I Bought a Second Traveler's Notebook

The thing is, I'm not sure I want to be a two-notebook woman. This video is about how I've changed my Traveler's Notebook organization for the second half of the year, which inserts I'm using, what I write and draw inside, and all my questions and misgivings about my current system.

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In this video you'll see my Traveler's Company notebooks:

Regular diary refills:

Use coupon code JENN10 for 10% off most brands at Atlas Stationers.

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Intro music:
Plain Loafer by Kevin MacLeod

Outro music:
Benjamin Carey / We Go On

Other music:
Pastis / In the Shades

Unless otherwise specified, all music is courtesy of Epidemic Sound.

[polika]

Actually I have three covers in use with several Inserts: 1. Pocket Grand voyageur from paper republic: this one I carry around every day bc it's small enough. It houses a stickerrelease paper Insert in Passport size, two folders and a pocketnotebook from paperblanks. I use it for daily To-Do s and random notes and thoughts during the day. 2. XL Grand voyageur from paper republic: this houses my calendar and a cheap notebook mostly for work notes. This I carry with me on work days. 3. Standard TN from travelers notebook: i have two Inserts in Here: one mD cream paper which I use as my journal, one horizontal weekly which I heavy decorate and use as a memory keeping journal. This Cover stays at Home. 😊❤

[Katiplans]

Thanks for sharing - this was very relatable 😅 You try to fix something but then you just end up with a different kind of problem. But they say that is the way forward and up - have better problems 👍🏼

[Planner-ingPlatypus-kqnf]

I live outside of Boulder and now I have to go visit Two Hands Paperie!
I just started a full year TN sized bound, vertical Sterling Ink planner. It’s 520 pages and it isn’t tiny but might weigh less than your traveler’s notebook. I carry it with me everywhere. It has a monthly section and a weekly section and then blank (grid) pages for notes, journaling, or collections. There are quarterly pages that I started using for business tracking and accountability. Not sure if it’s something that will work for your needs but I love it and am feeling extremely content after planner hopping for the past 6 months.

[cherylclough]

I’m with you until you say you don’t want a collection. Dang, girl, I love collections. I do hear you loud and clear on weight to carry. As a stop gap method, I got a weekly insert and I carry that with me to have all my appointments in my bag so I can add or change w/o bumping into an already set up appointment. That inserthas no cover. I just stick it in my bag or art tote and go. At home I keep my TN with a Sterling Ink TN-size Tomoe River paper common planner which houses a quarterly goals list, habit tracker, monthly calendar on two pages, vertical weekly planner, and journal pages all in one book. I tested it out this year and love it. I’m thinking of adding a Sterling Ink notebook for straight up journaling next year as the Common Planner doesn’t have enough blank pages at the back for daily journaling. Always enjoy your videos. I just found your channel and am a new subscriber.

[bobbid]

I would SOOO love an "everything book." However, recording chronologically doesn't help me find what I might look for later, so I'm back to subject books. Three ring binders work but they tend to either stay on the shelf or take up too much room on my desk, and, of course, are unpractical for taking anywhere. Still trying to figure it out. Good luck and thanks for sharing your frustration.

[sarahsawyer]

I' m a neighbor in Boulder and that shop gets me all the time. There's a traveler's notebook meetup there--join us sometime.

[StashiaMass]

Love this! Just subscribed. I currently digital note-take and find myself change my routine way more often than I would like😅.

[nicolelim]

I have a B5 notebook which is my work bullet journal. This stays at home. On office days I have a tiny A6 notebook where I transpose just the actions for the office day over. I’ve found I need to separate work/personal life just for boundaries!

For personal I have a passport TN with a monthly insert, a weekly insert and a plain dot grid. Monthly is to broadly track what I’m up to, weekly is more detail with to do lists etc and the dot grid is for notes, research, whatever I need it to be.

I have a full TN which is purely my travel journal!

[pilesofthings]

Your delema truly reflects my own at this time. I have one standard tn, and I love it so much. I got it with the intention of only having one because I know I will get out of hand with collecting if I let myself. But it has gotten so thick it barely closes, and now I have my journal inset out of the cover. 🙃

[mariab]

Hi..Thanks for making your videos!! I can relate to your dilemma. I don't want to have 2 TN's to carry around, so what I do is to keep the same horizontal weekly insert as you have and a plain grid notebook as my journal (which I am still refining). I have a monthly as well, but I don't like having to always straighten it so it doesn't bulge out, so what I do, is just lay it lose behind the second insert and with the string around the TN, it stays put. So I have 3 inserts but only 2 on the strings.

[queenbuzybee]

Have you thought about using a passport size? I have a A5 Hobonichi Techo. It’s lovely, a full year planner with fountain pen friendly paper, but it weighs almost 2 pounds. It’s too much! I‘ve been looking for the perfect setup for 40+ years and have come to the conclusion that it does not exist. Like you, I‘d like to have everything together in one. It doesn’t work. I now have an A6 (similar to passport size) leather cover with a 300 page Tomoe River paper insert and it weighs around 8 ounces, which is phenomenal. It fits in my pockets if I go out. I use it as a „commonplace“ notebook. Basically everything goes in there - ideas, notes, shows/books/music I‘m interested in, quotes, lists. When it’s full, I‘ll shelve it and start a new insert. I haven’t solved my planner crisis though - I‘m also leaning towards A6/passport. And maybe a separate journal. And there we have it, 3 books again, lol. If I‘m out and need to journal, I‘ll but it in the commonplace and either transcribe it later or just refer to where it’s at in my actual journal. I also keep separate books for hobbies, but those always remain at home.

[cammyreader]

I share very similar struggles as you balancing the separation within books with my desire to have an "everything book" but its tough. If it helps (although I know you've already got both) I have a video on my channel that demonstrates a stringing technique to allow for four books to sit flush, if you're interested. I think I often have to tell myself things just wont be perfect, I flip flop between 3 and 4 books and I find 4 is a lot in one notebook but it is manageable. BUTTT I think the answer is that there is no answer! there is no perfect and you don't need perfect you just need to pick something that's close enough :)

[wellyano]

Could you put a simple bullet journal future log in one of your other inserts so you don’t have to carry your calendar TN? You could tip it in so you can move it around if you’re switching inserts half way through the year.

[manvstationery]

Ive gone with a work T N and a passport TN for personal :)

[mkrp]

From what I've read, stress has very damaging effect upon the thyroid gland, triggering autoimmune disorder or structural changes (nodules)
Are you dealing with this issue as well?
Also, gargling water is one of the greatest stress relieving methods because it "tunes" the vagus nerve.

[ghostyplans]

I have a camel travelers company TN and it has a calendar, Kraft folder, plastic zip pouch, and then my journal.

I also have a standard TN from Chic Sparrow that’s holds WAYYY more inserts without overhang: art journal, sticker release, creative writing, commonplace, and an old weekly undated insert.