Journaling in my MTN

MTN stands for Midori Travelers Notebook. I first heard of the TN last year and completely fell in love with it. After much too-ing and fro-ing in what to use it for and trying out various things, I have attained 'planner peace' as far as my MTN is concerned. 

Inside I have 4 notebooks. The first is a month to view. I use it as a bit of a 'summary' of the month. I note certain things and draw little illustrations in the boxes. I'ts wonderful to have an artistic overview of my month.

The 2nd and 3rd notebooks are where I document our various travels and outings. I love keeping a record of the places we have been and snippets from the day. In the first notebook I had started using it as my everyday journal, but it just didn't feel right.

 I am quite established in my daily journal habits and have a certain way that I like to lay it out and pretty it up. But as I look through the pages I see that I naturally worked it out, I began to share less of my daily thoughts etc and only document the places that we went as a family. Days out to National Trust properties, holidays, days out exploring the English countryside and villages - that sort of thing. I really love having these notebooks to look through, instantly I am transported back to that particular time.

The 4th notebook - which I have not used yet but will - is the Sketchbook insert. I umm-ed and ahh-ed over what to sketch in it. I already have a nature journal that I have been keeping for many years so didn't really want a cross-over at all, but I have always admired urban sketching which is capturing the time, place and moment you are in at any one time. So you could be on a trip in London having lunch and want to capture your surrounds, you would simply pull out your sketchbook and make a quick drawing, filling in with colour when you have more time.

So my Travelers Notebook is set to become (and it really is how I feel it was intended to be used) as a travel companion along my daily (and hopefully someday my international) trails :)

Do you keep a journal? Do you have a favourite brand of journal that you frequently find yourself drawn to? Do you take it on the road with you or does it stay at home? Would love to hear your thoughts and views :)