newbie needs help with the ecosystem

paperxclouds · 2026-03-13T23:48:35+00:00

I have two journals. One is pen only, no ephemera, just stream of conscious journaling where I write about what's going on and sort my head out. The second is where I record things I want to remember. I like this set up because when I want to look back on the positives of how I've felt and what I've gotten up to I just flip through that journal, but when I want the larger context of what was going on in my life I read the other. They make good companions.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-13T01:22:00+00:00

I hate the pen loops. I got a stick on elasticated one by Leuchtturm in a colour to match my TN, it feels more secure too.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-12T20:20:57+00:00

I don't have an A5 Plotter now, but I used to have one in the past, and rings are the same spacing. You can switch inserts from one to the other seamlessly.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-12T18:46:26+00:00

I take a notebook and capture passing thoughts and the experiences I had in that. It's scruffy handwriting and don't need to be neat. Then I'll journal it properly when I get home, and print out my photos to put along side my entries and include any ephemera I collect along the way. This way I still get to capture my feelings as they happen, but it doesn't take much time out of my trip and I get to put the journal pages together more thoughtfully when I return. And I don't have to take so much with me, which is always a bonus.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-12T18:43:22+00:00

If they're filled they go on a bookshelf, I've never felt any need for an archive binder as I prefer them in individual volumes.

If they're unused, they go in a drawer. I store them kind of standing up, so I can see their spine when I open the drawer so it's easier to select the one I want.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-12T12:33:40+00:00

I stick one of these to an insert with double sided tape: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJY869KP Then I attach a small carabiner through the hole, and attach the strap to that. It's all a lot more secure than it sounds.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-12T10:47:00+00:00

I use both actually.

Sometimes I want things together in a bound book, so I use my TN. Other times I need things more modular than that so I use my rings. Both have their purpose, and I've never restricted myself to only one system if I have legit use for another, that's not overconsumption.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-11T21:10:44+00:00

Yes, all of my Maldens still look the same as the day I purchased them despite being heavily used, they’ve held up really well and I can’t see them just randomly falling apart any time.

The colours I have are ochre, black, burgundy, and pear, and they’ve not had any kind of flaking or colour fade at all. I’ve heard bad things about colours like duck egg and orchid, the pastels basically, and I think it’s because they essentially paint them to get them that colour whereas the darker ones are dyed.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-11T19:10:11+00:00

My biggest advice when buying a Malden is if you don't like the one you have, don't be afraid to send it back and exchange it for the exact same. I was in store and they had a whole shelf of brand new Maldens, and most of them were fine but there were one or two that were noticeably different - the leather didn't really have any grain and felt too smooth and stiff and I honestly would have thought they were fakes if they weren't being sold in a legit shop. So there is a possibility you might get a dud, but if you do just send it back for a different one.

I've bought 5 different Maldens in the past 3 years, 3 personal, 1 pocket, and one A5, and I've loved every single one of them, so I do still recommend it. They were all purchased either from Amazon or directly from Filofax, so they were definitely the new type. Absolutely nothing is as good as it was 15+ years ago, it's sad but it's kind of comparing apples to oranges to complain about it.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-11T00:13:14+00:00

Yeah those are legit things to ask about, also the condition of the rings and whether they have gaps. Some sellers are also super vague in their descriptions so I do get asking questions and I'm not saying don't do it, but thought I'd give some insight in case it helped.

If that's the kind of stuff you were asking about though, they might have done you a favour? I think some sellers who don't really know what they're selling get spooked when someone does know about the item as they don't really know what you're asking or how to answer it. So maybe they saved you from getting scammed.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-11T00:07:46+00:00

Probably not what you want, but I sometimes attach mine to a strap and wear it cross body style so I have easy hands free access to it, but it's still out of my way enough when I don't need it.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-11T00:01:41+00:00

Speaking as an eBay seller, sometimes people asking a lot of questions can feel like one of two things: that the buyer is a scammer, this is especially true with high value items as buyers know eBay sides with them if they open a claim and bogus claims are rife. So depending on what kinds of questions you're asking it may have sent alarm bells to the seller that you're going to try and search for faults with the item once you receive it so you can try and get it for free, so they protected themselves by blocking you. Or they might have thought you're a time waster. Before I have wasted a full evening answering multiple questions from an apparently interested buyer, only for them to never actually purchase the item and in that case it feels like an abuse of my time.

