One Month in The Hobonichi Cousin: What Worked & What Didn't

To avoid breaking the binding on a brand new book, you can "open" a book by going through page by page slowly and sliding a finger down the middle of the binding or flat fingers over the middle. We used to do it at the library I worked at for new books so the binding didn't break easily. There is likely a video if you can't visualize what I am saying, it easy but takes some time so people don't do it. It will save the binding of hard covers and paperbacks.

I have ADHD, and found this so relatable. I appreciate how in tune you are with your productivity, and how the layouts made you feel and influenced your productivity.

It’s amazing the tricks we left-handed fountain pen users have to implement. I find blotter paper under part of my left hand when writing does the job.

Thanks for showing all the different iterations, even the things that you tried and didn't keep! It's really encouraging to see the process :) I'm still struggling to find the balance between work and personal, and keeping track of priorities and todos... but your videos remind me that it's worth it to keep trying. Also (idk how to phrase this properly) I find it very comforting to watch planning-related videos from people like you who have a "normal" (I hate that word) job, I find it easier to relate. Or maybe youtube has only been showing me full-time youtubers and I've been missing out, idk. Point is, thank you for doing what you do!!

I feel like the cousin is perfect for managing school and personal life with all the space it has and the 3 types of calendars

I have had to cope with IBS for so long. It’s quite comforting to see a planner friend with it too.

I also hold my pen the same way you do! I was forever being told off for it when I was a kid. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. 😊

YES YES YES to a planner podcast!

I'm left-handed, and I love fountain pens, inks, and Tomoe River Paper so much, that I re-trained myself to write with my hand under the line so I wouldn't smudge. I used to write like you, or with an even more extreme over-hand. It took me about a year to re-train, I used the Spencerian method of handwriting. When I write in print, or use pencil or ball-point pen, I revert to my old over-handed style.

I hold my pencil the same way you do! It’s called a lateral quadrupod grip I’m glad that you’re liking the Hobonichi so much. I like your channel’s vibe 😊

As a fellow leftie I hold my pen that way too!!! I have never seen anyone else hold it that way either… nice knowing I am not the only one😊 for my monthly to does I set a date I want to have them done by so I don’t forget about them. Great video!

19:00 This purple spread is so beautiful. 😍 💜✒

One thing that I find helpful with the yearly tracker is to still use the tracker in the weekly section or to write the habits as to-dos at the top of my dailies and then update them every couple days to the big list. The big one is helpful for seeing patterns that I don't notice with the normal weekly trackers.

The anxiety at minute 3.00 lol. I "plan" to be more like you. I have made progress. Love the video!

LOVE the stickers on your cousin cover!!

[Based solely on this video] We have the exact same taste in pens, even down to switching the MUJI cartridge into the Sarasa pen! How cool!!

I just recently bought the Sarasa vintage pens and was mourning the sepia black one because I dropped it and it stopped working. I also love the Muji pens and how thin they are, but they're really not comfortable to hold. When I tell you I JUMPED to switch the ink... You made my whole week with that fact alone, thank you!!

OMG I'm left handed too and I also hold my pen like you!!!!! I've never met another person in my entire life who holds their own like us. You've made me so happy - I've finally met my pen holding twin 😂 Re TRP and fountain pens, I have the same problem. My solution is that for my work planner I use a pencil because I need to be able to write without worrying about the ink, but for my journal and fun planners I hold a sheet of blotting paper over the part of the page that I've already written on so I can continue writing without smudging. Thanks so much for sharing your leftie pen struggles! ❤

this is such good information, stuff i never would have thought about and im just about to start my journey 💜

Fun video — such a thorough walkthrough & it’s nice how much you’re enjoying it! ❤ I hold my pen the way you do. In my Hobonichi Weeks, I use a Hi Tec Coleto C multi pen (2 ink colors + pencil & eraser units) and UniBall Signo gel pens. I like .38 gel pens bc I write small & they dry pretty quickly.