My Stationery Life

Back in January, I dove headfirst into the Hobonichi Techo system, determined to give it a full-year run. Now that we’re at the halfway mark, I thought it was a good time to share how it’s going—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and why I might be moving on to something new by the end of the year.

(If you're curious about what planners I’ve been using and how, check out these posts.)

A Few Changes

Since those first planner posts, not much has changed—just a few tweaks here and there:

• In June, I took a break from the 3kQ book because it started to feel more like homework than inspiration. I swapped it out for the Brainy Quote "Quote of the Day" instead (sometimes two). It's been fine. Truthfully, it doesn't hit the same. I’ll be returning to the book in July and hoping for some better prompts.
• I also started tracking my novel-writing progress in the Cousin. It’s not ideal, but I’ve been making do with the weekly layout and the sidebar for word counts and notes.

What’s Working

Despite my complaints (I'll get to them in a sec), I’m still impressed with the system overall. Here’s what I like:

• Durability: Every single planner is holding up beautifully, thanks to their covers. Without them, these little books would be in tatters. Cute and protective—win-win for me.
• Paper Quality: Tomoe River Paper continues to amaze me. It’s whisper-thin (paper thin?) but handles most pens like a champ. The only real bleed-through I’ve experienced was with a Sharpie pen (I still need to write about that pen, but in due time).
• Each Planner Has a Role: The Cousin lives on my desk. The Weeks fits into my commuter bag. The Day-Free lives in my purse. The Five-Year rests on my nightstand. It’s a tidy little ecosystem, and everything has its place.
• If someone asks me for planner recs, I’m always going to suggest Hobonichi first. They're just that good.

What’s Not Working

I hesitate to write about the negatives because these are not flaws with the design. These are mostly me problems and have a LOT to do with my own discomfort. Still, I want to call out my foibles just in case others have the same:

• The Cousin: It’s just a lot for me. Too big, too many pages, too much pressure to fill them all. I could have tried the A6 Original or the Avec, but I don’t love the A6 size—and those are still year-long commitments.
  
• The Weeks: It’s biggest week-ness (pun intended) is its size. Yes, it’s portable and cute. But the layout is too cramped for my handwriting. That said, it’s fantastic for my Tarot project and probably any single-purpose tracking setup.
• The Day-Free: Kind of awkward. It’s too loose and floppy in its cover by itself, but pairing it with a Midori A6 notebook (or any other) bulks up my purse more than I’d like.
• The Five-Year: No real complaints! The only mildly annoying thing is that I still haven’t figured out what to do with the square space next to each daily entry. But, again, that’s on me -- not the journal.

What’s Next

Here’s what I know: The Weeks will stick around for project-based daily tracking. The Five-Year is staying put for my daily journaling. But I’m probably done with the Cousin and Day-Free after December. They’re just not working for me anymore.

As for what’s next? I’m still exploring. I’m seriously eyeing the Traveler’s Notebook system. Tt feels like a good fit for my style and needs. I’m keeping an open mind, but I know I don’t want a planner system larger than A5. Thankfully, there’s no rush. I’ve got time to experiment, browse, and who knows -- maybe I'll fall in love with the Hobonichi system all over again.

What a fun month! I actually posted a lot more than I anticipated, too. I thought about posting just once a week, and wound up having something to write about at least twice a week! But I had a lot I wanted to cover -- pencil comparisons, my commuter bag search, and my gardening journal reveal. I even had a less than stationery post about my Kindle Scribe, which just told me I wanted to write about more stationery-adjacent things in the near future (while still keeping this blog stationery-focused).

This month's roundup is short and sweet (and adorable):

1. Notebook Therapy – Stationery Shop: Stationery is therapy (at least to me!), so I'm all on board with this shop. And OMG are the products cute. I mean, look at this vegan leather Travel Notebook!
2. Zagg Pro Stylus -- I have this, tbh. This is what I use with my iPad Mini and I recommend it if you're not keen on spending a lot of money on the iPad Pencil. (It's not exclusively for iPads, but its an excellent replacement I'd say).
3. Stardew Valley Planner on Etsy
 -- I almost - ALMOST! - clicked Buy Now when I saw this. I love Stardew Valley but my main complaint is how TEDIOUS it can be to remember EVERYTHING. This price isn't bad, but...we'll see. It's adorable, but I don't have a 6-ring A6 binder. 
4. Uprise Notebooks -- Ok, this site is everything! It's a build your own notebook -- Traveler's style -- with numerous insert options. The sizes are large, too -- A5 or B5 -- and the prices are comparable to the Traveler's Company brand.
5. Hubman and Tubgirl Stationery -- I thought I'd end on the cutest note. This site almost hurts my teeth it's so sweet. It's a little too twee for my tastes but I definitely appreciate the aesthetic. Note -- this is a Canadian company, so us US folks are gonna have to wait on the shipping due to tariff issues (ugh,this country).

So that's the roundup for May! I'm looking forward to a really nice (and warm) June! Stay busy and happy planning!

