Do you have empty journals lying around and don’t know what to do with them? Or are you trying to start journaling for the first time, but don’t know where to start? Here are 7 journal ideas that will give you the inspiration you need to start!
Journaling is something that everyone wants to do, but most people don’t because they don’t know where to start. This post is all about 7 journal ideas that you will want to try!
7 Types of Journals
1. Daily Journal
It’s only right that I start with my favorite type of journal! This is a very simple journal that’s perfect for people who want to keep an archive of their day-to-day life.
In this journal, you can write about absolutely anything and everything. You can write about your day, who you met, what emotions you’re feeling, any thoughts that have been on your mind, etc.
Out of all of my journals, this is the one I use the most. I have finished around 6-7 of these in my life.
This is the one I recommend to absolutely everyone. You will feel so amazing after writing what’s on your mind. Your head will be clear and you will be able to focus on tasks more easily.
I can go on and on about this journal. But let’s move on!
2. Agenda
Agendas are seriously underrated. Some people might not consider an agenda as a type of journal, but I disagree. Agendas are perfect for writing down your daily tasks and objectives. It keeps your head clear and mind organized.
An Agenda will soon become the one you depend on to keep your sanity, especially if you have a lot of things on your plate. Writing out your daily tasks or even planning out your week can relieve stress you didn’t know you had. Other than my daily journal, this is the second type that I use the most.
Keeping an agenda will also help with better time management. You will be able to organize your priorities and get things done ahead of schedule.
An agenda is ideal for those who constantly have a busy schedule. There are so many types of agendas from weekly, daily, monthly, hourly and more.
3. Dream journal
This is the journal that everyone has wanted to have at some point in their life.
We’ve all woken up from a crazy dream and then when we try to recall what happened later, we can’t remember the details.
A dream journal is the perfect solution. Every morning when you wake up, you can grab your journal and write down what happened in your dream before you forget it. Some people even draw pictures of their dream.
Keeping this kind of dream diary can also boost your creativity. According to Allswell, writing down your dreams can, “[help] you generate new thoughts and ideas” because you are reaching into the ‘untapped’ parts of your brain.
This journal is perfect for anyone who is trying to better remember their dreams. It’s also great for those who like to analyze and find meanings in their dreams.
4. Goal journal
Having a goal journal is a great way to stay driven towards accomplishing your goals. It’s also a great way to keep progress of how far you’ve come.
There have been multiple studies that show by writing down your goals, you are more than 40% more likely to achieve them! That’s pretty impressive.
In this journal, you can write down your goal(s) and make an action plan for the steps you need to take to complete these goals within a certain time frame. The more details you have about your goal, the more likely you are to reach it.
5. Travel journal
Calling all my travelers! (Take me with you please).
This journal is perfect for those who are constantly on the move and going to new places. You can take pictures, add drawings, clip tickets, etc. into this book to keep a memory of each place you visit.
Along with pictures, you can write down a few sentences on each page to explain what you did. I’ve seen countless travel journal ideas on Pinterest and how people make their travel pages look!
You also don’t need to travel all across the country to have this type of journal! You can have this journal and visit places in your city. Even if you think your city/town is ‘boring’, go out, take pictures and stick em’ in a journal. It’s a place to start and when you are able to start traveling you will be a pro!
6. Creative/art Journal
Art journals… where do I begin? These are some of my favorite journals to look at.
In an art journal you can do absolutely anything. You can draw, paint, sketch, glue pictures, add stickers and so much more.
An art book can be a great alternative to a daily writing journal. This journal is great for those are able to better express their emotions, feelings, thoughts and ideas more effectively through their art!
Unfortunately, for me, I’ve never been very artistic, but maybe one day I’ll be able to start and finish one of these journals.
7. Reading Journal
For those who love to read and are finishing books left and right, this journal is exactly what you need!
This is a relatively new journaling idea that I’ve heard about recently, but it has definitely piqued my interest.
In this journal, you can make a list of all the books you read, add the dates that you started and finished the book, write your thoughts about the plot/characters, rate the book on a scale of 1-10 and explain why it got that rating.
This journal is perfect for keeping a detailed record of every book you read as well as keep track of them. This is also a great way to recommend books to other people!
A reading journal is also an amazing conversation starter with other people who love to read. This is a journal idea that is slowly starting to gain traction… Anyone on booktok?? (TikTok’s that are all about books). Whenever I’m on TikTok I always end up on videos of people recommending their favorite books and it’s a great community to be a part of!
Like other journals, you can set this up however you like. I’ve seen plenty of interesting and different setups of reading journals on Pinterest.
Still not convinced to start journaling? Read this article about the benefits you can expect to receive from writing in a journal!
Check out my Journal Board on Pinterest if you are in need of some inspiration! This board will definitely get your creativity flowing.
My two favorite place to buy journals
Typo:
Typo is a journal store that is connected with the clothing store, CottonOn. Every journal I’ve bought over the last few years have been from Typo (except for one). They have so many journal options: different styles, designs, sizes, colors, etc.
I always get my journals from Typo in person, but you can also shop online.
Some of Typo’s journals also have funny/sarcastic remarks on them which I like; one of the journals I have is all black and it says, “Fresh Out of Fucks”. However, they also have plenty of plain options as well!
I use these journals the most and almost every day. They have the perfect number of pages for me.
The journals that I currently use from Typo are: 3 agendas (excessive I know), a goal, idea, and a daily journal.
Nuuna is a company based in Germany and their journals are absolutely incredible. The detail that they put into them is amazing and you can definitely see the different when compared to other brands.
They feel amazing and they lay completely flat when you open them which is HUGE to me. Especially because I’m putting pictures in this journal. I don’t like when journals open half way and keep trying to close by themselves.
I bought my first Nuuna journal towards the end of last year and I use it as a creative/random journal. So far, I mostly do monthly recaps. I include some pictures I took during that month and then below the pictures, I write the songs I listened to, who I hung out with, things I did and other random things.
They have the perfect journals for artists or those who want to just throw a ton of their ideas down on a page. Their designs are very unique. But my favorite part about them (other than how they look) is how they feel. The quality is impeccable.
I have the OX Notebook. It is just absolutely gorgeous and the feel of it in my hands is one that I can’t describe, so I won’t even try.
I highly recommend buying a journal from either Typo or Nuuna. If you are ballin’ on a budget, Typo is more affordable.
Tips when choosing a journal
When choosing a journal, it’s important to choose one that you will be excited to write in. Some people will start writing in an old spiral notebook (which is fine to start out with), but I’ve noticed that I am more inclined to write and complete a journal when I enjoy looking at it.
This is why I recommend buying one (or a few) from Typo or Nuuna, because the quality is amazing and they have a wide selection to choose from. Of course, places like Target, Barnes & Nobles, etc. have journals too.
Etsy is also an amazing place to choose the perfect journal for you. This is because, a lot of the options on Etsy can be customized. This may raise the price, but I think it could be worth it!
If you needs some inspiration for how to set up your journal, head over to Pinterest and check out my Journal Board which is filled with all the inspiration you will need!
Feel free to leave a comment below! Or you can message me through the ‘contact’ page.