So you want to try your hand at journaling or bullet journaling, and you want to start on the right foot. But wouldn't it be such a bummer if you finally got the expensive journal everyone's been raving about only to find out it's not as great as you expected? Sadly that's often the case, especially with overhyped products, because preferences differ from person to person.
Here's the first rule in finding the perfect journal: do not quickly jump on the wagon. The perfect journal for another may not be the perfect one for you; you might be looking for different features, different styles, and different journals altogether.
So now, let's go over the journey of finding the perfect one for you. 🤗
THREE BASIC POINTS TO CONSIDER
1. Budget
Question 1: Does it fit my budget and will the cost justify the use?
How much are you willing to spend for a journal? To be fair, there are instances when your budget dictates the quality you get, but luckily, there are a lot of impressive local brands that are upping the ante paper style and keeping their prices affordable.
If you're new to the whole journaling space, I'd suggest not splurging so much on your first journal just in case you're not able to commit to it and use it as much. (Don't worry, a budget planner is recommended below. 😇)
2. Functionality
Question 2: Does it have the features I look for in a journal?
A prerequisite question you should'e already asked yourself is, What do I look for in a journal? If you haven't decided on that yet, you may use the bullet points below as a starting point:
- Do I want a binded journal or a ringed journal?
- What color would I want it to be?
- Do I want a journal closure?
- If yes, do I want elastic, snap button, combination lock, or lock with a key?
- Do I want a back compartment or a PVC pocket?
- Do I want ribbon bookmarks on my journal? How many?
- Do I want the cover to be in leather, fabric, or cardboard?
- Do I want a pre-made design on the cover or minimalist and plain?
- Do I feel more comfortable with a blank, ruled, dotted, or grid paper?
- Do I want a standard notebook size (A5), a bigger size (B5), or a pocket size (A6)?
Feel free to add more on the list; this is your perfect journal after all. 😉
3. Paper Quality
Question 3: Can it manage the writing instruments I'll be using?
Basically you would want a paper that's fitting for how you'll use the journal. Be fair to the paper you intend to utilize so you won't end up disappointed.
If you want it to be a creative journal where you can sketch or paint on each page, you'll want paper that's specially made for that purpose. So you would want to look for something that's more than 200 GSM. But if you want an everyday bujo, then you might appreciate a lower GSM paper :)
Before we head over to the recommendations, here are some vocabulary that might be helpful on your hunt:
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. On a budget and prefer sketch and ruled pages: Limelight Journal, PHP 190 - PHP 200
What to love: A smart choice for first-time journalist is the Limelight Journal. The sketch and ruled paper are most affordable at PHP 200 and below while letting you enjoy features found in more expensive brands.
- leather hard cover
- 200 pages of 120 GSM paper
- back pocket
- elastic band enclosure
- ribbon bookmark
What to get: Available online via Shopee, Lazada, and at SM Department Stores, National Bookstore outlets
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| Photo credit: Star360 / Limelight |
2. On a budget and prefer grid and dotted pages: PaperNotesPH, PHP 325 - PHP 399
What to love: Fan of grid and dotted pages? Then the Papernotes classic journal is the perfect pick for you. They're premium quality journals that are a bang for your buck, and it looks super clean and classy.
- 160 pages of 100 GSM wood-free paper
- back pocket
- elastic enclosure band
- ribbon bookmark
- can be personalized (debossed, metallic)
- pen holder
Where to get: Available on Shopee and Lazada
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| Photo credits: Papernotes |
3. Best for those who want to write a lot: Moleskine Classic Notebook Expanded, PHP 2,490 - PHP 2, 765
What to love: If you're new to the journaling but have all the feels, then feel free to pour your soul out to your heart's content because this baby's got 400 pages for you! That's more than twice of a regular notebook.
- leather soft cover
- elastic enclosure band
- 70 gsm ivory pages (good for most ballpoint and gel pens)
- 2 ribbon bookmarks
- back pocket
Where to get: Available on Amazon, Lazada
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| Photo credits: Moleskine / Amazon |
3. Best for those who use fountain pens, brush pens, and markers: Buke Notebook Art Plus, PHP 579
What to love: The only 180 GSM journal on the PH market today, Buke Notebook Art Plus is perfect for for most writing tools you prefer. You can guarantee slim to no ghosting or bleeding with this one; plus it comes in these lovely cover designs.
- 160 pages of 180 GSM bamboo pages
- fabric hard cover
- gusseted back pocket
- pages are dotted with rounded corners
- elastic enclosure band
- ribbon bookmark
Where to get: Available on website, Shopee
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| Photo credits: Buke Notebook |
4. Best for those who journal for self-care: Scribble Book, PHP 330
What to love: If you want to journal mainly and firstly for mental care, give Scribble Book PH a chance. Every page has a journal prompt, making journaling a breeze if you don't know what to write or where to begin. The Scribble Book comes in two variants, Scratch (for the things you want to let go) and Save (for the memories you want to keep), which you can buy in sets or separately.
- mood tracker / mood in pixels
- self-care guide
- includes reminders
- 74 pages of 80 GSM paper
Where to get: Available on Shopee
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| Photo credits: Scribble PH |
5. Best for those who want to keep things short and sweet: The Memory Book, PHP 1,099
What to love: A single journal is good for five years! Here's why: each page is printed with the same date but in different years. It works best if you're not one to write lengthy novelas on your journal and just want to write about key happenings or memorable things in a day.
- 380 pages of 80 GSM ivory paper, more than enough for a whole year
- elastic enclosure band
- gusseted back compartment
- vegan leather cover, hardbound
Where to get: Available on Shopee
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| Photo credits: The Memory Book PH |
And that is the end of our little journal hunting tutorial. If you're looking for layouted planners or planners from companies we know and love, please stay tuned for future posts.
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Great! I absolutely adore your blog. Particularly, when I'm trying to save money. If I had to choose which journal to purchase and keep, I would definitely use this blog as my go-to resource. I highly recommend it to my friends. Thank you for providing such detailed information in your blog. It's become my foundation. 🥰🙂
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, Ate Bing! Happy this article helped! ♡
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