A5 Take a Note Planner Review (with close ups!) + a Life update

[@katzenfrau]

Take A Note is so underrated! i have been loving it for 2024. it is a perfect compromise between a strict 2-page weekly and a full 1-page daily. i have more space when i need it, but not so much it feels like "wasting" if it isnt "filled up" when I'm not up for it. Plus it's fountain pen friendly, so i like using a different color per week to mix things up!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thank you for sharing!! I love using a bunch of fountain pen colors too 💖

[@michelleadams5609]

I won't use the 52 gsm of the Hobonichi, but the 68 gsm of this one is a game changer. I can use any pen, marker and the ghosting is 50% less than the Techo i have. The columns are wider and i can make two columns a day.

[@celinacurry3272]

I was seriously considering switching my journaling to the TAN planner. Thanks for the detailed descriptions.

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tinacampbell2610]

I have 2 Take A Note Planners I’m using for 2024 and love them. I use one for personal journaling and the other one for my astronomy/telescope learning journaling and transcription of a book: Cosmos by Carl Sagan. I like the thickness of the TAN paper over the Hobonichi because I think it takes ink better than the Hobonichi paper. I like the fact that I don’t have all those daily pages to deal with like in my Hobonichi Cousin that I use for work...I am learning I don’t have to use every daily page in my Hobonichi Cousin (I went back to one after leaving my SICP due to unforeseen circumstances). I’d love to see what you plan to do in your TAN planner because there isn’t a lot of content out there for this planner. Great review, and can’t wait to see what you do with this planner.

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thank you!! I love that you are using one for the Astronomy 💚💚 I love the paper too, it feels so luxurious.

[@shar__]

you sold me on buying a kindle with one sentence! the at night, in the dark , with soft light glowing from the screen part , yep that's it! now added to my to-buy list lol. Happy Belated Birthday as well :)

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thank you!! I am IN LOVE with the kindle :)

[@sandrapawula4109]

I've always been intrigued by this planner, too. Thanks for the walk-through. At this point, the size of the Hobonichi Weeks is best for me, so I probably won't be trying Take-a-Note. But you never know!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

The hobonichi weeks size is great!! I'm glad you found something you love 🥰

[@teresaslaughter1546]

Great review 👏 I always wondered how thick it was. I do wish it came with more extra pages. Love your stickers and fast shipping 😊

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thanks so much!! I agree about the extra notes pages, but having a supplemental book would be easy to match with it.

[@cherylclough4309]

This planner looks very intriguing. I may put it on a To Try list for 2025. However, I purchased a Sterling Ink recently and I am loving it-a lot. I moved into my TN covers at the beginning of the year, but was dissatisfied with the inserts. At the end of March I decided to try the Sterling Ink and find it just about perfect. Take A Note does have a try me vibe though…

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thanks for sharing! The Sterling Ink is still one of my favorites, especially the TN and Weeks size. The paper on the TAN is so different though since it is thicker, it feels more luxurious.

[@noornamu6677]

Thanks for the review I’m really considering a TAN planner for the new year

[@mydandeliondiaries]

You are so welcome!

[@aliyyahj]

I’m currently reading the Cainsville series by Kelley Armstrong. Highly recommend.it’s a little fantasy and a little crime/thriller

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Ooooo fantasy AND crime??? Count me in! Thank you!!

[@thestationeryjunkie]

You can utilize the lower portion of the yearly tracker to write your habits since the space beneath the month is small. 😊 Also in the "Taiwanese version", they use Traditonal Chinese characters. 😅

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Great ideas!! Thank you for the correction on the characters!! 💚

[@Laura0I]

One of my favorite fantasy series of all times is The raven cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. I think you would like it. It’s very whimsical/mystical and nature plays a big part in the plot. One of the main characters is a sentient forest!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I LOVE Maggie Stiefvater!! I read her Shiver book series when I was young and loved them so much that they wore out and I had to get new copies haha. Definitely going to add that to my list 💚

[@ezra.mp4.]

i loooooove my TAN b6!! i've been using it since january of this year and it's perfect for memory keeping on the weeklies and journaling on the blank pages in the back... such a lovely design

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@619to253]

I love my Take A Note planner. It is my supplement to the Hobonichi Cousin instead of a blank notebook. Rachelle in Seattle

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I love that! Thank you for sharing 💚💚

[@Chaos_and_Creativity]

Would love to know how you use together!

[@desleyart]

the gantt chart was actually the larger section with the space at the bottom. that's what it says on the website. It's vertical gantt chart. What you called the gantt chart is actually for habit tracking.

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I think they both could be considered a gantt chart but thank you for clarifying!

[@desleyart]

@@mydandeliondiaries sure they can both be used. You commented that the space was small for gantt charting, so it's good that the larger section with the months and dates is the space that's meant for that purpose.

