Getting Organized, Part 1: One Notebook to Rule Them All

[@MichaelDavidSherwood]

I have one of these blank [case bound] notebooks in my attic! Seeing your vlog has inspired me to find it and try using it again. Thank you.

[@PianotvNet]

Awesome!

[@SonshineLady7]

@Allysia Marie I have likely watched 100's of videos on journals, how to set them up, etc. It was my quarantine hobby. 😁 I spent way too much money on a myriad of types of planners/journals...then came the journal covers (got to have a really impressive one for the journal to even work apparently)....all the specs on the pens used which branched off into brands, nub size...then the paper that is used to manufacture the journal...ARRRGGGHHHHH! Certainly not all but I think some "How To" vids are more a form of "show and tell" rather than containing concrete info. Your video is one of the rarer ones that presents concepts rather than sparkle. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you!

[@89Husker]

It's always annoying getting past the apprehension that whatever I'll put in a clean new notebook will somehow make the book ugly or less valuable. It's the same fear I have with sketch books, and it ultimately discourages me from writing or drawing.

[@PianotvNet]

Oh man, I 100% understand this. It almost feels like a sin writing the first words in a new notebook. But even though a blank notebook is beautiful, it's just that - blank. There's no way blankness is more valuable than your thoughts, words, drawings, etc. :)

[@SonshineLady7]

Perfectionist here and totally relate. In my case, one thing that makes it even worse is seeing all the "perfect" journals on KZbin. The first time I came across a "Bullet Journal" video the journal was absolute "perfection" in that lines drawn were measured with a ruler and perfectly straight, it was color-coded to the max, all manner of "habit trackers" were included, of course color-coded and...a lot of calligraphy. Thinking I may have stumbled on an outlyer, I viewed another Bujo vid by a different person. Same thing. I came to the conclusion I could not keep one of these, although they were "supposed" to be a planning system because I'm not an artist (stick figures are beyond my abilities!), all the colors took attention away from any actual planning, and apparently a calligraphy craze was sweeping the nation. I have messy handwriting that I often can't read a short time after writing it! Fortunately, I kept looking and one YT author referenced the website bulletjournal.com and that this system was developed by Ryder Carroll. As an old commercial used to say, "How do you spell relief?" One notebook of any type and one writing utensil to create a planner that has rules for how it flows, but it can be altered to meet the needs of each person. I read a YT comment response on one of the "minimalist Bujo" vids that said, I don't want to turn my planner into an art project!!!!! Hear, hear! The second comment on a different video addressed becoming almost paralyzed when faced with a pristine blank page (or, for me, the beginning of a new journal). The person recommended opening the journal about 3/4 into it and scribble, jot, color, anything and that this activity "breaks in the journal" and allows the brain to get unstuck on the fear of messing up.

[@crystalfolse3208]

Thank you really good info🥰

[@FeonaLeeJones]

Would you ever do a video on your process for recording videos for youtube? I would be super interested to see you process and workflow. You are SUPER organized! ;-)

[@AllysiaMarie]

Ha! My setup is such chaos, it's probably more of a lesson in "what not to do". But maybe I'll do something like that!

[@FeonaLeeJones]

@@AllysiaMarie That would be fantastic!

[@razberrie]

i love this idea! i came over here from your piano channel. do you map out a certain number of pages in your notebook for each month ahead of time? or have you ever used more than one sketchbook or notebook in one year? i really want to try this and i don't even think i'm going to wait until january 1 to start! thanks in advance if you can answer my questions!

[@AllysiaMarie]

Don't wait until January 1st! :) Now in mid-July, my notebook that I started in January is almost full, so I'll definitely be starting a new one before the end of the year. I do like starting a new one at the beginning of the year (even if the old one isn't full). I don't map anything out, preferring the expanse of full chaos. Some months I write a lot, and other months I write little.

[@razberrie]

@@AllysiaMarie thanks so much! :)definitely going to start soon! i think i will like the chaos too, i also think there are more of us who use paper than one might think. bullet journaling seems too rigid for me (one of the reasons i asked if you plan it out with x number of pages "allowed" per month) so i like your system much better. cheers!

[@matthewhayes9734]

I'm interested to know why you keep your journal in a digital format as opposed to analog? I also used to keep my journal in a single document online it makes it easy for quick recalling. But I keep going back and forth and can't get away from the subtle beauty of analog journaling.

[@PianotvNet]

It's true that analog writing is an entirely different experience. Different mediums bring out different shades, and I'm certain that my analog journal would look, feel, and flow differently than my digital one. I journal digitally mainly for ease (I can get more thoughts out more quickly), and I keep analog writing for more creative pursuits like writing poetry, lyrics, and random insights. But I am a little conflicted about it, because like you mentioned, there is a beauty in analog journaling that isn't captured in a word processor.

[@FeonaLeeJones]

Also, do you use any notebook to write down assignments for students? Do they have their own notebooks or do you have a system so they know what to practice?

[@AllysiaMarie]

Yes, they all have their own binders with tabs. Every week we use a new page to keep track of assignments. :)

[@rihemar9812]

Good job but it's too long

[@scrapgirl82]

Have you heard of bullet journals? You’re kind of, sort of doing a bullet journal without the dotted paper. 😝

[@AllysiaMarie]

Yes, they're really cute! But I need the 8.5x11 size and complete freedom of a blank page. :)

[@taiko7225]

So interesting - as I need the structure and formality to properly frame and organize my thoughts within.

[@SonshineLady7]

Bullet journals have nothing to do with dotted paper. One of the benefits of a bullet journal is that ANY type or size of notebook can be used. Dotted paper is used within some businesses requiring a lot of precision and measuring, such as engineering or architecture. The bullet journals that show up in YT vids feature the type of pages the person enjoys. They are displaying "their" journals/preferences and almost always say "Any type of notebook can be used." I've noticed those in the YT journaling community who use dot grid journals are usually those who include elements in their journals that make use of straight lines drawn with rulers, create boxes on pages that are all the same size and distance from each other, etc. The dotted paper distracts me so I select journals with pages that are blank or lined. The term "bullet" in bullet journals is that this style of analog writing encourages people to jot down info they want to keep quickly in one location (the journal) then easily retrieve it as needed instead of the info floating around on bits of paper like mine was - sticky notes, a torn bit of paper with a phone number on it, etc. and certainly can't be found when needed...or worse, forgotten entirely! You've likely heard the phrase, "bullet points;" it's similar to an outline. Just a word or short phrase to joggle one's mind when they see it. The opposite is "long-form writing" such as journaling, writing a letter, term paper, etc. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching the intro video at bulletjournal.com narrated by its creator. It cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had about bullet journals such as having to include artwork, be painstakingly neat, keep track of all my "habits" and use lots and lots of stickers...lol!