Notebook Setup - An update

by Stuart Lennon

My Every Day Carry and other notebooks.

Back in July, I wrote a post on how I was using my notebooks. As I wrote then, my use pattern is fluid, and ever on the change. Time then, for an update.

Every Day Carry

Most of the time, I walk to work. Nero is, as you might imagine, a big fan of this regime. The commute is ninety minutes or so. I tend to listen to podcasts, The Pen Addict and the Erasable Podcast being perennial favourites. In my backpocket for this walk is the notebook at the centre of my system; the daily driver. I tear through these pretty quickly and I love the variety that this affords me. 

Right now, my Every Day Carry notebook is the limited edition Telegraph from Write Notepads & Co. This is a favourite. I love the ruling, which is perfect for lists and for #Bujo.

 Telegraph Notebook - Internal

I use the Every Day Carry notebook for anything and everything. When I hear something in a podcast that I want to follow up, I jot it here. If something occurs to me as Nero and I stride along, I'll make a quick note. Wherever I am, the Every Day Carry notebook is too.

Project Notebooks

In my backpack, there will be several more notebooks. At the moment, I am in love with the Field Notes Dime Novels. The form factor is spot-on for me. Habitually, I use A5 for Project notebooks, but this Dime Novel is fast-becoming my favourite.

Filed Notes Dime Novel in pack

The books sit beautifully in my pack, and come out onto my desk as soon as I hit the office. In these, I'm likely to be a little more free-form and creative. if the Every Day Carry is where I organise, these books are where I create. For that, plain paper is ideal, and I love the texture and variation I get from the softer Blackwings. The one drawback is going to be that these are not going to fit into my Field Notes archive boxes. So, I'll have to have a whole other storage system. Hmmm...shopping opportunity? 

Journal

I journal sporadically. Sometimes, I write a page or more a day, then at other times, I might not write anything for a month. Currently, I am in a Rhodiarama A5, and I am eying up the gorgeous Slate by Blackwing next.

Rhodia, TWSBI & Blackwing

Scratchpad

When working at my desk, my Every Day Carry notebook and my project notebooks will almost certainly be within reach. I also have a desk block from Off-Lines. Often, there will be a spiral bound reporter's pad around too. Any or all of these may be called into service as I work on the phone or computer.

New Desk

That's the core of my system. What's yours? How do you use notebooks?

Remember, forget the app, there's a pocket notebook for that.