My Journaling Essentials: What You Actually Need (and What’s Just Nice to Have)
You really don’t need much to start journaling. A notebook. A pen. Something you want to get out of your head. That’s enough.
But after years of journaling, I’ve definitely found a few things I reach for again and again good notebooks, pens that don’t annoy me halfway through a page, and a handful of extras that make sitting down to write a little more enjoyable.
So this isn’t a list of everything you need to become a “proper journal person.”
It’s simply the stuff I genuinely like using.
First: You Don’t Need the Perfect Journal
Pinterest can make journaling look suspiciously like a stationery collection with some writing squeezed in between. It doesn’t have to be.
Use a $3 notebook. Write in your Notes app. Grab an old exercise book from the cupboard. Use the beautiful notebook you’ve been saving because you’re frightened of ruining it. There is no correct equipment.
But if you’re looking for a new notebook, a pen you actually enjoy writing with, or a few things that make journaling feel more inviting, these are my picks.
Pens & Writing Tools
- Colourful highlighters
For marking things that matter, adding a little colour or making an aggressively practical brain dump slightly prettier.
→ Shop Highlighter Set
- Favourite pen set
Smooth, reliable and comfortable enough for longer entries
→ Shop Pen Set
- No-bleed marker pens
Useful for journals, planners, headings and anywhere else you’re likely to get carried away.
→ Shop No-Bleed Marker Pens
Notebooks Worth Trying
- Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Journal
A classic choice if you like flexible pages, bullet journaling or creating your own layouts.
→ Check Price - Muji A5 Notebook
Simple, lightweight and refreshingly unfussy.
→ Check Price - Moleskine Classic Notebook
A sturdy option if you prefer traditional lined pages and want something that travels well.
→ Check Price - Kokuyo Campus Notebook
An inexpensive everyday option with lovely paper.
→ Check Price
The Completely Optional Fun Stuff
None of this will make you better at journaling. It can, however, make opening your journal more fun. Washi tape, stickers, stencils, colourful markers use whatever makes you want to come back to the page. Or use absolutely none of it.
- YUBX Washi Tape
→ Check Price - Metal Stencil Ruler
→ Check Price
Make Somewhere You Actually Want to Write
You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect journaling corner either. But environment can make a difference. A decent lamp, somewhere comfortable to sit, a cup for the pens you use most, maybe a blanket if you’re settling in for a longer entry. The goal isn’t to create an aesthetic. It’s to make journaling easy to begin.
- Ceramic Pen Cup
→ Check Price - Aesthetic Desk Organizer Tray
→ Check Price - Adjustable Warm-Light Desk Lamp
→ Check Price - Neutral Linen Throw Blanket
→ Check Price
Or Build Your Own Journal…
If a completely blank notebook isn’t what you’re looking for, I’ve created printable journal kits that give you some structure without telling you exactly how to journal. Print the pages you want. Skip the ones you don’t. Reprint the ones you love. Add them to a binder or mix them into your existing journaling system.
Take what works. Leave what doesn’t. Make it yours.
New to journaling? Start here for free.
21 days to clear your head, reset your rhythm and feel like yourself again.
Get your life together without pretending you’re suddenly a Type A person.
Capture the trip you’ll swear you’ll remember before you forget half of it.
Want something more structured?
Slow down and see things differently with six Japanese-inspired ideas for a calmer, more meaningful way to journal.
Get the life stuff out of your head and onto paper so you can finally see what needs doing and where to start.
Keep exploring…
The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Journaling Style
9 Bedroom Journal Corners That Feel Like Therapy
7 Nightstand Journaling Setups You’ll Actually Use
Affiliate note: Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend things I’d genuinely consider using myself.