9 Jul 2015

too many notebooks? 22 ideas for their use

Raise your hand if you have too many notebooks than you'll ever need but you still can't stop buying more. Yeah, me too. I really do think this is a genuine medical condition but, in my opinion, there are definitely worse things to suffer from. Anyway, I thought I'd share a few things I use my notebooks for and also a few ideas if you're building up a collection of blank notebooks quicker than they can be filled.

1. Revision Notes


The obvious use if you're a student is to make a notebook of revision notes. It will be super handy come exam time when all your notes have already been condensed, giving you that much more proper revision time (where you're actually learning and revising the stuff and not writing up notes).

2.  Journal


An obvious choice again for the majority of us: a journal. Journalling is something I've talked about in the past and I've already explained my reasons for doing it. I'm pretty bad at doing it on a regular basis but I try and do it when I need to. It's a good way to get everything down on paper so that these things aren't taking up precious real estate in your mind and thoughts.

3.  To-Do List Notebook



I've mentioned these A6 Iconic Essay Books before and they are the perfect size for daily to-do lists. And isn't it just so satisfying to see all those tasks checked off?

4. Lecture Notes



Some people like loose leaf paper but sometimes, it's also nice to mix it up and use a notebook. I find it hard to track down loose leaf narrow-ruled paper of a decent quality so I've resorted to using Muji notebooks and Pantone grid notebooks from time to time.

5. Careers Notebook


A notebook is the ideal tool to keep track of your CV, achievements, previous addresses, previous jobs, etc. It's also good to keep track of jobs you've applied for and also write down future career goals to just remind you of where you want to be in a few years time.

6. Course Notebook



I talked about this notebook on Tuesday but you can use notebooks for each module of your course too. Or each subject if you're in high school.

7. Past Papers Notebook


During revision periods, I like to do practice questions from books and online sources. When I do them from books, I use a notebook so that I can track which questions I struggled with and also little notes from the answer section.

8. Diagrams and Sketches


Perfect if you have a plain notebook that needs using. I'm a visual learner so one of these always exist on my bookshelf at any one time.

9. Home Inspiration Notebook


This is such a nerdy confession but I love looking at flats on Rightmove. I have searches saved for various areas of Edinburgh and when a beautifully decorated property appears on there, I download the photos for future perusing. Sometimes, I print them out and make notes on them (like the complete nerd I am) so that I have some ideas ready for when I buy my first property (aspirations and all that!). 

10. Travel Journal


Holidays are a luxury for most of us (and especially for me) so recording them is something I make sure I do. In August 2012, Becca showed us her beautiful travel journal and I showed mine here in August 2014. Recording a lovely holiday is the perfect excuse to use your most beautiful notebook too :)


And some other ideas...

11. a book review notebook
12. a blog ideas notebook
13. food diary
14. expenses diary
15. dream diary
16. quote book
17. inspiration book
18. a notebook of lists
19. recipes journal
20. scrapbook for life memories
21. random ramblings/brain dump
22. make your own d.i.y. planner

Do you have other cool uses for your notebooks? These are only a few ideas off of the top of my head but the one brilliant thing about a blank notebook is that it holds a million possibilities. :)

25 comments

  1. Too many notebooks here too! I have so many, I even got rid of some but I just couldn't bear to part with some of them! Going to find uses for all of them, they look pretty but what's the point in spending money on them if they never get used?! Need to stop being precious about them and use em all up :D

    At least there are lots of ideas on here to get me started ;)

    Zoe xoxo

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    1. Every time my sister comes home, I'm always saying 'do you need a notebook?' haha. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your notebooks :D x

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  2. This is such a great post, you've listed so many uses for notebooks! It's making me want to go out and buy even more :P I usually use my notebooks as diaries, journals, to write down to-do lists or to just scribble down any random thoughts/blog ideas. The idea of a quote book or a dream diary sounds so cool, I might give that a go soon. Lovely post, hope you're having a great day!!

    -Nabeela xo
    http://nabsticle.blogspot.co.uk/

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  3. I am also addicted to notebooks! I always have a few on the go for different purposes (in addition to Evernote, and a planner). My favourite use at the moment is just to write anything/everything in the same notebook, then transcribe/photograph bits into Evernote. I like to jot down notes while I'm reading non-fiction books in cafes, for future blog posts or book reviews (on a palliative care website I help run).

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    1. Sounds like a great use of Evernote you've got going there :) x

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  4. Great list!
    I've used to use one notebook for everything - journaling, doodling, writing inspiration quotes, ideas, but quickly learned that it's soooo hard to find something in it, when needed.
    I moved to the traveler notebook style - where I have more than one insert. And boy, did it make my life great!!!!
    I also have Gratitude journal - trying to write in it every day

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    1. Ahhh the Traveler's notebooks - they're beautiful and so multifunctional :) Glad you're getting along well with the system :) x

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  5. Love all of these! Shall definitely be using a few to fill up all my pretty but empty notebooks :)

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  6. I just came across a time tracking tool called hyperdex. This is going into one of my over abundant supply of notebooks, ha. I would really like to know how much actual sleep I get, how much time I spend in some kind if transportation ( I travel a lot with my job) how much family, personal time, etc. you can personalize it any way you want for whatever you want to track. Hope I haven't added to your condition. Ha.

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    1. Love this idea! I can imagine it would be great to look back on a few years' later :) x

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  7. I've started learning lettering and my graph paper Moleskines (impulse buy oops...) worked perfectly!

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    1. Hehe and then once they're filled up, you can buy more! :D x

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  8. YES! Definitely I have way too many notebooks. (Actually I also have an over abundance of kikki k binders now as well. Oops!) The home inspiration book idea is definitely well timed. May just find some motivation and inspiration to fix up the house. Hubby and I purchased our first home a year and a half ago. So far we have lawn out in the backyard that is not quite being maintained. Feeling flat as I juggle a toddler and 4 month old, but I hate the state of the house as it is. And that is just it...its a house, not really feeling like a home.
    The other ones I want to do is a health and fitness and journalling moments and key events (especially first moments). Too many notebooks and not enough time to fill them.

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    1. I love the idea of a Key Events notebook! Imagine the memories. My parents took photos of almost every moment of my childhood and the photos are just amazing to look back at now that I'm older x

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  9. I'm definitely guilty of buying far too many pretty notebooks and just hoarding them away until I find a use for them! I'm going to try and be brave and use some of these ideas to actually use some of my notebooks!

    The Life & Times of Belle

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    1. Definitely be brave! I used to hoard beautiful notebooks but now, I just use them :) x

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  10. I love all these ideas! I have so many notebooks that are just sitting on my shelf waiting to be used because I typically don't use notebooks other than for a course. The travel journal and to-do-list notebook ideas are my favourite!

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    1. Thanks! :) Time to get your notebooks out for other reasons - imagine how great your bookshelf will look with them all filled hehe x

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  11. I love the home inspiration idea for a notebook! I am obsessed at looking at properties and interior design so that would be awesome!

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    1. Thank you Eleanor :) I'm with you on the obsessed with properties front. I spend a little too much time on Rightmove every week! x

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  12. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who keeps notebooks for pretty much everything ˆˆ

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  13. I'm commenting on this kind of late, but what notebook do you use for diagrams/sketches?

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    1. Hi, I don't have a notebook specifically for diagrams/sketches :) x

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