I struggled about whether I should write this post. Not because I don’t have thoughts (and I do have them) but because the Kindle Scribe isn’t technically a planner. It’s an e-reader, first and foremost. A high-end one, sure, complete with a stylus so you can write directly on your books, underline quotes, scribble notes in the margins, and generally live your best annotated-reading life. And I love that part.

But the Kindle Scribe also has notebooks. Quietly tucked away in the menu is a feature that lets you create notebooks of your own -- lined, gridded, blank, even preformatted pages like habit trackers and planners.

And I started this blog to talk about stationery, so I wondered -- does this count as stationery? Then I remembered, this is MY blog and I make the rules and I can change them however I want. So for all intents and purposes, the Kindle Scribe counts as stationery for now.

So while I’m not here to review the Scribe as a whole, I do want to talk about what it’s like trying to use it as a planner.

What the Kindle Scribe Offers for Planning

The Scribe comes with a few built-in notebook templates, and among them are three undated planners and a habit tracker. Each requires the stylus to fill in, and thankfully the pen-to-screen response is excellent—smooth, quick, and surprisingly satisfying. Also handy is the eraser which, after using so often on the Scribe makes me really angry that the iPad Pencil doesn't have that feature. Oh iPad Pencil -- why must I pay $100 and double tap??

Anyway, here’s what you get:

Monthly Planner

This is a standard monthly layout with room to jot in small appointments or events. At the bottom of the page are two lined sections. I used mine for monthly goals and reminders, but they’re open-ended enough to suit whatever you need.

Weekly Planner

This one reminded me a lot of the Hobonichi Weeks, with a horizontal weekly layout. Unlike the Hobonichi, though, the Scribe gives you plenty of space to write across the weekdays. That said, the weekend section is cramped, so if you have a busy Saturday-Sunday schedule, this may not be ideal.

Daily Planner

Your full day broken down by the hour, with full rows to block off time or write your to-dos. If you’re someone who thrives on time-blocking, this might feel familiar and easy to use.

Habit Tracker

This one’s a little more structured: a 31-day grid, where you write your habits across the top and mark them off each day. It’s simple, clean, and works well if you want a full month’s view on one page.

Checklist Notebook

If you don’t need a full planner but still want to jot down to-dos, the Checklist notebook is exactly what it sounds like. It's a cute, flexible little list-maker.

Would I Use It as My Planner?

Not really.

I appreciate what the Kindle Scribe notebooks offer, but they don’t fit how I plan. I’ve dabbled, sure, but here’s what I don’t love:

• Slow page turning. It’s a digital notebook, not a paper planner. Flipping between pages isn’t snappy.
• Navigation isn’t intuitive. You can create sections and titles, but it takes too many taps to move between notebooks and layouts.
• Can’t see everything at once. No two-page layouts or visual overviews. It’s one page at a time, always.

So for day-to-day planning, the Scribe is a no-go for me. But I can see it working for something more book-adjacent: tracking a reading challenge, planning a book club, managing a reading list or review log. Something you already keep close to your e-reader.

Final Thoughts

The Kindle Scribe isn’t a replacement for my Hobonichi Cousin, my Weeks, or even a simple paper planner. But it is a great e-reader with some thoughtful, optional planner features. And if digital planning is more your style, or if you like having all your notes, books, and trackers in one device, it’s worth exploring.

Just don’t expect it to replace your stickers, washi tape, and lovingly inked daily layouts.

In keeping with this week’s planner theme, I wanted to write a little something about what’s arguably the mother of all modern planning systems: Erin Condren.

If you’re at all familiar with planners, you’ve probably already seen the name—maybe on social media, in a YouTube video, or during a Target run. Erin Condren is every-freaking-where. And for good reason.

What Is Erin Condren, Exactly?

Erin Condren isn’t just a brand; it’s a full-blown planning lifestyle. The company has built a name around large, colorful, spiral-bound planners, originally popular with homeschooling moms. Since then, they’ve expanded to include working professionals, students, creatives, and basically anyone who loves a good planning system.

Their most famous product is the LifePlanner: a highly customizable, spiral-bound planner packed with productivity tools, layouts, and space to organize your life your way.

But they don’t stop there. There are:

• Notebooks and journals in every format imaginable
• A huge array of accessories: pens, stickers, washi tape, bags, and interchangeable covers
• Pouches, folios, and planner inserts for extra storage and personalization
• And yes, products for almost every category of life—budgeting, weddings, academics, home care, and more

Much like Clever Fox, if you’ve got something you want to track or plan, Erin Condren probably has a product for it.

My Experience with Erin Condren

My first foray into the world of Erin Condren was the Wisteria Ring Agenda. It’s A5 size, made of vegan leather. I bought undated inserts to go with it. The design reminded me of the classic organizers I used to see my mom carry around—planners with tabs, rings, and a slightly intimidating amount of structure.

At first, I really wanted to love it. I even bought a few additional inserts from Mochi Things, and they fit well. But it’s not for me. It’s too big and not very pliable, which made it awkward to carry. I love the look and the flexibility of undated inserts (especially since I can start again at any point), but the bulkiness pushed it out of my regular rotation.

