One thing I’ve struggled with in my notetaking system over the years is organizing and managing information for longer-term use. Sure, if my notes are immediately incorporated into a larger piece of work, like a blog post or a legal brief, this isn’t much of an issue because I typically won’t keep the raw notes and will just discard them when I’m done with the project. But what about those stray thoughts and ideas that I write down not necessarily for immediate, or even intermediate-term, use? An idea for a post or product or book that I might not get around to writing for a year or more? I’m sure that I have dozens of such ideas and stray thoughts buried in old journals and notebooks, but they’re not easily accessible, much less organized by topic or in any other useful way. Lately I’ve been preoccupied with creating a filing system for this type of information with minimal structure that doesn’t take too much time to maintain.

TGS Pocket Notebook File — Some pocket notebooks from years past. Some are VERY old.

As I hinted at in my post earlier this year discussing my planner setup for 2025, I’m renewing my focus on finding and using the right tool for the job, rather than trying to make everything fit within the confines of a single system, like I tried last year with Hobonichi. So what’s the solution here? I spent some time over the holidays sorting through my personal “archive” of old notebooks, and honestly when I felt the most “organized” (relatively speaking) was when I consistently carried a 3x5 pocket notebook to collect the random stuff. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but when I finished each notebook, I was in the habit of quickly flipping through and extracting the important ideas from the shopping lists and other miscellany, and either transcribing it somewhere else, tearing out the page and photographing or scanning it, or simply writing up a quick index at the back to highlight the best bits and then filing the entire notebook away.

Field Notes Vintage Special Edition — These are good perforations. They’re sturdy enough to hold together in the notebook, while still allowing you to remove pages cleanly. (The paper is what I would call “decently” fountain pen friendly, and very good for Field Notes.) I’m also considering testing some of the Maruman Mnemosyne A7 and B7 pads, which also have perforated pages and will have more fountain pen friendly paper.

I started considering a return to pocket notebooks when I saw that the latest Field Notes special edition (“Vintage”) featured perforated pages that are about the same size as a 3x5 index card when detached. I’ve also been using more index cards in general, and have begun carrying them around in my bag because I like being able to sketch out thoughts and ideas while visually rearranging the cards. I’ve had mixed luck with index cards, in terms of finding ones that can handle all the various types of pens and pencils that I use, but recently I’ve been very impressed with two brands: Levenger (a classic) and a new brand called Notsu, which makes very ink friendly dot grid index cards as well as some foldable “To Do” format cards.

The Notsu “Centre Rise” is a product I’m testing out. It’s a combination card case and stand that fits together magnetically and ships with dividers you can use for a mini filing system. I’ve been carrying this one around in my briefcase, and made a small-ish test order for the shop. You will likely see a separate post on the system itself.

A few weeks back I went on Amazon and purchased a 3x5 index card file box with dividers, which I’ve since been using to collect and organize not just index cards but torn out pages from Field Notes, old sticky notes and small slips of paper, Plotter cards and Mini 5 sheets and more. I’m still working on how broadly/specifically to organize topics and ideas, but I’m liking how the project is taking shape.

Isn’t This a Use Case for Digital Software?

Maybe for some people, but I’ve tried using tools like Evernote, Devonthink, and Tinderbox over the years, and for me, each of them adds another layer of complexity and digital work (mainly tagging files with hashtags) in order to make the system usable. It also requires you to regularly go back through your notebooks and journals and physically transcribe or type information. I end up spending more time tinkering with the software than actually writing. While some might find my system archaic (though probably not readers of this blog), I vastly prefer a simple physical filing system, though it does require a periodic review to keep it relevant and useful.

One thing I do like about this Notsu card case - separate and apart from the “stand” functionality - is that it closes up into a fairly compact, sturdy box that slips easily into your bag for taking notecards on the go. (It fits any 3x5 cards, not just the Notsu brand.)

I’m also becoming more interested in index cards and how people use them. Do we have any other index card fans out there? I’ve read many articles on how professional writers - and particularly writers of nonfiction - use index cards to organize research and ideas, though these systems can get pretty elaborate and span multiple boxes of cards. Personally, I’d love to keep just the single card file for storage, and regularly prune it back by discarding those ideas that don’t turn into anything that I’d ever use. Stay tuned!

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In 2024, I decided to explore the Hobonichi Planner in all its various formats. Last year's planning and journaling setup included the A5 Hobonichi Cousin (my work planner, used for both the day job and T.G.S.), the slim Hobonichi Weeks (what I would call a loose personal weekly journal where I set out to record what I did each day in a few sentences); and a standard Hobonichi A6 (which I intended to use as a daily journal for longer reflections). For reasons I explained in October's "Techo Kaigi" post, I knew about midway through 2024 that my grand Hobonichi experiment wouldn't extend past the end of the year. While all three books were objectively excellent, with none of the paper issues this year's journals have faced, the Hobonichi layout doesn't suit my particular needs for "planning" or notetaking - I can’t move individual pages around and pull them in/out of the notebook - and for journaling I found that I enjoy changing formats depending on my needs rather than adopting a rigid "one-book-per-year" setup that having the Hobonichi encouraged.

