Notebook System Information Resources
I frequently have readers inquire about different notebook systems (Traveler’s Notebook, Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, Plotter, etc.), including question on how each system works and what the “best” system is for specific needs. I thought it might be helpful to pull together a page indexing different informational posts and product reviews that I have written over the years. Keep an eye on this resource as it will be continually updated.
Blog Resources
A few years ago I wrote a multi-post series on different notebook systems that you can read through if you’d like to learn more about a specific product line or product, as well as general information about how different types of systems work:
Part I (Background Information) talks about notebook systems in general, and how people use them for different workflows and goals.
Part II discusses ring binders, with a focus on Plotter though the discussion also applies to classics like Davinci/Raymay, Filofax, etc.
Part III discusses modular systems, including Traveler’s Company, and I’ve also written a separate post on different notebooks and paper that fit into various systems including Roterfaden and Lochby. Not all of the modular systems require proprietary refills!
Part IV discusses single notebook + cover systems, such as Midori MD, Hobonichi, and Jibun Techo.
I’ve written a ton of general notebook system-related blog posts over the years, and here I’ve collected the ones I feel remain relevant:
“My Traveler’sRoterfadenLochbyPlotter Notebook System,” where I talk about my own experience using various systems in my day job over the years.
Curated Shop Spotlight: 5 Questions About Roterfaden, where I answer questions about the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter and how the system works.
My Personal Traveler’s Notebook, where I walk through my own personal Traveler’s Notebook setup that I use when I’m carrying that particular notebook.
Traveler’s Notebook Tutorial: How to Connect Multiple Refills and Accessories, including how the rubber bands work!
Actually Traveling with a Traveler’s Notebook, where I discuss some of my favorite Traveler’s Notebook accessories for trips.
My 2025 Techo Kaigi: A Mostly Fond Farewell to Hobonichi. A “Techo Kaigi” is a Japanese term for an annual assessment of your planner/organizer setup, and while I enjoyed using a Hobonichi in 2024, I decided to go in a different direction.
Five Months with the Hobonichi Techo. All the way back from 2016! You can also ready my thoughts after the first full year.
My Jibun Techo: The Planner Geek’s Planner. If you like to organize your life with granularity, yet in a compact single book, the Jibun Techo may be for you!
YouTube and Video Resources
Oftentimes it’s easier to demonstrate how a notebook system works via video, as opposed to a written blog post and pictures. Our growing YouTube Channel features a handful of popular video walkthroughs of my own personal planners and notebook systems.
How It Works: The Lochby Venture Pouch. The Venture Pouch is more of an add-on accessory to the various Lochby notebook system covers, but I plan on doing more similar videos on the journals and folios and how they’re designed to pair with the different accessories.