new year, new… notebook

capturing life’s grand moments and small details in writing

While I’m not into the new year, new me concept, I’m definitely on board with new year, new notebook.

This year, however, I’ve decided to do things a little differently.

First, I won’t be using a physical agenda anymore. I don’t feel the need for it. Events, workdays, and birthdays are already captured in my digital calendar (Apple), and I use Notion for my to-do list—or sometimes just a good old analogue one.

Second, I’ll be sticking to just one notebook at a time. In theory, I love the idea of themed journals (reading, creative, bullet, commonplace, etc.) as separating them can be quite powerful, especially if you’re intimidated by a blank page. It’s almost like the journal is its own prompt. But I’ve noticed that juggling multiple notebooks tends to spread me too thin. I rarely finish any of them, nor do I ever seem to have the right one with me.

That’s why I’ve decided to use just one. This way, I can easily carry it everywhere I go. I want it to be my dinner companion, my travel buddy, my partner in crime. In short, the real MVP.

There’s another reason for this decision: it means that once I’m done with this “master” diary, I can finally choose a new one from my dusty stack. Yes, I have a stationery—or rather, notebook—problem. Or, I could even finish the year in one of those half-filled notebooks I abandoned. Strangely, I don’t mind picking up where I left off in an old notebook. However, I really enjoy starting a new year with a fresh diary. There’s something about the ritual of setting up a new notebook that excites me, that motivates me. It’s trivial, I know, but it’s the little things that keep us going.

If, like me, you have a pile of notebooks waiting for their moment, I highly recommend Daniella’s piece You're Not Going to “Ruin” Your Own Notebook. She writes, 'The true ‘waste’ of an item is not in using it, but in leaving it to collect dust.' I couldn’t agree more—and I love how she ties it to one episode of the children’s television show Arthur.

Just a few days ago, my MD Paper Notebook Ruled Paper in A5 made its grand debut. I’ve been eyeing Midori MD Notebooks for a while, and when there was a sale at work, I couldn’t resist. I brought it home and stored it with its little friends—for later. Well, not anymore!

I love that MD notebooks open flat thanks to their thread-stitch binding. I love the supple yet sturdy cover and the simple, clean design. No fuss—just functionality. It’s an off-white colour, which may not be the most practical, but I solved that by getting the clear cover too. This blank cover allows me to customise it, and for now, I’ve slipped a few stickers inside. I’ll add more as the year goes on and I collect some more.

This year, my notebook will be fully lived in, from the first to the last page. And once it’s done, I’ll choose another one to fill with thoughts, ridiculous ideas, quick to-dos and beautiful quotes.

memories, scribbles & doodles

I want this notebook to be a diary + commonplace journal. My goal is to document life intentionally, as an alternative to living on autopilot. I want to capture pieces of my life thoughtfully—not just the big, grand moments but also the small details that brighten the everyday.

Reflecting on 2024 felt difficult because my memory is fleeting. I can barely remember what happened last week. Writing is my way of remembering. It’s the study method that worked best for me in school and university—writing things down always helped solidify what I’d learned. Journaling allows me to hold on to details, and it’s powerful to have those moments to look back on and track progress. A journal is like a portal to the past, and I love that.

I write for myself. No one will read my thoughts or flip through the pages. It’s a safe space to capture feelings and dreams, or do monthly check-ins. I also want to use it as a creative outlet—for rough drafts of Substack posts, ideas for YouTube videos, or even poetry. I’ll scribble, doodle, and list anything my heart desires: to-dos, TBRs, grocery lists, or fleeting thoughts.

I also plan to track my reading, jot down reviews, and save impactful quotes from books or movies. I’ll collect little souvenirs—receipts from favourite cafés, pressed flowers, or boarding passes—but I don’t want to turn it into a scrapbook journal. While I love the concept, it stresses me out. My perfectionist tendencies kick in, and then the journal gets abandoned altogether.

With this approach, I want to remove any friction. Everything will go back-to-back until the notebook is filled, and then I’ll move on to the next one.

ready for my first entry

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If you already have a journal (or several), how do you use it? And if you don’t, but would love to document your life, why not give it a try?

Journaling on paper doesn’t work for everyone, but there are plenty of ways to document your life. While analogue works best for me, digital journaling might be more your style. Whether it’s stream-of-consciousness writing in a Word document or creating collages in Goodnotes, there’s no right or wrong way. Vlogging is another fun option, whether you share it or not. Photography or voice notes are great too. The key is finding what feels natural so it’s easier to stick with it.

There will be trials and errors—who knows, maybe next year I’ll write about how disastrous having just one journal was. But for now, I’m excited to give it a go. And that’s the most important thing.

Until next time,

Amandine

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