Respectfully, IMHO, this is not a negative video. She is simply explaining what she will not be buying this year and why. If someone being honest about planners purchased in previous years that went unused is negative, I'd say we could all use a dose of that reality (speaking from personal experience, of course). 😊
It's negative by concept. It's an anti haul. Frankly, I dont get the utility of videos like these other than going against the grain to stand out and to make a statement about capitalism. You're still buying unnecessary things.
@@lavinder11 completely agree with you. Anti-hauls, by their nature, are still a form of consumer commentary and often end up being just as focused on buying (or not buying) as hauls themselves. Just because you’re not buying something doesn’t mean you’re not still participating in the same consumerist cycle. And yes, sometimes this ‘going against the grain’ approach feels more like it’s done for attention-whether for views and engagement or to make a statement-rather than being fully genuine.
I think anti-hauls are fine. Most anti-haul videos aren't saying that buying anything ever is bad. They're just trying to remind people to be thoughtful about their purchases. Even without getting into the critique of capitalism and overconsumption, they're trying to keep you from wasting your money. How is that a bad thing? She isn't saying, "Look at me, I'm so contrarian and cool for not buying these things. I _never_ participate in consumerism!" She's obviously had a lot of experience using these planners, and she's giving her insight into why she stopped using most of them.
But here’s the question - if you weren’t a planner influencer and didn’t need to use a lot of planners for content, which planner would you actually stick with?
@@OTommy81Yes, I was thinking the same - spending $38 for a tiny planner just to decorate it seems wasteful since you could just put stickers in a cheaper notebook. But as someone who buys pretty notebooks because I'm drawn to the designs and find them visually pleasing, I see this both ways. Do I need another notebook, or stickers? Not really. But there are worse things in life.
I feel like I struck gold when I got a hobonichi weeks - it immediately clicked for me, and I’m a ride-or-die user. Maybe because for me, planners are just for that - all planning, all business. I refuse to use it for anything else. Journaling is for journaling, I don’t see any connection to planning, so I’ve never felt compelled to combine the two. I am frequently struck by how many notebooks people incorporate into their lives, and I’m glad to see some pushback, some acknowledgement of the absolutely level 10 bonkers consumerism that planning and journaling can have.
I used a weeks for the first time this year and absolutely loved it! My use though is a mix of journaling and planning, I think because the size and format of the weeks seemed more manageable to me as someone who did not journal regularly. For next year I plan to use my weeks exclusively for journaling and adding a second book for planning :)
@@lavinder11 of course they will, but let's not pretend that over-consumption isn't a thing, driven in part, by influencers and creators (with all respect to them, don't get me wrong). I suggest people start small, and practice intention. I've been in these spaces for a LONG time, and too often I see folks over-buying and then burning out, or expressing regret for purchases they never ended up using and can't sell.
@@lavinder11 Respectfully, pushback on over consumerism is necessary. A big part of Hobonichi's cult following is the online influencing and marketing. People aren't just buying the planners, they buy multiple covers for one planner, creating artificial hype, which shouldn't become a thing just because it can.
I had my Hobonichi wish list ready to go for the launch. Then I second guessed myself (mostly because of shipping) and spent a few days thinking I might go with Sterling Ink instead…but now I actually think I’m anti-hauling everything! I have a few undated planners in my planner stash, and I have so many notebooks. I honestly don’t think I need to buy a thing. Of course, I might change my mind later, and I can always pick something up if I want it, but I’m getting burnt out on my own consumerism, and the all the new planners have me feeling more tired than excited.
I impulse purchased a SFD undated weeks size. This year I am using the SI N1 and I’m in love. But because I impulsed, I’m using the undated one next year and returning to SI for 2026. And I’m so sad lmao. Lesson leeeearned 😭😂
As a planner designer I would say when you are trying to get your system down use some sort of ring or disk or spiral system so you can change everything till you have peace.
I'm honestly so excited to just rebuy the cousin for the second year in a row. I might get a pencil board this year. But my case still works so well, and I've used nearly every page this year. It feels like the perfect planner to me.
definitely not alone. i moved from bujo to the cousin, changed my life. i will be using it for a third year in 2025. i did the HON this year, but i think im going to go back to the OG, and just get a cover. it is a pricy system, but because i use almost all of the sections all the time, i feel like i really get my money’s worth out of this thing.
I am thinking the same. I have been printing my A5 inserts for a couple of years in a 6-ring planner. It works, but it is too bulky to carry in my purse and that is what I need. The Hobonichi Cousin may work. It is the cover of mine that is so bulky. I tried a companion Hobonichi Weeks, but that does not work. I need one planner as I do not keep the second up to date. It was a good video as she laid out the reasons why the various planners did not work. We are not all the same and having different preferences is fine.
Hehe you're the one who got me into planning and the hobonichi weeks! I use it everyday so it definitely will be in my shopping bag. Thanks for always sharing your honest opinions!
I think it's so important that we look at what works for us and go from there. I *love* the Hobonichi covers, I think they're fantastic. But I also love my hobos without the cover. It's also totally fine to change your mind, notebooks and systems as life changes. Thanks for the video!
Last year was my first venture into Hobonichi. It was so popular and beautiful and different that I got swept up. I wanted to see what good paper felt like. The art was fantastic. I got the Tomitaro Makino Weeks, notebook, and pencil boards, the Hon Tiny Dragons, and a bunch of accessories. I was very excited to see what the giveaway pens were all about and to see which cute tiny bag I would get. I got excited all over again and have (fewer at least) items in my cart. Your video makes excellent sense and now I’m thinking no matter how beautiful the choices are, it would be better to skip it entirely. I barely wrote anything in either the Weeks or the Hon. Partly because they are so beautiful I didn’t want to “mess them up”. Thank you very much for this video. It has helped me try to not be such an impulsive buyer. I really love books and pens and all things stationery, but I don’t use them. Thanks again!
I love this! I hope this kind of introspection becomes a trend. The kneejerk consumerism in the planner community is wild. (I say that as somebody who is guilty of it myself.)
I’m in my late 50’s, I am being made redundant at the end of the year after 36 years with the same company. I have never journaled before but I will now have the time to really discovery the joys of journaling. I have just purchased the cousin my first Hobonichi purchase. Not cheap but I see it as an investment in me. Loved your honesty we are all different and just need to find something that works for you.
I used a Weeks for the first time this year and absolutely loved it! Because the size and format is so manageable for someone who is just picking up journaling, I ended up using it as a mix of planner/bullet journal and creative journal. Now that I know I can be consistent with a book, next year I will be repeating a Weeks for personal planning/creative journaling and adding another book (probably an Original Avec) for work/business planning and notes. That said, I totally agree with your perspective of "anti-hauling" because it can be so tempting to buy all the beautiful books and accessories!
This is the EXACT video I needed. I figured out last April that the Hobonichi system wasn't working for me (the Weeks was too small and the dated daily just stressed me out so much when I missed days/weeks/sometimes months), so I decided 2025 was the year I would finally put my traveller's notebook covers to use and fully commit to that system. Then, Hobobichi released the Paddington weeks, and all my resolve came crashing down!! 😅 still trying to stay strong and resist temptation, though 😂
@@sharongesinski6227 that's awesome! I found out last night that my local store will not be stocking the Paddington, and since I’m not willing to pay the exorbitant shipping fees… it looks like the universe is trying to tell me something haha 😂
I just redate the dailies and use them as needed. Some days i need 4 pages, some days half of one. Its the only way to make it work for me with out stressing out about the space.
I’m anti-hauling the “multiple planners” trend 😂. 2023 I got a weeks and a cousin: used the weeks more (even though a bit sporadically). 2024 I got TWO weeks (personal & work), a HON (journalling/memory keeping) AND a W222 (because curious about the layout). Oh and I threw a BuJo into the mix at some point during the year. It did NOT work out well 😂😂😂😂 used the weeks mega (originally for work) for ALL of my planning & journaling. 😂 So…yeah…I won’t be buying anything either. I’ll continue using the weeks and if I’m consistent I’ll just check in December/January what’s available on the market. Or go back to my BuJo. My aim is to focus on the functionality of my planner not how it looks. I also need to give myself some grace and accept that sometimes it’s okay if you don’t “need” to plan and despite all the positive aspects of it it’s not a must to journal when you don’t feel like it.
Oh no! The hobonichi weeks 💔!! I discovered the hobonichi planners with your channel, and I used the weeks for work, and it helped me so much (so thanks for that :) ) ! I also bought a A5 cousin to journal/scrapbooking and personal organisation, but I haven't used it that much. So for 2025, I am thinking going back to a simple journal to log and journal, and use the hobonichi week for personal and work organisation ? We shall see!
I'll be switching from a vertical weekly layout to a daily planner for 2025 because I have the weekly view in my digital planning solutions and really want some paper space to jot down some ideas, notes, and to-do lists next to the schedule for the day. Saying goodbye to my Legend planner and saying hello to the Common Planner!
I understand the anti-haul urge. Inspired by "one book July" I decided to give "one book 2025" a try -- and the only planner flexible enough to fit work, personal, and grad school is the Hobonichi Weeks. So my one and done will be the Sneaker Weeks Mega. (even though this means parting with my first love, the A6 Planner).
@@LisePlansandJournals Ultimately everyone adapts the system to their needs and style. I've managed to make it work for me. Word counts/edits in the vertical year at the front, with recurring weekday commitments in the top part; appointments, deadlines, in the monthly; tasks and what I did in the weekly. My course involves a lot of reading but I will just note the source in the weeklies, eg LisePensandJournals 2024 plus a very short summary of where/how I might use it and a page references to the notes section. (I take extensive and somewhat messy notes in whatever notebook is around but then I go back and distill that information in the Weeks' notes pages.)
I love the A6 5 Year. It feels so good in the hand and the space per day is perfect when combined with the blank page along the side. I will say the only way that I’ve been able to keep up with it every single day this year is I have a Notion database where I usually compose the entries on my phone every night, then I’ll go back and hand write every one or two weeks.
They are doing Weeks Mega in some cute covers this year (like the cherry cover!). I’m going to switch to it from the cousin because I was overwhelmed by the space in the cousin. I’ve been doing a kind of weeks layout in a dot journal for the past few weeks and have really been enjoying it. I’m also getting the 5 year techo in A6 and one of the plain grid notebooks in the floral cover. Really excited for 2025!!!
I am going through total planner overwhelm right now. I started the year with a Hobonichi Cousin and a weeks. I should have known better about the cousin. I have failed at the cousin twice before. It's just too much space and my life is not that busy. The weeks has worked for me in years past, but for some reason I fell off of that this year, too. I think it's because I bought a $10 budget planner from Amazon and it basically filled my needs for everything except the journaling aspect. I became dissatisfied with that planner over the last month or so and bought a B6 Stalogy and have been setting it up to cover the rest of the year. I'm having fun with it, but I can see it getting tedious having to draw everything out. I like the size and think I may go with a Sterling Ink common planner in a B6 for 2025. It's just so hard with all the choices out there!
