Readying a Hobonichi A5 Cousin into a Rings Planner
I took the plunge.
Ok, I’ll back up. My planner system, like for many others, has changed a lot. I’ve always wanted to try a Hobonichi Cousin (for that sweet, sweet vertical weekly section), but the large daily pages were daunting to me.
So, I tried the tiny A6, and later the Weeks. Eventually I came to realize that I suffer when writing in bound books - I need my arm to be on a really flat surface when I write in my planner. So whenever I’d write in my bound books, I’d be stacking post it notes or other slim books in order to have a level surface with the page I’m writing on. Writing anything close to the gutter of the book was a disaster.
After Hobonichis, Leuchturms, Travelers Notebooks, and Sterling Ink - I finally switched to a Rings system. I love the romantic look of a bound planner, but was frustrated with the tactile issue I was facing. So I got a (few) Filofaxes, and I was enjoying it, making my own pages on Kokuyo paper.
But I missed having a little more structure. I missed having the weekly vertical. And most of all, I missed the Tomoe River paper. So one night I googled to see if anyone had done some fancy footwork to get their Hobonichi into a Rings - and I found this blog post by ambient.diary / jhosie (as per their blog post author name), which gave me the confidence I needed to take apart this brand new Hobonichi.
I immediately rushed out the next day to grab one, while the impulsive energy was still strong.
I decided to film my first Youtube video to explain the process and what prompted me to do this, in the hopes it helps someone else who wants the best of both worlds with a rings planner and a Hobonichi system. While Tomoe River is quite thin, I think the pages will withstand the loose system because I’ll be taking the pages out individually to write in. Also, the A5 Filofax seldom leaves the house just due to how bulky it is (and how personal my spreads can get).
If you’re looking to pick up a Hobonichi, note that I do have an affiliate code with Atlas Stationers’, so you can get 10% off!
Code: PAPEREMM10
*This post isn’t sponsored, and I purchased my own Hobonichi and Filofax shown in this post with my own funds :)