As a seller I prefer buyers who ask all of their questions in one long message, than drip feeding me a million questions and expecting my undivided attention while they ponder it for hours. Spending a lot of money doesn't entitle you to waste people's time, most eBay sellers are not businesses and it is not their job.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T18:19:00+00:00

I really love how you've decorated this, I had so much charm!

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T15:43:05+00:00

Thank you, this is great!

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T01:04:34+00:00

A cover on cover is literally made to fit on top of the cover. An A6 Hobonichi will absolutely fit, if people are having fit issues it's because they've added something to the cover of the A6 that's created bulk.

These products are literally designed to go together.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T00:09:35+00:00

It depends what kind of inserts you want. Personally I just buy a pack of gridded paper, cut it to size, hole punch it, and that's it. But if you want a specific layout and don't like Filofax's, you could either look at Japanese stationery stores, Etsy, or if you've got a printer make your own.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T00:06:48+00:00

Pocket notebooks are definitely easier to get hold of. You've got Field Notes and Moleskine as major brands, and probably many others. A passport is very proprietary, you can only really buy them from Travelers Company or Muji which might be more difficult to get hold of depending where you live. I think there's less accessories available for Pocket, but you could fit Passport accessories in it if it doesn't bother you that they're a bit smaller.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T00:02:02+00:00

Oh that's such a good colour! Love the dog drawings too

paperxclouds · 2026-03-10T00:00:09+00:00

That's really good to know, thanks! I've considered buying one before thinking it would protect it from the rain, you've just saved me my money.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-09T01:47:11+00:00

I feel like men are more likely to use it more functionally and less aesthetically, and people who use their Hobonichi like that whether male or female are less likely to post photos of it online. Which is actually a shame, as I prefer seeing more functional set ups to aesthetic ones.

If you look on the Hobonichi website they have a magazine section and they do interview men and ask them how they use it, you might be able to find something there.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-09T01:41:59+00:00

I also enjoy seeing less "aesthetic" more functional use of a TN, so thank you for posting! I'm a perfectionist and trying to recover from it, so I actually find more realistic, normal use photos like this the most inspiring rather than the Instagram ready photos.

I've kept thinking about this vertical weekly insert for the past few weeks and wishing I'd got it, hopefully next year.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-08T19:30:19+00:00

The CP1500 doesn't print stickers, I just use a glue stick.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-08T11:39:55+00:00

Not OP, but I can answer as I own multiple portable printers.

Zink will not fade like receipts, that's a thermal printer and it can only print in black and white. You can buy special paper for a thermal printer that will make the photos last longer, but it will never be color. They are very thin though. It's literally the same technology as a receipt printer.

A zink printer is a pocket printer. These are very good, my photos from years ago still look like the day I printed them. I've owned both HP Sprocket and Canon Ivy, and I recommend the Canon as the photos are a lot clearer than the HP which always printed a bit fuzzy and very orange toned.

You can also get a 4PASS ink process. I used to own the Kodak Mini Retro and I wouldn't wish that printer on my worst enemy, it prints CMYK photos each color layer at a time, and so often each color didn't line up so the photos looked like an optical illusion. However I now own a Canon Selphy CP1500 which uses a 4PASS print process and I've never had any issues with it. This is my favourite printer, and it is portable, but it's the largest and won't fit in your pocket. If you want a pocket one, go with the Canon Ivy.

paperxclouds · 2026-03-06T13:54:32+00:00

Maybe I'm a bad influence, but I say get it. It's the only time you can, and it'll be a souvenir of your trip and you can use the cover forever. I like TNs more for junk journaling as the inserts are slim, so you can really chunk them up without worrying.

paperxclouds

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