Tbh one of your videos from last year helped me anti-haul Hobonichi and buy the jibun techo instead for 2024. It also helped when I saw your other video about figuring out what kind of planner user am I. I realized that I'm a tracker, and Jibun Techo just has all the features to cover that for me (their gantt chart is so nice). I've learned from you that Hobonichi is just this fun planner that really isn't for planning, it's more for creative journaling and scrapbooking -- which I don't do. The daily pages are cute and aesthetically pleasing to post on IG, but as an artist, I feel less constrained if I use an actual sketchbook without the dates. So far the only use case I can think of Hobonichi for myself is to have them for daily doodle/comics/inktobers which can easily be fulfilled by a sketchbook haha (or my other hoard of notebooks). I've decided that if my sleep ever stabilizes, that will be the only reason I'm letting go of vertical weeks feature of the Jibun Techo to go and try Hobonichi again. That, or I've run out of blank notebooks to use -- then I can go back to Hobonichi :))) I might just end up shopping for the Hobonichi accessories...since those are fun collectibles too. Your videos really help me to be honest with myself, and helped me feel less confused about my 2025 planner purchase. The Paddington weeks also got me very confused for a couple of days!!! But I realized I can just customize the cover of the Jibun Techo to look like the Paddington Weeks...at least I get the cute cover and the functionality I need 🤣 thank you for this helpful video as always 💖💖💖
In October I will be purchasing my third 5 year journal (but not the hobonichi one). It's about 5 lines of space each day and that's just enough for me to get down highlights of the day - things I did at work or with the kid, weather updates, new foods or venues I tried, activities with friends, a thought or feeling, etc. I love looking back at the previous years. The one I am currently in started in 2020 and that has been really interesting to look back on. The book before had the events and days surrounding my mom's death and again, has been healing to look back on. I have a daily planner and my digital planner, but the 5 year has been a great way to summarize each day. 💜
i try to be intentional with each purchase and figure out the use cases for each books before buying. i prefer separate notebooks and covers as i tend to focus on separate projects + hobbies/areas of life, preferring no overlap Overconsumption runs rampant but i find it's moreso bc we don't pause and consider why we're buying xyz beyond it being cute
It's actually a little funny to me that your channel is where I discovered hobonichi and I ended up getting a weeks at the beginning of this year because I knew I needed a weekly planner. And as much as I love it I do have similar feeling to you of do I really need this planner, especially when they are so expensive. My issue is more so the size of it because I write big and the rows are tiny. But I love the side page free space and my biggest issue with the current planner landscape is planners making decisions for me (ex: labelling sections as like goals or grocery lists). I'm going to keep experimenting with mine for the rest of this year as it has definitely been useful and then see what's left in December rather than impulse purchasing what is pretty before it sells out.
Your weeks editing you did was SO cool! The neutrals demonstration? Soo cool. I bought a weeks hobonichi about month ago.. weird timing, I know... and I learned that weekly spread is so awesome. I was dubious, cause I've always been a monthly girlie. But the month spread hasn't been working this year with my new job... And I have NOT used the monthly spread almost since the moment I moved into a hobonitchi weeks... So next year (well, next week, really lol) I'm picking up a common planner weekly TN standard/N1 booklet and use a few blank notebooks in my TN and that's gonna be me I think. Possibly a booklet for areas of my life? Work, church, and scribbled notes being the main areas I need a booklet/solution to capture information. Might do it all in one... Might do separate booklets... Either way, I have the supplies for that already. So excited!
I love this video because I def make fun of the hobonichi hauls where people are buying one of each planner, 3 different weeks, all this stuff... Only to post at the end of the year half filled planners. The cousin works for me. I like the calendar spread, I use the weekly to make lists or general outline of the day or week if I have a lot going on that particular time. But those are the pages that often go blank, and that doesn't bother me. I use the daily pages to journal. I limit myself to one cover per year because I don't need five covers for one book a year. Not trying to be on some cool guy shit, but the overconsumption done on planner channels is silly. So full respect on the anti haul. It was way more interesting to watch than someone drone on about their wishlist
I agree. Watching the videos where people talk about their techo kaigi and it's like 10+ books just make me feel weird and sad, esp when it's like, 'hi guys, I bought 3 weeks, what should I do with them??' don't buy them omg lol. I am a one planner only person. I am sure there are use cases where a few different planners makes sense (one for work, one to track personal, maybe a third for a very particular and intensive hobby) but those instances are super rare. People plan their planner purchases for how they are feeling in planner season (aka super motivated and excited to spend hours a day planning) vs how they are really going to feel during the regular year when the spark wears off and they are drowning in their work and home tasks. You gotta plan for the system that is gonna work for you when you feel like poo and wanna be a slug. IMO the best system is one that allows you to use it in a super low effort way when you need that AND is easy to jazz up and invest a lot of time into when you need/feel that. Sometimes I need a lot of structure and jamming out in my planner really helps. Other times I need it super barebones.
Just to clarify, it seems there is confusion with the covers + books/planners combination --- the covers can be bought SEPARATELY. You aren't obligated to buy a planner JUST to get the cover (for Techo A5/A6). If you like multiple covers, you aren't required to buy a planner for your three covers. In the case that you want to buy a cover or two, you aren't obligated to buy a planner for each cover and you can actually fit any "true" A5/A6. The covers are perpetually interchangable so you can vary your planners(') on a whim. I have one planner, several sketchbooks and rough ideas books and I change covers when I feel like it, but I also don't systematically buy covers on each release if I don't like any of them. Not sure if that falls into the anti-haul term XD I think people should just get what they like and can use (preferably after self-assessment). Hobonichi's marketing certainly play a lot into FOMO, but also inversely can be detrimental with cognitive dissonance when people say they don't want or need it, but deep inside they really do and go on to make justifications to support that decision, and in some cases, spite other people for making a differnt decision, which is getting a haul. Obviously, it's a different case for the Weeks as you are stuck with the custom design and you may want several and you'll have to fight the FOMO and make an ultimate choice depending on your actual needs.
Hobonichi was never my favorite. I bought one back in 2022 because I saw the Coffee Monster coz spread was attractive. But once it was in my hands that notebook eneded up in my trash can after only having it for 2 days. I saw sterling ink but don't like the layouts. It's layout that needs to work for me to convince me the worth of purchasing. Also, I am limiting myself with one planner for 2025. No more separate planners for different purposes. That's why I stuck with Aura estelle. Because their dated planners have months that scattered with the weekly and daily pages, which is something that I like because I hate flip flopping pages back and forth. No more undated planners, too because it doesn't help me plan efficiently.
Love this kind of video ! It’s so good to hear about true thoughts and growth rather than a never ending ad as it sometimes feel like on UA-cam. Thank you Rachelle for your honesty and amazing channel. I also adored reading all the comments! So many planners or ideas i had never heard of, so refreshing to have true reviews of other’s systems
Great, realistic look at what's working and what's not! I was really tempted by the Weeks Mega this year, but have decided to stick to my guns and go in for my fourth year in the A5 Cousin. The only change will be swapping tabs for an index punch, since I've been tearing corners off for two years and haven't touched my carefully set up tabs.
For a 5 year journal I have the Leuchtturm "Some lines a day" journal which I really love - I've been using it for about 1.5 years now. Its an a5 which I think is perfect. Unlike the hobonichi it just has 1 page per day split into 5 sections. It is also entirely un-year dated so it doesn't matter what date you start you can fill in the year as you go (the dates are in there though). IMO the amount of space is absolutely perfect for a 5 year unless you intend to insert photos or something like that. I would definitely take a look at it!
great video! I have grown weary of the planner consumerism trap. I have been using analog planners since before some of you were born and certainly way before there were even smart phones. I first got the Hobonichi bug back in 2017, and tried them all- the only one that stuck was the weeks. But, in 2023 about 1/2 way thru the year, I suddenly got sick of it. Mostly the size and the paper. I was craving more space to write, and was also craving a thicker paper. I admit I have been looking at this new line up for next year, but I also think they use way to much synthetic materials (i.e. PLASTICS) in their products and the "leather" in the covers doesn't feel like real leather. Anyway, we all must find what works best for each of us. For me, I use the Traveler's Notebook with undated inserts. I just love the paper so much more than the Hobonichi. I find as I get older, less is more.
If you’re struggling to write in the A6 planner, I would recommend getting the A5 5 year. As long as it is not something you’re going to carry around, the A5 will definitely have more room to document seasons. I have the A6 and it’s so hard to fit everything in each section.
I don’t use a5 or a6. So the fact that I was even TEMPTED by the covers was insane. SMH. I’m not buying anything. MAYBE some of the accessories that I will actually use. But no planners or anything.
Hobonichi's marketing team must be geniuses. I don't even use bound planners (rings only), nor do I buy a full year's dated planner at once (I often switch things up after around half a year). Hobonichi, as a brand, has almost nothing I use or want. Why am I even HERE?! 😂
Yep - this is the year that I anti-hauled Hobinechi. I have the Cousin, the a6 techo and the Weeks, and am anti-hauling all of them. While I love the layouts and overall concept, what drives me crazy is the fact that all of the yearly calendars and lumped together - all of the weeks are lumped together and all of the daily pages are lumped together. I would prefer everything related to a specific month to be together. So, I already ordered the new "justscribble" planners for that reason. Also, they come as 2 books/year, rather than one giant book. So I think that will lighten my load, so to speak.
I love hearing the rationale for the different planners and how your wants and needs have changed over time. Our planning styles aren't static, so it's totally normal for us to change up what works. I'm thinking of a new planning system soon-back to school season, my birthday in October, and my seasonal gig getting busy again make autumn feel like the start of a new year-but I'll probably stick with just one book. Bullet journalling is still my favourite, but I also need a journal for mental health separate from the planning part. ...But I also want to digitize a bunch of my written information (journalling, recipes, etc.) so maybe I will have more than one system, haha. I usually go for undated systems, though, because I'm such a completionist and having blank pages gives me anxiety. So to help me get over that, I simply don't have a dated system where something would be left "blank"! Something I found interesting was your thoughts on getting more lined/empty pages in the Mega when you also use other notebooks for journalling. Just from the brief flip-throughs, I didn't see a lot of use in those back pages; it seemed more like enjoying the idea of having that space instead of actually using all the pages and realizing you needed more the next time. Does the 5 Year come in a bigger size? It looks like the same size as the Techo and you didn't gravitate to it for writing in, so I'd recommend going bigger so you don't feel constrained. The biggest thing I'm anti-hauling is planner supplies. Markers, washi tape, pens, stickers, stamps, and more. I don't need anymore. I need to use the supplies I already have! It's really hard for me to use something until it's completely gone, but I think that's my goal for the next few seasons of my life.
No offense but you cant make it work for these planners at some point coz there’s just so many of them you are trying to fill. It’s like having 2 macbooks or more and telling these are not working for you and you also have an ipad and bought a new iphone. Not surprised of the anti-haul idea, great move for people with the same problem.
I use a A5 Hobo 5 year diary and I absolutely love it! I write entries on the left then I use sticker paper I print on to stick in on the right. It’s a great way to memory keep and since there’s not unending space to write each day, it’s a low input addition to my daily planning/journaling. 3 years into it and I don’t think it’s bulked up a crazy amount even though I have quite a bit of sticker paper in it.
THANK YOU for this video! It honestly makes me feel so validated. I also went with the Hobo Techo and Hobo Weeks for 2023 and 2024. I even picked up the Cousin this year, and I am literally on the same journey. I have big hands! the A6 is a really hard size to make work for me. I migrated to Sterling Ink's N2 (Hobo weeks size), and it was a game changer. There is just so much more real estate in its minimalistic design, and that's my hardcore to-do list journal. Right before watching this video, I LITERALLY ordered a moleskine (L) for work. I have been using their cahiers (same size) for travels the past few years, and it just seemed like the right move. It seemed sacrilegious to move away from the Hobonichi system, but we all just have acknowledge that journals and planners are highly personal, and there's no one size fits all.