That said, I also picked up two of their vegan leather notebooks:

1. An undated journal, A5 and floral, with circle-able months and dates at the top. I haven’t started writing in it yet, but it’s gorgeous.
2. A productivity notebook, which is now one of my favorite simple planning tools. It’s focused, minimalist, and honestly, more effective for my daily planning than my Hobonichi Weeks. (Am I rethinking my setup at the end of the year? Maybe.)

Other Erin Condren Planners

While I haven’t tried these myself (yet), Erin Condren has a whole lineup of specialty planners and journals that look pretty interesting:

• Wedding Planners – Great for the ultra-organized bride-to-be.
• Budget Planners – Offered in multiple sizes, so financial planning doesn’t feel so intimidating.
• Home Organization Planners – For tracking everything from chores to grocery runs to household repairs.
• Academic Planners – Not just for homeschoolers—these are perfect for anyone balancing class schedules, assignments, and exams.

What I Might Try Next

The one I keep circling back to is the Plant Journal Petite Planner. It’s part of Erin Condren’s Petite Planner collection, which features slim, softcover booklets that are easy to toss in your bag or tuck into a drawer. This little garden planner might be exactly what I need—less bulky than the Clever Fox gardening planner, but with just enough space to track what I’m growing and how it’s doing.

I also like the look of their smaller weekly and daily planners—especially for those who want something a bit more flexible than Hobonichi but still pretty and structured.

Final Thoughts

My relationship with Erin Condren products is best described as love/hate. I appreciate the design, the variety, and the functionality—but I can’t get around how big and bulky some of their flagship planners are. If you're a fan of on-the-go planning, this may not be your perfect fit.

But if you like to keep your planner on your desk, enjoy colorful layouts, and want a system with plenty of room to grow (literally and figuratively), Erin Condren might be your new favorite.

As we wrap up the first quarter of the year, I thought it’d be a good time to reflect on how I’ve been using my Hobonichi Techo Weeks and Cousin planners so far—and how things are shifting going into Q2.

I’ve recently made some big changes to my planner system. For a while, I had shifted to using the Weeks as my main planner, mostly because I wanted something that didn’t involve as much flipping back and forth. And it worked—for a time.

But I eventually realized I was overdoing it with the Weeks. I was packing in too many tasks and trying to track too many hobbies in one narrow layout. At the same time, I wasn’t really making the most of the Cousin’s wonderfully dynamic layouts. So I’ve started shifting gears and trying something new for Q2.

How I’m Using the Cousin
The Cousin has become my personal hub—a space for habits, hobbies, reflections, and anything that’s just for me.

Monthly Vertical Layout

This layout has become my cycle tracker. I won’t include any photos (because that’s definitely on the personal side), but it’s been so helpful seeing things visually mapped out. I do still use the Health app on my iPhone, but this is far easier to glance at quickly.

Monthly Calendar Layout

I’ve started using this view to track streaming shows and movie premieres, color-coded by platform—Netflix, Max, Hulu, etc. It’s become a fun way to sprinkle little entertainment “events” into my calendar. Plus, it helps prevent me from doom-scrolling for something to watch.

Weekly Vertical Layout

This is where the magic is happening. I’m using the weekly spreads to organize and schedule my habits and hobbies. I’ve added custom headers—workouts, plant care, stretching (via the Bend app), Hebrew study, novel writing, and a general To Do column—and fill in the tasks for each underneath.
This setup has especially helped me keep track of my plant watering schedule so I don’t overwater anything again (RIP, Boston fern). I’m still figuring out the formatting, but so far, it’s working well.

Daily Pages

These are now my space for daily writing prompts. Monday through Friday, I answer a random question from my 3000 Questions book. On Saturdays and Sundays, I write either a quick poem or the quote of the day from Brainy Quote. These entries help kickstart my creativity—especially for working on my novel.

How I’m Using the Weeks
The Weeks is now my appointments and light tasks planner—a streamlined, focused space that handles the more logistical parts of my life.

Index Pages

These have become my "medicine and symptom" tracker. That’s all I’ll say about that. :)

Monthly Calendar View

This is the overview of my work and personal appointments, plus birthdays and holidays. I also track Jewish holidays here, which shift from year to year due to the lunar calendar—so it’s important to keep them updated.

Weekly Horizontal Layout

This is where the simplification has really taken shape. I used to cram in chores, hobbies, and semi-weekly tasks, but now I’ve transitioned all that to the Cousin. What’s left is much simpler:


• I track six daily tasks on one side, and list my appointments on the other. Soon, I’ll likely drop down to five daily tasks, since I'm dropping one of those starting in April.
• In the graph paper section at the back, I’ve created practice pages to test layouts, experiment with what works, and make gentle adjustments. The difference in my layouts—from early Q1 to now—is pretty visible, and I’ve included a few pictures below (with some personal pages excluded for privacy). I may not have the artistic flair of the Hobonichi community on Reddit, but it all works for me.

Final Thoughts
Q1 was all about figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and letting go of systems that felt more chaotic than helpful. I’m excited to take this more focused approach into Q2—and to keep refining how I use both planners in a way that fits my actual life, not just my Pinterest dreams.