I have kept notebooks for most of my life. The ones I used throughout my school years were mainly for drawing, but I did a little writing here and there as well. Regardless, those earliest times quickly conditioned me to enjoy the look and feel of a fresh notebook, as well as an ongoing need to carry one around whether I had a clear purpose for it or not.
Eventually, I began to journal, a practice that I have kept up for over a quarter century now. This has provided me a purpose for my notebook fixation, but it has not always sufficed.
In more recent years, I have added other notebooks to serve other purposes. Not all have lasted (I tried Austin Kleon’s daily logbook practice for a little while and it didn’t stick). Two have been most consistent: my journal, and a pocket notebook for whatever I need it to be at any given moment. I have also begun bullet journaling for my work tasks, and now that I’m pastoring again I’ve re-added a notebook for weekly sermon ideas.
For those keeping track, that’s four notebooks that I use on a regular basis. As important as each of them are to my functioning on a daily and weekly basis, keeping track of them and occasionally carrying them around could be cumbersome at times.
I only recently discovered the concept of the traveler’s notebook. I should quickly add that the term “traveler’s notebook” is actually a proper brand name for a generic concept that has nevertheless become said concept’s common name, the way we call tissues Kleenex or bandages Band-Aids.
The generic concept is actually a modular notebook system: a sturdy cover with elastic bands on the inside, into which you slide multiple notebooks, folders, pouches, and other items, each with a distinct purpose.
The more that I read about the concept, the more I was interested. This seemed to be a good way for me to carry around my different notebooks in a more portable form, without all of them weighing down a bag or my having to carry them in a stack.
And so I purchased two covers, one larger and one pocket-sized. Here’s what’s contained in each:
Large (newestor A5 cover):
- Clear zipper case for pens
- Folder for loose paper storage
- Bullet journal (WANDERINGS A5 size lined refill)
- Sermon notebook (WANDERINGS A5 size lined refill)
- Journal (Zequenz large blank notebook)
- Small binder clips for the bullet journal and sermon book
Small (newestor passport size cover)
- Folder for loose paper storage
- Notebook to keep track of movies, TV shows, and albums I want to check out (WANDERINGS passport size lined refill)
- Notebook for lists (WANDERINGS passport size lined refill)
- Notebook for miscellaneous note-taking (WANDERINGS passport size lined refill)
- newestor brand pen holder and binder clip
I’ve been using this system for a few months now, and I’ve really been enjoying it. I like having everything in one place. The feel of handling the books is very satisfying as well. This has been a good change for me.
Jeffrey A. Nelson 