If you are anything like me, you are scatterbrained. You don’t know how to organize your life or thoughts, so it only takes one scroll on Pinterest or Instagram to influence you to buy a new planner. I used to go to Target or Michaels before fall semester started or right before New Years, buy myself a 30 dollar planner, just to use it for exactly nine days, and then put it on my shelf to never be touched again. I told myself that I would be more organized if I just bought a new planner to organize my thoughts and assumed the planner itself would organize my life.
I was right, in a sense. A new planner would organize my life. But, I needed a planner that didn’t try to change the way I think or organize; I needed a planner that gave me the space and freedom to choose not to use it for weeks but still ready for the one day I do decide to write down a game plan for my day. I needed something that allowed me to organize my thoughts. I was tired of having four different hardcover journals. It was the worst feeling when I realized I brought my journaling book instead of my school planner after I had already driven to a coffee shop to study. I needed something that was easy to bring with me but still allowed me to have separate books for different aspects of my life. My perfect solution- a Traveler’s Notebook.
A Traveler’s Notebook is a leather cover that has the ability to hold multiple paper journals. Thanks to my mother, who has used one since I was little, I had easy access to journals and a leather cover. With a quick Pinterest search and keeping in mind what works best for me, I had a perfect solution to organize my life, without changing the way I think. My favorite part is the ability to keep different journals on you at all times. Maybe it’s a me thing, but I don’t like fusing different aspects of my life together. I keep different journals for all the different thoughts in my brain: one for weekly/monthly calendars, another for journaling, one for vision boarding and planning goals for the month, and one for writing down the places I’ve traveled to.
The benefits of a Traveler’s Notebook is up to the user. There are no expectations for how the notebook should look, just however you want it to look. My Traveler’s Notebook is a reflection of my mind and happiness. I use clear plastic folders to keep pictures of my family, friends, pets, and my boyfriend alongside mementos such as pressed flowers, cookie fortunes, movie tickets, and even a couple state park maps. I keep buttons on zipper pockets and put charms on paperclips. The Traveler’s Notebook can come in different sizes, from a passport size to A5. My favorite go-to brand is Midori. Although you can always order directly from the website, all the Midori brand essentials to getting started are on Amazon!
For me, the Traveler’s Notebook has aided me in keeping me accountable for things I need to make time for. I use it to allot my time and keep tracks of habits I am trying to build. I write down all the books I’ve read in the year and projects I’ve crocheted. And it helps me build housework into my routine. I now actually water my plants and routinely vacuum my room. You can either buy notebook refills with pre-printed weeks and months or bullet journal on an empty notebook. Personally, I take a blank notebook and use a blank week sticky note on one page with a month I drew on the page next to it. There is a lot of freedom when it comes to planning in the Traveler’s Notebook.
If you have been looking for a planner to aid you in keeping yourself organized, explore what the Traveler’s Notebook has to offer! It just may be the springboard to finding the perfect planner to fit into your life.