I'm also leaving the cousin. I've got it for like 3 years and barely used it. It's just TOO big and chunky... I'm trying an A6 this year and see how it goes. Thanks for your honest opinion and sharing your experiences with these planners.
Wow. I have to admit when I think of the weeks I think of you 😂Kidding aside,, putting thought into what you purchase is good practice. Excited to see your planners for 2025. 🤩
as for me, I am getting 3 Hobonichi planners this year :D I tried the Happy Planner for 2024, gave up after a month, it was simply not adapted to my way of planning and journaling. To each its own I guess.
I think it’s great to reflect on what works for us and what doesn’t! If it worked in the past and not now that doesn’t make the time spent in anything we used previously a waste or bad , that’s how we learn to know what we like. : ) Thanks for sharing! I’ve struggled with being consistent in the A5 Cousin for daily page journaling and memory keeping, but this is my 2nd year for the weeks as a planner, and i look forward to a 3rd, but i’m going to reflect on purchasing the cousin again- it at least use the remaining time this year to see if it meets what i’m wanting to do. Doing the same with a gifted 5 year journal from amazon, because i’m wanting to get the hobonichi 5 year. Cheers to the rest of 2024 and 2025 forward!
I've been using (and not using) Hobonichi for about 10 years. I think that I'm anti-hauling everything except the Weeks. I'm tired of it, but by and large, it works for me. I may try Sterling Ink's N1 Horizontal but not sure yet. I have stacks of Hobonichi covers and unused planners spawning almost a decade, and you said something very true: The only thing that can tell you what you should buy is what you've already bought. You spoke a word there. I've bought more Cousins than years in a decade and have yet to ever complete one. And while the A6 is wonderful in size and utility - and was my absolute FAVORITE for years - the fact is that, at this point, it is entirely too small for me. This whole anti-haul is really on point.
Honestly, thank you so much for making this video. This is my first year using Hobonichi planners and the WEEKLY MEGA is definitely what I needed, instead of the A5 Cousin (which I have now). But I've learned a lot and I definitely prefer an A5 overall :)
You make a lot good points like they’re marketing strategy to get us to buy planners we don’t need. I’ve started using my Hobo covers for other planners like Stalogy and Midori. They’re also good for notebooks and for Bible covers
I have the 5 year A6 for memory keeping and I love it-the space is perfectly unintimidating for a daily habit, and sometimes when I need to catch up it doesn’t feel onerous. I had an idea a different year to start an a5 and it’s HUGE. I’m a cousin user so I didn’t expect this to be an issue but personally I find the size of the A5 5 year to be a mental barrier to use
Also, I think 5 year journals are meant to be artifacts that stay with you and the a6 is a cute little thing. I also realized that bc I travel, I much prefer being able to bring the A6 for an extended trip.
Did a ton of thinking about my planning needs for 2025. Not repurchasing Sterling Ink’s Common planner. I was excited to see that they have made the text bolder and darker and they have horizontal weekly layout. Double Yay! However, Just Scribble (YT), is coming out with her own planner and grouped together is each month, with it’s weekly (horizontal), and daily spreads using 52 gsm Tomoe River paper. I’m pretty excited :) I’m also getting the Techo Day-Free for Church for event planning and sermon notes. This is how I use my 2024. I didn’t plan it but I found that my Bible fits in a custom leather A5 cover I had for something else and that the Day-Free pairs with it perfectly! I use the Weeks for my dad’s medical information. Yes, Paddington hit my heart! But I’m going for a Liberty fabric cover ❤ I’ll be trying out Sterling Ink’s new monthly planner for dad’s finances.
@@JustScribble 😆 I didn't realize how long my comment was! Surprised anyone read through it! Also, I wanted to give a shout out to you and your brand spanking new planners!
I owned the A6 (all except avec), A6 HON, weeks & weeks mega & the A5 5yr. I repurposed my weeks mega from 2022 to 2024 by using the notes pages & by 2025, I will not be getting the weeks anymore because archiving it is a bit weird. That will be replaced by a Jiyu weekly which is a TN regular size & it goes well with my current TN vertical weekly. Cousin is too big for me so its not something on my radar. Next year is my final year of using the A5 5yr & if anybody is thinking about getting one regardless of the size, you must have a clear, solid goal in mind as to why you need one. In my experience, it requires discipline, patience & commitment. Motivation & willpower can only help at a certain point but if you have a solid goal why, not only will you enjoy it but cherish each entries. First year is going to be hard, stick with it because you will only start appreciating it once you reach the second year. Hope this helps.
I recently stumbled across the Twines and Paper A5 weekbook hybrid. It has all the tracking pages of the cousin, so wonderland222 and Sterling Ink. Has the monthly spreads followed by weekly pages. Best part is....the weekly spreads are 4 pages per week. 2 pages are a horizontal layout and 2 pages are a vertical layout. At the end of the monthly and weekly pages are blank pages. I am excited about the planner since it gives me 2 different weekly layouts for each week so I can preplan/have sperate layout for work and personal all in one book. Its the exact layout I've always wanted and its on tomoe river paper and also has faux leather cover and gold or white page edges. I can't wait till it actually arrives! First time I've ever been this excited about a planner and I am a major stationary nerd.
I wish Hobonichi made a techo in B6 size - it would maintain most of the portability of the A6 while offering just enough extra space for writing. That being said, the A6 woks for me so I'm going with that for next year. It's great that there are so many good choices of planner and notebook available so we can all find something that works well for us.
I splurged and bought a Hobonichi in A5 complete with a cover I adore and a clear cover-on-cover after wanting one for a long time in 2022. Two years later, it's still completely untouched. Meanwhile, I filled up several local-to-me branded B6 journals with my long-form journaling I used inexpensive pocket planners fairly consistently, and I thought, I'd try a Weeks with a cover I love. The number of entries at this point in the year in no way justifies the sticker price. I can get planner products that use similar paper quality for a fraction of the price with cloth covers included for the larger formats. All I need to add on is a clear cover. For the pocket planner, I spend around three bucks and don't kick myself if I don't fill every page. I may not use fountain pens in it, but that's where my journals come in. After going on an overly enthusiastic shopping spree last year, I have Hobonichi covers in A6 to last me several years -- which I may or may not unhaul since B6 tends to be the smallest format I gravitate towards. I do my work-related planning and tracking in an A5 6-ring binder because it allows me to move things around and take out pages as needed.
Love this! I'm struggling with what to do about my planner system especially for my personal. I've been doing it in my notes but I miss a physical SO much!
So many planners for 1 year, I can see why you didn't keep up with all of them. It also sounds like you're letting the pursuit of perfection and the "need" to fill every page get in your way. It should serve you, not you serve it. But hopefully you find something that works for you.
I bought an A5 5-year Hobonichi back in 2022 and it's been the bane of my existence ever since. I wish I'd gotten the A6; the A5 is just too big when I tend to journal longer-form elsewhere.
I'm ditching the weeks. I made to July and gave up. I discovered that it only served as a time tracker which is helpful but didn't offer a layout for longer script writing. I struggle with ADD and need space to joint down all the things that bubble up.
To be honest, I am in the 3rd year of Hobonichi Weeks Mega and I think that one is the winner if you need it for your errands and hobbies. The 217 grid pages are very useful. You can literally do your creative journaling in it as well. For the A6 English Planner, this is my second year and I did use it for random thoughts and venting this year as I couldn't think of any other reason to use it. 😅 I bought an Avec Cousin this year in June - A5 - to track and plan my novel work. Its okay as I feel there is a lot of space in it for writers planning the writing, making notes etc in the daily notes pages. Also, I use it in a different way, changing up the purpose of the pages for daily, weeky, monthly. So this year, I am going for the Cousin for my novel work and note taking tracking in A5, but not going for the A6 English Planner, and sticking still to the Weeks Mega. 😂 But after this video, I feel I might go for an A6 cousin and not an A5 as its true, its a bit big but comfortable...so confused!!! 😅 All are selected and lying in my cart now...but I am holding back..not sure... ❤😅 btw, I never buy the limited edition ones for rhe sake of the covers. But I do buy pencil boards!!!! 🎉
When I was a planner addict (still am to some extent). I had a planner for everything. 😂😂 I just bought me three planners for 2025 because I don't know which one I'm going to like best, but I know I'm going to use all my planners in one way or another. I like to make lists, catalog thoughts, information, quotes, memories, etc. I have realized that I can have the "many" planners, but don't have to plan on all of them, just one. The rest can be used for all those other things that wouldn't fit in one spread. In a way, I'm still having different notebooks around, but no pressure to fill them all in one year.
This is sad, but also happy because you learned what worked for you. I want to start this year a hobonichi weeks but my only problem is the Monday start. My work week is Sunday-Thursday and the current Monday start won’t work for me. Any suggestions for converting it myself/ recs for other planers with the hobonichi weeks layout but with a Sunday start for both the monthly and weekly spreads? Thank you very much
I am a Hobonichi cousin ride or die! They’re just is not enough room in the A6. I am going to try the five-year diary. I will most likely do the A5. I am a journaler so I don’t think that size will bother me.
I’m resisting the urge to order a planner now and waiting until the end of year(don’t want to stare at it for 4 months). Auraestelle has a monthly planner with 365 pages and 5mm grid (perfect layout in my head)! I think I’m going to use that and bullet journal.
My personal experience is that if something is not working for you keep looking for the one that does. It's all about what works for your needs and what doesn't - there is nothing "negative" about saying something does not work. I have tried so many planners over the years, and this is the first year I bought a Cousin (always thought it was too much for me) and psych - it has really worked for me. Who knew?
I use a 5-year for the same reason: a nature journal! I went with the A5 and it’s definitely very chunky, lives on my desk at home. I like the space it gives me because I’ll often draw a little thing or sometimes stick in a photo. I think if you’re just writing a line or two per day, or want to make it as simple as possible to stick with, A6 would be sufficient.
Thanks for sharing! This is such an honest video. Hobonichi has such a cult following and I do really love it, but this past year I've noticed that it's not working for me but it's so hard to think of leaving. My weeks is my comfort planner too! Definitely looking for something new for 2025 (even if I did already purchase hobos for next year.......).
I've been buying Hobonichis for quite a few years now, but back when I started, they were pretty much the only planners you could get with Tomoe River paper, making them incredibly compact compared to your typical Western paper weights. Now that several other companies are making well designed minimalistic planners with TR paper, I don't feel the need to buy everything from Hobonichi any more, especially as I prefer B6 size, which they don't make. I've preordered a Wonderland222 planner, mainly for the daily layout, and will be getting the new Sterling Ink Daily (similar to the Techo Original in having no weekly spreads) as my journal, because I was way more consistent in my journalling when I was using the Cousin's daily pages that were predated than I have been this year in a blank notebook. I'll probably get a Weeks from a local reseller, but mainly for similar reasons you want the five-year Techo - it's just so handy to have a place to note down any highlights of my day that I want to journal about later, slip into my handbag for a trip into town, etc.