This Year’s Theme: Flexibility

I actually stopped using the three Hobonichis in mid-November, and decided to experiment with new formats over the last six weeks of 2024. I approached the year-end period from the perspective of simply using whatever I wanted to use for a couple of weeks, while gradually adding more structure around the products I gravitated towards most frequently in the hope that I would arrive at a “final” setup that met all my needs going forward. Here's what I've settled on:

Notebook 1: Plotter A5 (My "Work" Notebook)

The Plotter A5 holds my weekly schedule and notes for both T.G.S. and my legal practice. I considered keeping two binders - one for each job - but I like having everything in one place, without having to switch between notebooks and without the bulk of the Hobonichi Cousin. Let's face it - while the Cousin is one of the best planners I've ever used, it's a LARGE book, and can be a bear to tote around everywhere you go. The slim simplicity of the Plotter not only forces me to streamline what I'm focused on at any given time, it decreases bulk in my bag. I've been carrying approximately two to three weeks' worth of weekly schedules and notes in the Plotter at any given time, and once I run out of space I discard those notes that I don't need and archive those that I want to keep by scanning them digitally or filing them away in an A5 Filofax binder, which holds quite a bit of paper. If I ever need additional room, or decide that my current Plotter can't handle both jobs, I can either add a second Plotter A5 or rotate the Filofax into the "Notebook 1" slot.

A5 Plotter vs Filofax A5 Planner — Ring-based systems are excellent choices for those who love to print their own layouts and choose their own paper. I have many different A5 writing pads that I use for notetaking, and often punch holes in sheets of paper to add to the Plotter and/or Filofax A5. Here, you can see how slim the Plotter is compared to the Filofax, which dovetails perfectly with my current goal of narrowing my focus to fewer things at once.

Notebook 2: No Set Format (My Personal Journal)

This slot in my rotation will have no specific format, and no restrictions on how I can use it. I have a limitless supply of notebooks that I've accumulated over the years that I want to use and experience at some point, and last year taught me that I definitely lose interest in journaling if I find myself locked into a one-book, one-year or day-to-a-page format like the Hobonichi, especially if the pages are dated or numbered. If I miss days, it kills my motivation if I can’t get “caught up”. I started this new year by picking up a half-filled blank Musubi Notebook with bank paper, and have mostly been successful writing something every day, whether that's a reflection, blog post, notes on a new project, or simply three morning pages of drivel. This particular notebook is purely about the writing, not the format, as I desperately need to redevelop my habit of getting things out of my head and onto paper, even if I never look at it again.

Another reason for the flexibility: I want to be able to change up my journaling notebook depending on context. Lately, since it's the New Year and I've been in a more reflective mood, the Musubi feels appropriate. Since this notebook is now nearly 3/4 full, I will need to choose a new one within a couple of weeks, and that choice will depend on what's going on in my life at the moment. If I'm facing down some heavy travel, I might opt for a Traveler's Notebook, or even a Field Notes.

Notebook 3: Midori MD 5-Year Journal (Short-Form Daily Log/Journal)

I've had this journal since 2019, and it has roughly three full years of entries, leaving me enough space to use it for two more years if I write as close to daily as I can. Sure, sometimes I will have to catch up a day or even a week at a time, but this is easy to do if you only have to come up with two or three lines per day. The Midori 5-Year Journal replaces last year's Hobonichi Weeks, and while the Weeks was easily my favorite of the three Hobonichis and the one I wrote in the most, I missed having entries from the prior years to reflect on. Midori also makes 3-year and even 10-year versions, though I find the 5-year to be the sweet spot.

Other Books That See Regular Use

I will of course use other paper throughout the year, in various formats. My Roterfaden A4 holds an A4 writing pad and a few other large-format notebooks I use for brainstorming and drafting articles and briefs longhand. I have a commonplace book that I transcribe quotes and passages into whenever I'm inspired. I also have a handful of dedicated single-purpose notebooks that I use for specific projects and for tracking certain things. Most of these are A5 size, so as necessary I can move them into an A5 Roterfaden or Lochby Field Journal and carry them around with Notebook No. 2 (the general-purpose journal) as necessary. Most frequently, however, I have also been using one or both of the following:

Plotter Mini 5: My go-anywhere pocket notebook

Even if I'm not planning to write, I always feel better with some paper on me. The Plotter Mini 5 can double as a light wallet, though I'm using it as such less and less since the wallet/cardholder insert can make it too bulky to use as a notebook.

Remarkable2 E-ink Tablet

Yes, I'm giving the ReMarkable2 another go, primarily as a replacement for the half-dozen or so legal pads I have lying around my office. I've fought a long-running battle against "junk paper" - notes from phone calls, random meetings, marked-up printed copies of pdfs - none of which get saved and most of which get shredded or thrown out. The Remarkable2 works quite well as an electronic legal pad, feels the closest to writing on real paper as any electronic device I've tried, and certainly makes an excellent alternative to carrying around 300+ page binders full of printed pdfs. I find the writing and notetaking experience superior to the iPad (more immersive/less distracting), and really only use the latter for sensitive materials that require a higher level of security or documents that need to be annotated and circulated to other people for collaboration purposes.

Plotter A5 and ReMarkable2 Work Carry — For some work days, the Plotter A5 and ReMarkable2 can sometimes be the only two pieces of “Stationery” that I carry.

So that's it! This isn't a hypothetical setup that I'll be experimenting with - it's what I've already been using in some form since mid-November, and I firmed up my plans over the last week or so as I wrote up these notes. The best part about this system is that I don't have to think much about it at all, and I don't find myself forcing my writing into a pre-set format, as I sometimes felt pressured to do with Hobonichi. This setup is also highly adaptable. If I suddenly decide I prefer a disc-based notebook to the Plotter rings mid-year, I could theoretically move to a William Hannah or Levenger Circa without changing the underlying system much at all.