Since I’ve made writing a daily habit, it’s only natural that I carry a little stationery pouch with me everywhere I go. Inside, I keep an ever-rotating cast of notebooks and tools, each one meaningful, useful, and part of my everyday life.

Here’s a look at what I currently keep inside.

Hobonichi Weeks Mega

This was my first “real” journal, the first one I stuck with consistently. The feature that motivates me the most is the dated format. It nudged me to write something every single day. I use this slim, practical notebook to track my mood, daily schedule, upcoming events, appointments, and short daily reflections.

I have shared the reason why I pick Hobonichi Weeks Mega as my main journaling book here.

Hobonichi A6 Notebook by Shibata Keiko

It was my most recent commonplace book, filled with notes, quotes, and thoughts I don’t want to forget. Sometimes, when I have a quiet moment, I flip through its pages just to revisit the things that once sparked something in me. It’s like carrying a small library of my past curiosities.

Even though this notebook is already full, I still carry it with me because, just like what I said, I like to occasionally reread what I’ve written.

Hobonichi A6 Notebook by Naoki Ishikawa

This is the notebook that took over after my Shibata Keiko one filled up. It’s my current commonplace book, a place where I jot down interesting quotes, ideas, or thoughts that cross my mind throughout the day.

In this Hobonichi A6 notebook, I also write down my blog post drafts that later go online on this blog.

Muji A6 Open-Flat Grid Notebook

This simple Muji notebook is where I learn Finnish. I use it for vocabulary drills, grammar notes, and everyday phrases. I like how flat it stays when open, which makes writing a bit easier during study sessions.

Bookmarker

It’s a small tool, but one I can’t do without. I use it to mark important notes in my notebooks, things I might want to return to later. Having it in my pouch means I never lose track of meaningful pages.

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Multipen

This is my current go-to pen, and I adore it. It gives bold, clear colors that don’t smudge or bleed through the page. The writing experience is smooth, which matches my fast-paced note-taking style.

What makes this pen special is how customizable it is. The pen body and the ink cartridges are sold separately, like a stationery buffet, you get to pick the barrel design and the exact ink colors you want. I like using color coding to organize my notes:

• Brown for blog post drafts
• Orange for headers
• Blue for quotes from books
• Red for book reviews

This color setup is versatile, depending on the stock available where I buy the refills.

I used to use a Uni multipen, but the ink would sometimes run out unevenly, one color would stop working before the others. With the Coleto, I can just refill whichever ink runs out first, and so far, all the inks work smoothly until they’re completely used up. It’s economical, practical, and suits my writing habits perfectly.

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Ink Refills

I always bring one or two ink refills with me, especially if a color looks like it’s about to run dry. In the photo, you’ll see a blue ink refill, that one was almost empty, so I tucked a spare into my pouch just in case. It gives me peace of mind knowing I won’t run out of ink mid-sentence when I’m writing outside.

Pilot Super Grip Mechanical Pencil & Faber-Castell Eraser

I use these mainly for writing things down on bookmarks or when I need to draft something lightly. They’ve been with me for over ten years and still work perfectly. There’s something comforting about using familiar tools that have stood the test of time.

Wouf Pouch

The pouch itself is from Wouf, a brand I discovered a few years ago. It’s not exactly made for holding notebooks and stationery, but it does the job well enough.

I once had my eye on the Hobonichi Ane pouch, but by the time I needed a pouch, the Finnish store that carried Hobonichi products had already sold out and wasn’t restocking. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I later read reviews saying that the plastic Hobonichi pouches tend to crack over time and aren’t great for carrying bulkier items (not that I pack too much, but still).

Many users recommend getting fabric pouches instead, so I’ve kept an eye out for next season’s Hobonichi lineup, hopefully, there’ll be more durable options. I’m also considering other brands that Hobonichi enthusiasts often mention, like Delfonics or Rickshaw Bagworks. Let’s see what the next season brings.