I destroyed my 2024 planner system & found planner peace ~ planner & journal chat, current setup

I found peace with the basics - traveler's company insert, traveler's notebook, moleskine expanded journal 💕 Let me know your thoughts below!

[@starstruckatelier]

"special" notebooks stress me out.... too much pressure, so I also prefer very basic inserts for my travelers notebook. Great video by the way. Really enjoyed it!

[@essikaroliina]

Yes!! I always kinda fall in love with some "special" notebook or planner and it neeeever works out. I think i have learned my lesson now! 😄 thank you for watching! 💕

[@mirandaryan3362]

I used to teach art to children age 7 to 11 years old. I would give them art journals and tell them that the journals were mine and not theirs. We would spend the first class just scribbling in them….messing them up. This is how I would free my students up to experiment. The perfection quest starts early…. The journals were amazing and free.

[@essikaroliina]

Oh my gosh that sounds truly amazing! I think many adults would need classes like this too. 😍

[@littlegiftsletter]

Totally know the feeling of not wanting to mess up a pretty planner, but also with time I’ve learned to love messing them up 🤣 I love ugly scribbling and watercoloring on pretty paper, love doing “non-aesthetic” spreads. “Aesthetic” journals really stress me out, the monotony of it, the homogeneity of it is so boring! I love seeing something different and more genuine. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. As always very pleasant to watch.

[@essikaroliina]

Haha so good!! I feel the same ~ non aesthetic or even ugly all the way!! But somehow i just can't with pretty notebooks 😂 thank you for watching and commenting! 💗

[@PaperAngelPlans]

I love the variety in your traveler's notebook. It feels very free and a is a nice mixture of structure, writing, painting, pictures, etc.

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you! 😍💗

[@Wholelatteplans]

I totally know what you mean, if something feels too nice and precious I have a really hard time using it! I need to feel no pressure 😆 I love your planners and journals!! They inspire me so much!

[@essikaroliina]

Yess exactly! Pressure free is the way to go 😄 thank you for watching ❤️❤️

[@julietheis5255]

Beautiful planner and journal!!! I feel absolutely the same way, especially at this time of year when everyone is worried about their planner systems for 2025... I just want to have something reliable that I can be messy and myself in, I don't want to have to worry about how pretty or aesthetic my things are because I spent money on them... Thank you for this wonderful video, I loved it, and I loved seeing YOU in your pages!!! 🥰

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you so much for your comment! 😍 i think it's so important that we can be ourselves in our journals and planners. And not perform for anyone or anything 💗💗

[@rhoadestraveled]

I know what you mean I get anxiety over pretty planning too. I just went back to a lined notebook and use a bunch of highlighters to make it colorful

[@essikaroliina]

Sounds like a great setup! I love using highlighters too for a pop of color. And it looks awesome too 😁💗

[@CorrineVictoria]

I love your voice, it’s so calming!

[@essikaroliina]

Aww thank you so much! 😍💕

[@CorrineVictoria]

you’re welcome ☺️

[@SempreJournals]

Always enjoy your videos! Great to hear your perspectives and see your creativity!🧡

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you so much 😍

[@LeaundraRoss]

I totally get what you're saying. A pretty notebook can cause a creative block for me also. I think that's why a lot of people are using the cheaper notebooks because of what you're saying. I love yours journals and planners.

[@essikaroliina]

Yes absolutely! Thank you for watching 🙏🏼💗

[@rostinfarm]

Really enjoyed your video. I also love the feel of the Moleskine notebooks. I have one Moleskine I do anything I want in, and another that I use to practice handwriting with my right hand - I'm naturally left-handed. I use the Travelers Notebook system for my planning.

[@essikaroliina]

That's really cool to practice with the other hand! Our setup is almot the same, i love that 😁 thank you for watching 💗

[@francesca6001]

I really enjoyed this video. I feel the same about the "special" notebook, I feel really free and zero stressed when I don't have to "make it pretty" in my planner as in my journal. I planned kinda the same system for 2025 ☺️ and my Moleskine expanded ad diary is my safe space since I have plenty of space and pages to experiment and write and save all about my days (clippings from magazines, photos, stickers etc) and flipping through it makes me feel so happy! Thank you for all the amazing things you share with us! ❤ Lots of love from Italy ❤❤

[@essikaroliina]

Ah yes i feel you with the safe space! My expanded feels like that too 😍 thank you for watching and commenting, sending love from Finland 🙏🏼💗

[@reginacollier816]

Every notebook of yours is so inspiring! I love the messy look and struggle with "pretty" notebooks too!

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you so much! 😍🙏🏼

[@catierandy8579]

There is so much truth in this video. Thank you!

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you for watching 😍🙏🏼

[@JulieloopsJAM]

Love this video so much. Thank you so much for sharing 💕

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you for watching 💗🙏🏼

[@Paperpillow.stationery]

I love the beautiful notebooks and want to use them but also get a bit paralysed by them. My Moleskine that I don’t really care about how it looks is so much easier to use 👍

[@essikaroliina]

Yess i feel you!! 🙌 thanks for watching!

