Note: Quinn McDonald is teaching at the GASC Convention in Arlington, TX. This is a blog post from 2010. A new blog post will appear on Saturday.
Moleskine makes a variety of journals and notebooks: different sizes, uses, colors, and page designs–lined, plain, grid. They have a soft notebook sold in a double pack–two coordinated colors–that I use as a to-do list and to take notes
To-do list Moleskine in acid green and melon orange.
on when I’m on the phone or online. The 5″ x 8″cover is coated cardboard in a variety of bright colors, the inside paper is cream-colored and there is no ribbon marker or inside back pocket.
I use them because they are clever and useful for remembering what you did when. Sure, I could check my electronic calendar, but my notebook had additional information—as a to-do list with a date on each page it shows activities, phone numbers, shortcuts or alternative routes. There are interesting quotes from blogs and books and floor plans of grocery stores so I know where favorite products are. You get the idea.
In four to five months, I fill up the 60-page notebook and store it. Great for tax-time and memory jogs. If I’m ever asked “Where were you on the night of October 19, 2007?” I can pull out the to-do list notebook and give the correct answer.
But the problem with the soft cover Moleskine is it doesn’t have a back pocket.
Index card, taped into place, on inside back cover of the Moleskine.
Where to put the receipts, business cards and gift cards?
The pimp is incredibly easy. Take a 4 x 6-inch index cards (I’ve loved index cards since the second grade and keep finding more uses for them), turn it the long way and and cut it diagonally. (See the image).
Tape it to the inside back cover, so the shorter side of the cut faces toward the inside of the book. If anything should slip out, it will be held in place by the rest of the pages.
Tape is more useful than glue because you get the full use of the index card size and the tape allows the card to bend slightly, giving you more flexibility.
That’s all there is to it. You now have a pocket in the back of your moleskine. Total time: under three minutes. That includes finding the 4 x 6 inch index cards.
–Quinn McDonald is a writer and ultimate practical person who helps other people adjust to change through creativity coaching.
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I love Moleskines too and just bought a Japanese Album to do a longterm Zen like Teri from Teri’s Painted Daisies. I also bought a storybook that comic book writers use. I’m not sure what to do with it but it looked like fun. I just Children Full Of Life. It is about a Japanese teacher who teaches his students to write journals and express themselves. They are marvelous. The one I saw first was (1 of 5). If you haven’t seen it, I think you will enjoy it.
I’ll have to look it up. I like the small accordion fold, because you can decide how many folds create a post, but I have a lot of learning to do on how to use it.
I can se that Moleskine is your favorite brand. It looks like a timeless concept.
I treat my notebooks badly–throw them in the purse, on the desk, and these are sturdy enough to take it.
I’m sure that you are not indifferent about your Moleskines!
I love pockets and envelopes in journal and add them all the time. I liked books like that when i was a kid. Thanks for the post. I do not have index cards I use card-stock and cut in half or fold over.
As long as the pocket works for you, it’s a wonderful addition to the notebook.
Excellent! I have a ton of moleskines because they’re so delicious and pretty!
I love these soft-cover notebooks, because they serve as my memory bank.
I have used envelopes cut in half and made some pockets like the one you made but I used patterned card stock. I will try the index cards next time! Thanks for sharing that idea!
Well, I first wanted to use one of those wonderful piece of cardstock you shared with me. Then I decided I should put raw art on it first. I realized I was listening to your gremlin! So I grabbed an index card and used that.
Haha, Welcome to my world!! That darned trash talking gremlin! I’ll bet he started talking to you because you said you liked him! Haha! Better stick him in a corner so he’ll leave you alone!!!
Really–he made himself right at home, tempting me with “new” things I had to see!
Quick, crumple him back up and throw him in the trash… it’s where he belongs!!!!
I gave him star status on today’s Webinar–he’s so proud of himself! But then I told him he looked like a potato, and now he’s cranky.
this is a great idea! i am thinking i can use it to pimp my planner……thanks!!!
You can use different size indiex cards, too. I can imagine that you can use cut-down greeting cards if you want to be fancy.
Thanks for a great idea! Off to find my index cards and pimp my moleskins. Wait, does that 3 minutes include driving to the store to buy more index cards?
I assumed everyone has index cards on hand all the time, Bo.
Used a lot making word cards for raw art journaling, then my last few for speech prompts. Index cards are useful in so many ways. Time to stock up…
A friend just gave me some gridded ones–oh, the joy!
Love this idea Quinn.