How Did You Customize Your Midori Traveler's Notebook?

May 14, 2016

I have customized my MTN even more and I use it for almost everything now. It has gotten quite thick but it can still hold itself together and it's still very stable. It's now my wallet, my Chronodex planner, my journal, my paper directory for the office, my brain dump, and my docket.

I was able to thread more nylon elastic strands through the holes to accommodate more refills. I have the Midori rubber bands but they didn't really work very well with me, so I thought of this hack, which works so much better.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-4.jpg

Then I put in my refills. One of them is the Chronodex. Here are some photos:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-7.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-8.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-9.jpg

Those colors I used don't really mean anything. I have not thought of color-coding yet, because that is actually my first Chronodex volume. But in my next Chronodex I have already assigned five colors to my five different categories, which will give me a more accurate representation of where my time goes.

The Chronodex is quite awesome. It uses the very familiar clock face to monitor time use. I can see just how much time I schedule and actually use for various tasks, such as errands, editing, writing, layout, answering emails, office meetings, command conferences, video shoots and photo shoots, post-production work, reading time, and personal downtime (almost zero for that!). It's also a handy tool to have for job billings that are on a per-hour basis.

For my color-coded notations and shadings on my Chronodex, I use the five-color Pilot Coleto, which fits perfectly in a small Midori pen holder:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-5.jpg

All in all, I have the following notebooks in my MTN:

- a zipped file that I use as my wallet and receptacle for a few blank checks (so I don't need to carry around my entire checkbook) and some bank transaction slips
- a docket for a novel that I have been working on
- a Chronodex (a MTN grid refill that I took apart, printed on, and then re-bound)
- another Chronodex, which will start in a week, after which time I shall remove the previous Chronodex and file it away
- a Midori Kraft file folder that holds loose papers and my business cards
- the office directory
- my journal, a Midori lightweight notebook refill
- one card file that holds one folding knife and 11 different cards (identification cards, driver's license, two bank cards, and selected rewards cards. I used to have two of this, to accommodate my 24 cards, but I have sworn off credit cards completely since March so I put all of my five (!) credit cards in storage, and no longer buy from the super high-end shops, so the rewards cards for those went into storage as well. (Yay for me! I hope I keep this up. Haha!)

I think I have the fattest -- and heaviest -- MTN, but it works for me. It's a little fatter than usual in the photo because i have not yet taken out some receipts for filing, and the current Chronodex is still there, to be taken out on June 24.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f40/maryannemoll/image-3.jpg

Most days, in the office, and going to meetings and doing my errands, it's all I ever bring, in addition to my iPhone. As a very forgetful person, a notebook for jotting down ideas and reminders is very important, and having just one notebook for that is a life-saver. The trick that made the MTN work for me is to use it for almost everything. It has come to be my survival tool of sorts.

More on the Chronodex from its creator, Patrick Ng: http://scription.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/scription-chronodex-weekly-planner-jan-jun-2013-released-.html#.Ub0_U2QaxaC

Designing and printing my own Chronodex notebook, plus re-binding the Midori grid notebook that I print it on, takes about half a day, and each refill is good for a little more than two months. But I enjoy doing it, and having a good-looking planner that is customized for my needs help me manage my time more efficiently, and being able make my own Chronodex pages all by myself makes me feel empowered. Also, someone on FPN said that DIY projects are always good for the soul. Amen to that! And thanks to the MTN for allowing me countless opportunities for hacking it.

Hi Maryanne.

Thanks for posting all these wonderful photos and for sharing your experiences. My first MTN is on it's way to me (I used to use a Filofax) and I've been working through what my set-up might be and how I'll use it. Your postings are really helpful as I imagine I'll be like you, with everything in one MTN, making it quite fat.

I have a question for you on the thickness. I can see how you added more elastics to accommodate more notebooks. Do the edges of the notebooks still out further than the cover now? It's hard to tell from your photos. I know there isn't much 'extra' width on a MTN cover and so I wonder if the edges of everything show and about your experience of the wear and tear on the edges of everything?

May 14, 2016

I am very much enjoying reading everyone's posts here. Thanks to you all for sharing.

I used to use a Filofax for my calendar, address book, and projects. I eventually went digital with all of that. Now, I'm transitioning back to a paper system using MTN. I've been using the inserts for a while to see how the size and shape work for me. I've ordered a regular sized MTN in the new camel and it should be here any day. As I make the transition, there have been a couple of pieces that have stumped me. One was how to work with a perpetual calendar which is made easy with something like iCal. I have worked out a system for that as I go back to paper.

The other piece that I haven't figured out is what to do about an address book? I haven't seen anyone discuss this aspect when describing their TN as their everyday carry, planner, and all-in-one personal item. So, I'm here to ask you, what do you use for an address book with your TN? Do you still keep all your contacts digitally in your phone? Or have I missed something in the TN world?

I look forward to hearing what each of you had done about this.

May 14, 2016

The other piece that I haven't figured out is what to do about an address book? I haven't seen anyone discuss this aspect when describing their TN as their everyday carry, planner, and all-in-one personal item. So, I'm here to ask you, what do you use for an address book with your TN? Do you still keep all your contacts digitally in your phone? Or have I missed something in the TN world?

I look forward to hearing what each of you had done about this.

I simply took a regular Midori refill with grid paper and turned it into an address book by cutting tabs on the side of the pages to create an index.

May 14, 2016

I am very much enjoying reading everyone's posts here. Thanks to you all for sharing.

The other piece that I haven't figured out is what to do about an address book? I haven't seen anyone discuss this aspect when describing their TN as their everyday carry, planner, and all-in-one personal item. So, I'm here to ask you, what do you use for an address book with your TN? Do you still keep all your contacts digitally in your phone? Or have I missed something in the TN world?

I look forward to hearing what each of you had done about this.

If you don't mind making your own, have a look on Etsy for a digital downloadable TN Address Book.

For example https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/220573584/midori-travelers-notebook-address-book?ref=shop_home_active_11

Very simple to do and you can add A-Z tabs using the self-adhesive ones widely available , or do as john74 suggested.

May 14, 2016

Thank you, John74 and Migo984 for replying so quickly. These are both good suggestions.

I wonder if there are other ideas as well, still floating around out there?

Thanks to you all.

March 3, 2017

For those who hate the knot, I substituted a thick hair tie, it's elastic enough to hold everything together has no knot and they are cheap. I get 5 or 6 on a little card. and keep a spare in the zipper pouch. They come in different colors too. The only downside is you can't attach beads/charms to it directly. Speaking of that, does anyone have any pictures of how you attach charms to the book mark? I saw where someone had put some really interesting looking tiny bolts to theirs but I couldn't tell in the picture how he added them.

I'd suggest looking for charms that come with clasps for attaching. That's how Fossil charms work, and I've seen some of that type at Michael's.

March 7, 2017

This thread does not help with my desire to buy one.

March 9, 2017

This thread does not help with my desire to buy one.

Buy it!

There are dozens of alternative leather notebook covers on Amazon. I bought my first Midori at Maido in San Francisco and the rest of my TNs from Goulet. I like supporting real stores where real people are on the phones and in the back room and I like the brand.

But shop around.

Edited March 9, 2017 by bogiesan