What Supplies Do I Need For Journaling?

We’re going to assume here that you want to journal with pen on paper. Digital journals are available, and we have nothing against them, but you’re here looking for advice from a pen shop, so you’re probably looking for the more meditative experience of ink on paper.

The Basics

Let’s be honest here. You need a pen, and some paper. It’s probably a good idea if the pen is one you like using, and if can help if the paper is decent, probably in the form of a notebook, but the important thing is to bring the pen and paper together and write. Anything beyond that is just small improvements.

So grab a notebook, pick out your favourite pen, and start. Date at the top, and write about how you feel, or just what you did. Or what you’re going to do. Or what you might do. Or maybe what you would do, if only you could, because with a bit of reflection, maybe you can?

Improving the Experience

After you have the basics down, it’s really about making things feel a bit nicer for you. If a fancy notebook would help with that, go for it. If a nice fountain pen would make the process more enjoyable, go for that too. But, as much as we’d love to sell you expensive things, nice doesn’t have to be expensive. Something that feels right for you is more important than something that might impress someone else - your journaling isn’t for someone else, it’s just for you.

Decorations

If you’ve made your journaling enjoyable, and you’re having fun doing it, do you need anything else? No, of course not. And since this is just for you, decorations are only helpful if they’ll make a difference to you. Would fancy divisions between days, and pretty ‘new month’ pages make you more tempted to flick back through your journal entries? Then they might be worth doing. Or if you’d enjoy doing them, and making the entries look good. But utilitarian is great too, if that’s what’s right for you.

Washi tape is a great way to decorate in a very quick and easy way. Simple masking tape, in pretty patterns, to add dividing lines or just add some colour. We love mt tape for these things.

Templates and rulers can be handy too, for adding a bit of interest to your pages. Or if you’re more artistically inclined, maybe some coloured pencils to add your own drawings. Stamps and stickers are nice and easy too, or colourful brush pens for some modern calligraphy lettering.

Another interesting idea can be photos - there are tiny photo printers, like Fuji’s Instax, which make little photos from your phone, which you can stick in your notebook.

Just keep in mind that these things are all there to decorate and improve your journal - and the journal is the point. As long as you’re putting pen to paper, it’s all good.