New Arrivals: Quirky Planner Formats and Anderillium Ichthyoformes Inks

As I’ve mentioned before, what I love about this job is looking for the unusual products out there that I feel get less attention than they should. As I wrote about on Saturday, one such category of products is undated planners, whether those are A5 notebooks, 6-ring binder inserts, or even planner stickers that allow you to customize your standard notebook. We’ve recently added additional items from Laconic Tokyo - including their popular 6-ring binder inserts - and will restock on the sold-out formats as soon as possible. Laconic also makes these same planner layouts in a softcover A5 notebook format that is compatible with Roterfaden, Lochby, or any other cover that accepts the A5 size.

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We’ve also recently added all the additional colors from the Anderillium “Ichthyoformes” Ink series, inspired by fish! In addition to the previously announced Moray Eel Green and Whale Shark Grey, we have Piranha Red, Sockeye Salmon, Betta Fish Purple, Anglerfish Deep, Lionfish Maroon, and Swordfish Blue. I’m personally ready to dive into some of these dark red-black colors!

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Come see these and more in-shop! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Five Reasons I Prefer Undated Planners and Calendars

I’ve tried to love dated planner systems, whether it’s the Hobonichi Techo, the Jibun Techo, or even the dated version of the Traveler’s Company Weekly + Memo, but my specific planning needs change so frequently that I have a hard time sticking to a single system continuously through the year. I much prefer being able to switch between different undated books and inserts. For example, there are times when I need a full day-to-a-page layout, other times when I want a week-on-two-pages layout, and yet others when I don’t need a planner at all and roll with a blank notebook. Here are what I consider the five key benefits of an undated planner system:

1. No “Planner Anxiety”: You Can Skip Days/Weeks/Months Without Wasting Paper. The obvious benefit is that by using an undated planner, you can skip time for things like vacations or less-busy periods without leaving blank pages. As a result, you can use your planner longer (if it’s a bound book) and avoid wasting the unused dated sheets (if you use a 6-ring binder or other loose-sheet system).

2. You Can Choose Your Start Date. Did you start a new job in the middle of the year? Did your scheduling needs change? Do you simply want to try organizing your time a bit differently and experiment with a new method of organization? With undated planners you don’t have to wait until the New Year nor purchase a dated book that’s already half-expired.

3. You Can Use a Blank Week or Month to Help Plan a Standard Routine or Schedule. I personally do this when I’m trying to set a fixed work schedule or workout routine. You can take an undated week and pin it to your wall or pinboard with whatever “repeating” information you need to include and use that as a reference when setting up subsequent weeks.

4. You Can Easily Keep Two Calendars Side-By-Side. This is one of the biggest advantages for my own personal situation. For example, with undated calendar pages, I can take two consecutive “months”, date them both for May, and have two calendars that track different things (i.e., a schedule or appointments calendar, followed by a content calendar for T.G.S.).

5. The Flexibility to Explore Different Formats and Layouts. Over the years I’ve found that companies tend to be a bit more creative with their undated planner layouts. If the company doesn’t have to worry about the dated planner “expiring,” they can experiment with different formats, and you can even use them all and jump back and forth between them as your needs change, as noted above. Case in point is the Laconic Tokyo series, which we’ve carried for a while and features all sorts of unusual refills and inserts that include “Gantt Chart,” “Spreadsheet”, “Think”, “Life” and more. They’ve recently released these in a 6-ring A5 binder format, in addition to the softcover A5 notebooks that fit notebook systems like Lochby and Roterfaden.

For as many people out there who love choosing and buying their annual dated planner, in the years I’ve spent running this site, I’ve also found that just as many - if not more - prefer the undated variety. Though we still carry some dated planner refills (such as the annual Traveler’s Company releases) in our own shop, undated planners outsell the dated versions by a fairly wide margin. If you value flexibility above all else, and therefore consider yourself “not a planner person” since dated planners sometimes seem rigid and inflexible, you may want to consider the more notebook-like undated experience.

I’m actively looking at consolidating and building out this product segment - not only do I value it and use it extensively in my own personal life, but I think it’s underutilized and receives far less publicity and attention than the trendier dated planners that seem to take over social media each year. There’s much less FOMO around the undated planner systems, allowing you to spend time experimenting and choosing the system that works best for you without the pressure to buy into a system before they sell out for the year.