[@yesterdayonpaper]

I have already made way to peeking at my undated traveler's weekly insert after stopping using the fancy hemlock and oak and papertess, i felt the same. Like i was working for my planner. It's supposed to work for us ❤ I invested in my first leuchtturm journal after trying a soft cover one i found discounted. I've been able to break away from worrying about it feeling fancy in the leuchtturm1917. But i snagged a happy planner for our family planning recently and appreciated not having to be fancy in it. I have felt my desire coming back for my standard tn setup. Would pair nicely with my leuchtturm1917 bullet journal. I enjoy having different dedicated inserts. But i flipped through my pocket tn and the joy i got from bullet journaling in that size made an appearance 😅. Who knows what I'll do next. Definitely love my leuchtturm. But have been seeing this energetic shift in our community as many are moving back to function over fancy. Isn't it neat?

[@essikaroliina]

Function over fancy, i love that! Haha there's always so much options and setups to enjoy, i feel you 😄😃 i've never tried a leuchtturm journal, but i did look at the daily pocket size from them because my friend really wants one, and i think that one looks really cool 😍

[@yesterdayonpaper]

@essikaroliina Moleskine are actually lovely for basic. They tend to hold gel pens nicely as I prefer gel:) Leuchtturm is unnecessary unless you love their product. There are many spiral notebooks that hold basic inks well. They've been on the rise in the planner community. Brands such as 5-star, Hilroy, Oxford, and pens and gear by Walmart offer spiral notebooks that tend to have that throw away feel and we can just dig in and enjoy planning again. Thanks for your videos, they're just what I needed! Ive been growing tired of the perfect looking aesthetic planning styles.

[@essikaroliina]

@@yesterdayonpaper i've heard so much about pen and gear lately! Probably would have tried it if i had access 😄 up here (i'm in finland) the basic few euro notebooks aren't that great unfortunately. But i love that there are these super affordable options that are actually good to use! 😍

[@yesterdayonpaper]

The exchange rate to USD for Finland is only about 10%, so not too bad if you can access some international online stores for supplies. I’ve also heard that ordering from Amazon Japan can be a great option for affordable stationery, though I haven’t tried it yet. I did come across a Finnish stationery shop that seemed reasonably priced called Paperimuru. It sounds like Moleskine has really been a great find for you!

[@essikaroliina]

@yesterdayonpaper yes paperimuru is a great one! I usually tend to order within EU only so there won't be extra customs to pay & shipping prices are usually better. I just found moleskines for a really good price from amazon germany & netherlands 🙌👌

[@lindaturley3762]

i think moleskine are special, i love the covers feel, the paper is nice, they are actually quite expensive here in Australia

[@essikaroliina]

Oh yes i just realised this expanded version is now almost 40 euros. This one has been sitting in mt shelf for a while and it was no way that expensive when i bought it! 😵‍💫 moleskine also doesn't have a paper quality that would take inks, fountain pens, watercolor etc, sometimes the quality of the paper is downright bad. So that's why it also feels "less special" to me than fancy high quality paper notebooks.

[@paleobacon3729]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful video with us. This yr my theme is “perfectly imperfect” and not focus so much on making my planners and notebooks look and feel perfect because honestly at the end of the day that’s just over rated. Lets enjoy our intimate time with our planners and allow ourselves the opportunity to be perfectly imperfect.

[@essikaroliina]

Such a great theme, i love it! We should all try this sometimes 😁 thank you for watching! 💕

[@MrKitharo]

So nice to see a video from you again! And like you I had the journaling slump and really enjoyed the Moleskine... don't know what it is about these thick books, but despite the paper they really feel special and loved. And yeah, Muji pens ftw!

[@essikaroliina]

Yeesss they are so special and full of love! 💕 thank you for being here 🥰

[@lemonxapple]

I get what you are saying on the feeling of pretty notebook/paper. But I also think it's your style of maximalist/freedom instead of minimalist style. Because I feel TN's notebook is too nice for me, even the undated one. & I realised that TN's paper is not my style. Currently using moleskine Large as Journal, Moleskine Pocket planner because I still need a structure when I'm busy & a Pocket Notebook for Daily rambling & to-do's.

[@essikaroliina]

Ohh totally! I felt so much that my style doesn't fit the pretty ones, and too often started to force some kind of minimalist style that just wasn't me 😄 Thank you for your comment 💕🙏🏼

[@AvaGld2309]

I love this!

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@katismith]

I like the way you explored your way through journals and planners and came to a conclusion of what suits you best. Do you remember where you got the airplane clips at the top?

