The New Notebook System

I’ve used pocket-size hardback Moleskines for decades. I’m reaching the point where they’re getting hard to store, and, frankly, it feels like the paper is getting worse right as they’re getting more expensive. Also, my habit of breaking projects and ideas out into separate notebooks from the main notebook means that I’m wrangling a pouch stuffed with a dozen Field Notes books in addition to the main zibaldone-style object.

I looked at Midori notebooks, but to me they look overpriced and there are some disappointing reviews about their quality these days. So I went with something else.

This is the Passport sized Wanderings notebook. Wanderings offer what are essentially Midori clones — people call those “fauxdori” – but have thought just a little bit harder about the materials and design.

I’m really happy with the Wanderings Passport.

Here’s how they work. What you get is the leather cover and some bands. You slip the bands around the actual notebooks to bind them into the cover. I have three of these inserts in mine currently, but I’ve read you can bind as many as five in, and I have some extra bands in case I ever want to try that. The innards can be highly customised. And they fit Midori Passport inserts or any number of fauxdori innovations at that size.

These notebooks come without bookmark ribbons, and, having been a Moleskine user for so long, I am used to having a bookmark (that the cats chew when I’m not looking). So I bought some brass bookmark clips (UK) (US+) to locate my places in each of the three books.

In my Moleskines, I would index the most useful items by numbering on the first page. With these, since they’ll all get tossed into a box when completed, I’m writing the index on the front cover. So it’ll be a case of sorting through the box looking for dates and index entries to locate whatever I might be looking for. (I refer to old notebooks often.)

You can buy some delightful, stitched notebooks with good paper from Wanderings. But I found passport-sized stapled ruled notebooks in 100gsm paper super cheap – I note they’ve gone up in price now, but they’re still cheaper than six Wanderings books and here they are.

The Passport size is different to the Moleskine. Shorter and wider. It’s a bit of a struggle to get it into a shirt pocket. But it feels nice in the hand, and it will make me use my bag when I go out rather than stuff every pocket.

I did also buy a leather and brass pen loop for it, but I don’t like the fit. So, for now, this is what it looks like.

This now becomes the “everything” notebook. From usual daybook thoughts and paste-ins (photos, printed material), to project-specific books, to the LTD planning and scheduling. Everything I need is under one roof.

Midoris and other variants locate the bands’ beads on the back. Wanderings get it on the spine, which helps it lay open and stops you from having to write over a bump when you’re working on the right hand side pages.

The leather gets dinged up pretty easily, but, honestly, that’s okay. It’s going to wear and weather. In five years it will look completely different. I’m really interested to see what it looks like in ten years.

Bailing out of my previous system means that I won’t be starting a new notebook on Jan 1 any more. I will probably miss that clicking-over into a new year. But now is the time to take the long view and to quit listening to the clicking and ticking. This is a system for moments, not times.

I know I’m going to miss the size and hard back of Moleskines, but I’m determined to make this work. It feels more functional and sustainable, currently.

You can buy direct from Wanderings, but after some shipping hiccups I got mine from Amazon (UK) (US+).