COVID19 Planners Weekend

Day 161: Hobonichi Daily Planner Layouts

August 23, 2020

Alternate title: Relaxing things to do while your kids are watching movies on a Saturday night.

First, I have to say that yesterday was lovely. The weather cooperated, we spent the entire morning outside (KEY), and I got to do all of the things I wanted: workout / reading / BLP recording (yep – during G’s nap!), etc. And there was pizza which is never a bad thing.

Josh got home on the late side (7:30?). They weren’t at ALL excited about it . . .

HA.

Anyway, while I am enjoying using my bullet journal for daily planning layouts right now (plus lists, weekly goals, and more) — I am planning on transitioning back to Hobonichi next year (on sale SOON, by the way!). I will still keep a bullet journal sidekick going because I find it very pleasing to keep goals lists & other ad hoc collections in there!

I used essentially the same daily layout in the Hobonichi for years, but my time playing with the bullet journaling system has me wanting to change things up a bit!

Here are some (FAKE) dailies that I drew up:

Hire me, Hobonichi! I could do this all day!!! LOLLL.

Have not yet committed to pen but I think I’m going to work on my anti-smudge game and use a non-ball-point this year. Top contenders: Zebra Sarasa Dry, Uni Pin (0.1), Sakura Pigma Micron (01). Other selections along these lines welcome because I only have 34872392873 pens right now and clearly I need more. (A pen giveaway really is going to happen! Stay tuned.)

On today’s list:

❏ 21DF Cardio — done. Well, that didn’t get much easier! But it did seem short compared to the 80DO workouts.

❏ Similar kid activities! Will aim to spend AM outside / PM recovering. Probably go in pool again because why not.

❏ NAP (didn’t get one yesterday!)

❏ Groceries / meal plan

❏ Order nail polish (you know your life is not hard when this is a to do item)

❏ Email cleanup

22 Comments

  • Reply Lori C August 23, 2020 at 6:40 am

    Thank you for sharing these! I’ve been experimenting with both myself, and although I like the bujo for many reasons I miss the structure and ability to plan ahead that I feel I can do with the hobonichi. When I make plans for a future date I feel kind of anxious without my hobonichi to capture it.

    Ok so key monumental question for you… I have been following all the cute daily posts on the hobonichi site and I loved learning about all the different planners…. but it has prompted me to question the Cousin vs Original!! I think you have used both? Detailed thoughts and analysis please! I’m on the fence and order date is quickly approaching. I am considering going all in on the original, and worst case I can buy the Cousin and use my old cover and supplies if I change my mind….

    Oh also thanks for the Jet Pens site recommendation, I just spent close to $100… haha!!

    • Reply Amy August 23, 2020 at 11:34 am

      I’ve been playing around with my Day Free Hobonichi to decide which planner/layout/size I want for 2021. I’m excited to order it in a little over a week! I’ve really enjoyed the Staedtler pigment liner 0.1. I find it writes better and is more comfortable to use than a lot of other fineliners. I feel like I still have to be careful so that it doesn’t smudge in the Hobonichi.

      • Reply Lori C August 23, 2020 at 1:12 pm

        Ohhh good to know! I’ll try that pen, I’ve heard good things about it.

        • Reply Sarah August 23, 2020 at 2:13 pm

          I second the Staedtler pigment liner 0.1 recommendation, it’s the only pen I use in my planner these days. Very fine and not smudgy at all (I’m left handed). The only downside is that I tend to wear down the nibs so the pens don’t last very long. I’ve started saving them only for planner use and using more durable pens for everything else.

          • Sarah Hart-Unger August 23, 2020 at 3:29 pm

            I ordered one so I can see how it compares to Uni Pin and Sakura Pigma Micron … I have a feeling it will be similar!

          • Susan M September 26, 2020 at 5:19 pm

            Have you tried the Copic Multiliner? They make a refillable 0.1 pen with ink refills and replacement nibs. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m tempted if it means not having to discard a whole pen if I wear down the nib or run out of ink.

          • Sarah Hart-Unger September 27, 2020 at 7:50 am

            ooh! Very cool. I have not, but I would try it 🙂 Some of the pens I love (like my current fave the Pentel Energel Clena) do have refills available but I have not seen many with replacement nibs, too.

  • Reply Sarah R August 23, 2020 at 6:50 am

    Perfect timing! My (first ever) Hobonichi just arrived and I’m trying to work out how best to use it.

