Plotter Walkthrough: How I Use My Plotter Binders (Video)

This one’s been a long-time coming. Readers have been asking me for more notetaking and organizational “technique” content, which I’ve discovered is pretty hard to do here on the blog. It’s much easier to show people how I use various notebook systems, and in-store customers have remarked that my store demonstrations and explanations would make compelling video content. I’ve previously done similar videos on Roterfaden and certain of the Lochby cases. Today I walk through three of my Plotter binders, including the Mini 5 (Pocket-size), Bible Size, and Standard A5. I’ve also written some about what Plotter is and how I use it, but in this video I actually flip through all of the notebooks and talk about the accessories and how they each fit into my workflow. I’ve also added Chapters so that you can jump to the specific notebook you want to hear about, but please do listen to the intro because it does provide a general overview of Plotter and the overall role it plays for me.

Note: We are not Plotter retailers, and have no affiliation with the brand other than that we enjoy using their products. I will note that many of the items we sell (including looseleaf papers and paper pads from Midori, Clairefontaine, Yamamoto Paper, Nakabayashi, and Iroful) can be trimmed and/or hole-punched to use in Plotter and other notebook systems, which is actually how I personally use much of the paper I consume.

We are supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Our brick and mortar shop will be open Thursday and Saturday this week, and this Friday by appointment. Typically we have regular Friday hours, but I need to finish upgrading some displays and plan to take the afternoon to do that work. Come see us on Saturday and check out the new look!

Searching for the Perfect Personal Notebook: How Does the Lochby Field Journal Mini Compare?

I’ve been thinking about notebooks even more than I normally do (and that’s a lot). Why? I’m in the middle of reading “The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper” by Roland Allen. This book has received a lot of attention in our circles, and for good reason. Though I’m still in the middle of the read, so far it’s a fairly comprehensive account of the role notebooks have played in human intellectual life over the centuries, and not just the work of artists, writers, and scientists, but merchants, businesspeople, and everyday readers and thinkers looking for a place to keep track of their thoughts. As someone who’s incapable of separating thinking from writing by hand, I bought this book immediately, and its given me many, many ideas for how I can better use my notebooks in my everyday life in a more systematic fashion so that I don’t lose track of ideas and merely preserve my own thoughts for posterity. You can expect to see more written on this book in the future, and some of the concepts already have popped up in recent posts on notetaking and related tools I’m experimenting with.

View fullsize

I use a lot of notebooks. My Plotter A5 serves as my main “working notebook.” I also keep an informal journal, which is a standard notebook that I write in regularly, as well as a Midori 5-year Diary that serves as a daily log. (You can read more about this setup here.) What I would love to find, however, is a functional smaller notebook that’s portable enough to take with me everywhere, yet still large enough to use for meaningful writing. The 3.5” x 5.5” pocket notebook, made popular by Field Notes, is the gold standard for many. My issue with Field Notes? They fall apart with heavy pocket carry unless you add a secondary market cover, and sometimes I wish I could easily carry multiples because they make great single-subject notebooks to rotate through depending on which project has your attention.

View fullsize

I find that the Field Journal Mini feels the best with two or three notebooks loaded into it. Four will fit, but it’s somewhat bulky and makes it difficult for the notebooks to lie flat when writing.

So is Lochby’s latest release, the “Field Journal Mini”, a possible solution? I took one of the covers with me on this past weekend’s trip to the NYC trade shows, and came away impressed with both the size and functionality. For those unfamiliar with the Field Journal layout, it’s a waxed canvas cover that includes four sets of cords, allowing you to carry up to four slim notebooks bound together “Traveler’s-style.” The larger A5 Lochby Field Journal has been around for years, and has proven to be one of the most enduringly popular item in our shop and at pen shows. Presumably in response to customer requests, Lochby recently released the “Field Journal Mini” designed to fit pocket notebooks.

View fullsize

The front cover features one single pocket and two card slots.

I personally like the Field Journal Mini A LOT - maybe even more than the A5 version. I currently have mine set up with two notebooks and index cards tucked into the back inside pocket. The front cover has smaller slots for cards, receipts, post-its, and more. While not traditionally “pocketable,” the Field Journal Mini slips easily into the outside pocket of a bag, and will probably fit a larger coat pocket. A full-size pen fits into the elastic pen holder, and won’t extend past the cover, which is an issue that makes smaller notebooks somewhat awkward to carry with a pen attached. All of this made the Field Journal Mini an excellent trade show notebook.

View fullsize

Lochby has also modified the aluminum closure - it’s lighter and not as bulky. Often with Lochby products there is a short “breaking in” period where the canvas loop needs to stretch and soften a bit for the hook-and-loop system to work easily, but I didn’t experience that at all with the Field Journal Mini.