[@mellodi]

I use A5 TAN as my main planner this year. I love the simplicity of the layout! I can use the days as proper dailies and week view for planning like in Weeks. Before I used A6 Kinbor for dailies and Kinbor Weeks for weekly planning but I had problem with filling in my weeks and there was too much rewriting things. Now everything is in one place. I love how the half of A5 page translates to A6 page and it’s not overwhelming. I love the monthly view too because it’s large enough to make notes on budget etc. which I previously did in the notes pages of Weeks. It could have more notes pages but I made it work. The only thing I miss are the weeks numbers to be printed but I write them in myself. And the 68 TRP is marvelous! It’s so much more luxurious that Hobonichi (comparing it with this year A6 Hon). No showthrough, all the gel pens work like a charm from 0.38 to the juiciest Energels. The grid is small 3.5 mm but it fits much more text this way. I usually ignore the hourly schedule but it helps sometimes to know when I want to write some repeated info. The noon shading is a bit annoying but it blends in mostly. May you read many interesting pages on you new Kindle! Do you use any screen protection? I wouldn’t carry e-readers with exposed screen because they are really fragile. I use closed type of covers that also wake the devise up so it’s ready to read when you open it.

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I 100% agree with all you said about the TAN! I want a few more notes pages, but a small supplemental book would likely do the trick for me. I love the paper too. 💚 I haven't gotten a screen protector yet for the kindle. I have debated since I am truly prone to dropping things haha. (I have shattered so many phones....) I thought about a case with a front closing flap but since I read in bed/upside down a lot, I didn't want the extra weight. I may look for a screen cover that has a green to match though, I think that would be so nice!

[@emmasweikert3290]

Please please do the TAN setup on screen!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

🥰🥰 Coming soon!

[@Adventuresover40]

I have been eyeing the TAN since end of last year. I considered it for my health planner this year, but ended up not going with it. Next year I am considering TAN or W222 for my health planner. I downloaded so many books and have yet to read one full book this year. I need to make it a priority over screen time.. lol

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I really like the TAN but I think if you needed more space the W222 would be better? Not sure as I haven't tried a W222 yet haha. I have found that I reach for my kindle now more than my phone to doom scroll at night! I leave it at my beside and if I feel the urge to "scroll" I grab the Kindle instead and read some chapters!

[@Adventuresover40]

@@mydandeliondiaries I have a A6 W222 for my work planner and really like it. I also won an A5 W222 and have been playing with layouts. But I don't think I need an A5 for my health planner. I have all my Kindle books on my iPad and usually keep in next to my bed also... Now I need to grab for it 😁

[@Chill-oh5tc]

I’d like to see how you set up your take a note!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

💚💚💚

[@plancreatecope]

I really like the Take a Note design. I may end up using that next year instead of my cousin. I love the A5 size, but I never fill it up. The A6 is too small. I just like this layout and design. Where did you get it, straight from Take a Note??

[@plandsandtravels]

Same, just too much space in my HON. Hopefully a TAN will fit in my Hobonichi cover

[@tinacampbell2610]

@@plandsandtravels Take A Note makes covers for their planners that you can order when you preorder their planners. I also have one in a hobonichi cover made by SaltyKatie and regular A5 notebook covers made by Moterm and such will fit as well...

[@tinacampbell2610]

They have a preorder and list on Amazon at the end of the year... but not many listed on Amazon they go real fast...

[@mydandeliondiaries]

@plancreatecope I ordered off of the London Gifties website since the take a note was sold out, and she just celebrated her 8 year anniversary. I believe Yoseka Stationery also carries them but not sure if they are sold out or not. I like how simple it is but I do wish it had a few more notes pages. I haven't tried in a Hobo cover yet but it is really close to the same size as a hobonichi cousin.

[@tinacampbell2610]

@@mydandeliondiaries I purchased one of mine on Amazon and preordered the other on Yoseka Stationery :)

[@addicted2analogue]

I’m very interested in how you use the Take a Note.

[@mydandeliondiaries]

Video will be coming soon 💖

[@buttercup_plans2896]

Do you know when they will release the 2025 lineup? I’m dying to try this!!!

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I don't. But I suggest following them on Instagram or signing up for their emails!

[@suzyhobbs2327]

I have been trying to find an a5 take a note. Where is someplace that still has them?

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I got mine from London Gifties. www.londongifties.com/take-a-note She is located in the UK. If you're in the states, I haven't found any in stock.

[@chocolatedoclet]

This would be perfect for me if this was a page a day. I really want to try something other than the Hobonichi Cousin because I'm not the biggest fan of the paper. I find fountain pen ink bleeds through it when swatching. Also not a fan of dating everything myself... Anyone got ideas for me?

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I haven't personally used one, but Hemlock and Oak has thicker paper than the Hobonichi and have similar layouts.

[@Chaos_and_Creativity]

What kind of kindle is that? I want one SOOOO BAD lol

[@mydandeliondiaries]

It is the kindle paperwhite in agave green :) I linked what I could!

[@deniseyeaisaidit]

Take a note is always sold out

[@mydandeliondiaries]

I have noticed that they sell out too. But, some third party sellers have them around a little longer. I know Amazon, Yoseka Stationery, and London Gifties carry them. I got this one from London Gifties 😊