I totally get where you’re coming from. Now that I’ve been settling into my DIY planner system, it doesn’t leave much room for store-bought planners. The only thing that’s really tempting me right now is a hobonichi notebook to deconstruct and disc since printing on tomoe river is hard That’s awesome, I’ve also been planning on starting a natural observances journal too! It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while but last night I was looking into maybe using a discount 2024 cousin (since it’s a leap year) and putting multiple years per page. Then I realized that I don’t want to limit myself to one page per day as years go by… and that what I actually want to do is have blank pages that I can disc (I’ll hold for everyone’s surprise that my answer to everything is discs 😅). I’m going to go for A5 or half letter to answer your size question Edit to add: based on what you said about not liking to write in the A6 books you have, my personal recommendation for you is the A5
I've been using a Cousin; I ignored the time stamps and used the bottom 1/3 of each page for a generic to-do list. I also repurposed the day pages for other purposes (e.g. one month I make the pages trackers for things, another month is notes for a specific set of meetings, etc.) I love the size. I'm switching to the Day-Free (A5 size as A6 is too small, has calendars but no weeks/days) and I'm going to bujo the weeks in big blocks (four boxes per page--that's one weekly list plus 7 days--big enough to keep me in a vertical format) for the entire year when I do the set-up. I have a few trackers to add and a few "here's a new month" pages too. (I'm a huge fan of testing out layouts before committing to buying a planner via printables or mock-ups. IT's how I know I need a vertical.) I bought a A5 size leather cover when I first switched to Hobonichi--pen loop, snap closure, interior pockets--and I've been using it for five years or so now. I have a pencil case (the elastic band kind) over the front cover. I customize the first page of the planner (the thicker stock end page) and that's all I need :) Personally I don't think the Five Year "planner" is really a planner--it's more of a journal, scrapbook/memorybook for specific purposes. Like you can't plan your life in it. :)
The 5yr techo is awesome. I am wrapping up my final year and will be buying another one. I use it for my gratitude journal. I write a little gratitude list every day and then use the blank page to page a photo or some sort of ephemera for memory keeping.
I have used a Hobonichi cousin this year and used it all year… but I also have all those blank daily pages too. I seem to just use a notebook for my daily planning. I love the rest of the planner though. I think this year I am going to look for those vertical weekly spreads and monthly spreads that I use all the time in my planner, but I need it to just have some goal pages included as well. Ultimately, I know that my daily planning will always just be in a blank notebook where I can jot down my to-do list and prioritize from that and take notes as needed. My planner just needs to be the first half of the hobonichi cousin and some goal reviews. Still shopping…
I tried different combinations of planners including Hobonichis over the last few years and the thing is no matter what kind of planner I use, it will always end the same way. I abandon them after a few months. Not completely but the daily journaling, the "write everything down"etc. The Cousin is giving me some kind of frame I can work with, even when I barely use the daily pages for their intended purpose. It is not the planners fault, it is my ADHD. For the life of me I just can't be consistant with anything I do, but at least I can use the Hobonichi for my appointments, events, ect. A few years ago, I had the Weeks at work and the Cousin for an EDC. I forgot the weeks at work and never transfered the things from there to the Cousin. Then I thought I try the Cousin as stay at home planner and the techo as edc. Well, I forgot to write the things in the Techo, I had made notes of in my cousin. That was when I noticed the two planner system will never work for me. I'm just too scatterbrained to remember to put things in two planners. For 2025 it will only be the Cousin because the layout of the yearly, monthly and weekly sections is perfect for me. I still don't know if I can be consistant in any way or form in the daylies or if I just use them for occasional journaling and art or whatever tickles my fancy.
This year, I managed to get through most of A5 cousin from Jan - May. Like she said, WAY TOO BIG for me, I want to fill all the empty space even when I don't need to.😖 Then jumped into Bullet Journaling for June - July (used to in 2022, realize it's way too much work for set up)😵 Now its Sterling Ink B6 [Undated] Aug- Dec. As much as I like the Idea, I don't like my handwriting. And I don't want to spend more money for stickers for dates. I am definitely going to stick with Sterling Ink planners. They have the Formats I like but due to the level of custom sizes, that's were the Trial and Errors will appear again. A5 - Too big for me B5 - so far, I still think its too big? I don't write daily, Normally my planning is just my days off and maybe a few events/outings or project planning and my weekly looks kind of bare. 1 or 2 pages will cover a whole week of writing + stickers/washi designs. A6 - Never had it. I am scared that its too small or like rachelle said, uncomfortable. Still, I want to give it a shot. I also know I write kind of big. Worried that width- wise for weekly will screw me over but length/size may be perfect. I am going to get 2 planners and copy the info and hopefully it helps what size I truly need. 🔹Sterling Ink A6 Vertical Full Year & B6 Slim Vertical Compact (120 Blank Pages) for 2025 🔹
I started using a weeks last year and was so obsessed with the size that I used the notes pages in September 2023 when I got my order. If anything I'll be downsizing from the mega to regular.
I love my A6 5-year techo for memory keeping. Not anti-hauling anything yet this planner season since I am still experimenting with different planning and journaling systems that work for my brain. So for now, I am still into hoarding books and some covers too.
My Hobonichi weeks made me a planner girlie but I do notice that I am not utilizing it as much as I should :)) (i have a set daily routine at work and planning it daily is silly to ne) I still have a few more months left in that planner so I decided to use it for tracking/planning my projects!
To really discover what helps you plan a blank notebook is best. This way, you can set it up yourself and experiment until you know what works for you. I discovered I need vertical weekly’s in minimal A5 size this way for example. For Hobonichi: I’m not picking up the planners for 2025. It’s just too cluttered for me. But I did try daily journaling in 2023 in an Original A6. The way I tried it back then didn’t work for me. But I did discover that this size is perfect for daily journaling for me last month. So, for the remaining of this year I will use the Hobonichi. But I’m leaning towards Midori Hibino for 2025 because I need a spread a day that’s not too big for describing my day and the braindump I mentioned. In my daily’s I don’t want other things in sight, so 1 day 1 page does not work for me in this regard. I need to focus.
I use the Midori Hibino, and I love it. A lot of people had issues with the grid size. But I write small anyways, so for me, it’s perfect for journaling. I don’t think I could use it as a planner though bc it is heavy.
@@kymizad Thank you! I’m currently leaning to a HON A6 for journaling because I saw a video with bleed through for the Hibino with fountain pen. That’s too bad. I might still get it for planning though, as it will be on my desk for the most part 🥰 The grid size is actually perfect for me. I don’t like 5mm grid for writing, so I can do 7.5mm because of the 2.5mm as lined journals are also around this spacing
@@jouwjournalnl I’ll be starting my second one next year. It’s a beautiful book to archive, and very durable 😊 I use a Pilot Vanishing Point extra fine nib, and haven’t had any issues with bleed thru. But to be fair, I don’t use anything beyond a medium nib. I was so excited to get the Hibino, but I was a bit surprised when I first saw the grid. I write small and all, but it’s tiny lol. The more I write in it, the more I love it. Now when I write in other notebooks, the grid feels too big 😅 I think it would work perfectly as a desk planner. There’s plenty of space to do so, and if you aren’t too fussed about it not having a weekly, I think you’ll be just fine. I do recommend when you first start writing in it (and as you get to the end of the book) to place another notebook under the side with less pages. It provides a level space to write on.
@@kymizad Thank you! I just purchased my Hibino along with a Platinium Preppy 0.3 nib. I mostly use fine and medium, but it couldn't hurt. It was on my wishlist anyway. I'm planning on using 3 'grids' to write, maybe 2. So that will be fine. My weekly overview is in another planner, but I need focus on the day itself. I pull out my weekly at the beginning and end of the day. I am planning on putting something under the side yes, I do with most notebooks. Thank you :)
I got a Weeks but I only use it for my reading journal which has really worked out great for me this year. So, I want to try that again for next year. I have yet to use a Cousin to its full potential so I do not plan on getting one. I did order the 5-year in A5 because I've had my eye on it for a while but wanted to wait to started on a multiple of 5 year. Then today I impulse ordered a Hibino to use for work. I've been using an Avec for work just to keep track of meetings and a daily task/to do list and I've liked it but don't need the A5 size. So trying the A6 Hibino for next year.
I can totally relate to this as i stopped using my hobonichi weeks in the last few days of june.i know its time to move on with something else, but might get the 5 year journal.
I’ve already ordered the Weeks and A6. I didn’t like the designs as much this year, so I ordered the Weeks in leather and will use last year’s cover for the A6.
So I have been using the techo hon in the A5 and it is pretty sizeable but I write really large so I think it works for me. In 2025 I am going to do the techo hon again in the snake toy cover because I loved my current one so much. I also ordered the 5-year life book for the first time
I'm going to try the aura estelle planner for next year. the "little" things that annoy me about the cousin became bigger things. So I'll see how it goes. It's hard when they have such cute stuff. but my goal is to continue using all the stickers I have already.
I’m a bullet journaler (2 A5 notebooks per year), but whenever it’s Hobonichi szn the silly voice in my brain is like, “I know you don’t like thin, cream colored paper or ghosting but what if Hobonichi 👀” so this video was very appreciated!
I’m also not getting a lot from hobonichi this year. I decided to try something from common planner either her B6 slim or the N1 size since I love the weeks layout but not its size. I’m also getting a 5 year planner I’m thinking A5 so I have more room to document.
number 6 hit a bit too close LOL I'm a travelers notebook + 6 ring journal girlie and never had a hobonichi (except for the 5 years), nor do I need one, but the new Yumi cover that hobonichi released is making me absolutely feral and I'm trying to justify buying a whole planner so that I can get the cover :"D I fear the marketing strategy works too well on me... Edit: And I just saw that you're considering the 5 years haha! A6 is definitely more than big enough if you just want to track seasons, plus it feels cute and portable in your hands. You do have to summarize a lot with the A6 though, esp if there's a lot of content to write down, definitely go for A5 if you want to be in a flow state while tracking anything with the 5 years. Personally I use my A6 to write about the key things that happened in my day, and if anything eventful or big happens I journal in more detail in my 6 ring :> Which is why I have no need for any of the day to day planners of hobonichi... /crying and falling to my knees/
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Respectfully, IMHO, this is not a negative video. She is simply explaining what she will not be buying this year and why. If someone being honest about planners purchased in previous years that went unused is negative, I'd say we could all use a dose of that reality (speaking from personal experience, of course). 😊
It's negative by concept. It's an anti haul. Frankly, I dont get the utility of videos like these other than going against the grain to stand out and to make a statement about capitalism. You're still buying unnecessary things.
@@lavinder11 completely agree with you. Anti-hauls, by their nature, are still a form of consumer commentary and often end up being just as focused on buying (or not buying) as hauls themselves. Just because you’re not buying something doesn’t mean you’re not still participating in the same consumerist cycle. And yes, sometimes this ‘going against the grain’ approach feels more like it’s done for attention-whether for views and engagement or to make a statement-rather than being fully genuine.
I think anti-hauls are fine. Most anti-haul videos aren't saying that buying anything ever is bad. They're just trying to remind people to be thoughtful about their purchases. Even without getting into the critique of capitalism and overconsumption, they're trying to keep you from wasting your money. How is that a bad thing?
She isn't saying, "Look at me, I'm so contrarian and cool for not buying these things. I _never_ participate in consumerism!" She's obviously had a lot of experience using these planners, and she's giving her insight into why she stopped using most of them.
@@lavinder11just don’t watch the video it’s called opinions for a reason
But here’s the question - if you weren’t a planner influencer and didn’t need to use a lot of planners for content, which planner would you actually stick with?
