A chaotic assessment of my notebooks

[@samanthaplans2023]

I was having the same issues in 2023 with my hobonichi cousin. I ended up switching all to sterling ink n1. Vertical. I fell in love. Perfect size on the go but not to small either. The moterm companion standard fits both the planner and notebook from sterling ink perfect with a little room to grow. ❤ just totally understand your rut. Goodluck with 2025. New sub ❤

[@montgommmery]

@@samanthaplans2023 Thank you!! Hobonichi forced my hand. I placed an order with them for the cousin and two of the document cases. And they cancelled my order with no explanation. So looks like I’m for sure going with Sterling Ink for 2025!! Joining a new club!

[@darkensys]

Kinbor (aliexpress) has weeks size, weekly (A5) and daily (A6/A5) in separate books. The paper isn’t TRP, but it’s 52g and also very good quality (100% recommended).

[@montgommmery]

Thank you for the reco! I totally forgot to check out Kinbor this year!

[@brendaharris3310]

I tried using a hobonichi cousin but for 2025 I'm purchasing Sterling Ink. I love the white paper the planner pages and the blank pages instead of the dated pages. I don't like the dated daily pages too restricting. Also love the colour options. Love that your using a date stamp which I think is a great idea. I just didn't want a blank daily page if I didn't get to journal on a particular day.

[@montgommmery]

@@brendaharris3310 yessss!! Exactly! I can’t cope with knowing I have blank pages in my cousin. At the end of the day, I just like knowing my notebook is full and I used every possible inch of it. I saw someone else’s video saying they’ll use blanks as commonplace pages. But I also can’t cope with it not being chronological 😂 I’m very particular I guess lol

[@dorothyevans3864]

I’ve been using SI in B6 consistently for work but for personal use I’ve mixed it up a little over the last few years. For my journaling in 2024 I am using the B6 Monthly booklet for goals and tracking progress/results and a B6 notebook for my journal - I don’t journal everyday, so don’t need dated pages and keeping my journal away from the dated part means I can keep it going until I fill it up, not have to renew every calendar year. For 2025 I’ve going up a size to A5. I’m having a dilemma as to whether I stay with SI or just pick up another notebook, but the tactile experience is important to me, so I’m ok paying a bit extra for a book that can last me a couple of years. I’ve picked up a B6 Horizontal Compact from SI to use as a separate health planner and I’ve picked up an SI A6 compact for my everyday calendar/to-do/planner/tracker. I’ve also picked up a Wonderland 222 A6 core as I really like that one and I may be able to put my health and daily planning together in the smaller book. The Wonderland 222 all in one version has many many more note pages at the back - an increase on 2024, I think. They have increased their notebook options for 2025 and made some great changes to earlier versions. Really worth checking them out.

[@montgommmery]

@@dorothyevans3864 I saw that the SI A5 was kinda pricey! But the books are very pretty so might be worth it. I will definitely check out the Wonderland 222! I forget to check out other brands! I’m very much guilty of being influenced by the popular brands.

[@JustScribble]

For a journal why use a planner? If you don’t need the dated pages for accountability and can’t ignore the dates when journaling, and if you don’t use the weeklies etc bc it’s a journal why not just use a notebook? No reason that a planner and journal have to be combined. I’ve found actually that for me it works better if they aren’t. Then my journal can cover any span of time and there’s no stress over how many pages are there and how many I need. If I need 5 notebooks for journaling in the year it’s cool and if I don’t finish one it’s cool. It gives me freedom. And I don’t worry about my journal getting lost or seen. And it keeps my planning functional. It’s funny you don’t see the SI as much. It’s all over social media and even more pretty planning I find especially since Catherine’s stickers and design is fancy. I see just as much SI as Hobo and I find a lot of the Hobo shares are more fun and colorful. SI makes great planners and notebooks but there are tons of other brands worth checking out. Many have more unique and functional layouts.

[@montgommmery]

@@JustScribble I used to have separate journal and planner. But I always thought I wanted them all in one. And the Hobonichi cousin made me feel like it was the answer to that problem. But now I’m finding, like you said, just keep them separate. Less stress on the journaling side. Plus my planning stuff can be more compact so I can carry it to appointments and such. And so strange we are seeing opposite brands online! Maybe because I was in a Hobonichi I was seeking out more Hobonichi content and the algorithm just kept me in the Hobonichi hole. I think I’ll try to avoid SI content so I don’t compare my book to others like I did with the Hobonichi.

[@JustScribble]

It’s funny I’ve taken my A5 on the go before without issue though it was large and got heavy. I could do it but didn’t love it. But I found my B6 got just as big and heavy and it became just as burdensome and it didn’t save much space or annoyance. There some great standard size planners available now.

[@chaoswithsusan]

I actually found a product similar to the hobonichi cousin on temu, MUCH less expensive. I ordered two and plan to use one for daily journaling, and the other for my daily tasks, etc. Just a thought :) I think I have FINALLY found my 2025 lineup. maybe? probably not?

[@montgommmery]

@@chaoswithsusan I never thought to check Temu for dupes!! Good idea! I was looking at Walmart, Target and Amazon for something similar but no luck.

[@DJTRAGICSWAG]

What’s the dupe called? ❤

[@chaoswithsusan]

@@DJTRAGICSWAG the description reads 2025 thick A5 planner- 365-day agenda, 180 sheets, 360 pages, English, for daily life…the item number is AM135494

[@tortagialla]

What is the dupe?

[@chaoswithsusan]

@@tortagialla the current item number is WF135115 and it's $3.33. Keep it mind, it's a heavier weight paper, and not an exact dupe. But, it's close enough for me, and the cheapest daily planner I have found in an A5 size.

[@BlackPearlMinistries]

The cousin never worked for me. The weeks is really my favorite. I ordered an April start for 2024 and the Denali one for 2025. It looks smelly - but is is so mighty. I am a monthly and weekly gal. I also am a big to-do lister. I ordered the mega one year, but never even used half of the extra pages. I also love the Hobonichi pen. I didn’t order directly from them this year, cause last year Fed Ex lost my package twice. I finally got them but 8 months late. 😂. I stumbled upon the Rollbahn notebook at Barnes and Noble. It is also a Japanese product. It has cream paper and I love them. I did like the a6 day free. I filled up a lot for the pages. Some pages were to-do lists. Some were notes . Some were recipes. I used to have bigger handwriting too until I started using the 0.38 hobo pen. It changed me. 😂

[@montgommmery]

@@BlackPearlMinistries That’s a good idea, maybe I need a smaller pen! I do use the 0.5 Muji gel pen. I just like super dark ink so I tried the 0.38 Energel clena and wasn’t a fan. What 0.38 pen do you use? The uniball that comes from Hobonichi?

[@AllTheArtsy]

im so confused with planning people who....dont know how to plan 😅😅

[@montgommmery]

Hahaha that would most definitely be me!

[@taniaa.2454]

I’m having a similar issue. The coursin is perfect for me for monthly tracking, monthly planning and weekly planning. The daily pages for brain dumping or journaling quickly became exhausting for me. Currently looking for something close to the cousin without the daily pages…anyone have suggestions??

[@montgommmery]

I think Aura Estelle might have a notebook with just months and weeklies! Or maybe the Sterling Ink compact if you just want a couple of notes pages in the back.

[@Divyv520]

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