How I use my 2024 Hobonichi Cousin as a writer, creative, and rule breaker.

My planner is not a typical planner. I use it to record all the things that fill my life with fun and awesomeness, generally disregarding the official use of a planner -- which is, presumably, to plan. Instead, I use one part to keep track of a schedule, and the rest is to highlight what I've done and enjoyed that day, while also practicing some writing and artsing.
I hope you can find some great ideas in here for your own planner fun.
Leave a comment, and please subscribe!
--Sherbi

[@j3ssicaglov3r13]

Your journal is an absolute hot mess and I completely love it!!! It’s beautiful!

[@sherbidabbles]

Hot mess is best! HAHA! Thank you so much!!

[@taranickoledesigns3340]

Love this! I have NEVER seen a hobonichi split! The daily pages have the day number on it that go along with the 365 tracker in the back so you don’t have to count 😃😃 excited to see more!

[@sherbidabbles]

Ah! So great! Thank you for that. I knew there had to be a way! As far as the split - I haven’t looked closer yet to see if it has actually snapped completely. 😬Another person suggested the split is due to my cover, which has always been too tight, not allowing the book to expand and stretch properly. I’ve ordered a new one. Fingers crossed everything can be salvaged. 🤗 And THANK YOU!!

[@glosno8173]

This video was recommended by You Tube and I love it! Perhaps because I'm a little older :) and my life is filled with varied cares, dreams and opportunities, your style of memory keeping resonates with me more than neat, tie in a bow journaling. As they say --- Life is messy and gloriously imperfect . Thanks for sharing your journal that reflects that..

[@sherbidabbles]

Oh this makes my heart happy! Thank you! YES - "life is messy and gloriously imperfect." I love seeing it explode on a page in all its chaos. Thank you so much for being here!

[@bbodalski]

I so live this…. I’ve been trying to use the cousin to plan but this feels more like what I want to do…just a creative celebration place.

[@sherbidabbles]

“A creative celebration place” I love that ❤️❤️❤️

[@Germarican]

Love your viedeos. I have a similiar style of journaling :-) but I use a bullet journal with thicker paper. Might try a hobonichi next year. Love the sound the pages make 🙂 Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland!

[@sherbidabbles]

I was a bullet journaler for YEARS. I used A5 dotted grid Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks. Still do! ❤😊 Didn’t paint in them until this year though. Sending much love!

[@cmt8783]

I love your weeklies! I really enjoyed seeing how you use your Hobinichi - I have used the cousin avec for the first time this year and love it!

[@sherbidabbles]

Yay! I’m so excited for you! Thank you so much for being here and saying hello. And THANK YOU for the compliment about my own planner. I really appreciate it. 🤗 I’m thinking about getting the ace a for next year and then I won’t be worried about making it TOO chunky. 🥰

[@borntwobeealive]

I already know you from the FB group - - now you also have a voice (and a nice one, too), and I get to steal even more from you!

[@sherbidabbles]

🤩 Thank you so much! It’s not stealing - it’s sharing! 🤗🥳

[@gabrielas4661]

Yes! Please do the video in budgeting in hobonichi!!! I didn’t even think of using those back pages even though that’s soooooo smart!!!!

[@sherbidabbles]

Yes! So glad you’re interested in that! I absolutely will do that. 🤗

[@cr8ve.juleslynn]

I've used the Hobo Cousin for 3 years and never have the spine split like that - yikes, and it's only April. It's so refreshing to see your journaling style, and reminds me of my own colorful pages. Not all of us are into a simple/neat or beige aesthetic, so it is nice to find your YT account for inspiration.

[@sherbidabbles]

Oh the beige aesthetic. While I appreciate that others find beauty and peace in that, something about color and chaos makes me happy. It’s like maximalism bohemian on paper to me - a nice incense for my eyes. Hehe. Is that weird? Am I weird? YEP. 😂❤️🥰 Thank you for this. Would love to see your colorful pages if you have them posted anywhere.

[@rostinfarm]

Love the way your journal looks, you are very creative !

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you so much!! 😊 I really appreciate that you took time to comment. I hope I see you back!

[@wendyhoward2699]

I love this. I really want a Hobonichi Cousin.

[@sherbidabbles]

I salivated for a few years before I finally did it and I don’t regret it one bit. Apparently you can eventually buy just the second avec with the back half of the year - presumably it’s cheaper! 🤗

[@twizzbees]

I love what you do in yours! I’m going to start adding stickers to mine. Thanks for sharing!

[@sherbidabbles]

Stickers are an obsession now. It’s insane. 😂 I’ve been getting a lot from Temu and SHEIN. Amazon has a fair bit. Etsy has some from small sellers and typically those are more unique. I love them all 🤗 And thank you!!!

[@bookborrower]

This was amazing. Love how you put art in and that you do whatever feels right to you. That's magical.

[@sherbidabbles]

🥹 Thank you!

