Keeping a travelers journal is a perfect solution for staying organized with pen and paper notebooks all kept within one cover. Check out these travelers journal ideas for how I use and organize my travelers journal for home, work, family, and more.
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Before I learned about travelers journals, I kept a bullet journal in a plain notebook. Everything I needed to remember was recorded in the notebook. While I used some of the organization methods I still use, there wasn’t a great way to separate notes and lists by category.
A travelers journal allows me to organize everything much better. Instead of one notebook with everything all together, I have separate notebooks for each category of information or notes that I want to record.
The great thing about a travelers journal, just like with a bullet journal, is the endless variation and customization that is possible. A student could make one to hold notes for each of their classes. An artist could keep different types of ideas and sketches and business figures separate. Or, anyone could simply have different notebooks for any facets of their life.
In my travelers journal, I have a notebook for home and family, one for homeschool and community, one for work, and a “commonplace” notebook. Keep reading to see travelers journal ideas and lots of picture examples of how I like to set up mine.
Travelers Journal Ideas
How I Use A Traveler’s Journal to Organize My Life
If you like this method for note-taking and organization and would like to make your own Travelers Journal, I have a simple sewing tutorial in my Etsy shop. You can also read more about recommended supplies and how to start your own in my other travelers journal post.
I can’t reiterate enough how customizable a travelers journal is, especially if you make your own cover. Choose your favorite fabric, your favorite colors, notebook inserts that match your needs, and you have a system that you can use for years. (Replace notebooks as you need to). Oh, and keep your favorite pens in the back pocket!
In my travelers journal, I use the front pocket for papers I might need, receipts and current notes. I also have opted to use a regular calendar instead of writing out my own calendar pages in my notebooks. I find this easier to keep up with dates and see everything quickly.
After the calendar insert, I have 4 blank (unlined) A4 notebooks. I like to buy a bulk box of these because we use them for various things in our home and they’re handy to have on hand.
*NOTE: I print my printables at 60% to fit in my travelers journal.
HOME & FAMILY NOTEBOOK
The first notebook in my travelers journal is my home and family notebook. I have lists and pages dedicated to birthdays, house project ideas, and other personal things I need to record/remember.
My most frequently used and helpful pages are my grocery list and meal plan, my seasonal meal menus, inventory checklists, to-do lists, and a page for my cleaning rhythm and seasonal reset questions.
My grocery list and meal plan are both laminated so I can reuse them over and over. Its really so helpful to be able to open up to these pages and highlight my shopping list and jot down a meal plan. (You can find these printables and more in my Etsy shop).
My to-do list page is simply two post-its– one labeled ASAP and the other labeled EVENTUALLY. I fill them out and then switch them out for fresh post-its as needed. It’s an easy way to keep this page helpful and long-lasting. (I keep post-its in the back of my notebooks).
This year, I’ve added a basic cleaning rhythm I got from Clean Mama, as well as my seasonal reset questions. They’re both really helpful in *attempting* to stay on top of keeping our home in order.
HOMESCHOOL & COMMUNITY
My second notebook is dedicated to homeschool and community (specifically our Wild & Free community). This notebook is PACKED with schedules, learning rhythms, curriculum guides, event planning, co-op plans and lists, and more.
One page that gets used the most is my laminated daily and weekly school rhythms. I love that I can open up to this page and check-off/highlight what we’ve done as we progress through the school day. Then, erase and start all over before the next day.
I also have dedicated planning pages to each of my classes I teach at co-op. It’s really so helpful to have these notes and plans with me whenever and wherever I go (but especially to co-op).
There’s a lot more, but I’ll also mention that I really like having long-term overviews and rhythms in my notebook for some of our specific curricula, like Bravewriter and Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Studies. It’s nice to have them succinctly organized in my notebook.
WORK
I don’t have many pictures of my work notebook, but I generally use this notebook for tracking long-term plans, goals, and ideas for my business. I often print out important emails or docs to hold on to in my notebook as well.
(Pictured below is my planning page for the new Intermediate Nature Study for Treehouse Schoolhouse).
COMMONPLACE
The commonplace notebook is a special notebook to record and remember book quotes, poetry, and other generally beautiful and noteworthy ideas. I also have a collection of significant cards written by loved ones in the back of the notebook that I enjoy revisiting when I need the encouragement.
I hope this gives ideas on how to get started with a travelers journal if you are a pen and paper person like I am. Start with what’s most impactful and helpful and go from there!
Don’t forget you can find more tips in this post, and lots of resources and a travelers journal sewing pattern in my shop!
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