three months with the nanami paper cafe note

Let's talk about my planner system!

If you didn't know, I started a job in September. It's thankfully not too fast-paced most of the time, but I do have a lot of tasks that get repeated. I wanted to find a way to plan that would be:

• relatively easy, so I would do it consistently
• modular, so I could add stuff as I found it necessary to track them
• nice to look at, because I love simplicity but also stickers and washi tape. 

As I introduced in my Planning a Planner post a few months ago, I started using a Nanami Paper Cafe Note. The A6 notebook is approximately 6x4" and quite light, so it's easy to throw in my backpack. I skateboard home about fifteen minutes some days, so the lighter my load is the better. With 480 pages of Tomoe River paper, I'm pretty sure I can use this notebook for a long time.

I covered the notebook with a Midori MD clear cover in the 4x6" size. It fits almost perfectly, though the notebook is slightly too thick. The cover doesn't lay flush, but it doesn't bother me. I decorated the front cover with stickers and trading cards. I use the loop attached to the back cover to carry my writing utensils.

The grid is 3.7mm, which is very small. For comparison, the English language version of the Hobonichi Techo uses a 4mm grid. I've only been able to comfortably use extra-fine pens, but that works great for me. Honestly, if I'm writing three or four sentences on something, it should probably be written elsewhere.

So let's take a look at those innards, shall we?

Meat and potatoes

I almost entirely stuck to the format that I listed in my starter post! Turns out that planning was pretty helpful and really told me about what I needed to include. Virgo sensibility to the rescue!

I'll skip the half year-at-a-glance, because it's pretty boring and self-explanatory. The next page covers March to August. Birthdays and stuff, you know. The usual.

Immediately after, I have an index. Super quick and easy to jot down for things I want to refer back to.

First is the month-at-a-glance. On the left is a small space for me to list down holidays as well as tasks that should be done at some point during the month. I gave myself six rows for filling out a calendar, and it's definitely more than enough space. I like to put a little snippet of poetry somewhere on the page—this month, it was actually an Ariana Grande song—as well as the ink I'm using for that month.

I move over all birthdays and big events onto this spread. That's pretty self-explanatory!

Next is the tracker and note spread. On the left page, I track things I want to maintain habits for, or things that I find meaningful. It's my hope that most of these things will become second nature so I don't have to write down that I did it, but knowing me and my little ol' brain that won't happen for a long time.

On the right, I jot down notes that I want to remember. Counting off carpools so I remember when to pay, knitting patterns, mail that I got that month... nothing too fancy! About two months in, I started writing down a list of goals that I want to achieve. I was inspired by Belle B. Cooper, who writes retrospectives that include her goals for that period of time (here's an example of one). It's so easy to get lost in feeling like you didn't achieve anything, or that you didn't get anything done.

I'm a person who can get bogged down in small details and need a little push to see the big picture, so I thought this would be a nice place to remind myself that I can set short- or long-term goals and complete them.

Next is the week-at-a-glance. Nothing too fancy here: I mark my expected work hours (9 to 5), then add or erase hours using an erasable highlighter. Some of my work needs to be done at a certain time, so I make sure to mark down the span of time it should be done by. If there's something scheduled, I section off that chunk of time.

At the top, under the date, I put the expected weather for that day. Really nice for when I need to plan my outfit; you never want to show up to work too cold or too hot!

On the far left column, I mark down things that should be done by that week. Usually these aren't so pressing, but that I should do, like responding to letters. On the bottom section of each day, I put less urgent things or events: item deliveries, lunch plans, and so forth.

Towards the end of the week, if I have energy for it, I like to decorate my pages with washi tape and stickers.

The task list. I did end up bringing back a sort of bullet journal format, but it's more like a basic checklist (the more I think about it the more I realize bullet journaling is just "making a list" but slightly more involved? anyway). I put everything I need to get done that day here, and this spread is open on my desk throughout the day. I check off things that get done, then put an arrow for any task that gets pushed to the next day. Very simple!

If I have space, I also like to do a little retrospective for the week. I took my nephew on a nice outing so I focused on that. It's nice to think over your week and remember things you did. I've found that in the anxiety of this year it's so hard to realize that you did something special just a couple days ago.

Finally, the last note spread. The left space is usually for quick notes. I jotted down one of my favorite oatmeal cookie recipes here since I was planning on baking them over the weekend, and thought I should have it on hand just in case.

On the right, I look back on the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the month. If I finished a goal, I'll write about what I did. If I didn't, I'll write about why I didn't and how I can achieve it the next time I try. I've been really enjoying this method, so I'll continue to do it. 

Tools

For building the page, I'm using a Uniball R:E (not pictured, sadly). It's a gel pen that erases using friction. Like most erasable pens, the ink isn't particularly saturated. For me, it's not a big issue, since it makes my actual planning more obvious.

For tasks and filling out the hourly format, I'm using a Pilot Metropolitan with an EF nib. I'm also using a Ohto G-Slender, which uses one of Ohto's 0.3mm refills. It's an excellent writer despite the super fine tip.

For highlighting, I'm using Pilot Frixion highlighters. The pastel colors draw attention without being too loud, and the erasable ink is really helpful. I use it to block out periods of time.

I'm also using the Tombow PlayColor, a combination highlighter and marker. It has a circular stamp on one end. They're no longer being sold in the U.S., but I've heard they're being relaunched with a new name. Because the stamp side is quite a bit larger than my grid, I use it to mark paid holidays on my half year-at-a-glance.

I also have a Nakabayashi Magnetic Ruler, because it works like a bookmark! It's super handy for formatting my spreads, and it marks my planner page.

Planning Ahead

So far, this format is working great for me. I've tried to think consciously about the things I want my planner to do. Tracking events and appointments is obvious, but writing down my monthly goals definitely wasn't. I'm glad that I incorporated it though.

And, of course, I haven't forgotten to do a task yet, and I'm hoping that I can continue to be mindful and remember what I need to do every day.

I like to decorate my planner, but it isn't the primary function. Sometimes I just don't have the energy or wherewithal to stick down some tape, and that's totally okay. Though, also, I did order a bunch of stickers and tapes, so... yeah.

I hope these write-ups were helpful for you! Planning is a rather personal thing, so a different method works for different people. Let me know if you borrowed some of my formats or ideas; I'd love to see pictures of your planner!

Where to buy

• Notebook
• A6 Cafe Note: Nanami Paper
• Fountain pens
• Pilot Metropolitan: Goulet Pens, JetPens, Pen Chalet, Wonder Pens
• Pilot Kakuno (EF): Goulet Pens, JetPens (5 colors), Pen Chalet, Wonder Pens
• Gel pen
• Uniball R:E (0.5mm): JetPens
• Pilot FriXion Ball Slim (0.38mm): JetPens
• Ballpoint pen
• Ohto Needle-Point Slim Line: JetPens
• Ohto 893NP 0.3mm refill: JetPens (compatible pens)
• Highlighter
• Pilot FriXion Highlighters: JetPens
• Ruler
• Nakabayashi Magnetic Bookmark Ruler: JetPens

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I work for JetPens. Some of the items mentioned here were provided for free, simply because that's how it is when you work for a stationery store! The rest were purchased with my own funds with a discount. There are no affiliate links in this blog post.