Putting Pen To Paper: Tools To Keep You Organized

I’m a stationary addict. It’s true. I have to be escorted from the journal section of Barnes and Noble section aggressively.

“Babe, you have to finish the last journal you purchased.” My boyfriend will say.

He’s partly accurate, considering we have an entire bookshelf dedicated to my notebooks alone. However, in my defense, most of them serve different purposes. I have an idea notebook, a short fiction book, a weight loss goal pad, an article rough draft book and several that I completely forgot the function of.

Okay, I do have a problem.

Not all stationary lovers are as adamant as I am. However, I’m hip to every kind of stationary there is. That’s why I’ve compiled this list. This is for all the girls who enjoy the smell of fresh paper, but aren’t exactly sure where to begin.

For Ms. Scheduled: Every girl should have a planner. Although Siri and most electronic devices are amazing on keeping tabs, they’re also notorious for breaking and malfunctioning. Also, there’s nothing like sipping on that morning latte and assessing your schedule by hand. Well at least for me. (Is that just me?) Purchasing a planner may seem simple, but you might want to have a look inside before you grab one just because it’s purple. Companies divide the calendar days into different increments. If you’re long winded and want to plan your day alongside several details, you’ll want to grab Moleskine’s daily planner. If your task list tends to be shorter, a classic At-A-Glance might be more your speed. Both come in a variation of colors and additions: Maps, phone-number lists, birthdays, notes, etc.

For Ms. Stick-It-To-You: I have a girlfriend who has a post-it adorning everything in her house. Although her post-its are color coded and placed perfectly, I definitely had a few ‘Beautiful Mind’ flashbacks while sitting in her living room. Hopefully no one else ever takes it to that level. If the sticky-note is your thing then I’ve got the perfect ones for you. PhilosophersGuild.com sells themed sticky notes that’ll give anything, you adorn with them, a quirky and fun look. My personal favorites are their Feminin-its and Frida Kahlo Reflections.

For Ms. Writer: I know I mentioned Moleskine for planning, however I’m a bit too frugal to spend that much on a journal. Really great alternatives for the Moleskines are the Piccadilly journals. You can usually find them in the bargain section of Barnes and Noble for $5.95-$9.95 in really amazing patterns and colors. Their leather bound notebooks are the epitome of the Moleskine too! (Oops, don’t tell anyone that I said that.)

If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration the Writer’s Toolbox is also a great steal. It comes with a load of creative writing prompts and exercises to spark the ingenuity that lies within you. Writer’s block and I haven’t seen each other in a while, because of this product. Hopefully, we keep it that way.

For Ms. Book-Lover: Another obsession of mine. I’m often called on to write reviews or recommended literary pieces for my fellow man. To keep track of all the books that I devour on my long subway ride, I utilize The Book Lust Journal. Nancy Pearl gives an amazing spiel about the lust of the literary in the beginning and then several pages to scribe your immediate feelings about any text you’ve read.

The Personal Library allows you to finally keep track of all those books your friends keep “forgetting” to return. Even though you might look like a bit of jerk demanding your goods back you’ll enjoy refilling that empty space on your shelf.

For Ms. Traveler: We’re way past the days of huge maps that you have to pull over and constantly rotate. We’re in the days of GPS, Google and HopStop. Even though GPS can locate local attractions, it lacks a depth and history of the place. For these notions, grab a pocket guide. There are so many of these that you’ll have to hunt down the one that you fancy the most. You’ll find them in the map/travel section of any book or stationary store.

For Ms. Organized: For the overtly organized individual, knockknockstuff.com has a variety of pads, books and tools that’ll keep you laughing and precise. Their “Pack This Pad” helps me every time I leave town. However, my absentmindedness still allows me to leave at least one thing behind. Sigh.

My boyfriend is correct. I’m obsessed with everything stationary-related. However it’s better to be over prepared than unprepared, right?

Yeah, I most certainly have a problem. Happy hunting!