I found it somewhat fortuitous that the Field Journal Mini was released just as I rediscovered index cards. While I don’t see myself carrying more than a couple of pocket notebooks at any given time, I’m happy to fill the rest of the binder up with index cards. 3x5 cards slip easily into the back and front covers. When I’m done with the cards I can then transfer them into a card filing system or discard them if they don’t have notes I want to retain long-term.

View fullsize

Lochby prices their products competitively, and this one is no exception. The Field Journal Mini is priced at $49, and comes in Lochby’s three standard color combinations of Brown/Honey, Navy/Tan, and Black/Tan. Each Field Journal ships with a Lochby 68gsm Tomoe River refill (pocket-notebook sized), and additional refills are available for purchase separately. I wanted to test these out for myself before I ordered a lot of them for the shop, but I’m impressed and will likely place a larger order in the coming weeks. As of now we still have a handful available.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here.

Everyday Notetaking and Creating an "Idea File": On Perforated Field Notes and Index Cards

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.

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

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 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!

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here.

Planners, Journals, and Notebooks for 2025

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.

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

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.

Thank you for reading! The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’d like to visit our in-person location, you can view directions and up-to-date hours here.

Plotter Bible Size: Embracing the Single-Use Notebook

I’ve cycled through a few Plotter binders, looking for my ideal size. For everyday work, I’ve settled on A5 as the best combination of portability and practicality. My Plotter Mini 5 serves as my wallet, which has a “security blanket” notebook incorporated into it for capturing those stray thoughts which in years past probably would have gone into a Field Notes or other pocket notebook. The sizes I’ve struggled the most with, however, are the Narrow and Bible. I ended up selling my Narrow Plotter binder, simply because it was too “in-between”: too tall for the kind of portability I expected, and not quite wide enough to do the same kind of writing I can do in a Traveler’s Notebook. Now, what about the “Bible Size”?

View fullsize

The Plotter Mini 5 (which started it’s life as Grey Pueblo leather) atop my olive green Bible Plotter. For those who will ask, the pencil in the notebook is a Pilot Birdie mini-pencil (and there’s also a pen/pencil combo version).

The “Bible Size” Plotter binder measures approximately 4.5” x 7”, with the refill pages measuring roughly 3.5” x 6.75”. So it’s roughly the same height as the Plotter Narrow but offers a few more inches of width to allow for more flexibility with writing. When I picked up this olive leather limited edition last year, I really wanted to make this my primary Plotter, but it’s just too small for day job and research notes, plus I love being able to easily hole-punch A5 paper and use it in the larger Plotter.

View fullsize

The Bible-Size Plotter does, however, work great as a shop notebook that houses my ink swatch catalog and restock lists. Whenever new inks arrive, I immediately swatch one bottle and add it to this “master catalog” at the same time I swatch the inks onto Col-o-ring Cards. One of the best decisions I’ve made so far as a (fledgling) shop owner has been this master ink book that I control: the swatch book that sits out on the shelf tends to be easily damaged, with cards torn, smudged, or stolen - yes, people do take the swatch cards both in-store and at shows - and there’s nothing worse than having someone ask to see a swatch of a specific color only to discover it’s gone. If that happens, I have my backup, which also comes in handy for personal color comparisons and reviews.

I’ve also discovered that it’s essential to maintain a central a location for a “running list” of items that need to be restocked on subsequent orders. Some would say that this list should be kept electronically, but I rarely have my computer near me in the shop, and I hate having to constantly pull out my phone. While most of this particular Plotter binder is used for ink, there’s also a dedicated section in the back for reorder notes.

Those of you who have been following our Diamine Inkvent and Colorverse Colorvent reveal on Instagram may have noticed this paper, which is Midori MD Cotton with letterpress lines, sized for Plotter. I’m not seeing these currently on the Plotter USA website, so they may be pen-show exclusives. MD Cotton Paper is one of my favorite paper for swatching inks since it shows off color quite well.

While it might seem like a step back from my overarching goal of limiting the number of notebooks I’m using at any given time, sometimes the most efficient solution is to add a separate stand-alone notebook to handle a specific task. I’ve been using my “shop notebook” for a couple of months now and I think it’s going to stick. I’m continuing to work through my planner/journal setup for 2025, experimenting with test runs and sample layouts in December. I’ll plan to do a full “Notebook System” layout around the new year, which will feature my condensed 2025 notebook lineup centered around moveable pages (i.e. disc and ring-based systems). For a discussion of how I fared with my 2024 lineup and what I’m looking to change, check out this recent post here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you’re interested in talking inks and seeing our swatches and growing selection, come see us in-person! We’re open this week Thursday-Sunday, and otherwise by appointment.