’t date. Some days I want to write for ages and other days I only write a little.
It's so good to have found that peace!
I am very much a decorative planner/journaler. I understand your choice. For me, who enjoys collecting ephemera, I have decided that the best type of book for these are hard bound books such as Hemlock and Oak or Archer & Olive. The paper thickness is better suited for postcards, etc. I enjoy primarily using washi stickers and/or photos simply printed on good quality printer paper (HP Premium 32 paper in my journal. We have to all find what’s most comfortable for us. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.
@@annettefertitta6868 I’m so glad you’ve found this in your journey! Thanks for the support!
Hi! First! Excited to hear!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I also have fallen down the rabbit hole of what I see others doing and trying to recreate it for myself, only to realize that it’s just not for me and too time consuming. Also, I think it’s okay to try different planners/journals to see what we like! How else are we supposed to know?!
Also, last year I just decided to use a plain SI Standard TN size notebook as my journal.
Right! How else do we learn what we like? You know the saying don't marry the first man you meet lol Same concept.
Yes to it all! my biggest lesson learned is FUNCTION over aesthetics! For my daily task lists, I stick with an N1/N2, and keep my journaling completely separate. I romanticized the "one notebook to rule them all", but I really loved keeping my to-do lists strictly to do, and journaling to my hearts content without worrying about it not looking "instagram pretty". Ultimately, like you, I am currently preferring a free grid notebook, because it allows for so much more room to play with spreads. Thank you for this video!
Thanks so much for sharing. It’s a live and learn moment indeed. What grid notebook are you using?
@@sujeyplans7720 sterling ink A5!
Such a great idea to use the pencil board for the cover decoration!
Thanks so much! And with so many designs for pencil boards you can really change it up easily.
Interesting video.
I decided to go to a Sterling Ink Common Planner for 2025 instead of my Hobonichi a5.
I relate so much, I once got carried on with all the stickers and stuff to just realize I don't really like it. You do you!
Living and learning indeed!
I have an Hon A5 and I have a cover on it and a cover on cover on that. I ALSO have an A6 Hon with a cover on it. And a cover on cover. I also love everything about the Hobonichi. I think it’s a fantastic schedule and planner. Seems like you’re going to be saving a lot of money going forward using a notebook- not a planner.
Hahahah that’s a very good point! My wallet thanks me. Until I replace these notebooks with new fountain pens lol
Yes I have fallen in love with the B6 Rollbahn grid notebook. I do a combo of to-do, journal and I can use as many pages as i want per day. I use their pocket size for shopping lists or a master to-do list.
I watched it - but I also heard a few podcasts! There was SO much context left out of the documentary!
I am using the Hobonichi Avec from June this year for a writing project. I can't journal in it as I find its just too tedious to decorate, etc. - but I love it for planning and writing notes, progress and next steps etc. I think the Cousin A5 is really good for very specific practical life goals. 😅
Going with an A5 Scribbles That Matter (vintage style, faux leather exterior, all graph paper) for my 2025 planner (brain) and a B6 Stalogy for my journal (heart & soul). Enjoying the B6 Stalogy - love the paper!
Paper is SUCH an important factor! Those are excellent options!
I agree with you so much. ❤
Im so glad it resonated!
Hobonichi didn't teach you. YOU taught yourself, going with your intuition, respecting YOUR OWN likes/dislikes & finding your own path. You will change more things in the future and you might even return to some things. That's how life is. Different things for different seasons in life.
I LOVE this so much!!!!! YAS YAS YAS! Thank you for your affirming words.
I think I have been influenced to try different things and I don't think that is wrong however, I only stick with things if they work for me. My planner is too important for me to not use it and if I don't find it functional then whatever I'm doing has to change. Great video!
I agree! I wouldn't have learned as much as I did without that experience. Thanks for the kudos!
embarrassed the influence got to you? that's not at all how i view that! getting inspired by others is a wonderful thing, and a great starting point of a new creative practise. i love that doing that made you realise what you enjoy doing, but don't feel bad for the road you took to get there 😊💘 personally i love experimenting and trying new things, best way to figure out what the hell i like😁 much love!
Well said! I truly appreciate that mindset! I feel quite empowered by my journey. Thank you so much.
@@sujeyplans7720 so lovely to hear that 😊
At the end of the day, it has to be what works for you. I love seeing what works for other people and sometimes I’ll incorporate small pieces of that. I figured out that I need horizontal spreads with a blank opposite page and it has to be an A5. Aura Estelle gave me that for 2024 and Sterling Ink is giving me that for 2025. Vertical doesn’t work for me. I don’t like dated dailies or timelines. And I love ephemera. I need to save more receipts!!
The journey of discovery is fun! Those are such helpful things to know about your preferences!
I am doing the same. I figured out that sometimes 1 page day is not even enough for me and i didnt want to spread my thought into the extra pages at the back of the planner. So i have a not even A5 (its some funny size of an almost A5). This is a weekly one on the left with a lined page on the right. I have prolonged the days with lines onto that. That makes me able to keep some bullet points important for each day. And then i have a grid notebook in A5 to extend my thought every day. Sometimes i write just half a page or not even a whole one, but on some days i am able to fill 5-6 pages when something is happening. And i like that system. Both of those books have an amazing paper which does not bleed trough whatever i am using. Highlighers, markes, brush pens or even a fully coverage alcohol brush pen in a gold color, which i use to cover my typos. Believe me, having something like that to cover your typos makes the journal look soo cool. And that system is amazing. You dont need expensive planners just because its fashion and you feel influenced by SM :). Keep going and have fun with your new found journal routine
Your system sounds so uniquely you! I love how customized you've made your journaling. Its a great reminder on how we don't have to limit ourselves!
I really thought this was building up to a Sterling Ink Daily for the simple design and dated pages.
I too have been influenced. I think of it as an experiment. It’s all for fun.
Haha yes! I thought about the SI but I prefer the paper in the Freely Noted
I have the same Hobonichi HON and a lot of what you said resonated with me.
BTW, is Sujey short for Sujeily? I'm Dominican and Sujeily or Sujeyli is a very common name here in the DR. Also, I saw in one of your pics a traditional costume very similar to ours 😅
I’m glad this resonated! I learned a lot if nothing else. It’s not short for anything! But I’m definitely Dominican and grew up knowing a lot Sujey+ending :) it is a pretty common name with variations lol I use to hate my name but have learned to appreciate it.
Where did you get your 400 page note book?
@@deniseyeaisaidit planner monkey co!
Started taking a drink each time I heard the word "Ephemera" and it ended up being a rough 17 minutes :)
@@rballwv it’s so all encompassing! lol
What notebook are you using for 2025?
A Planner Monkey Co. Freely Noted A5. I love the paper and writing experience.
Not! Is fun like that! Just use a filofax or mini happy 😊 planner ❤
I am trying the Hobonichi cousin after 10+ of using the happy planner i totally understand we should enjoy our journaling or planners I am going to be changing my set up as well feeling less pressure to have that set up that may take me more time than I have. Thank you for sharing your experience.