This is what I wish people would share
@@OTommy81 If decorating and doodling in a planner makes people happy, I don't see how that's crazy.
@@OTommy81 lol I'm pretty calm my dude
@@OTommy81Yes, I was thinking the same - spending $38 for a tiny planner just to decorate it seems wasteful since you could just put stickers in a cheaper notebook. But as someone who buys pretty notebooks because I'm drawn to the designs and find them visually pleasing, I see this both ways. Do I need another notebook, or stickers? Not really. But there are worse things in life.
@@OTommy81Calm down? Loll
I feel like I struck gold when I got a hobonichi weeks - it immediately clicked for me, and I’m a ride-or-die user. Maybe because for me, planners are just for that - all planning, all business. I refuse to use it for anything else. Journaling is for journaling, I don’t see any connection to planning, so I’ve never felt compelled to combine the two.
I am frequently struck by how many notebooks people incorporate into their lives, and I’m glad to see some pushback, some acknowledgement of the absolutely level 10 bonkers consumerism that planning and journaling can have.
Amen!
I used a weeks for the first time this year and absolutely loved it! My use though is a mix of journaling and planning, I think because the size and format of the weeks seemed more manageable to me as someone who did not journal regularly. For next year I plan to use my weeks exclusively for journaling and adding a second book for planning :)
Pushback isn't necessary. People will use paper for whatever reasons they want to.
@@lavinder11 of course they will, but let's not pretend that over-consumption isn't a thing, driven in part, by influencers and creators (with all respect to them, don't get me wrong). I suggest people start small, and practice intention. I've been in these spaces for a LONG time, and too often I see folks over-buying and then burning out, or expressing regret for purchases they never ended up using and can't sell.
@@lavinder11 Respectfully, pushback on over consumerism is necessary. A big part of Hobonichi's cult following is the online influencing and marketing. People aren't just buying the planners, they buy multiple covers for one planner, creating artificial hype, which shouldn't become a thing just because it can.
I had my Hobonichi wish list ready to go for the launch. Then I second guessed myself (mostly because of shipping) and spent a few days thinking I might go with Sterling Ink instead…but now I actually think I’m anti-hauling everything! I have a few undated planners in my planner stash, and I have so many notebooks. I honestly don’t think I need to buy a thing.
Of course, I might change my mind later, and I can always pick something up if I want it, but I’m getting burnt out on my own consumerism, and the all the new planners have me feeling more tired than excited.
I impulse purchased a SFD undated weeks size. This year I am using the SI N1 and I’m in love. But because I impulsed, I’m using the undated one next year and returning to SI for 2026. And I’m so sad lmao. Lesson leeeearned 😭😂
i appreciate the intentional, mindful decisions vs an unexamined life
As a planner designer I would say when you are trying to get your system down use some sort of ring or disk or spiral system so you can change everything till you have peace.
Great idea
I'm honestly so excited to just rebuy the cousin for the second year in a row. I might get a pencil board this year. But my case still works so well, and I've used nearly every page this year. It feels like the perfect planner to me.
definitely not alone. i moved from bujo to the cousin, changed my life. i will be using it for a third year in 2025. i did the HON this year, but i think im going to go back to the OG, and just get a cover. it is a pricy system, but because i use almost all of the sections all the time, i feel like i really get my money’s worth out of this thing.
Okay... Why is your Anti-haul making me want to go BACK to hobonichi?? O_o
I am thinking the same. I have been printing my A5 inserts for a couple of years in a 6-ring planner. It works, but it is too bulky to carry in my purse and that is what I need. The Hobonichi Cousin may work. It is the cover of mine that is so bulky. I tried a companion Hobonichi Weeks, but that does not work. I need one planner as I do not keep the second up to date.
It was a good video as she laid out the reasons why the various planners did not work. We are not all the same and having different preferences is fine.
Hehe you're the one who got me into planning and the hobonichi weeks! I use it everyday so it definitely will be in my shopping bag. Thanks for always sharing your honest opinions!
Honestly I'm glad someone's still using it 🥹
I think it's so important that we look at what works for us and go from there. I *love* the Hobonichi covers, I think they're fantastic. But I also love my hobos without the cover. It's also totally fine to change your mind, notebooks and systems as life changes. Thanks for the video!
Someone else said it... but this "why I'm not buying" just solidified my choices. I literally waited til 9/1 to watch this just in case.
Last year was my first venture into Hobonichi. It was so popular and beautiful and different that I got swept up. I wanted to see what good paper felt like. The art was fantastic. I got the Tomitaro Makino Weeks, notebook, and pencil boards, the Hon Tiny Dragons, and a bunch of accessories. I was very excited to see what the giveaway pens were all about and to see which cute tiny bag I would get. I got excited all over again and have (fewer at least) items in my cart. Your video makes excellent sense and now I’m thinking no matter how beautiful the choices are, it would be better to skip it entirely. I barely wrote anything in either the Weeks or the Hon. Partly because they are so beautiful I didn’t want to “mess them up”. Thank you very much for this video. It has helped me try to not be such an impulsive buyer. I really love books and pens and all things stationery, but I don’t use them. Thanks again!
I love this! I hope this kind of introspection becomes a trend. The kneejerk consumerism in the planner community is wild. (I say that as somebody who is guilty of it myself.)
I’m in my late 50’s, I am being made redundant at the end of the year after 36 years with the same company. I have never journaled before but I will now have the time to really discovery the joys of journaling. I have just purchased the cousin my first Hobonichi purchase. Not cheap but I see it as an investment in me. Loved your honesty we are all different and just need to find something that works for you.
I used a Weeks for the first time this year and absolutely loved it! Because the size and format is so manageable for someone who is just picking up journaling, I ended up using it as a mix of planner/bullet journal and creative journal.
Now that I know I can be consistent with a book, next year I will be repeating a Weeks for personal planning/creative journaling and adding another book (probably an Original Avec) for work/business planning and notes.
That said, I totally agree with your perspective of "anti-hauling" because it can be so tempting to buy all the beautiful books and accessories!
I’ve never tried a Hobonichi weeks and The Paddington cover got me!
I love it too! But it's only in japanese :(
This is the EXACT video I needed. I figured out last April that the Hobonichi system wasn't working for me (the Weeks was too small and the dated daily just stressed me out so much when I missed days/weeks/sometimes months), so I decided 2025 was the year I would finally put my traveller's notebook covers to use and fully commit to that system. Then, Hobobichi released the Paddington weeks, and all my resolve came crashing down!! 😅 still trying to stay strong and resist temptation, though 😂
I’m going to use my TN exclusively for 2025.
@@sharongesinski6227 that's awesome! I found out last night that my local store will not be stocking the Paddington, and since I’m not willing to pay the exorbitant shipping fees… it looks like the universe is trying to tell me something haha 😂
I just redate the dailies and use them as needed. Some days i need 4 pages, some days half of one. Its the only way to make it work for me with out stressing out about the space.
😂
I’m anti-hauling the “multiple planners” trend 😂. 2023 I got a weeks and a cousin: used the weeks more (even though a bit sporadically). 2024 I got TWO weeks (personal & work), a HON (journalling/memory keeping) AND a W222 (because curious about the layout). Oh and I threw a BuJo into the mix at some point during the year. It did NOT work out well 😂😂😂😂 used the weeks mega (originally for work) for ALL of my planning & journaling. 😂
So…yeah…I won’t be buying anything either. I’ll continue using the weeks and if I’m consistent I’ll just check in December/January what’s available on the market. Or go back to my BuJo. My aim is to focus on the functionality of my planner not how it looks. I also need to give myself some grace and accept that sometimes it’s okay if you don’t “need” to plan and despite all the positive aspects of it it’s not a must to journal when you don’t feel like it.
Thank you for being the voice of reason. All these hauls have been killing me! You nailed it.
Oh no! The hobonichi weeks 💔!! I discovered the hobonichi planners with your channel, and I used the weeks for work, and it helped me so much (so thanks for that :) ) ! I also bought a A5 cousin to journal/scrapbooking and personal organisation, but I haven't used it that much. So for 2025, I am thinking going back to a simple journal to log and journal, and use the hobonichi week for personal and work organisation ? We shall see!
I'll be switching from a vertical weekly layout to a daily planner for 2025 because I have the weekly view in my digital planning solutions and really want some paper space to jot down some ideas, notes, and to-do lists next to the schedule for the day. Saying goodbye to my Legend planner and saying hello to the Common Planner!
I understand the anti-haul urge. Inspired by "one book July" I decided to give "one book 2025" a try -- and the only planner flexible enough to fit work, personal, and grad school is the Hobonichi Weeks. So my one and done will be the Sneaker Weeks Mega. (even though this means parting with my first love, the A6 Planner).
Wow. I can’t fit work and personal in a weeks. I’m impressed you can fit that plus school. Kuddos.
You fit work, grad school *and* your life on a weeks weekly spread? How?😮
@@LisePlansandJournals Ultimately everyone adapts the system to their needs and style. I've managed to make it work for me. Word counts/edits in the vertical year at the front, with recurring weekday commitments in the top part; appointments, deadlines, in the monthly; tasks and what I did in the weekly. My course involves a lot of reading but I will just note the source in the weeklies, eg LisePensandJournals 2024 plus a very short summary of where/how I might use it and a page references to the notes section. (I take extensive and somewhat messy notes in whatever notebook is around but then I go back and distill that information in the Weeks' notes pages.)
I love the A6 5 Year. It feels so good in the hand and the space per day is perfect when combined with the blank page along the side. I will say the only way that I’ve been able to keep up with it every single day this year is I have a Notion database where I usually compose the entries on my phone every night, then I’ll go back and hand write every one or two weeks.
This is such a good tip - I'll probably do something similar!
Love this❤
They are doing Weeks Mega in some cute covers this year (like the cherry cover!). I’m going to switch to it from the cousin because I was overwhelmed by the space in the cousin. I’ve been doing a kind of weeks layout in a dot journal for the past few weeks and have really been enjoying it. I’m also getting the 5 year techo in A6 and one of the plain grid notebooks in the floral cover. Really excited for 2025!!!
I am going through total planner overwhelm right now. I started the year with a Hobonichi Cousin and a weeks. I should have known better about the cousin. I have failed at the cousin twice before. It's just too much space and my life is not that busy. The weeks has worked for me in years past, but for some reason I fell off of that this year, too. I think it's because I bought a $10 budget planner from Amazon and it basically filled my needs for everything except the journaling aspect. I became dissatisfied with that planner over the last month or so and bought a B6 Stalogy and have been setting it up to cover the rest of the year. I'm having fun with it, but I can see it getting tedious having to draw everything out. I like the size and think I may go with a Sterling Ink common planner in a B6 for 2025. It's just so hard with all the choices out there!
Tbh one of your videos from last year helped me anti-haul Hobonichi and buy the jibun techo instead for 2024.
It also helped when I saw your other video about figuring out what kind of planner user am I. I realized that I'm a tracker, and Jibun Techo just has all the features to cover that for me (their gantt chart is so nice). I've learned from you that Hobonichi is just this fun planner that really isn't for planning, it's more for creative journaling and scrapbooking -- which I don't do. The daily pages are cute and aesthetically pleasing to post on IG, but as an artist, I feel less constrained if I use an actual sketchbook without the dates.