[@jen-x-erplansstuff5407]

Your vibe is so cool! PS: I think it is adorable that you are wearing your partner's class ring 💜

[@sherbidabbles]

Immediate t-shirt I will wear forever 😂🥹❤️🥰 And thank you!! I really like it and I know he does too 😊

[@gypsyfroggie]

I have been using a Hobonichi since 2015 and I have never seen the split like that, it may be because this year is the new tomoe river paper, and it may be different putting the book together. I love what you are doing in it. Some years I just do art in mine, others memory keeping...it is so versatile! I love the writing in it. I do notes of anything I am doing a deep dive on, and I love using fountain pens in it too. I especially love how you are doing the weeklies!!! I might have to try that!

[@sherbidabbles]

Another commenter suggested the split is because my cover is so tight the book couldn’t expand. I have since switched it. I looked more closely and the string is still holding and doesn’t look like it will break but yikes - 😳 I love hearing all the ways you’ve used yours. It makes me excited to think about how my use of it will evolve. ❤️ I hope you try how I do weeklies!! In my March flipthrough, which I’m posting soon, I did a daily page to mimic how I do a weeklies page. That was cool too. Not as busy but still fun. 🤩

[@user-dt7pt7iw7g]

Love your video! I'm always looking for ideas to fill my journals in. Yes please, do a video on how you budget. I find budgeting challenging and ove to see how others do it.

[@sherbidabbles]

Awesome. I'm happy for this feedback. I worked hard to get my own budgeting under control after years of struggle struggle struggle (still struggle, but I know when to expect it now!). I will do a video. Thank you for letting me know you'd be interested. I appreciate that.

[@scrapnstitchtawnya5423]

I just found you and subscribed immediately I love this style. Please don’t stop making videos. 😊

[@sherbidabbles]

Please excuse me while I go have happy feels and ugly cry. 🥹🥰❤️ Thank you so much!

[@shadee15]

I don't have a Hobonichi (yet), and I'm new to planning, but this is just beautiful! I will subscribe for more inspiration!

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you so much! This makes me happy! 😊

[@HeyCreativeSister]

I love your videos! Thank you for the inspiration!

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you!!! Please come back again!

[@unchartedwaterss]

Hi! I love the way you use your planner. It's really refreshing to see a unique approach. New subscriber, going to binge the earlier vids 😊❤

[@sherbidabbles]

Oh yeah! That's what I like to hear! Let me know if you see or hear something you want to know more about. :) Thank you so much for saying something!

[@BarefootOnTheM00n]

love the video. just switched from weeks to techo and the video is a good inspiration

[@sherbidabbles]

That's great to hear! I'm considering using a weeks for work next year but am worried I won't have enough space for notes. I currently use an A5 Leuchtturm 1917 dotted grid and draw in my own horizontal weeks. It works for me, but it's not a hobonichi. :P (I used Leuchtturm for at least 8 years).

[@marunguyen7982]

My Hobo Cousin is splitting too! 😂 I also use a lot of stickers and add a lot of things in! Love love love your Cousin and it made me more motivated to keep using mine despite the breakage! ❤

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you so much!! I looked closely and the string hasn’t snapped so I’m glad for that! Another commenter suggested my clear cover was too tight, forcing the spine to split because there’s no room to expand. So I took it out and put it in a leather cover I have for my blank Hobonichi notebook. It’s much bigger and the cousin seems happier being able to breathe. Lol! 😂 is yours in a big enough cover?? They suggested, for clear covers, the midori a5 CODEX. I had just the plain midori. The codex is bigger. Do you have your planner in any videos or on insta? I’d love to see!

[@lesliewells-ig5dl]

I love your videos! So glad i found your channel!! I love the no white space approach, i do that too and you are inspiring me! Thank you!!

[@sherbidabbles]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'd love to see yours. Do you post images anywhere? It's awesome seeing others go FULL ON too. :) If there's white space, I feel like I did it wrong. Hahaha.

[@lesliewells-ig5dl]

@@sherbidabbles You're welcome! I don't post anything, maybe I should think about that!!

[@sherbidabbles]

@lesliewells-ig5dl You absolutely should. I love seeing what other people do. Link it if you do!

[@lesliewells-ig5dl]

@@sherbidabbles Thanks! I will!

[@missytrent2153]

I love your Hobonichi! I have used Hobonichi for journaling since 2017…. All sizes! I tend to use the avec for documenting my life, journaling, and adding photos. I also love using the full year cousin very much like you do…art, writing. Never have I had a book split, however, I do think that I know what may have caused this. At the start of your video, it looked to me like the spine has cracked. This can be caused by keeping a book in a tight cover. It does not allow the spine to freely grow with the book. I’m so sorry that this has happened to you! It’s still quite lovely and I will look forward to your flip through! Also, a great plastic cover to use for the full year cousin is the Midori a5 CODEX cover. It’s a bit roomier than the regular Midori clear cover! It can be found at Jet Pens, I believe.

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you so much!! My cover is a little tight but I did not realize the consequences. This is super helpful information. I’ll order a new one. THANK YOU THANK YOU ❤❤❤

[@missytrent2153]

@@sherbidabbles good luck! ♥️

[@kathrynstiles3509]

Love the Hobonichi Techo and your style using it is very inspiring!!

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you so much!

[@SuzetteMariel]

Your budget video idea seems interesting. I hope you produce it! I love how you include your whole life in your hobonichi. Great stuff!