Laconic also makes their own binder, at a fairly low price point, which offers a way to test out the six-ring system to see if it works for you. For those who want to use fountain pens, I would say that Laconic paper works fairly well with nibs fine-medium (maybe slightly better than Kokuyo Jibun Techo paper), but you may see show-through with broader nibs and wetter inks. I personally use multi-pens in my planners.

Notebook Systems: Introducing Laconic Tokyo

If I had to describe the Laconic Style notebook system, I would best characterize it as a modular, full-size A5 version of the Kokuyo Jibun Techo. (For those unfamiliar, the Jibun Techo is a dated planner/journal system that combines elements of the Hobonichi Techo with the “tall/slim” format of the Traveler’s Notebook.) The beauty of this particular notebook system is it’s customizability. You can choose from ten different 60-page A5 notebook refills, including four different planner formats (daily, weekly, monthly, or “100 days” with two days on each page), four “productivity” formats (To Do, Meeting, Spreadsheet, and Gantt Chart), and two "Lifestyle/Creativity” formats (Thinking and “My Life,” which some may recognize as similar to the “Life Book” component of the Jibun Techo).

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The full range of colorful Laconic covers!

While Laconic makes their own plastic notebook cover, capable of holding two refills, the beauty of this system is that the standard A5 size allows you to expand far beyond that using a system cover/organizer like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter or the Lochby Field Journal (which holds up to six of these softcover A5 refills). For example, you could select a Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar, and Daily Journal for your “Planner” section, and combine that with Meeting, To Do, and a “Thinking” refill for brainstorming sessions. All of the planner refills are undated, and therefore flexible for those who might skip a day/week/month every now and then.

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You can fit up to two of the A5 Notebooks into the Laconic Style plastic covers.

So how’s the paper? I’ve been testing a Monthly refill since I first spotted these at NY Now back in February, and I would compare the paper to standard Rhodia or Kokuyo Campus. It will work fine with most fountain pens in fine or medium nibs, though extremely wet inks and wider nibs (and particularly a combination of the two) will see some bleed-through. That said, I’m not sure it will be an issue for those drawn to this particular planner, because it’s plainly intended for those who write small. (To that end, a Lamy 2000 EF nib with Pilot Iroshizuku Shin Kai gave me no issues.)

Bonus: Laconic Style Bookmarkers

Honestly, even moreso than the notebook system, what really caught my eye were these Laconic “Bookmarkers,” a set of eight different bookmarks in various formats that allow you to take notes while you read or write in your journal.

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The Laconic Style Bookmarkers in all the various layouts.

The Bookmarkers are sold in packs of 24, and fold over the page to prevent slippage. It’s also occurred to me that the “Planner” and “To Do” bookmarks could be taped or pasted into a bullet journal or other notebooks to add functionality. Personally, the “Reading Memo” layouts appeal to me the most, but I’ve kept a set of each for myself and since I churn through bookmarks fairly regularly I’m sure they’ll get plenty of use.

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As with most notebook systems, all of the Laconic products are designed to work together.

Takeaways and Further Reading: Where Does Laconic Fit in the overall universe of notebook systems?

In the grand scheme of things, Laconic probably fits somewhere in between a single notebook system (each of these refills can be carried individually) and a modular notebook system, because you can combine them in a multi-refill cover to create a planner/organizer/journaling system tailored to your own needs. Laconic Style covers, notebooks, and bookmarkers are available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and they’re actually quite inexpensive, starting at $5 for a pack of 24 bookmarks, and individual notebooks priced at $6.

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The largest Laconic Zippered case is large enough to accommodate an A5 notebook or two.

I’ve previously written several pieces on “System Techo” and the different types of notebook systems available. If you’d like to read more, see below:

• Part I: What Is a Notebook System/System Techo

• Part II: Plotter is NOT a Planner!

• Part III: Traveler’s Notebook and the “Modular Approach”

• Part IV: Single Notebooks, or the “Non-System System”

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We are an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Laconic. Please note that due to scheduled travel, orders placed after noon, U.S. Central Time on Saturday May 6, 2023 will have a 3-5 business day processing time. As always, we appreciate your support and slightly delayed orders will include extras!

Need a Flexible, No-Pressure Planner for 2023? Try Undated.