So far the only use case I can think of Hobonichi for myself is to have them for daily doodle/comics/inktobers which can easily be fulfilled by a sketchbook haha (or my other hoard of notebooks).
I've decided that if my sleep ever stabilizes, that will be the only reason I'm letting go of vertical weeks feature of the Jibun Techo to go and try Hobonichi again. That, or I've run out of blank notebooks to use -- then I can go back to Hobonichi :))) I might just end up shopping for the Hobonichi accessories...since those are fun collectibles too.
Your videos really help me to be honest with myself, and helped me feel less confused about my 2025 planner purchase. The Paddington weeks also got me very confused for a couple of days!!! But I realized I can just customize the cover of the Jibun Techo to look like the Paddington Weeks...at least I get the cute cover and the functionality I need 🤣 thank you for this helpful video as always 💖💖💖
In October I will be purchasing my third 5 year journal (but not the hobonichi one). It's about 5 lines of space each day and that's just enough for me to get down highlights of the day - things I did at work or with the kid, weather updates, new foods or venues I tried, activities with friends, a thought or feeling, etc. I love looking back at the previous years. The one I am currently in started in 2020 and that has been really interesting to look back on. The book before had the events and days surrounding my mom's death and again, has been healing to look back on. I have a daily planner and my digital planner, but the 5 year has been a great way to summarize each day. 💜
i try to be intentional with each purchase and figure out the use cases for each books before buying. i prefer separate notebooks and covers as i tend to focus on separate projects + hobbies/areas of life, preferring no overlap
Overconsumption runs rampant but i find it's moreso bc we don't pause and consider why we're buying xyz beyond it being cute
It's actually a little funny to me that your channel is where I discovered hobonichi and I ended up getting a weeks at the beginning of this year because I knew I needed a weekly planner. And as much as I love it I do have similar feeling to you of do I really need this planner, especially when they are so expensive. My issue is more so the size of it because I write big and the rows are tiny. But I love the side page free space and my biggest issue with the current planner landscape is planners making decisions for me (ex: labelling sections as like goals or grocery lists). I'm going to keep experimenting with mine for the rest of this year as it has definitely been useful and then see what's left in December rather than impulse purchasing what is pretty before it sells out.
Your weeks editing you did was SO cool! The neutrals demonstration? Soo cool.
I bought a weeks hobonichi about month ago.. weird timing, I know... and I learned that weekly spread is so awesome. I was dubious, cause I've always been a monthly girlie. But the month spread hasn't been working this year with my new job... And I have NOT used the monthly spread almost since the moment I moved into a hobonitchi weeks...
So next year (well, next week, really lol) I'm picking up a common planner weekly TN standard/N1 booklet and use a few blank notebooks in my TN and that's gonna be me I think.
Possibly a booklet for areas of my life? Work, church, and scribbled notes being the main areas I need a booklet/solution to capture information. Might do it all in one... Might do separate booklets... Either way, I have the supplies for that already.
So excited!
I love this video because I def make fun of the hobonichi hauls where people are buying one of each planner, 3 different weeks, all this stuff... Only to post at the end of the year half filled planners. The cousin works for me. I like the calendar spread, I use the weekly to make lists or general outline of the day or week if I have a lot going on that particular time. But those are the pages that often go blank, and that doesn't bother me. I use the daily pages to journal. I limit myself to one cover per year because I don't need five covers for one book a year.
Not trying to be on some cool guy shit, but the overconsumption done on planner channels is silly. So full respect on the anti haul. It was way more interesting to watch than someone drone on about their wishlist
I agree. Watching the videos where people talk about their techo kaigi and it's like 10+ books just make me feel weird and sad, esp when it's like, 'hi guys, I bought 3 weeks, what should I do with them??' don't buy them omg lol.
I am a one planner only person. I am sure there are use cases where a few different planners makes sense (one for work, one to track personal, maybe a third for a very particular and intensive hobby) but those instances are super rare.
People plan their planner purchases for how they are feeling in planner season (aka super motivated and excited to spend hours a day planning) vs how they are really going to feel during the regular year when the spark wears off and they are drowning in their work and home tasks. You gotta plan for the system that is gonna work for you when you feel like poo and wanna be a slug. IMO the best system is one that allows you to use it in a super low effort way when you need that AND is easy to jazz up and invest a lot of time into when you need/feel that. Sometimes I need a lot of structure and jamming out in my planner really helps. Other times I need it super barebones.
Just to clarify, it seems there is confusion with the covers + books/planners combination --- the covers can be bought SEPARATELY. You aren't obligated to buy a planner JUST to get the cover (for Techo A5/A6). If you like multiple covers, you aren't required to buy a planner for your three covers. In the case that you want to buy a cover or two, you aren't obligated to buy a planner for each cover and you can actually fit any "true" A5/A6. The covers are perpetually interchangable so you can vary your planners(') on a whim.
I have one planner, several sketchbooks and rough ideas books and I change covers when I feel like it, but I also don't systematically buy covers on each release if I don't like any of them. Not sure if that falls into the anti-haul term XD
I think people should just get what they like and can use (preferably after self-assessment). Hobonichi's marketing certainly play a lot into FOMO, but also inversely can be detrimental with cognitive dissonance when people say they don't want or need it, but deep inside they really do and go on to make justifications to support that decision, and in some cases, spite other people for making a differnt decision, which is getting a haul.
Obviously, it's a different case for the Weeks as you are stuck with the custom design and you may want several and you'll have to fight the FOMO and make an ultimate choice depending on your actual needs.
Hobonichi was never my favorite. I bought one back in 2022 because I saw the Coffee Monster coz spread was attractive. But once it was in my hands that notebook eneded up in my trash can after only having it for 2 days. I saw sterling ink but don't like the layouts. It's layout that needs to work for me to convince me the worth of purchasing. Also, I am limiting myself with one planner for 2025. No more separate planners for different purposes. That's why I stuck with Aura estelle. Because their dated planners have months that scattered with the weekly and daily pages, which is something that I like because I hate flip flopping pages back and forth. No more undated planners, too because it doesn't help me plan efficiently.
They aren’t your only option. I too have a bundled (“scattered”) planner. Papertess does too (though her dailies are undated).
Thank goodness for this! Thanks for showing what most people will not be talking about!
Love this kind of video ! It’s so good to hear about true thoughts and growth rather than a never ending ad as it sometimes feel like on UA-cam. Thank you Rachelle for your honesty and amazing channel. I also adored reading all the comments! So many planners or ideas i had never heard of, so refreshing to have true reviews of other’s systems
🥹
I'm buying the A5 Spy x Family cover and putting it on the Sterling Ink A5 daily
Same here
A5 melberry and HB cover , that is it catch all planner
Great, realistic look at what's working and what's not! I was really tempted by the Weeks Mega this year, but have decided to stick to my guns and go in for my fourth year in the A5 Cousin. The only change will be swapping tabs for an index punch, since I've been tearing corners off for two years and haven't touched my carefully set up tabs.
For a 5 year journal I have the Leuchtturm "Some lines a day" journal which I really love - I've been using it for about 1.5 years now. Its an a5 which I think is perfect. Unlike the hobonichi it just has 1 page per day split into 5 sections. It is also entirely un-year dated so it doesn't matter what date you start you can fill in the year as you go (the dates are in there though). IMO the amount of space is absolutely perfect for a 5 year unless you intend to insert photos or something like that. I would definitely take a look at it!
Thank you so much, I love this review and will be looking into it 🤩
great video! I have grown weary of the planner consumerism trap. I have been using analog planners since before some of you were born and certainly way before there were even smart phones. I first got the Hobonichi bug back in 2017, and tried them all- the only one that stuck was the weeks. But, in 2023 about 1/2 way thru the year, I suddenly got sick of it. Mostly the size and the paper. I was craving more space to write, and was also craving a thicker paper. I admit I have been looking at this new line up for next year, but I also think they use way to much synthetic materials (i.e. PLASTICS) in their products and the "leather" in the covers doesn't feel like real leather. Anyway, we all must find what works best for each of us. For me, I use the Traveler's Notebook with undated inserts. I just love the paper so much more than the Hobonichi. I find as I get older, less is more.
If you’re struggling to write in the A6 planner, I would recommend getting the A5 5 year. As long as it is not something you’re going to carry around, the A5 will definitely have more room to document seasons. I have the A6 and it’s so hard to fit everything in each section.
I don’t use a5 or a6. So the fact that I was even TEMPTED by the covers was insane. SMH. I’m not buying anything. MAYBE some of the accessories that I will actually use. But no planners or anything.
Hobonichi's marketing team must be geniuses. I don't even use bound planners (rings only), nor do I buy a full year's dated planner at once (I often switch things up after around half a year). Hobonichi, as a brand, has almost nothing I use or want. Why am I even HERE?! 😂
@@FaerieDustit’s not a marketing team who made you think that you want a hobonichi but rather all the creators who use them
Yep - this is the year that I anti-hauled Hobinechi. I have the Cousin, the a6 techo and the Weeks, and am anti-hauling all of them. While I love the layouts and overall concept, what drives me crazy is the fact that all of the yearly calendars and lumped together - all of the weeks are lumped together and all of the daily pages are lumped together. I would prefer everything related to a specific month to be together. So, I already ordered the new "justscribble" planners for that reason. Also, they come as 2 books/year, rather than one giant book. So I think that will lighten my load, so to speak.
I love hearing the rationale for the different planners and how your wants and needs have changed over time. Our planning styles aren't static, so it's totally normal for us to change up what works. I'm thinking of a new planning system soon-back to school season, my birthday in October, and my seasonal gig getting busy again make autumn feel like the start of a new year-but I'll probably stick with just one book. Bullet journalling is still my favourite, but I also need a journal for mental health separate from the planning part. ...But I also want to digitize a bunch of my written information (journalling, recipes, etc.) so maybe I will have more than one system, haha. I usually go for undated systems, though, because I'm such a completionist and having blank pages gives me anxiety. So to help me get over that, I simply don't have a dated system where something would be left "blank"!
Something I found interesting was your thoughts on getting more lined/empty pages in the Mega when you also use other notebooks for journalling. Just from the brief flip-throughs, I didn't see a lot of use in those back pages; it seemed more like enjoying the idea of having that space instead of actually using all the pages and realizing you needed more the next time. Does the 5 Year come in a bigger size? It looks like the same size as the Techo and you didn't gravitate to it for writing in, so I'd recommend going bigger so you don't feel constrained.
The biggest thing I'm anti-hauling is planner supplies. Markers, washi tape, pens, stickers, stamps, and more. I don't need anymore. I need to use the supplies I already have! It's really hard for me to use something until it's completely gone, but I think that's my goal for the next few seasons of my life.
No offense but you cant make it work for these planners at some point coz there’s just so many of them you are trying to fill. It’s like having 2 macbooks or more and telling these are not working for you and you also have an ipad and bought a new iphone. Not surprised of the anti-haul idea, great move for people with the same problem.
I use a A5 Hobo 5 year diary and I absolutely love it! I write entries on the left then I use sticker paper I print on to stick in on the right. It’s a great way to memory keep and since there’s not unending space to write each day, it’s a low input addition to my daily planning/journaling.
3 years into it and I don’t think it’s bulked up a crazy amount even though I have quite a bit of sticker paper in it.
