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What To Look For in Sticky Notes
Apr. 16th, 2025 03:20 pm
Let’s talk about sticky notes—(Post-Its, if you call everything by the brand name). They’re often seen as an alternative to highlighting or writing directly in book margins. But as useful as they are, they can be surprisingly divisive in the stationery world. Some people love the flexibility. Others can’t stand the bulk they add to notebooks, planners, or texts.
As for me? I’m firmly in the “avid sticky note user” camp.
How I Use Sticky Notes
Sticky notes show up all over my stationery life, from planners to language study. I use them in my Torah planner to add quick notes or highlight key terms I want to remember. Back in college, they were my go-to method for marking up textbooks without actually writing in them, which was perfect for keeping pages clean so I could resell them later. I also use sticky notes as bookmarks when I’m reading fiction and don’t want to dog-ear the page.
In my Hobonichi Weeks, I’ll temporarily stick one on a daily page when I know I need to write something down later but haven’t quite figured out how I want to organize it yet. Once it’s transferred, the sticky note gets tossed because I don’t like unnecessary bulk in that planner. And when I’m learning a new language, I use sticky notes as simple flashcards—writing the name of a household object in the target language and sticking it directly on the object.
What to Consider When Choosing Sticky Notes
Color. Some folks love the classic yellow. Others color-code obsessively. I fall somewhere in between—I love color variety, but I don’t always stick to a strict system unless I’m actively studying something. For me, it’s more about having visual interest than sticking to a rigid palette.
Size. Sticky notes come in every size imaginable—from tiny flags to full notepad-sized sheets. I use them all:
Paper Type. Most sticky notes are blank, but some come gridded or lined, which I appreciate—especially on larger notes. It helps keep my handwriting from slanting off the page. There are also sticky notes with themed prints, illustrations, and seasonal designs, if you want to make your planner pages a little more lively.
Sticky Notes vs. Stickers
Here’s the thing: I’m not much of a sticker user. I don’t love the permanency. They can get stuck in weird places. Many stickers are made specifically for certain planners, which limits flexibility. And you often can’t write on them — which kind of defeats the purpose for me.
That said, I’ve used planner stickers when they’ve come included—like in my undated Moleskine Torah study planner, where I use the month stickers for quick labeling. Same goes for my past Erin Condren, Clever Fox, and even my new Gardening Journal (yep, I bought it -- more on that in another post!).
Still, sticky notes win out every time. They’re movable, reusable, and easy to write on. I can re-stick them where I need them, and toss them when I don’t. That’s the kind of flexibility I need in a planning tool.
Final Thoughts
Sticky notes might not be for everyone, but they’ve earned their place in my planner setup. Whether you’re labeling pages, jotting down tasks, or leaving yourself a reminder in the fridge, there’s probably a sticky note for it.
And for me, there’s something weirdly satisfying about peeling one off the pad, writing something down, and putting it in exactly the right place.
As for me? I’m firmly in the “avid sticky note user” camp.
How I Use Sticky Notes
Sticky notes show up all over my stationery life, from planners to language study. I use them in my Torah planner to add quick notes or highlight key terms I want to remember. Back in college, they were my go-to method for marking up textbooks without actually writing in them, which was perfect for keeping pages clean so I could resell them later. I also use sticky notes as bookmarks when I’m reading fiction and don’t want to dog-ear the page.
In my Hobonichi Weeks, I’ll temporarily stick one on a daily page when I know I need to write something down later but haven’t quite figured out how I want to organize it yet. Once it’s transferred, the sticky note gets tossed because I don’t like unnecessary bulk in that planner. And when I’m learning a new language, I use sticky notes as simple flashcards—writing the name of a household object in the target language and sticking it directly on the object.
What to Consider When Choosing Sticky Notes
Color. Some folks love the classic yellow. Others color-code obsessively. I fall somewhere in between—I love color variety, but I don’t always stick to a strict system unless I’m actively studying something. For me, it’s more about having visual interest than sticking to a rigid palette.
Size. Sticky notes come in every size imaginable—from tiny flags to full notepad-sized sheets. I use them all:
- Small ones are perfect as bookmarks or to mark temporary tasks that will get transferred into my planner later
- Medium-sized notes are my go-to for adding key terms or scribbled thoughts
- Larger sticky notes come in handy when I want to add long reflections to a journal entry or insert extra details into a reading
Paper Type. Most sticky notes are blank, but some come gridded or lined, which I appreciate—especially on larger notes. It helps keep my handwriting from slanting off the page. There are also sticky notes with themed prints, illustrations, and seasonal designs, if you want to make your planner pages a little more lively.
Sticky Notes vs. Stickers
Here’s the thing: I’m not much of a sticker user. I don’t love the permanency. They can get stuck in weird places. Many stickers are made specifically for certain planners, which limits flexibility. And you often can’t write on them — which kind of defeats the purpose for me.
That said, I’ve used planner stickers when they’ve come included—like in my undated Moleskine Torah study planner, where I use the month stickers for quick labeling. Same goes for my past Erin Condren, Clever Fox, and even my new Gardening Journal (yep, I bought it -- more on that in another post!).
Still, sticky notes win out every time. They’re movable, reusable, and easy to write on. I can re-stick them where I need them, and toss them when I don’t. That’s the kind of flexibility I need in a planning tool.
Final Thoughts
Sticky notes might not be for everyone, but they’ve earned their place in my planner setup. Whether you’re labeling pages, jotting down tasks, or leaving yourself a reminder in the fridge, there’s probably a sticky note for it.
And for me, there’s something weirdly satisfying about peeling one off the pad, writing something down, and putting it in exactly the right place.
