3 Jul 2013

my favourite notebooks

Later this week, I will be blogging about my bookshelf organisation (about time too - it took me long enough to get it all set up) and in doing so, I had to go through every single workbook, refill pad and exercise book I own. I then came up with the idea of doing a mainly pictorial post on my notebook collection and my personal favourites.

This is the half of my bookshelf that holds the majority of my notebook collection and was before I had properly organised it.



You can see Filofax Flex notebooks (bought for use in my Affair... but will now be used as just notebooks), Martha Stewart x Avery notebooks, Rhodia, Muji, Daycraft, Oxford, Pantone, Hallmark, Artbox and other random Hong Kong/Korean brands too.

Choosing favourites was hard and I limited myself to three. These were the three I decided on in the end (and I will explain why):


From left to right: Daycraft, Pantone and Martha Stewart x Avery. I chose these as they look great and because the paper quality is excellent. For me, paper quality and design are the two most important features that I look for.

However, I can't leave out Artbox! I first bought from them back in May 2010 and the first blog post about them was in July 2011 so in terms of stationery love-affairs, this is a long-term one! Anyway, here are my favourites from Artbox:


What are your favourite notebooks? I also like Rhodia but the design of them is a bit plain and basic so didn't include them :) Do you look for paper quality over anything else or do you look for design first and foremost?

11 comments

  1. Design will make me buy a book, but the pages need to be good! I love thick pages which don't tear or let the ink bleed.

    Also, I am a fan of ring-bound books because I can easily fold them over without worrying about the spine.

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    1. I'm with you on this one - thick pages are as important as the design! I prefer ring-bound notebooks as I think they look better on a bookshelf haha. I'm so fickle, I know!! x

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  2. And I thought I had a lot of notebooks! ;)
    I love buying them... Can't resist a pretty notebook! The sad thing is that I hate to ruin them so I'm always scared about using them! I have so many unused...

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    1. Haha, I didn't show the other side of the bookshelf - there are actually a few more on that side too.

      I used to be like that (re: ruining them) but now, I don't care as I spent the money on it - I might as well put it to good use :D x

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  3. I have to agree with lifeofkitty I thought I also had a lot of notebooks. I would probably come a close second but some of your notebooks are so much nicer than mine. Beautiful.

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    1. Haha, I have more on the other side of the bookshelf! Thank you :) x

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  4. This is beautiful! I tend to buy notebooks just based on their looks and then never use them as I don't want to ruin them with my hideous handwriting.

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    1. Thank you :) I used to be the same and it took me a while to get over that thought hehe x

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  5. Rhodia notebooks are probably my favourite, although I've also used some Daycraft notebooks that I really like. My tastes are a bit different than yours, since I actually prefer the plainer designs. Rhodia also has great paper quality that I know I can depend on, and I love the dot grid format that their Webnotebooks are available in.

    And, wow, your notebook collection is amazing! That is a lot of notebooks. My collection would probably be only one shelf - both filled and unfilled notebooks.

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    1. Most of my notebooks are plain - Daycraft, Rhodia, Oxford, Martha Stewart, Muji to name a few are the ones that take up the most space :) I only have a small percentage of less plain notebooks (such as the ones I have from Artbox).

      Thank you - I think I have too many notebooks! So many, that my sister found it hard to pick one when she asked me for a notebook haha x

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  6. I have many notebooks. Many. Many many. Rhodia, Leuchtturm and (occasionally) Moleskine. All with a couple of pages used before I resolved that the imposition of any more of my Horrible Handwriting would spoil them still further. My handwriting is the worst. My mum (now deceased) had handwriting lessons at school (she said). How I wish someone had taught me to write properly. 50 years on and my handwriting still looks as it did when I was 8 (I've got those school notebooks, so I know).

    For me paper quality is key. I use Rhodia tablets from Paperchase in London for lists (takes the cheap Pilot disposable fountain pen very well, the one pen which can minimise handwriting-damage), Leuchtturm for other notes, Moleskine for journalling (but only when I can use my favourite Bic medium biro for less bleed-through).

    New Year task - get all notebooks out of the Big IKEA Box, arrange on shelf, and allot them all tasks.......

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