Hobonichi Weeks: How I Use the 72 Extra Note Pages

One of the best things about the Hobonichi Weeks is the 72 Extra Note Pages that is incorporated in the planner.  Considering that this is my first year with the Hobonichi, I didn't know what to do with the 72 pages.  All those lovely gridded Tomoe River Paper and I have no idea at all what to fill it up with.  Then, little by little it just came to me.

The Index Page of the Hobonichi Weeks Note Pages

But before that, let me talk about the extra note pages.  The pages are in the same Tomoe River Paper that is used in the main planner.  It has grids to make it easy to make any kind of list.  It also has the secret line that is featured in the note area in the weekly spread.  There is also an index on the first page that can serve as some sort of table of contents for what is in the note page area of the planner.  This is indeed very useful and flexible.


Now, let's go to what I did to the extra note pages:

1.  Pen and Ink Swatches

My Gel Pen Swatches

Now, being my first encounter with the Hobonichi and the Tomoe River Paper, I was wondering what pens I should use it with.  Of course the Uni pen that came with the planner would work well, but I had a collection of multi-colored gel pens I was so excited to use.  So, on the last page I started writing samples of the pen and ink.  It also served as an inventory of all the pens that I have, so that when I visit the stores I would know that I have a particular pen or set of pens in my inventory.  It saves me from buying the same item twice, saves me money and saves me space in my craft area.

Stamping Ink swatches and samples of my embossing powders.
Just to find out if it will work with the Tomoe River Paper.

From pen and ink swatches, I have also made samples of the ink pads that I have in my inventory including some embossing powders.  I even made samples on the pages just to see if I can emboss on Tomoe river paper.  I warped my Hobonichi pencil board in the process.  Although it is still usable, it bothers me so I made a new pencil board with old scrapbook papers.




2.  Packing List

One of the major feature of my meeting and project planning notebook is about six pages of packing

list that I go over every time I have to travel.  Last December, I would go back to that list several times and it was tedious as I have already archived that 2016 notebook towards the end of the year.  So I thought, why not write down the list on the Hobonichi Weeks.  It is my on-the-go planner and will always be with me.  This served me well, because if I am in the grocery or department store, I could just check on the list what things I have run out of and buy it.  This system also made me saved a lot of money.  I don't have to wonder if I still have shampoo in my toiletry bag because just a quick check on the list and I would know.  It prevents the "when-in-doubt-buy" syndrome.

My Packing List.
I have developed this list over the years
starting with a lift from the
onebag.com website.

3.  Grocery List

Now, this is pretty neat.  I thought of this when one time during the holidays, I had to make a grocery list and found it time consuming to go over the pantry and check one by one what was missing. Most of time also, I would go to the supermarket without a prepared list and just buy the usual stuff every single time, not aware that we still have a lot of that product.

With the grocery list in my Hobonichi Weeks, all I needed to do was to check what I have against what was on the list and using a simple check or "x" mark, I would know what I still have and what I don't have.  This saved me a lot of money and prevented food stuffs from expiration just because we had so much of the product we couldn't consume it before it goes bad.  I have also indicated the date when I checked the pantry to give me an idea how much time before a certain item runs out.  This continues to be such a time-saver for me.

My Grocery List

4.  Bill Tracker

One of the things I really need is to manage my finances.  Sometime a bill doesn't get paid for the month just because I forgot paying it on time.  Most of the time I have it on my weeklies, but even there, it gets ignored.  So, I devised a Bill Tracker system where I have all of my Bills and financial obligations on one page.  This way, I won't forget it and all the due dates can be indicated on the weeklies from the bill tracker.  I use a simple check and "x" mark for these also.

My Bill Tracker.  I had to cover the list itself as it is private.

5. Wish List

Have you ever experienced entering a store because you know you have to buy something from it and forgot what it was you were supposed to buy and ended up buying stuff you don't really need?  I always experience that.  So, I made a wish list of stuff that I need and want to have especially for my crafting hobby.  It also helps me in buying just what I need preventing me from making purchases of stuff that will just add to the clutter at home.  Again, this list saves me so much money and space in my craft area at home.

My Wist List 2017.  Deliberately blurred for privacy.

6.  Gift List

Late last year, one of the tedious things I have to do is making my gift list.  It is easy for family and friends, but how about that nice postal worker who is so nice to you, or that bank manager who has been so accomodating to your requests?  I need a list to keep track of these.  And of course, it saves a lot of money if you buy gifts all throughout the year during mark-downs and clearance sales.  If you already have that list at the beginning of the year, you can already buy for birthday and Christmas gifts at any point of the year and avoid the Christmas rush and higher prices that comes with it.  Super organized and efficient.


Some More on The Extra Note Paper

I still have about 40 pages of blank note paper that is just waiting for other ideas.  Definitely I will continue with having this area as an inventory of my craft materials.  I might also write down a travel list.  Maybe write down my yearly and monthly goals here, although I already have it written down in another notebook.  We will see and I will update you how it goes through out the year.  For now, if you have any ideas, please do share it in the comment section.

Happy Planning,

Peachy :-)