Many of us (myself included) are hesitant to commit to a traditional “dated” planner for various reasons. Personally, I don’t need to use a planner every day, so for the past few years I’ve taken a pass on things like Hobonichi or Jibun Techo because I feel bad about purchasing an expensive bulky notebook or journal that I won’t use as intended. Instead, I’ve opted for undated, or “open” planning tools that allow me a bit more flexibility to use them during the months and weeks I need more structure, and skip weeks or months when I don’t. The best part? You don’t need to purchase and commit to your planner in October or November when many dated planners are released, because you can start anytime! Personally, I’m spending this “dead week” between Christmas and New Years closing out my notebooks and planners from 2022 and setting up what I plan to use in 2023. I’ll do a full-length post on this topic next week. For now, if you’re in the market for an undated planner to kick off the New Year, we have several options available in our shop (and a couple of dated options too, if you prefer that format)!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold. Don’t forget that through January 1 at 11:59pm CT, you can take 10% off most brands in the shop using the coupon code “LOYAL10” at checkout! Year-end inventory count starts in two days so all of your purchases help us make it easier to close out 2022!

1. Traveler’s Notebook Diary Refills. We have dated and undated Traveler’s Notebook diary/planner refills in both the Standard and Passport sizes. My personal favorite is the Traveler’s Weekly + Memo layout, which uses a week-to-two-pages format with a weekly calendar layout on the left and space for notes on the right. (And if you’re looking for a versatile modular notebook system, we have Traveler’s Notebook covers in both sizes available.)

2. Write Notepads Weekly Planner. This landscape-style wirebound notebook is a favorite for intermittent planning on a weekly basis. Write Notepads makes excellent fountain pen-friendly paper, and the landscape orientation makes it easy to sit this underneath your keyboard while you’re working.

3. WMS & Co. Calendar Pads. Similar to the Write Notepads Weekly Planner, WMS & Co. makes tear-off calendar pads in both full-page and slimmer “keyboard” size. Whether you use them for planning or for daily list-making and notetaking, these pads are versatile tools that come with different color gilded edges.

4. Midori MD “Codex” Day-to-a-Page Notebook. One of the most popular Midori products in our shop is the MD “Codex” notebook, a 360+ page bound journal that comes in a dot grid or blank paper layout and allows you a full A5 page for each day of the year. Use it as a journal, or combine with the Midori MD Diary Stickers to add planner functionality to a Bullet Journal.

5. Midori MD Calendar Stickers. These diary/calendar stickers are made from fountain-pen-friendly Midori MD Paper and can add monthly calendar functionality to any notebook or journal. Since these are undated, you can use them every month or just when you need them.

6. Midori MD Multi-Year Journals. For those who enjoy “micro-journaling” (my personal term for jotting just a few sentences about each day), these Midori MD hardbound books are a joy to use, in either three, five, or ten (?!?) year formats. Each day of the year has a separate page, allowing you to compare that specific date to prior years as you write, but the years themselves are undated, so if you decide to take a year off you can easily pick back up again.

7. Lochby A5 Planner Refills. While intended to pair with the excellent Lochby Field Journal, these slim A5 refills feature 68gsm Tomoe River Paper and since they are standard A5 size, can fit different notebook covers. They use a monthly + weekly undated layout that is quite versatile.

8. Soumkine “Agenda” Planners. While unfortunately Soumkine is stepping away from the business of making analog tools, we still have some remaining stock of their hardcover slim “Agenda” undated planners (which can also be used as a slim notebook). The paper is excellent.

For an option outside the T.G.S. Curated Shop, fans of disc-bound systems may want to consider William Hannah UK, which I’ve been test-driving for the past couple of months. I plan to post a full review, but I’m impressed both with the paper quality, the disc system, and the cover itself. The system is no inexpensive, but you do get what you pay for. Happy shopping!

Prepare for the New Year! Take 10% Off All Planners and Diaries, Automatically Applied

Are you like me, spending this week getting organized for the close of 2021 and the start of 2022? Do your planners need a refresh? From today through Sunday, Jan. 2, take 10% off all planners, dated (2022) and undated, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, including offerings from Midori, Traveler’s Company, Field Notes, and Stalogy. No coupon code is needed, as the discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Enjoy the last week of 2021, stay healthy, and best wishes for 2022!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all products sold in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. You can view a selection of our top selling products here.

If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!