The Traveler’s Notebook (aka Midori Traveler’s Notebook) is a notebook system from Japan with a growing cult following. It is essentially a reusable leather cover that can hold multiple notebooks via elastic bands. This post is about Traveler’s notebook “standard” size refills, what types of refills are available and where to find them.
Over the years I’ve tried many different notebook systems. Filofax came close, but The Traveler’s is the only one that’s really stuck. For me the most appealing part of the Traveler’s Notebook is the fact that it can hold multiple notebooks together. I can use it to manage my work lists, my private projects, journaling, art journaling and all in one place. On any given day my midori might hold my work notebook, my art journal, my diary and/or my personal development journal. Each refill is small and lightweight but not too small to be useful. Also the refills can easily slid in and out from the elastic band enclosures. Simple, efficient, beautiful.
So lets talk about the Traveler’s notebook refills themselves
Official Midori Refills
The manufacturer has a wide range with different types of paper to suit most people purposes. These are the most commonly available refills. You can get them from Amazon, as well as from a range of online stockists. Unfortunately as this is a Japanese brand it can sometimes be a little difficult/slow to get the refills posted to Europe.
Paperchase Refills
SOMETIMES Paperchase stocks notebooks in the correct size format, but not reliably. I’ve found stock in store varies from week to week and store to store. That said it can be easier to find notebooks in store rather than online. For some daft reason Paperchase always describe the refills differently online, making them difficult to find among all the other notebooks they offer. As a result I visit my local store regularly, sometimes they have none, sometimes they have a full range with options, with blank page, dots, grid or lines. Every so often they are inspired to come out with a particularly creative, helpful refill such as the project manager shown on the right above (top and bottom).
Ranger Dylusions Refills
This was a range of covers and refills brought out (I think in 2018) by Ranger. The covers are larger than a standard Midori refill, so as to accommodate multiple multi-media refills. The refills themselves are standard midori traveler’s size. They include inserts with blank pages, dots, lines and a few that come with backgrounds already painted in. The paper is heavier than standard writing refills, making them particularly good for mixed media use.
Moleskin Chapters Slim Large
This notebook appears to have been discontinued, however you can still very occasionally pick one up from eBay. It contains 128 pages of acid-free paper and the external stitched binding means the journal can open perfectly flat. It also includes a chapters index page, a coloured title page to mark each chapter, thirteen to-do lists and a number of detachable pages. At 116 x 211mm it comes in slightly larger than an official midori travelers notebook refill, however I have found it to be an invaluable component of my everyday notebook carry. Versions existed with blank, dots, grid and ruled pages, all in the traditional moleskin paper. This one has so far been my hands-down favourite everyday refill.
Make your own
Particularly for blank pages, DIY works well. In Europe, standard A4 pages are already exactly the correct height. All you have to do is cut them to the correct width, find a similarly sized piece of cardboard for a cover, sew them down the middle with a sewing machine and your good to go. If you don’t have a sewing machine you can hand-sew. Hop over to stationery nerd for a tutorial. Bonus tip: A friend of mine that makes books recommended the use of dental floss as the thread (yes I am 100% serious). It’s stronger than regular thread and will more reliably hold your pages together as you go on your adventures.
Hack your own
Finally, if you have access to a paper guillotine, simply buy yourself some standard A5 softcover notebooks and get chopping. An A5 notebook is already the correct height. All you need to do is trim the edge to the correct width of 110mm.
Other sources of Traveler’s notebook refills:
- Etsy.com
- aliexpress.com
- https://www.bookfellstudio.com/ (do a decent mixed media refill)
- Make friends with an awesome journal maker who will produce gorgeous custom made journals such as this one.
