Inspiration is the creative soul’s fuel to do what it was born to do.

We are always trying to come up with ways to feel inspired, stay inspired, and get inspired again after a burnout. And there are so many ways to do this.

I’ve recently come across a fantastic way to collect inspiring thoughts and have a place to go anytime you feel you need inspiring.

A commonplace notebook.

First, let’s talk about the ‘what.’ What is a commonplace notebook?

 

Commonplace books (or commonplaces) are a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. … Such books are essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas.

From Wikipedia.

 

So basically, anything and everything you want it to be. And in this case, anything and everything that inspires you, you can save in this notebook.

No, this is different than a Pinterest board. On that platform, you are saving things that inspire you, yes, but it’s someones else’s art. Someone else’s style. In a commonplace notebook, you can write things down and embellish to your heart’s content: in your own style and in your own art. And there’s just something special about a notebook, something in physical form, you know?

Now for the ‘why.’ Why would one need a commonplace notebook?

Well, this explanation is pretty short. We are always coming across quotes and phrases and song lyrics that are inspiring, but we can forget to write it down, or don’t have a place to write it. That’s where the commonplace notebook comes in. It will catch all those golden bits of inspiration that are too good to forget.

And now for the fun part. The ‘how’…

 

How to start your own commonplace notebook

Ready to create a journal that spews inspiration? To have a place to keep all your thoughts? An artistic outlet? Good. Here we go…

 

Note: all the following images have been processed in VSCO with the F2 preset.

 

Step 01. Gather your supplies

 

I picked up a small bullet journal, sticker book, and washi tape from Walmart. I already had markers and pens and such. Simple enough. It doesn’t have to be something super fancy. Just grab whatever inspires you.

Or, you know, choose from the mountain of unused notebooks that we all know writers have. That works too. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I chose a notebook with a bullet journal type format instead of with lined paper. And I recommend that for you because I think it allows a bit more freedom to doodle and place things how you want it without it looking funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like the sticker book I found. Maybe because I’ve really been liking marble designs lately. *glares at laptop and phone cases*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a set of colored markers that I already had, and then a picture of the washi tape set I found. The tape actually coordinates with the sticker book. Super cool.

 

So yeah. Not super complicated. You don’t have to buy exactly what I did. Figure out what you want to decorate your notebook with and see what you already have that you can use.

 

Step 02. Find your inspiration

This shouldn’t take long at all. 😉 And if you need help getting started, Pinterest is a great place to look. Find something that inspired you; a quote, song lyric, book snippet, etc. It could even be something like this…

Petrichor

[pet-ri-kuhr]

the scent of rain on dry earth

I don’t know, I just really like rain. A lot of people think it’s gloomy, but I think it just makes things cozier indoors. Perfect reading weather.

 

Step 03. Write down your inspiration

Write down the bit that inspires you…

 

 

Step 04. Decorate, doodle, embellish, etc.

Let your creativity loose and decorate your snippet. Or just leave it alone, if that’s what you prefer…

I didn’t do much. Just a strip of tape and a few raindrop doodles (honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how to use the tape).

 

And then you pretty much continue steps 2 through 4. And soon you’ll have a lovely journal chock-full of inspiring snippets you’ve saved. All you have to do is flip through it when you’re looking for a little inspiration.

I hope you enjoyed this little diy-how-to-type post. Tell me in the comments how you would decorate your commonplace notebook!

 

JOIN THE CLUB!

What do you think of the idea of a commonplace notebook? How do you save things that inspire you?

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