Moleskine Pocket Ruled Notebook Diary – 1 Mar 2003

I have been using these notebooks since early 2007. They are an integral part of my to-do list system, which I describe in more detail here:[...]

These are very durable notebooks with many practical features:

- Size. It does matter. In this case, these notebooks are the perfect size to carry in my front pocket and yet they have enough writing space for what I use them for. When I'm not carrying my current moleskine, it lives inside my Saddleback Leather Thin Briefcase Large.

- Bookmark. The cord bookmark is very useful, I can take out my notebook and be on today's page in a couple of seconds.

- Hard covers. I don't have to write while standing up that much, but whenever I need to the covers make a huge difference.

- Inner pocket. Receipts, cards, post-it notes. It all goes inside here.

- Paper quality. It feels awesome to write on it and the yellowish color looks pretty cool to me. The rule size is not too small, not too big.

With all these heatures and my to-do list system, the moleskine pocket notebook has become my everyday memory tool The only thing I need to remember is to write everything down.

If the link for the system doesn't appear, please contact me and I'll be glad to share it with you.

I am on my second one. Lives in my front pocket. An improvement over trying to take notes on my phone. I have noticed a big jump in my productivity - recording and accessing info rapidly instead of working through a passcode and opening apps. A moleskin notebook lacks the memory of a cloud connected phone, but it is always charged up and ready to go.

I also keep a variety of passwords and key info in the back of this thing, safely out of reach of the various hackers and online companies looking to sell our data. I keep stamps in the little pocket.

I think the act of physically writing things down is helpful for me in terms of remembering things and assimilating the information. People raised fully in the digital age may not find this to be true, but it works for me.

I also find that when I have (relatively) clever thought that I want to hold on to for later, this little book is a great way to do so. I keep a could pages towards the back for ideas/language/reflections that I want to come back to later.

I have some bigger Moleskine notebook that I keep in my briefcase for some key info, but these little notebooks get used daily, since they fit in my shirt pocket.

Like other journal users I loved buying journals, but rarely used them entirely or efficiently. When I decided to try Bullet Journaling I knew right away that I wanted to use the small pocket-size Moleskine 5.5" x 3.5" -it's perfect. Each page contains 27 x 16 usable squares, that is -squares that are not so close to an edge that you cannot use them.

---------------------------------- General journal feedback:
The size is perfect for me, largely because the small size fits in all of my purses and clutches, but not in my pockets. Obviously the 'pocket size' caveat only reflects the fact that most womens pockets are unusably small...but that's a rant for the fashion industry.
The smooth surface is great for sticker adhesion, and the color is vibrant. I write my weekly grocery list on a post-it note, then place the post-it on the exterior as I shop. The note stays in place and doesn't leave any residue. A tiny expanding pocket is in the back cover, but I don't use it. Instead, I made a pocket with a blank post-it and clear tape -I use it to hold that day's coupons.

---------------------------------- Bullet Journal specific feedback:
To use this in a small format, I turn the journal 90 degrees, and use one spread for each month. Others use a larger journal to detail one week on a spread, but since I prefer more information in a smaller space I keep things simple.
I don't use a key, or table of contents. I don't waste space with Future Log or pages devoted to quotes. I use a few trackers, and if I need more space I simply add a post-it note to supplement. I really enjoy taking time each evening to update my trackers, and add notes if needed.
I prefer the squared paper, it works best with my journal minimalism. I still use a small ruler to keep my lines straight. If you're interested in using a similar small format, I would recommend trying a different layout each month to experiment and find what works for you.
I always keep three trackers that I interact with daily (Hydration, Wake up times, and Spending), and I leave space for smaller trackers that are relevant for you that month (like Recovery Days if you've just had a surgery, or Meatless Days if you're working towards a plant-based diet). Honestly you can track anything that you can imagine. For personal growth it makes sense to record new habits instead of...sports scores. But hey, if sports scores make you happy -do it! That's the magic of a personal journal, you determine the contents and there's no wrong way to use a journal.

In the words of one of my college professors (Dr. S. Crisp) "Keep writing!" 📝

Good field notebook for jotting down field observations, bigger than shirt pocket size but that makes it better for more extensive note taking than a pocket sized notebook. If you wear cargo shorts this fits nicely in your leg pocket. Nice quality.

My last little Moleskine was the the Evernote edition (at twice the price), and that spoiled me, I'm afraid. This one has no top margin and--the horror!--the ink bleeds through the pages, neither of which was true of the Evernote version.

It's still a cool little book, but I'm beginning to wish I'd gotten the alternative I'd considered. I don't need all the bells and whistles of the Evernote edition, but you might want to consider for yourself whether the extra money might not be worth the considerably better quality.

Sigh.

Also did not realize there was a difference between dotted and lined: I got the lined, not knowing, but would recommend the dotted for other purchasers. The dots are as easy as lines to write on but, unlike the lines, they virtually disappear when you're done!