How Do I Choose the Best Journal for My Needs?
With so many journals available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. From elegant leather-bound notebooks to handmade watercolour journals, each has been designed with a different purpose in mind. The key is to think about how you plan to use your journal before you fall in love with its cover.
Here are five important things to consider before making your choice.
1. What Will You Use It For?
The first question to ask yourself is simple: What am I going to use this journal for?
A writer or daily journal keeper may prefer lined pages or a dot grid, which provides structure without feeling restrictive. Dot grid journals are also ideal for bullet journaling, planning projects, and note-taking because they offer flexibility while helping keep everything neatly aligned.
Artists, however, have very different requirements. Sketching, painting, and mixed media work demand heavier, high-quality paper that can withstand moisture and repeated layers. If you enjoy watercolour painting, look for journals made with at least 300gsm paper, as thinner paper is more likely to buckle or bleed.
2. Paper Quality Makes a Difference
The paper inside a journal is just as important as its cover.
One of the questions I’m asked most often is why some journals cost more than others. The answer is usually the paper. Handmade watercolour paper is significantly more expensive than standard machine-made paper, but for an artist it’s worth every penny because it can handle washes, layering, and lifting techniques without falling apart.
Standard journals often contain machine-made paper, which is perfectly suitable for writing, light sketching, or everyday notes. These journals are generally more affordable and ideal for regular use.
Premium handmade journals, on the other hand, often feature artisan papers with beautiful texture and character. Handmade watercolour paper is particularly prized by artists because it absorbs paint differently, creating richer textures and allowing colours to behave naturally. While it comes at a higher price, the quality can transform the creative experience.
3. Handmade vs Mass Produced
Mass-produced journals offer excellent value, consistency, and a wide range of styles. They’re perfect for everyday journaling, work notes, and gifting when budget is an important consideration.
Handmade journals offer something quite different. Every journal has its own unique character, from the stitching and binding to the natural variations in the paper itself. They are crafted in smaller quantities with attention to detail that simply can’t be replicated by large-scale manufacturing.
Every handmade journal I create is bound individually. I choose the papers, prepare the covers, and assemble each journal by hand. No two are exactly alike, and I think that’s part of their charm. You’re not buying something that’s come off a production line but something that’s been made to be treasured.
Choosing handmade isn’t just about buying a notebook—it’s about investing in craftsmanship, supporting skilled makers, and owning something truly individual.
4. Consider Your Budget
The price of a journal often reflects the materials and time involved in creating it.
If you’re looking for a journal to use every day for lists, meeting notes, or general writing, an affordable machine-made notebook may be the perfect solution.
If you’re creating artwork, preserving memories, or looking for a keepsake that will last for years, investing in a handmade journal with premium paper can be well worth the additional cost.
The most expensive journal isn’t necessarily the best—it simply needs to be the right one for your purpose.
5. Think About the Experience
A journal is more than paper bound between two covers. It’s something you’ll reach for regularly, whether that’s every morning with a cup of coffee or during quiet moments of creativity.
Consider how it feels in your hands, how the pages turn, whether it lies flat when open, and whether the paper complements your favourite pens, pencils, or paints.
The right journal encourages you to return to it again and again.
Choosing the Right Journal
There is no single “perfect” journal—only the perfect journal for you. By considering how you’ll use it, the type of paper you need, your budget, and whether you value handcrafted quality or everyday practicality, you’ll find a journal that supports your creativity rather than limiting it.
When I make a journal, I don’t start by choosing the cover, I start by thinking about the person who’ll use it. A writer needs something very different from an artist, and choosing the right paper is often more important than choosing the prettiest cover design.
Whether you’re filling pages with stories, sketches, travel memories, or personal reflections, the best journal is the one that inspires you to open it and begin.
Summary
If you’ve been inspired to purchase a journal or start creative journaling whether as a hobby or for your wellbeing; view our range here and if you don’t see anything that inspires you, get in touch for a bespoke journal and no obligation quotation.
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