19 creative ways to use your empty notebooks

If you’re like me, you probably have more than a few unused notebooks on your shelf. In fact, you might have so many that you don’t even know what to do with them. However, don’t worry; Notebooks are versatile and can be used for multiple purposes. Whatever the type of notebook, be it spiral, bound, large, small, dotted, lined or squared, here are some ideas for filling them.

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1. Diary/Diary

It may seem a little obvious, but using a journal can be the most satisfying thing. It allows you to reflect on your life and express your thoughts. When something worries me, I always write it down in my diary. It’s almost as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It can also help you practice handwriting and writing skills. You’ll also be able to reminisce about fun memories you’ve had from your entries.

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2. Bullet Journal/Planner

The bullet journal is a planning and organizing system developed by designer Ryder Carroll. It lets you plan, set reminders, create to-do lists, block time, reflect, and more. in a single notebook while increasing productivity. Bullet journalers tend to use dotted notebooks, but you can use any notebook you have. You can even create your own online!

When it comes to starting your bujo, you can choose to go for a simple, minimalist look (like the original planner) or you can go for a more elaborate design (like Amanda Rach Lee’s monthly spreads). It all depends on how much time you have and your personal taste. You can even choose to have a bullet journal that is both minimalist and artistic!

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3. Vision Board Journal

Record all your big dreams in this journal. To create your own vision board journal, open a new page, collect old magazines, newspapers or print your own photos and paste them! You could create a vision board of your goals for the month, the year, or even your entire life!

4. Scrapbook

Scrapbooks are similar to newspapers, but they’re next level. Use a notebook large enough to fill yours with different layers of scrap paper, stickers, photos, small notes, stamps, envelopes, etc. I recommend keeping a box or folder with all the supplies you can use in your scrapbook. Collect small scraps of paper from newspapers, magazines, old kraft paper, old wrapping paper, or any other scraps of paper you think you could use in your scrapbook. Mei Ying Chow has lots of videos on her YouTube channel where she shows off her scrapbooking process.

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5. Lists

Use any notebook of your choice and write lists. For example, movies and TV shows to watch, books to read, to-do list, reading list, recipes to try, new words you learned, etc. your to-do list for month), you can either cross it out or check it.

6. Dream Diary

When you wake up in the morning, write down everything you remember from the previous night’s dream. Be sure to keep the journal on your nightstand or by your bed! It’s funny to look back at the dreams and see how ridiculous they were. Continuously writing down your dreams will help you improve your memory and you will be able to remember your dreams more easily later.

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7. Gratitude Journal

Write down everything you are grateful for in this notebook. You can even make it look a bit like a scrapbook with different layers and colors, or you can keep it simple and write a list. Gratitude has been proven to improve sleep, reduce stress levels, and help you have a more positive outlook on life.

8. Logbook

Books, books and more books! Make a TBR (to-be-read) board with all the books you want to read, and a board with all the books you’ve read. You can make a table with the name of the book, the author, when you started and finished reading it, and a star rating. You can even make whole pages with a review of a particular book that you really liked or didn’t like at all.

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9. TV show/movie diary

Do you like watching movies and TV shows? This log would be similar to the books log, but is more about movies and TV shows. Make lists of who you’d like to watch, a rating page, separate review pages, streams with your favorite actors and the shows/movies they starred in, and you can even create an episode tracker to see up to where you are on a show. .

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10. Writing notebook

Do you like to write? Well, a writing notebook is something you need have! You can plan and describe stories, write poems, insert your favorite quotes from books, make a list of interesting words you’ve learned (eg synonyms of the word “speak”), and much more! You can also just write down the ideas that come to mind throughout the day and when you have writer’s block in the future, you can go back to all the ideas you’ve had and choose the one you want. you prefer. A writing notebook can be anything you want, so get creative!

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11. Unsent Letters

Have you ever wanted to say something to someone but never did? Instead of expressing all those feelings of anger, grief, or love directly to them, write them a letter in a “things I wish I had said” or “unsent letters” notebook. Of course, the point of the idea is not to send it to them, but it will help you feel relieved and may help you break out of the person you were when you felt these emotions.

12. Passwords

Get a notepad or small notebook and write down your passwords for all your accounts so you can remember them. (Some ideas include your: Google account, social media accounts, website accounts you signed up to, etc.)

13. Poetry and Art Review

Use this notebook to write your poetry and copy the poetry of other poets. This notebook can also be a hybrid of an art journal and a poetry journal. Express yourself creatively and don’t worry too much about making mistakes. The more imperfect it is, the more raw and real it seems. Just like scrapbooks, use scraps of paper, magazines, photos, stamps, stickers, and whatever else you think is appropriate.

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14. Language notebook

If you are learning a new language, a good idea is to start a language notebook as this will allow you to keep track of the vocabulary you have learned. You can create calendars where you can set language learning goals, you can write down grammar rules and notes, and you can practice writing in the language. For example, I like to keep a diary in the languages ​​I’m learning. In this way, I am able to review the basic vocabulary that I use on a daily basis. If you take online courses (like Duolingo, for example), you can also track your progress.

If you want tips on learning a new language, check out my article 8 Effective Tips for Learning a New Language.

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15. Sketchbook

Whether you’re an avid artist and love to draw or you’re just getting started, a sketchbook is a must-have. This will allow you to practice sketching and sketching before moving on to larger projects like a painting. You can draw houses in your neighborhood, people, or anything else in your environment.

16. Nature Diary

Squeeze flowers, leaves and other plants into your notebook. Label them: what they are, where you found them, and when you found them. Be sure to add lots of photos and drawings for visual appeal. I like to use watercolors and paint the area I’m in. For example, a garden or a park. You can also use this journal to keep track of the plants you plant in your garden. You can make a table with the name of the plant, when you planted it and how often it needs to be watered, etc. You can take before and after photos of your garden or take a photo of your garden every month and put it in your journal to follow its progress.

If you go camping or hiking, write down those adventures in this journal too! Include photos of mountains you’ve seen or animals you’ve spotted. The possibilities for a nature journal are endless…explore different ideas and see what you like best!

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17. School grades

Use any notebook you have to take class notes for any of your classes. A good trick is to color code certain sections. For example, the lesson title, the header, should always be one color so you can distinguish it from the rest of your notes. You can also use different colors for subtitles, definitions, examples, dates and events, important information, key terms, additional information, etc.

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18. Recipe Log

Keep track of ALL the recipes you want to try, your favorite recipes, etc. You can even separate the notebook by section (breakfast foods, lunch ideas, dinner, desserts, TikTok food hacks, and drinks). It’s your own personalized cookbook!

19. Back and forth diary

Pen-paling is making a comeback, and we couldn’t be more excited. The basis of the back and forth diary is to write letters to someone and send the notebook to a friend, relative or someone else, and ask them to write you a letter on the next page. You can also insert photos, write poetry, make art, etc. From there, you’ll have a shared journal and a collection of exchanged letters that you’re sure to cherish for a long time.

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If you have empty notebooks lying around, these 19 ideas have hopefully been able to inspire you to fill them. You can choose to mix and match different ideas, or you can have a dedicated notebook for each idea. Remember that you are not limited to these 19 ideas. The possibilities for filling your notebooks are endless, so don’t feel like you have to use them for just one purpose. Now go ahead and have fun!