In July 2019, I made the bold (and inevitable) move to switch from an A5 dotted notebook to a Traveler’s Notebook as my Bullet Journal. I decided to change because of several reasons. But for the most part, the Traveler’s Notebook system was the best system that would suit my bullet journal style and also lifestyle.

The Trade Offs

• Space. Coming from the A5 notebook, it might be a bit of an adjustment moving into a slimmer notebook – especially if you tend to fill the page. However, if you used an A5 previously and it had a lot of whitespace, then the size of the TN shouldn’t bother you.

• Laying Flat.One thing to note about the Traveler’s Notebook is that it doesn’t lay flat. You would either have to get a binding clip to hold it down or take the insert out of the TN so that it would lay flat.There have been a few times when I found this bothersome. I like having my notebook out in the open so that I can jot down notes immediately. I don’t always clip my TN so I found myself closing the notebook a lot and then eventually forget to use my bullet journal.

• Running out of pages. With inserts being thinner and slimmer than the average A5 notebook, you are bound to run out of pages. Of course, if you already anticipated that, you would have already bought a few to get through the year. I didn’t expect this to be a problem up until the 2020 pandemic when stores temporarily suspended services. When the pandemic hit, that’s when I started to run out of inserts to use.

Bullet Journal in a Traveler’s Notebook

It has been a little over a year since I used a Traveler’s Notebook as a Bullet Journal notebook. So far, I have no regrets. Using the TN has been fulfilling and may be one of the best decisions I have every made. Over the past few months, I have learned a lot about myself and how I can make the bullet journal system work for me in a Traveler’s Notebook.

Separating long-term Bullet Journal collections

Before finalizing my move to the TN, I had already planned on using 2 separate notebooks. I used 1 for long-term collections and the other for short-term (monthly and daily logs). To manage the the content of my daily and monthly logs, I rely heavily on indexing and threading.

Separating them has been a good system so far. Without any long-term collections in my daily/monthly log notebook, I was able to stay focused on simply rapid logging.

Minimalist Bullet Journaling

For some reason, the size of the Traveler’s Notebook kept me from going overboard with the decorating. When I was bullet journaling in an A5 dotted notebook, I wanted to fill the blank spaces. Because of that need, I would often try to decorate.

The slimmer profile of the TN kept me more focused on just writing things down. The slimmer design also encouraged me to write in clear an concise bullet points.

Trying on different TN inserts

I have been enjoying about using a Traveler’s notebook is the freedom to try inserts from different brands and different styles. You’re not tied to use one type of notebook all year (or most months) so you can switch it up every time. This is perfect for those who are still trying to figure out which Bullet Journaling style and tools work best for them. Experimentation is part of the Bullet Journal journey afterall.

Since I use fountain pens, I do have preference for buying notebook inserts that use Tomoe River paper. If you’re not too particular with the type of paper, there are a lot of TN notebooks available in Etsy or Amazon! You can even make your own inserts if you want – you just need to have the materials for it.

Tomoe River Notebooks to Try in 2020

Pace yourself with TN Accessories

My first (and only) TN is an original Traveler’s Company product. When I first hopped on the TN train, I already had my eyes set on a few Traveler’s Notebook accessories. There are a lot of Traveler’s Notebook accessories available whether manufactured by Travelers Company or not. When you get started, you might find yourself wanting to get all the accessories possible. Pace yourself. You have all the time to set up your TN. You need to make sure you get one that is functional and essential to your journaling.

Must Have Traveler’s Notebook Accessories

A System within another System

In case you didn’t notice, the Traveler’s Notebook is also a system, just like the Bullet Journal. Using one flexible system within another can be a bit overwhelming. The key to “success” is to keep your setup simple at first. As you progress in your journey, you will understand what you need and then pivot to suit those needs.

Another thing to look forward to with the TN is that it goes beyond a Bullet Journal. The TN can fit to a maximum of 4 (pushing it) notebook inserts. Bullet Journalist and YouTuber, Sarica (of Sarica Studio), uses her Traveler’s Notebook as a Bullet Journal, a sketchbook, and a traditional journal (stream of consciousness).

Using a Traveler’s Notebook for Bullet Journaling is great for people who:

1. want a notebook that is flexible
2. maintain different types of journals
3. want to try different types of notebooks any time
4. want a slimmer profile
5. need a notebook that will last a long time