How to Choose the Best Journal for You

You’ve decided to start journaling — amazing. But now you’re stuck on the first big decision: How do I choose the best journal or format to start with? And does it really matter?

If that question’s been holding you back, you’re not alone. With so many formats, layouts, paper types, and even apps out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed before you’ve even written a single word.

This post will walk you through what actually makes a journal work for you — based on your goals, preferences, and the type of journaling you want to try. We’ll talk about physical vs digital options, different formats and paper types, and how to figure out what you really need (without falling down a stationery rabbit hole… unless you want to, of course).

What Makes The Best Journal?

So, what makes the best journal? Feels like there should be an obvious answer, right? However, there are many ways to journal, which will affect your decision on the type of journal you want to buy.

For example, you might start with morning pages, in which case you may prefer a book with ruled lines. You might decide to bullet journal, in which case grid lines usually work best. And if you want to art journal, you’ll want a sketchbook with a paper weight/type that can handle the art materials you will be using.

Then, of course, there’s digital journaling!

Let’s start by looking at the biggest decision you’ll want to make: Do you want a physical or digital journal?

Digital Or Physical Journals: Which Is Best For You?

Digital journals offer you a paper-free option for journaling. Instead of buying a book(s), you’ll choose a software or app for which you’ll pay monthly. It may initially work out more expensive than buying a diary for the year, but the cost of journaling supplies can add up, so in the end, an online journal could work out cheaper than a physical version (if budget is a consideration).

You’ll also need time to set up your digital option and consider formatting, tagging and displaying your entries, not just for how they look and feel, but for ease of finding them again. You see, journaling is about more than documenting thoughts and feelings in the moment; you can also use it to reflect across a period of time to track and evaluate change.

Then, you’ll want to back up your journal in case you later decide to swap between apps or you feel worried about losing entries. Where will you do this? And how often do you need to back up? These are questions you’ll need to answer.

Here are some examples of journaling-specific apps and software I’ve tried over the years:

• DayOne
• Journey
• Diarium
• Penzu
• Momento

Examples of note-keeping apps that you could use for journaling:

• Evernote
• Milanote

You can also try Notion.

Physical journals have a tangible benefit over digital versions. The experience of updating them can become part of the therapy you find in documenting your life. You also have many more options with a physical journal because there are so many journaling supplies and materials out there.

Physical journaling supplies I recommend:

• B5 ZenArt Dot Grid Journal
• PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook
• Zebra Mildliner Highlighters
• Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens
• SAKURA Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens
• Super Sticky Post-it notes

Let’s take a deeper look at physical journaling because a lot more will go into deciding which product is right for you.

Physical Journals: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

As I said, there’s a lot to think about here, so take your time to think about what you might like to start with.

Journal covers

The experience of picking up, holding and opening your journal should make you happy. But it should also last. While you can buy metal book corners to strengthen your cover, start with a product that will stand up to being handled daily. And if you want to store them, pick something that will stand the test of time.

Paper Weight

Personally, I’d always choose a journal with a higher paper weight. Aside from the look and feel as you write, heavier pages will take more decorations and wear and tear.

If you ask most journalers their preferred paper weight, they’d say to look for something with 120 gsm or higher. If you are art journaling, look for 160 gsm as your baseline.

Paper Colour

Most people will opt for white paper because we are used to writing on white or cream paper. However, you can also buy coloured or black paper journals, which give journaling a very different look and feel. And there’s something quite exciting in that.

You can also make your own journal and use whichever coloured paper (or variations of colour) you like, including hand-dyed!

Journal Format

You’ll have several choices. You can either pick

• Preformatted – That are ready for daily, weekly, and yearly layouts or specific journaling types like morning pages.
• Dotted Grid Paper – Great for bullet journals
• Square Grid Paper – Also great for bullet journals
• Lined Paper – Perfect for stream-of-consciousness journaling or Dear Diary styles
• Blank Paper – For the freedom of deciding how you want to journal

Whichever format you choose, don’t let it define you. You can always have your next journal look and feel different. And you can always use ruled paper for bullet journaling or art journaling.

If you are hand-making your own journal, pick the option(s) of paper, format and cover that will work best for you.

Can you use a regular notebook to start journaling?

Yes 🙂

Sometimes, just getting started is the best approach. Pick a notepad you like the look and feel of, and go from there.

Try out different journaling ideas, develop your style and then when your notebook is finished, you can buy a second one that suits where you’ve landed on what you prefer.

Choosing The Best Journal Style (Or Technique) For You

If you are stuck on what style or journaling technique to pick, I’d suggest experimenting for a few months. This should give you a clear idea of what works for you. You may also find that two or three styles in tandem work best for you. And that’s okay. Remember, it’s your journal, so it’s your rules.

There are lots of different styles/techniques to pick from. Here are just a few:

• Bullet journaling – great for creating and tracking goals, mood and lifestyle changes
• Gratitude journaling – perfect for helping you seek more gratitude in your day
• Positive journaling – for reframing your thoughts and decision-making
• Morning pages – for helping you start the day with clarity and intention
• Stream of consciousness – perfect for working through problems or situations
• Reflection journaling – helping you gain a sense of clarity from your day and setting intentions for the next day
• Art journaling – for expressing your feelings through the act of creation
• Travel journaling – for documenting trips
• Dream journaling – for analysing your subconscious
• Mood journaling – for understanding your mood shifts and developing changes where you need them
• Prompt journaling – an excellent tool for thinking about specific aspects of your life or thought process
• Food or exercise journaling – usually for understanding and tracking performance, but they could also help you develop ideas on what you like (for example, a type of training or food recipes)
• Even hobby and reading journaling – usually for documenting thoughts or reviewing projects

Final Tip: Take Time to Find The Best Journal For You

In this blog, we’ve touched the very tip of what’s out there, and the one thing that I want to highlight is the need to experiment. You will need to try some things to find the best journal for you.

You’ll also need to be open to change, because what works for you in the first year will inevitably be tweaked and changed over the next five or ten years. And that’s okay. You don’t need to set anything in stone to make a start. The most important thing is that you start.

Grab a notebook and get writing, or try an app and start digital journaling. Don’t worry about how that first entry looks or reads; everything can be refined just as your journal’s look, feel and format can be updated.

Need a more complete guide to journaling for beginners, where I cover everything from writing your first entry to creating your journaling space? Read my suggestions by pressing the button below.