Unless you’re very new to Notebooking, you probably have a stash of empty notebooks somewhere.  Don’t feel bad about it, we all have them.  In fact, it’s very practical.  It simply wouldn’t do to finish a notebook and have to wait for the next one to come in the mail.

But, how about a few of them?  Maybe you have a shoe box or a shelf full of them.  Is this bad?

Of course not.

Because of our Notebooking Method I never have to worry that I won’t get to a notebook in my collection¹.  In fact, having a collection is a bit encouraging, empowering even.  I find great comfort in knowing that I can finish a notebook with reckless abandon because as soon as I’m done I get to choose a new one.

Comfort isn’t the only reason for keeping a collection, however.  There are practical reasons as well.  The most important, as I see it, is the notebook dud.  A notebook dud is when you go to your collection, pull out a notebook you were excited about only to realize after a bit of writing that the notebook is bad.  Maybe the paper quality isn’t what you thought it would be.  Maybe it doesn’t play nice with your current favorite pen.  What if you’re a quarter of the way through a notebook only to have the binding fall apart on you (Moleskine!)?  If that’s your only notebook or only brand of notebook then, buddy, you’re out of luck.

Another reason to have a variety of notebooks in your collection is to help you better discover what you like.  There was a time when I insisted that any notebook I had must be Pocket size (A6).  This made sense since I carried my notebooks in my back pocket.  Then I changed jobs.  All of a sudden I couldn’t jot down notes at work and I ended up only Notebooking at home.  Eventually, a company I really like (Blackwing) started making notebooks but only in Steno size (A5).  Thanks to a gift card, I finally caved and bought their A5 offering (Blackwing Slate).  I’m glad I did.  Steno size (A5) is my new favorite format for Notebooking!  I would have never tried them if it wasn’t for having a collection².

While we’re on the subject of having a lot of different notebooks, let’s talk about filling out your collection (as if any Notebooker needs a reason to buy more notebooks!)

As far as size is concerned, it simply makes sense to have notebooks in every size you use.  For me, that means passport size, Pocket size (A6), and Steno size (A5).  I have tried a few Letter size (A4) but they haven’t “grabbed me” yet³ but someday they might be just the thing.  Having a wide range of sizes means more situations where you can Notebook, and that’s almost always good.

Speaking of variety, let’s talk about binding.  The most common binding by far is sewn hard-cover.  That makes sense because it tends to be most durable.  That said, if you are someone who likes to keep your Notebook in your back pocket then hardcover can become uncomfortable.  This is where soft cover Pocket size and passport style really shine.

Another consideration when building your collection is ruling.  This is especially true if you’re new to Notebooking and are not yet sure what works best for you.  That said, I’ve been Notebooking for years and I still like to mix it up every now and then.  In addition to ruling style (ruled, grid, dot or blank), size might play into it as well.  For example, I have small handwriting so I could use almost any size but I’ve found that any ruling sub-5mm to be so small that it stifles my writing flow.

Then there’s paper quality.  It’s true that you could only collect notebooks that have good paper and never worry about it.  The difficulty here is that while there ARE grading systems for paper thickness (or “weight” to be more exact), there are no such systems to measure things like tooth (the comparative roughness of a paper) nor how fast a paper absorbs ink.  My only advice here is to find a ballpoint pen you like since I have yet to find a paper that a good ballpoint pen won’t work well on (the best being the Fisher Space Pen).

If all these options feel a bit paralyzing, don’t worry.  Let me assure you, no matter how many notebooks you have tried there will always be the one that piques your curiosity.  Might as well enjoy the ride!  Enjoy building your collection, enjoy trying them out, and especially enjoy perusing your collection every once in a while.  You’re not a hoarder but a connoisseur.

1. Let’s call it a “collection” instead of a “stash.”  That feel less “hoarder.”
2. And that gift card, Thanks J!
3. With the exception being those cheap composition notebooks that go on sale for 50 cents every fall.  I tend to use those for table top rpg planning.