[@sherbidabbles]

Thank you! You're the second person so far who seems interested in that idea, so I think I'll do it. I only need one and I've got double already! Stay tuned for it. :) And thank you for being here!

[@deborahsue702]

New subscriber ✅ Love this video!

[@sherbidabbles]

I’m so glad!! Thank you thank you for subscribing! ❤️❤️❤️

[@GenieGallaher]

Your Hobonichi looks awesome! 😍 If you find that it is way too chunky by May/June Jetpens will start selling the second half of the Avec soon so you can split the year into 2 books.

[@sherbidabbles]

PERFECT! I had no idea they would sell just the second half. That's awesome. I would still use the other pages for something else, but maybe not paint and stickers..... stupid stickers. :P LOL

[@sherbidabbles]

And thank you!

[@GenieGallaher]

@@sherbidabbles Lol, I know the struggle! Mine is full of stickers and washi.

[@alicem1111]

❤

[@sherbidabbles]

❤️

[@tilliet00]

loved seeing your wild weeklies. i aspire to be that carefree but mine always end up neat and boring. this is the first video from you that i’ve watched and i look forward to watching more from you. i saw lots of great ideas for tracking and so much creativity. thanks so much for sharing!

[@sherbidabbles]

Your comment inspires me to show all the different trackers I've used. I'm sure yours are not boring, especially if they serve you well. Some people really need things to be laid out clearly and there are certainly days I need that as well. For instance, I use an A5 Leuchtturm dotted grid for work -- it has much neater lines and clear bullet points. I could not work with what I do for weeklies in my Hobo and actually see quickly and efficiently what needs doing. My Hobo is a creative, relaxing space for me. If you like the idea of stretching your wings, however, might I suggest playing in your margins and borders? Maybe start with changing only headers or the top thing you do each morning? Or making just one thing different than the rest. That's only if you wonder if it would give you more joy when you open the page. :) I hope you come back!

[@tilliet00]

such an unexpected reply with so much encouragement and thoughtful input! thank you for sharing so much inspiration and kindness and help. i’ll definitely be back. 😊❤

[@tilliet00]

are you on instagram?

[@sherbidabbles]

@@tilliet00 Your previous comment is so sweet. I’m glad you’ll be back! And no, I’m not on Instagram for this sort of thing - just my regular ol’ life stuff. But many people ask so perhaps one day…. 🤞

[@shlaybayy]

😁

[@sherbidabbles]

🤗

[@aubreygarrison5388]

I loved this video and felt inspired! Do you use fountain pens in it? If so, which ones?

[@sherbidabbles]

I used to free write exclusively with fountain pens. I started with disposable Parker pens, then got a Mint Blanc as a gift but it never worked well for me. Then I used a Lamy Safari for a long time. I don’t have any fountain pens anymore but have been tempted to get them again. Many people with Hobonichi love them. If I were to get another, I’d get a Lamy or a Kaweco Sport. I also love the Pilot Vanishing Point pen. That would be amazing to own. I also love glass nibs and would try dipping in ink. So many options!!

[@bubs-bubsy]

Love your flip through. Can I ask how you use Bing to write your prompts and stories, please?

[@sherbidabbles]

Hi! Thank you so much! I don’t use Bing at all. But I do use chat gpt. I’ll put in a prompt, asking “Please provide a random, pragmatic ten-word line you may find in the middle of a novel.” Sometimes the lines are very poetic and I don’t love that, so I’ll ask for one less poetic. When I ask for writing prompts, it will usually return a whole plot line and I don’t like that either, so being very specific about what I want is necessary. It’s a great tool! Sometimes I will ask it for prompts based on Natalie Goldberg’s writing exercises in Writing Down the Bones. Those will typically be sensory-based. That’s a fabulous book to get if you want some writing practice. I recommend it to EVERYBODY.

[@bubs-bubsy]

Sorry I meant gp chat lol. Thank you very much have got the book in my cart. 🤗🤗

[@sherbidabbles]

@bubs-bubsy Excellent! I thought you might have meant that but just in case there is something in Bing that does this, I didn’t want to make the assumption. 🩷 So glad about the book! It’s what started me writing!!

[@bubs-bubsy]

Is squabble free to use?? Or do you have to have a subscription?

[@bubs-bubsy]

Once you have you prompt do you then enter that prompt and ask gp chat to write you the story or do you make it up from there?? I would need the story written for me lol. I am no good at writing stories. Sorry for all the dumb questions however I LOVE how you use your hobonichi and I'd like to try your daily style with the help of gp chat

[@paperstoryjournals]

I’ve not seen a hobo split and I mix media and stuff it full.

[@sherbidabbles]

I looked very closely and the string is still in tact. I’ve since taken it out of this clear cover, which was always a little small. Another commenter suggested that the cover made it strain and perhaps contributed to the splitting. It seems happier in a bigger leather cover right now. I’d love to add more media to mine. Do you have yours displayed anywhere? I’m such a paper voyeur 🥸

[@paperstoryjournals]

@@sherbidabbles I have a few pages on my instagram. I probably should take some side shots of my journals.