Does Your Journaling Style Match Your Organizing Style?

Lets talk about journaling in 2026, whether your starting or maintaining a journaling habit!

Journaling is for everybody!

But you might particularly enjoy it if any of the following apply to you. Are you:

• Planning a more mindful (or even analog) 2026?

• An estilophile or papyrophiliac?

• A person who benefits from writing things down?

• Interested in the junk-journaling trend, but not sure where to start?

• A person who loves setting goals, making charts, and creating graphs?

Journaling may be the right fit (or hobby) for you!¹

As I prepare my 7th bullet journal, orient my digital trackers, and look to the future, I thought it might be good to share some ideas and findings to help you on your journey!

When I started, I wanted to capture my memories as a new mom.

But, in true Overachiever fashion, I threw everything at the wall. The idea of bullet-journaling my tasks was very appealing, so I threw that in. And I had an art supply subscription, so I threw that in. I was also curious about my mood, my digestion, my coffee consumption, making a nicer graph of my Fitbit steps, remembering the weather…. the list kept going. And so did the burden of filling in my journal each day.

Instagram, with its flashy content creator journal spreads, did not help.

If you’re in the middle of this spiral — or afraid you’ll fall into it — I think I can help.

I have a theory that your organization style ties to your journal style.

If you aren’t familiar with Cassandra Aarssen’s Clutterbugs philosophy, check out the link (to take a quiz), or decide what describes you in the photo below.

Descriptions for Cas’ Clutterbug styles.

I am a Cricket. That means:

• Clean, simple journal formats stick easiest.

• I require things to be custom.

• I don’t like my trackers and to-do lists to be mixed in with my memories.

• I like to “brain dump” or “idea park” somewhere besides my pretty journal.

• I can keep up with multiple, specific, journals.

If you are a Butterfly, you probably:

• Cover your journal in beautiful tapes and stickers.

• Can utilize pre-made planners and dashboards easily.

• Need everything to be in one journal/one spot for ease of use.

• Proudly share your journal with anyone and everyone.

• Don’t have a clear-cut order to your journal, but it makes sense to you.

Whereas, if you are a Bee, you probably:

• Love the same washi tapes and stickers that a Butterfly likes.

• Want customization, but can flex pre-made planners to fit your needs.

• Go back and fill things into your journal later, because order is important.

• Do best with daily entry journals, but...

• Still keep multiple journals because some things just don’t belong together.

And if you are a Ladybug, you probably:

• Do best with super loose formats — like junk journaling.

• Could enjoy pre-made planners, as long as they are simple.

• Can appreciate fancy tapes and stickers in measured doses, in the right spots.

• Will set (short) time each day to update your journal (otherwise you will stop).

• Can only handle the pressure of maintaining one journal.

What do you think. Does my theory stand up?

As a Cricket, can you spot where I went “wrong” with my first journal?

Once I figured out what worked for me, it was much easier.

• I kept my (extremely vast) to-dos out of my analog journal — to avoid overwhelm. I dumped all of that into a digital task tracker where it was easier to prioritize.

• I separated my work to a specific, desktop-friendly, notebook. And also supplemented that with a (different) digital task tracker.

• I only kept annual analog trackers (like menstrual cycle, deep freeze days²).

• I made liberal use of cheaper notebooks or pads of paper to declutter my head.

• I only made “pretty pages” for things that mattered to me.

• I changed to a 9x9 square journal because A5 was too small for the drawings my kids were making me. And I really wanted those to be included with my memories.

Some of my fancier journal pages (clockwise from top left). Last page of 2020 and first page of 2021. Cover & Theme of 2022. A little infographic about my best environment. A fun 2-page spread about me.

Here are some questions to get your rolling.

1. What’s your journal style (see above.)

2. What do you want from your journal(s)?

Those two questions should help you decide if:

• You want a custom (dot grid or lined) journal vs. a pre-printed one.

• The best shape/format (A5? B5? something else?)

• You might want additional materials (e.g. tapes, markers) to keep you motivated.

I am not here to sell you anything, and get no proceeds, but I have a lot of experience and a worrying stationary habit!

I also love helping people find what works for them. So, here are some supplies that friends and I have gathered along the way.

JOURNALS

If you’re in the market for a pre-made journal, my friends swear by the Hobonichi Techo ($39) planner.

If you want a separate journal for work tasks, I think the Dashboard Deskpad by Ink & Volt ($23) is a great place to start. I designed my own (simplified, because I’m a Cricket) version that I keep in a Studio Neat Panobook ($25). The Panobook lasts me ~2 years, so it’s a decent investment.

For almost everything else, I’m a big fan of Archer & Olive in various sizes/prices. They have the best paper quality I’ve found for wet media (like markers and watercolor) and have pre-made or completely custom options.

But if you’re concerned about making investments before you find your stride, here are some “free-form” classics I use [without wet media]:

• Leuchtturm 1917 ($25)

• Dingbats ($21.99)

• Moleskine ($16.54)

• Field Notes ($9.31 for 5)

GENERAL SUPPLIES

If you’re planning your own spreads, get a pencil! Mechanical or a classic yellow HB2 will do. Plus an eraser³. You’ll want to sketch your ideas/layouts before you ink them in, and everyone makes mistakes.

Then you’ll want your favorite pen on hand. This is my all-time favorite, but you should use yours (unless you’re looking for a new favorite)!

Here’s some simple stuff to have on hand if you’re just starting out.

• Glue Dot Roller ($21.95 for 4)

• 6” (pocket-size) ruler ($2.73)

• Circle Maker⁴ ($5.09)

• Gelly Roll Pens (for non-bleeding color) ($15.44)

Fancier supplies are great, but highly personal. I’m happy to make some recommendations if you want tips, just ask in the comments.

There are a ton of great “Journal with Me” videos on YouTube.

But they are mostly made by content creators — people who are paid to make gorgeous journals that attract your views/likes. Your journal belongs to you, not the world. And the best piece of advice I ever heard about journaling was this:

Approach your journal with curiosity and forgiveness.

So, avoid the comparison game, and know that I curated these particular resources because they talk about the benefits of journaling vs. the aesthetics of the process. Like my 2021 journal theme says: Take only what you love.

The Joy of Junk

1. Okay, one of the right hobbies. Afterall, we’re overachievers here… we have at least ten hobbies. Probably more like twenty.

2. Important to home gardeners tracking potential frost dates.

3. This is, and always will be, the best eraser on the market.

4. So much simpler than using a compass in math….