Filling a notebook is one of the most satisfying exercises ever. At the other end of the scale is the terrifying overwhelm created by a completely BLANK notebook which you really want to fill. Very few people ever manage to get over that overwhelm, if they do then they start the notebook get 1/4 of the way through and lose interest or the motivation/ dedication needed to finish what they started.

The notebook goes in the back of the drawer, down the side of the desk or - try not to cry - in the bin… and that’s the end of that. You find a new hobby and try not to buy any more notebooks.

But you love notebooks and you still have the secret knowledge that you could fill one if only you had a brilliant enough idea that made you worthy enough to write/ draw/ glue on that first page. Here’s the thing:

You don’t need to have a great idea to fill a beautiful notebook
You can still buy beautiful notebooks even if you don’t use them
There is no such thing as the ‘perfect’ notebook - the only person who has to like it is you

For years I struggled with imposter syndrome with my notebooks, then I struggled with how I was going to fill them when I got over imposter syndrome and bought notebooks that felt like companions rather than critics. Especially when it came to journaling.

So I made a template, and then I made another. And soon the notebooks began filling up after daily entries made to that original template. There is something to be said for templates. Not that this is something you want to be anal about - filling a notebook is a creative endeavour no matter how corporate the subject is or how often you use it. But templates make it easier. You know the minimum you’re signing up to every time you open the cover. And that makes it all a bit less overwhelming.

So, how do you fill your notebooks? In this article I want to give you some ideas that are not only fun (in a completely non-patronising way) but will also get that notebook filled. Whether it’s an old one you’ve had stuck on the shelf for years, a half-finished one you tore the pages out of and conveniently stuffed at the bottom of your drawer, or a brand new one.

Journal: Daily Journaling Practice

This is the one I’ve written the most about because I truly believe in its power to change your life. Also I have two templates that, if you buy the One Step Workbook, you can use to build a daily journaling practice that you’ll actually stick to.

Using a notebook for journaling means that you come to the notebook without expecting it to be perfect, so you’ve instantly overcome one of the things that keep holding you back from filling it. The second is that when you use a template you’re creating a uniform look, so you know it will look good when you flick back through it because you’re going to keep to whichever template you choose.

A daily journaling practice will raise your awareness of areas in your life you’re unhappy with; coping mechanisms you use, behavioural patters you revert back to and other things such as what you really want to do. It’s also a great way to keep your to-do list manageable and to see your progress over the days, weeks months and (if you keep it up) years.

Art Journal

Great for professionals, amateurs and complete beginners. Not only will an art journal help you to improve your current style; it’s also a good way to focus on a specific project. No matter what your style or aim for an art journal is - this is one of the best ways to explore your creativity without the pressure or lack of personal space which creating on a larger and more public space can provide.

Art Journal Projects:

Nature through the seasons
Architecture classical against nouveau
Fashion haute couture inspired
People in motion

Notes

Perhaps a bit boring, but using your notebook to just jot down your notes and ideas is a great way to fill the paper with an amazing array of content. Instead of writing in your Notes app, just write, sketch or stick it in your notebook.

I filled an entire book with notes, sometimes just a few words. I’d write down the time and then the idea, the phrase or musing which I was having; it ended up being a bit of a poetry notebook but that’s just how my notes tend to end up looking! Yours might be a collection of recipes, phone numbers and addresses.

It’s your Notes Journal, so it should reflect your daily thought process and life.

Gardening Planner

Whether you own an allotment, acres for crop rotation or just a collection of terracotta windows pots. Having a notebook to plan out each season or the seeds you want to have - even to stick in articles and ideas you’ve found on what you’d like to do can be really helpful. It means that you’re keeping everything in one place and it’s easily accessible, also if you get a weatherproof notebook, (like from the line I’m bringing out in August) you’ll be able to take it with you into the garden. Press flowers, draw diagrams, stick seed packets… even have a few pages for bird watching.

A gardening planner is a fun, useful and aesthetic way to fill a notebook.

Want to buy a new notebook and use the inspiration in this post to fill it? Browse the range of notebooks in the SOLEMNIKO Store via this link or commission your very own bespoke piece.