[@essikaroliina]

Thank you! 💕 the clips i bought from traveler's company store in tokyo, but search for "traveler's factory airplane clips" there are some online stores that sell them 😊🙏🏼

[@moniques.journal.corner]

Love this. As always I'm inspired by your planning and journaling. I absolutely agree about some planners being too pretty. It makes me nervous that I'll "mess them up", which I know is in my head, but it matters. I did jump the gun and buy some dated planners for next year, but I'm very much feeling the pull to simplify instead! Thanks for sharing!! 🖤

[@essikaroliina]

Yeess i totally feel the nervousness of messing up a too pretty planner or notebook! Even though it's so nice to get a beautiful planner or a special notebook, it always backfires for me 😄 thank you for watching & commenting 💕🙏🏼

[@kristinskorner1388]

Thank you for sharing! I also have a hard time using nicer notebooks/planners. It is fun to see you "destroy" your books. I like to "destroy" my books it makes me feel more comfortable in them, and I also use them more if I make them my own. I enjoy your Instagram and your KZbin!

[@essikaroliina]

@@kristinskorner1388 i feel like destroying them somehow brings the creativity back! 😄 thank you for watching and commenting 🙏🏼💕

[@GrahamGodden-cf7dn]

I have a supermarket notebook that i bought at Christmas 10years ago, and it's the only one that still gets used. All my other more expensive ones, like Moleskine, Leuchtturm, Midori, Hobonichi, all get started, and then left, especially in diary form. I'm now trying the Travellers Notebook style, in a September leather regular and passport cover. Everything that I've bought, I've loved. So I'm guessing I'm the problem. However, Muji 0.5 pens are definitely the best, whatever the notebook/diary/journal.

[@essikaroliina]

Big YES to the muji pens! 😍 and wow, 10 year old notebook, has been around for a while! That is amazing 🙌 i hope you'll enjoy the traveler's notebook. It's been my go to system since 2014 💕

[@GrahamGodden-cf7dn]

@essikaroliina thanks. I have some beautiful 6 ring organisers, but I hate having to write on the left page due to the rings. Travellers system seems a far better way to go. I just wish that the official Travellers Notebook wasn't so expensive, had more than one elastic, and wasn't as stingy with the amount of clearance all round. My September leather version comes with 4 elastics, pockets on the inside, and has more room beyond the inserts. Sadly, probably not as nice, and has limited colour choices. Love your work in all your formats ❤️

[@essikaroliina]

@@GrahamGodden-cf7dn There are ways to put in a lot of notebooks to the traveler's company ones too, with a little experimenting. I've had up to 5 inserts plus clear pockets at one point 😆 i agree it's pretty expensive but a good leather item will last a lifetime 💗 i hope you will enjoy your new TN and i hope it will work out for you! 😊

[@DL-idk]

I’ve learned to not care about making messes in my nice special planners. I used to be afraid of making a mess in ANY notebook I’ve ever owned, even the cheap school notebooks you’re supposed to do exercises in. It was so tiring, so at a certain point I just snapped and stop caring at all😂

[@essikaroliina]

Thats so good! 🤣 i'm glad you got over it! Thank you for watching 😍

[@KeonaRaynalise]

How did you remove the pages from the midori book to make the passport books without destroying the integrity of the rest ofnthe book? Im trying to do the same but i cant figure out how to do it without the book falling apart

[@essikaroliina]

I just cut it with a sharp knife between signatures! The spine is holding up very well and no pages are lost 😊

[@Guammaine]

I can completely relate to you. Especially because im using the exact same system.😂 I dont know yet what i want ( if anything) in 2025. But i know not to spend my money on S. INK, PAPPE TESS, ect.... they feel too pretty. And they are too expensive for what they actually are. My brain is always like this was 60 dollars dont mess it up. I dont even buy 60.00 clothing or bags or shoes! Why am i spending it on a planner/ calendar? Plus the pressure I and the planner influencer community puts out to buy the stickers n blah blah. Then i look at tn videos like jan the crazy, yes her style is messy and free and super creative. But its also VERY expensive. I like simple papper and pen. So i can focus and remember what i actually need to be doing instead of what i need to be buying to decorate a glorified calender. I dont care for THRP. Sanzen ruined it anyway. Id rather live my life than spend my time pretty planning it.

[@essikaroliina]

Ohh exact same system, so fun! And i agree with the money. I don't either buy clothes for the same price i've bought a few planners. Maybe thats also one of the reasons i can't use them up well (which kind of doesn't make sense because i end up "wasting" them!) I love janethecrazy, her style is so authentic and free. Have you checked out seaweedkisses? She has a lot of videos where she simply uses stuff she finds around her daily life instead of spending money for stickers, & she uses a lot of budget friendly notebooks. Super inspiring.

[@LisePlansandJournals]

Co-signing Seaweed Kisses. I think you’ll identify a lot with her content!

[@northernvault2247]

I bought a 2025 Midori Hibino but decided not to use it. A6 is too small for me. I don’t use stickers etc to plan and journal. I prefer more simple planners.

[@essikaroliina]

A6 is so small especially if you are used to bigger ones! Thank you for watching 💕🙏🏼