THANK YOU for this video! It honestly makes me feel so validated. I also went with the Hobo Techo and Hobo Weeks for 2023 and 2024. I even picked up the Cousin this year, and I am literally on the same journey. I have big hands! the A6 is a really hard size to make work for me. I migrated to Sterling Ink's N2 (Hobo weeks size), and it was a game changer. There is just so much more real estate in its minimalistic design, and that's my hardcore to-do list journal. Right before watching this video, I LITERALLY ordered a moleskine (L) for work. I have been using their cahiers (same size) for travels the past few years, and it just seemed like the right move. It seemed sacrilegious to move away from the Hobonichi system, but we all just have acknowledge that journals and planners are highly personal, and there's no one size fits all.
So yessss!! You are talking my mind !!!!
Exactly what i thinking but still, im rolling onto the hobonichi website 😂
I'm also leaving the cousin. I've got it for like 3 years and barely used it. It's just TOO big and chunky... I'm trying an A6 this year and see how it goes. Thanks for your honest opinion and sharing your experiences with these planners.
Wow. I have to admit when I think of the weeks I think of you 😂Kidding aside,, putting thought into what you purchase is good practice. Excited to see your planners for 2025. 🤩
as for me, I am getting 3 Hobonichi planners this year :D I tried the Happy Planner for 2024, gave up after a month, it was simply not adapted to my way of planning and journaling. To each its own I guess.
... and about 6 new covers ^^
I think it’s great to reflect on what works for us and what doesn’t! If it worked in the past and not now that doesn’t make the time spent in anything we used previously a waste or bad , that’s how we learn to know what we like. : ) Thanks for sharing!
I’ve struggled with being consistent in the A5 Cousin for daily page journaling and memory keeping, but this is my 2nd year for the weeks as a planner, and i look forward to a 3rd, but i’m going to reflect on purchasing the cousin again- it at least use the remaining time this year to see if it meets what i’m wanting to do. Doing the same with a gifted 5 year journal from amazon, because i’m wanting to get the hobonichi 5 year.
Cheers to the rest of 2024 and 2025 forward!
I've been using (and not using) Hobonichi for about 10 years. I think that I'm anti-hauling everything except the Weeks. I'm tired of it, but by and large, it works for me. I may try Sterling Ink's N1 Horizontal but not sure yet. I have stacks of Hobonichi covers and unused planners spawning almost a decade, and you said something very true: The only thing that can tell you what you should buy is what you've already bought. You spoke a word there. I've bought more Cousins than years in a decade and have yet to ever complete one. And while the A6 is wonderful in size and utility - and was my absolute FAVORITE for years - the fact is that, at this point, it is entirely too small for me.
This whole anti-haul is really on point.
Honestly, thank you so much for making this video. This is my first year using Hobonichi planners and the WEEKLY MEGA is definitely what I needed, instead of the A5 Cousin (which I have now). But I've learned a lot and I definitely prefer an A5 overall :)
You make a lot good points like they’re marketing strategy to get us to buy planners we don’t need. I’ve started using my Hobo covers for other planners like Stalogy and Midori. They’re also good for notebooks and for Bible covers
I have the 5 year A6 for memory keeping and I love it-the space is perfectly unintimidating for a daily habit, and sometimes when I need to catch up it doesn’t feel onerous. I had an idea a different year to start an a5 and it’s HUGE. I’m a cousin user so I didn’t expect this to be an issue but personally I find the size of the A5 5 year to be a mental barrier to use
Also, I think 5 year journals are meant to be artifacts that stay with you and the a6 is a cute little thing. I also realized that bc I travel, I much prefer being able to bring the A6 for an extended trip.
Did a ton of thinking about my planning needs for 2025. Not repurchasing Sterling Ink’s Common planner. I was excited to see that they have made the text bolder and darker and they have horizontal weekly layout. Double Yay! However, Just Scribble (YT), is coming out with her own planner and grouped together is each month, with it’s weekly (horizontal), and daily spreads using 52 gsm Tomoe River paper. I’m pretty excited :)
I’m also getting the Techo Day-Free for Church for event planning and sermon notes. This is how I use my 2024. I didn’t plan it but I found that my Bible fits in a custom leather A5 cover I had for something else and that the Day-Free pairs with it perfectly!
I use the Weeks for my dad’s medical information. Yes, Paddington hit my heart! But I’m going for a Liberty fabric cover ❤ I’ll be trying out Sterling Ink’s new monthly planner for dad’s finances.
Yay 😀 I’m so glad you are excited for my planner!
@@JustScribble 😆 I didn't realize how long my comment was! Surprised anyone read through it! Also, I wanted to give a shout out to you and your brand spanking new planners!
I owned the A6 (all except avec), A6 HON, weeks & weeks mega & the A5 5yr. I repurposed my weeks mega from 2022 to 2024 by using the notes pages & by 2025, I will not be getting the weeks anymore because archiving it is a bit weird. That will be replaced by a Jiyu weekly which is a TN regular size & it goes well with my current TN vertical weekly. Cousin is too big for me so its not something on my radar.
Next year is my final year of using the A5 5yr & if anybody is thinking about getting one regardless of the size, you must have a clear, solid goal in mind as to why you need one. In my experience, it requires discipline, patience & commitment. Motivation & willpower can only help at a certain point but if you have a solid goal why, not only will you enjoy it but cherish each entries. First year is going to be hard, stick with it because you will only start appreciating it once you reach the second year. Hope this helps.
I recently stumbled across the Twines and Paper A5 weekbook hybrid. It has all the tracking pages of the cousin, so wonderland222 and Sterling Ink. Has the monthly spreads followed by weekly pages. Best part is....the weekly spreads are 4 pages per week. 2 pages are a horizontal layout and 2 pages are a vertical layout. At the end of the monthly and weekly pages are blank pages. I am excited about the planner since it gives me 2 different weekly layouts for each week so I can preplan/have sperate layout for work and personal all in one book. Its the exact layout I've always wanted and its on tomoe river paper and also has faux leather cover and gold or white page edges. I can't wait till it actually arrives! First time I've ever been this excited about a planner and I am a major stationary nerd.
Cansu did an amazing job on her hybrid. I can’t wait to get my B6.
I wish Hobonichi made a techo in B6 size - it would maintain most of the portability of the A6 while offering just enough extra space for writing. That being said, the A6 woks for me so I'm going with that for next year. It's great that there are so many good choices of planner and notebook available so we can all find something that works well for us.
I splurged and bought a Hobonichi in A5 complete with a cover I adore and a clear cover-on-cover after wanting one for a long time in 2022. Two years later, it's still completely untouched. Meanwhile, I filled up several local-to-me branded B6 journals with my long-form journaling
I used inexpensive pocket planners fairly consistently, and I thought, I'd try a Weeks with a cover I love. The number of entries at this point in the year in no way justifies the sticker price. I can get planner products that use similar paper quality for a fraction of the price with cloth covers included for the larger formats. All I need to add on is a clear cover. For the pocket planner, I spend around three bucks and don't kick myself if I don't fill every page. I may not use fountain pens in it, but that's where my journals come in.
After going on an overly enthusiastic shopping spree last year, I have Hobonichi covers in A6 to last me several years -- which I may or may not unhaul since B6 tends to be the smallest format I gravitate towards. I do my work-related planning and tracking in an A5 6-ring binder because it allows me to move things around and take out pages as needed.
Love this! I'm struggling with what to do about my planner system especially for my personal. I've been doing it in my notes but I miss a physical SO much!
So many planners for 1 year, I can see why you didn't keep up with all of them. It also sounds like you're letting the pursuit of perfection and the "need" to fill every page get in your way. It should serve you, not you serve it. But hopefully you find something that works for you.
I bought an A5 5-year Hobonichi back in 2022 and it's been the bane of my existence ever since. I wish I'd gotten the A6; the A5 is just too big when I tend to journal longer-form elsewhere.
I'm ditching the weeks. I made to July and gave up. I discovered that it only served as a time tracker which is helpful but didn't offer a layout for longer script writing. I struggle with ADD and need space to joint down all the things that bubble up.
To be honest, I am in the 3rd year of Hobonichi Weeks Mega and I think that one is the winner if you need it for your errands and hobbies. The 217 grid pages are very useful. You can literally do your creative journaling in it as well. For the A6 English Planner, this is my second year and I did use it for random thoughts and venting this year as I couldn't think of any other reason to use it. 😅 I bought an Avec Cousin this year in June - A5 - to track and plan my novel work. Its okay as I feel there is a lot of space in it for writers planning the writing, making notes etc in the daily notes pages. Also, I use it in a different way, changing up the purpose of the pages for daily, weeky, monthly. So this year, I am going for the Cousin for my novel work and note taking tracking in A5, but not going for the A6 English Planner, and sticking still to the Weeks Mega. 😂 But after this video, I feel I might go for an A6 cousin and not an A5 as its true, its a bit big but comfortable...so confused!!! 😅 All are selected and lying in my cart now...but I am holding back..not sure... ❤😅 btw, I never buy the limited edition ones for rhe sake of the covers. But I do buy pencil boards!!!! 🎉
Same issues. Bought and just never used. Started using a Jibun Techo and Stalogy. Working much better for me.
That’s what I use too!
When I was a planner addict (still am to some extent). I had a planner for everything. 😂😂
I just bought me three planners for 2025 because I don't know which one I'm going to like best, but I know I'm going to use all my planners in one way or another. I like to make lists, catalog thoughts, information, quotes, memories, etc.
I have realized that I can have the "many" planners, but don't have to plan on all of them, just one. The rest can be used for all those other things that wouldn't fit in one spread.
In a way, I'm still having different notebooks around, but no pressure to fill them all in one year.
I am also anti hauling hobonichi fully for pretty similar reasons to yours for the sterling ink common planner
This is sad, but also happy because you learned what worked for you. I want to start this year a hobonichi weeks but my only problem is the Monday start. My work week is Sunday-Thursday and the current Monday start won’t work for me. Any suggestions for converting it myself/ recs for other planers with the hobonichi weeks layout but with a Sunday start for both the monthly and weekly spreads? Thank you very much
I am a Hobonichi cousin ride or die! They’re just is not enough room in the A6. I am going to try the five-year diary. I will most likely do the A5. I am a journaler so I don’t think that size will bother me.
I’m resisting the urge to order a planner now and waiting until the end of year(don’t want to stare at it for 4 months). Auraestelle has a monthly planner with 365 pages and 5mm grid (perfect layout in my head)! I think I’m going to use that and bullet journal.
My personal experience is that if something is not working for you keep looking for the one that does. It's all about what works for your needs and what doesn't - there is nothing "negative" about saying something does not work. I have tried so many planners over the years, and this is the first year I bought a Cousin (always thought it was too much for me) and psych - it has really worked for me. Who knew?
I have finally found hobonichi weeks and I am in love with them❤❤❤ but thanks for your opinion
I use a 5-year for the same reason: a nature journal! I went with the A5 and it’s definitely very chunky, lives on my desk at home. I like the space it gives me because I’ll often draw a little thing or sometimes stick in a photo. I think if you’re just writing a line or two per day, or want to make it as simple as possible to stick with, A6 would be sufficient.
Thanks for sharing! This is such an honest video. Hobonichi has such a cult following and I do really love it, but this past year I've noticed that it's not working for me but it's so hard to think of leaving. My weeks is my comfort planner too! Definitely looking for something new for 2025 (even if I did already purchase hobos for next year.......).
