Notebook Therapy

This could easily be the name of a blog. Maybe it already is. But that’s beside the point.

I’ve been trying to slow down for a long time… to break away from the chaos of daily life. To do that, I’ve forced myself to journal.

It helps me clear my mind, organize my life, align my thoughts, and most importantly, to nurture a creativity that’s been running on empty.

Now, this isn’t some new revelation. I was a Moleskine user for decades. A loyalist. But over time, it started to feel… limiting. I wanted something more flexible. Something modular. A system I could shape around me, not the other way around.

Because journaling, for me, isn’t just writing. It’s also collage. Sketching. Watercolor. Scratching out wild ideas and painting over them with new ones. It’s experimentation. It’s… me.

Funny thing though, even though I love writing in notebooks, I feel oddly freer when I type in a computer. Maybe it’s the impermanence of a blinking cursor versus the commitment of a fountain pen on paper. I scribble and scratch, sure, but the pressure is always there. Still, I digress.

With Moleskine no longer doing it for me, I started searching. And wow, the stationery world is massive. So many brands, so many systems, so many rabbit holes to fall into.

I made a list of what I needed:

• Mix-and-match paper types and mediums
• Easy to replace components
• Stylish and/or elegant (yes, I’m that kind of person)
• Strong brand and community support
• Bigger than A6
• Matching accessories (I hate mixing brands)
• Suitable for both personal and professional use

My first discovery was Paper Republic, a beautiful European brand. I got the Grand Voyageur XL. Loved the leather, loved the refill options. It became my personal notebook for a while.

But something was missing. The quality? Impeccable. The feel? Luxurious. But… no real community that I felt I could fit in. No shared excitement. And over time, I used it less and less for personal stuff, keeping it mainly for work.

After looking for something else, I stumbled into Traveler’s Notebook by Traveler’s Company, Japan. My first reaction? Mixed. It looked familiar… kind of like my Grand Voyageur XL, but the dimensions felt odd. Not quite A5. Still, I kept digging.

I discovered a whole ecosystem: themed refills, brass accessories, matching pens, vibrant communities, blogs, YouTube channels. Despite the initial language barrier, I was hooked.

So I took the plunge. Ordered a notebook and some accessories. And that was it. I got it. This was more than a notebook, it was a world. I ended up getting a second one just for sketching and painting. I use them both regularly as my main daily drivers.

One day, I stumbled upon a blog post by Fatih Arslan. A deep dive into a Japanese system called Plotter, made by a sister company of Traveler’s Company.

Plotter is… different. It’s sleek. Modular. Minimal. It’s a ring binder system with a focus on projects. You can mix paper types, use only what you need, keep it lean and purposeful. It immediately resonated with how I think and work.

There was one catch: Plotter products weren’t available in Europe. But I had a lucky break! A friend went to Japan and I sent him on a mission.

Here’s what I got:

• Pueblo 6-Ring Leather Binder (A5 Size) Black
• 6mm Ruled Paper 80 sheets (A5 Size)
• Drawing Paper 30 sheets (A5 Size)
• 5mm Dot Grid 80 sheets (A5 Size)
• Project Manager 6 Colors Assortment (A5 Size)
• Zipper Case (A5 Size)
• Leather Ring Supporter (A5 Size)
• Ruler Pad (A5 Size)
• Leather Pen Holder with Lifter (A5 Size)
• Band with Lifter (A5 Size)

This allowed me to setup my Plotter to manage personal projects: goal setting, notes, to-do lists, creative planning. It’s become a second brain. Structured, yet deeply personal.

So where am I now?

• Paper Republic: for work
• Traveler’s Notebook: for journaling, sketching, painting
• Plotter: for managing personal projects and creativity

Is it overkill? Maybe. But honestly? I enjoy it. And that’s what matters.

If you’re curious about Plotter, I highly recommend Fatih Arslan’s blog post and the Plotter USA website as they’re great resources to understand the system better.