  • Reply Katie August 23, 2020 at 7:30 am

    Hi Sarah! I know you love the Hobonichi and a lot of your readers also seem to. I have a notebook with the type of paper used (tomo river..sp?) and I hate writing on it! It reminds me of pages in the Bible and I’m always so scared it’s going to rip. Did it take you a while to get used to the texture? The planner seems really cool but I just worry about not liking the paper!

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger August 23, 2020 at 7:36 am

      TOTALLY get that and it’s one reason I am enjoying using a bullet journal right now. BUT – the allure is that it’s one fairly compact book that contains the entire year! I love the magic of that. Because of that I have gotten used to the paper. some people actually love it. i tolerate it 🙂

  • Reply Maxine August 23, 2020 at 7:36 am

    I’ve never used the Hobonichi, so I’m not sure how this pen would work with the paper, but my pen rec is the Papermate Ink Joy gel pen 0.5. One of their claims to fame is quick drying ink and less smudging. It’s very smooth to write with, and I like it better than the Sarasa dry. Love the planning layouts!

  • Reply Jenn August 23, 2020 at 7:47 am

    Cardio is my least fav 21DF! This post feels like you’re super happy which make me smile! Have a good day!

  • Reply Joy O'Toole August 23, 2020 at 7:51 am

    I love your planner layouts! I track my books but not my podcasts. Great idea. I also like the quote idea although I do keep track of these in a commonplace book. Maybe a weekly inspirational quote since I do a vertical weekly. Thanks for the planner inspiration.

    I love the Pilot Precise V5 pens but the Agendio paper doesn’t smear so I’m not sure how they would do with the Hobonichi. I may try some new pens this yearfor fun though. September is the month for “school supplies” for me now that my kids are grown.

    • Reply Lori C August 23, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      I love the pilot precise v5 but they bleed through on the hobonichi 🙁

      • Reply Joy O'Toole August 24, 2020 at 11:38 am

        That’s a shame. I guess because the paper is so thin? That helps to know. Thanks.

  • Reply Haya August 23, 2020 at 8:31 am

    I don’t know the details of the pens you have listed but as a leftie and one who hates the look of smudges, I have discovered that the secret is not ink vs gel vs hybrid, but ballpoint vs felt tip and felt tip seems to be key for me

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger August 23, 2020 at 11:06 am

      so you prefer felt? any specific ones?

      • Reply haya August 28, 2020 at 9:50 am

        i have recently used a bunch of different ones including staedtler 0.3, bic intensity fine and the sharpie pen and they all seem to do fairly well for me. i think the sharpie pen is a little finer than i prefer but they all seemed to write smoothly for me (my handwriting looked decent) and no smudging!

  • Reply Lisa S August 23, 2020 at 10:37 am

    I love seeing sample layouts, keep sharing!

  • Reply Melissa August 23, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    Not that you asked for recommendations…but I’ve been recommending Sally Hansen Pure nail polish to everyone! I switched over to plant-based polish recently and was surprised to like this brand a lot more than more expensive ones. Just in case you haven’t ordered yet!

  • Reply Lisa of Lisa's Yarns August 24, 2020 at 9:58 am

    I would like a pen-focused post sometime with pictures of what they look like and a rating scale based on the smear factor/feel of using the pen. If you are up for that! 🙂 I’m currently using the pilot G2 0.38 and I really like it, but wonder if there is something even better.

    Hobinichi should have an affiliate program for you. You should at least get a free planner from them. I have to imagine many planners have been sold thanks to you!!

    Love the puppy pile of kids on Josh! That is so sweet! I ended up doing a lot of solo parenting of our son this weekend as my husband focused on house projects on Saturday and then on Sunday he did a lot of yard work. At the end of the weekend I talked to him about how mentally and physically fatigued I was by the solo time with him. It’s hard to frame the conversation because he was also working very very hard all weekend and we can’t exactly trade places because I am pregnant and I can’t handle manual labor in the heat/humidity (we’ve had FL-like humidity a lot this summer and it’s awful, especially when pregnant!). But hopefully next weekend is a bit more balanced.

  • Reply Mackenzie Jervis July 25, 2021 at 8:57 pm

    I love all of these ideas. Some days I love how much space the A5 notebooks have and some days I almost feel overwhelmed by it. So having a couple of ideas is great for when I don’t know how to organize all of my thoughts on the page!

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