I've been buying Hobonichis for quite a few years now, but back when I started, they were pretty much the only planners you could get with Tomoe River paper, making them incredibly compact compared to your typical Western paper weights. Now that several other companies are making well designed minimalistic planners with TR paper, I don't feel the need to buy everything from Hobonichi any more, especially as I prefer B6 size, which they don't make.
I've preordered a Wonderland222 planner, mainly for the daily layout, and will be getting the new Sterling Ink Daily (similar to the Techo Original in having no weekly spreads) as my journal, because I was way more consistent in my journalling when I was using the Cousin's daily pages that were predated than I have been this year in a blank notebook.
I'll probably get a Weeks from a local reseller, but mainly for similar reasons you want the five-year Techo - it's just so handy to have a place to note down any highlights of my day that I want to journal about later, slip into my handbag for a trip into town, etc.
I totally get where you’re coming from. Now that I’ve been settling into my DIY planner system, it doesn’t leave much room for store-bought planners. The only thing that’s really tempting me right now is a hobonichi notebook to deconstruct and disc since printing on tomoe river is hard
That’s awesome, I’ve also been planning on starting a natural observances journal too! It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while but last night I was looking into maybe using a discount 2024 cousin (since it’s a leap year) and putting multiple years per page. Then I realized that I don’t want to limit myself to one page per day as years go by… and that what I actually want to do is have blank pages that I can disc (I’ll hold for everyone’s surprise that my answer to everything is discs 😅). I’m going to go for A5 or half letter to answer your size question
Edit to add: based on what you said about not liking to write in the A6 books you have, my personal recommendation for you is the A5
I've been using a Cousin; I ignored the time stamps and used the bottom 1/3 of each page for a generic to-do list. I also repurposed the day pages for other purposes (e.g. one month I make the pages trackers for things, another month is notes for a specific set of meetings, etc.) I love the size. I'm switching to the Day-Free (A5 size as A6 is too small, has calendars but no weeks/days) and I'm going to bujo the weeks in big blocks (four boxes per page--that's one weekly list plus 7 days--big enough to keep me in a vertical format) for the entire year when I do the set-up. I have a few trackers to add and a few "here's a new month" pages too. (I'm a huge fan of testing out layouts before committing to buying a planner via printables or mock-ups. IT's how I know I need a vertical.) I bought a A5 size leather cover when I first switched to Hobonichi--pen loop, snap closure, interior pockets--and I've been using it for five years or so now. I have a pencil case (the elastic band kind) over the front cover. I customize the first page of the planner (the thicker stock end page) and that's all I need :) Personally I don't think the Five Year "planner" is really a planner--it's more of a journal, scrapbook/memorybook for specific purposes. Like you can't plan your life in it. :)
The 5yr techo is awesome. I am wrapping up my final year and will be buying another one. I use it for my gratitude journal. I write a little gratitude list every day and then use the blank page to page a photo or some sort of ephemera for memory keeping.
For the Hobonichi 5 year, I recommend the A5. I used the A6 previously and it was too small to comfortably write in.
I have used a Hobonichi cousin this year and used it all year… but I also have all those blank daily pages too. I seem to just use a notebook for my daily planning. I love the rest of the planner though. I think this year I am going to look for those vertical weekly spreads and monthly spreads that I use all the time in my planner, but I need it to just have some goal pages included as well. Ultimately, I know that my daily planning will always just be in a blank notebook where I can jot down my to-do list and prioritize from that and take notes as needed. My planner just needs to be the first half of the hobonichi cousin and some goal reviews. Still shopping…
I tried different combinations of planners including Hobonichis over the last few years and the thing is no matter what kind of planner I use, it will always end the same way. I abandon them after a few months. Not completely but the daily journaling, the "write everything down"etc. The Cousin is giving me some kind of frame I can work with, even when I barely use the daily pages for their intended purpose. It is not the planners fault, it is my ADHD. For the life of me I just can't be consistant with anything I do, but at least I can use the Hobonichi for my appointments, events, ect. A few years ago, I had the Weeks at work and the Cousin for an EDC. I forgot the weeks at work and never transfered the things from there to the Cousin. Then I thought I try the Cousin as stay at home planner and the techo as edc. Well, I forgot to write the things in the Techo, I had made notes of in my cousin. That was when I noticed the two planner system will never work for me. I'm just too scatterbrained to remember to put things in two planners. For 2025 it will only be the Cousin because the layout of the yearly, monthly and weekly sections is perfect for me. I still don't know if I can be consistant in any way or form in the daylies or if I just use them for occasional journaling and art or whatever tickles my fancy.
This year, I managed to get through most of A5 cousin from Jan - May. Like she said, WAY TOO BIG for me, I want to fill all the empty space even when I don't need to.😖
Then jumped into Bullet Journaling for June - July (used to in 2022, realize it's way too much work for set up)😵
Now its Sterling Ink B6 [Undated] Aug- Dec. As much as I like the Idea, I don't like my handwriting. And I don't want to spend more money for stickers for dates.
I am definitely going to stick with Sterling Ink planners. They have the Formats I like but due to the level of custom sizes, that's were the Trial and Errors will appear again.
A5 - Too big for me
B5 - so far, I still think its too big? I don't write daily, Normally my planning is just my days off and maybe a few events/outings or project planning and my weekly looks kind of bare. 1 or 2 pages will cover a whole week of writing + stickers/washi designs.
A6 - Never had it. I am scared that its too small or like rachelle said, uncomfortable. Still, I want to give it a shot. I also know I write kind of big. Worried that width- wise for weekly will screw me over but length/size may be perfect.
I am going to get 2 planners and copy the info and hopefully it helps what size I truly need.
🔹Sterling Ink A6 Vertical Full Year & B6 Slim Vertical Compact (120 Blank Pages) for 2025 🔹
I started using a weeks last year and was so obsessed with the size that I used the notes pages in September 2023 when I got my order. If anything I'll be downsizing from the mega to regular.
I love my A6 5-year techo for memory keeping. Not anti-hauling anything yet this planner season since I am still experimenting with different planning and journaling systems that work for my brain. So for now, I am still into hoarding books and some covers too.
My Hobonichi weeks made me a planner girlie but I do notice that I am not utilizing it as much as I should :)) (i have a set daily routine at work and planning it daily is silly to ne) I still have a few more months left in that planner so I decided to use it for tracking/planning my projects!
To haul or not to haul, that is the question. Whatever it's gonna be, your folders on the shelf keep smiling.
To really discover what helps you plan a blank notebook is best. This way, you can set it up yourself and experiment until you know what works for you. I discovered I need vertical weekly’s in minimal A5 size this way for example.
For Hobonichi: I’m not picking up the planners for 2025. It’s just too cluttered for me. But I did try daily journaling in 2023 in an Original A6. The way I tried it back then didn’t work for me. But I did discover that this size is perfect for daily journaling for me last month. So, for the remaining of this year I will use the Hobonichi. But I’m leaning towards Midori Hibino for 2025 because I need a spread a day that’s not too big for describing my day and the braindump I mentioned. In my daily’s I don’t want other things in sight, so 1 day 1 page does not work for me in this regard. I need to focus.
I use the Midori Hibino, and I love it. A lot of people had issues with the grid size. But I write small anyways, so for me, it’s perfect for journaling.
I don’t think I could use it as a planner though bc it is heavy.
@@kymizad Thank you! I’m currently leaning to a HON A6 for journaling because I saw a video with bleed through for the Hibino with fountain pen. That’s too bad. I might still get it for planning though, as it will be on my desk for the most part 🥰 The grid size is actually perfect for me. I don’t like 5mm grid for writing, so I can do 7.5mm because of the 2.5mm as lined journals are also around this spacing
@@jouwjournalnl I’ll be starting my second one next year. It’s a beautiful book to archive, and very durable 😊
I use a Pilot Vanishing Point extra fine nib, and haven’t had any issues with bleed thru. But to be fair, I don’t use anything beyond a medium nib.
I was so excited to get the Hibino, but I was a bit surprised when I first saw the grid. I write small and all, but it’s tiny lol. The more I write in it, the more I love it. Now when I write in other notebooks, the grid feels too big 😅
I think it would work perfectly as a desk planner. There’s plenty of space to do so, and if you aren’t too fussed about it not having a weekly, I think you’ll be just fine. I do recommend when you first start writing in it (and as you get to the end of the book) to place another notebook under the side with less pages. It provides a level space to write on.
@@kymizad Thank you! I just purchased my Hibino along with a Platinium Preppy 0.3 nib. I mostly use fine and medium, but it couldn't hurt. It was on my wishlist anyway.
I'm planning on using 3 'grids' to write, maybe 2. So that will be fine. My weekly overview is in another planner, but I need focus on the day itself. I pull out my weekly at the beginning and end of the day. I am planning on putting something under the side yes, I do with most notebooks. Thank you :)
I got a Weeks but I only use it for my reading journal which has really worked out great for me this year. So, I want to try that again for next year. I have yet to use a Cousin to its full potential so I do not plan on getting one. I did order the 5-year in A5 because I've had my eye on it for a while but wanted to wait to started on a multiple of 5 year. Then today I impulse ordered a Hibino to use for work. I've been using an Avec for work just to keep track of meetings and a daily task/to do list and I've liked it but don't need the A5 size. So trying the A6 Hibino for next year.
I can totally relate to this as i stopped using my hobonichi weeks in the last few days of june.i know its time to move on with something else, but might get the 5 year journal.
No! Not the weeks!! My favorite
I’ve already ordered the Weeks and A6. I didn’t like the designs as much this year, so I ordered the Weeks in leather and will use last year’s cover for the A6.
I love this. I love and use my A6, but no more covers! I use it bare now, and I love it. Great video.
So I have been using the techo hon in the A5 and it is pretty sizeable but I write really large so I think it works for me. In 2025 I am going to do the techo hon again in the snake toy cover because I loved my current one so much. I also ordered the 5-year life book for the first time
I'm going to try the aura estelle planner for next year. the "little" things that annoy me about the cousin became bigger things. So I'll see how it goes. It's hard when they have such cute stuff. but my goal is to continue using all the stickers I have already.
I’ve tried hobonichi and travelers notebook and have found planner peace in a rings system. Never going back 😊🎉
I’m a bullet journaler (2 A5 notebooks per year), but whenever it’s Hobonichi szn the silly voice in my brain is like, “I know you don’t like thin, cream colored paper or ghosting but what if Hobonichi 👀” so this video was very appreciated!
I’m also not getting a lot from hobonichi this year. I decided to try something from common planner either her B6 slim or the N1 size since I love the weeks layout but not its size. I’m also getting a 5 year planner I’m thinking A5 so I have more room to document.
number 6 hit a bit too close LOL I'm a travelers notebook + 6 ring journal girlie and never had a hobonichi (except for the 5 years), nor do I need one, but the new Yumi cover that hobonichi released is making me absolutely feral and I'm trying to justify buying a whole planner so that I can get the cover :"D I fear the marketing strategy works too well on me...
Edit: And I just saw that you're considering the 5 years haha! A6 is definitely more than big enough if you just want to track seasons, plus it feels cute and portable in your hands. You do have to summarize a lot with the A6 though, esp if there's a lot of content to write down, definitely go for A5 if you want to be in a flow state while tracking anything with the 5 years.
Personally I use my A6 to write about the key things that happened in my day, and if anything eventful or big happens I journal in more detail in my 6 ring :> Which is why I have no need for any of the day to day planners of hobonichi... /crying and falling to my knees/