Stationery Freaks

In this episode Rob introduces his new productivity system of coloured military-style print out. Rob and Helen ponder why it's hard to find a system that works. And that maybe, they've (well, Rob) has been searching in the wrong place. Maybe, when we try to find a streamlined, slick, frictionless productivity system we're not actually getting much reward. And maybe, just maybe, higher friction system (bullet journaling, Rob's new method, Hobonichi etc) give a more meaningful reward. And maybe even, the reward is in the friction itself. Much to ponder. Find our newsletter that accompanies this here.

In this episode we chat about the magic of whiteboards. We cover:How we used them at workHow Helen's daughter uses them for learning and revisionHow Rob's son uses them for doodlingThe ephemeral nature of whiteboard contentLong running whiteboard content - and why "do not wipe" is importantIf you'd like to see the images we talk about in this session, head to the newsletter.

In this episode Helen and Rob chat about buying stationery hauls from Vinted (other platforms and services are available).We cover:Our surprise at the variety of stationery on vintedThe bargains to be hadHelen's stationery haul for an upcoming workshopRob's stationery haul for no reason other than some bargain Moleskines and a notepad with Yorkshire written on the frontHow Rob makes offers and Helen pays full priceWhat stuff they found on Vinted. Note: We have no affiliation with Vinted - we just thought you'd like to hear about the stationery goodness. Note: We believe Vinted is available in many countries - but double check and if not, no doubt there is an alternative - let us know!ThanksRob and Helen

In this episode Rob and Helen explore the world of Domestika, an online learning platform for creatives. Note: We are not affiliated with Domestika, but Rob is addicted to it. * Rob explains what Domestika is and how it works* Helen is addicted to stickers - and may jump in to Domestika to learn more about calligraphy* Rob explains how he sometimes just watches the "materials" video on each Domestika course to geek out on stationery* Rob is building a list of Domestika tutors to interview for the Stationery Freaks podcast* Helen is intrigued by what's on Rob's watch list (see the full list on the newsletter)* Rob explains that Domestika is addictive so go carefullyFind out more about Domestika here. Subscribe to the Stationery Freaks newsletter here. ThanksRob and Helen

In this episode Rob shares his goal setting process using paper and digital tools. Rob explains what makes a good goal, Helen asks lots of questions and Rob shares how to track goals.We cover:Goals should be measurable and timeboundAn annual review is a positive processPainting a picture of the future and aligning goals is importantThe why is importantPrecious little red notebooksTracking in ToDoistThe power of journalingWhy not subscribe to the newsletter too!

In this episode we explore the world of Hobonichi Planners. Helen decided that January was a good time to switch productivity, journaling and note-taking systems (it may not have been a wise decision). She chats us through the world of Hobonichi Planners and how she is using them to "force" her to develop the habit of journaling. She also needed mountains of stickers. All the stickers. We also cover Midori notebooks (Helen raves about these), Etsy Hobonichi sticker providers and why productivity systems must be hacked to make them work for you. Rob explores "containers with rules" and explain how he's impressed with a new calendar view in Todoist. We hope you enjoy this episode. Why not subscribe to the Stationery Freaks newsletter also - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/Thanks Helen and Rob

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.In this special edition, episode 4 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into things we would buy if money were no object.Rob breaks the rules on this one, Helen less so. Listen to the end for a magical and amazing idea we'd love to do, but alas, money IS an object. We cover:- Helen - Smythson Soho Luxury Notebooks. About £170 - £250- Rob - Parker Bumble Bee - ebay link so may expire. £5000 for a pen!- Helen - Diamine Inkvent Calendar - this is SO cool. £89.95- Rob - Antique Writing Desk - link may expire if sold. £3650- Helen - Helen would like a pen made from the Apple Tree made famous by Isaac Newton. We believe you can only get them in the store at Woolsthorpe Manor, not online. Alternatively, Helen would like a pen made of wood from the actual York Minster.- Rob - My more reasonable choice (although still expensive) would be this amazing pencil sharpener by Labour And Wait. Epic. But is around £200.We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.Subscribe to the newsletter to never miss an episode : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/Follow us on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.In this special edition, episode 3 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into stationery accessories that are on our gift list.Helen shares three and Rob shares three.We cover:- Helen - TipEx Mouse- Rob - Firbon A4 paper cutter- Helen - Bookaroo Sticky Tabs- Rob - Rapesco desktop Pencil Sharpener- Helen - Hobonichi Deco Rush Stickers- Rob - Vretti thermal printer (here's the Vretti one I bought but it looks like it's been discontinued) Here's a "memoking" that receives high praise.- Helen also shares her disappointment about Dove Grey inkWe make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.This Christmas Gift Guide newsletter is out now - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.In this special edition, episode 2 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into notebooks that are on our gift list.Helen shares three and Rob shares three.We cover:- Helen - Zen Art B5 Dotted Notebook- Rob - Ottergami A5 notebook- Helen - Atoms to Astronauts notebooks- Rob - A4 Yellow Legal Pads- Helen - Midori Notebook- Rob - Plotter Japan NotebookAnd an honourable mention (we both assumed the other had it on their list) to the very excellent Mark and Fold Everyday Notebook (And no, we are not sponsored or affiliated with Mark and Fold :) )We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.After the first three episodes have aired we'll send out a Christmas Gift Guide newsletter - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive. In this special edition, episode 1 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into 6 pens/pencils/inks that are on our gift list. Helen shares three and Rob shares three. We cover:Helen - The Stalogy Gel PenRob - Sharpie Ultra FineHelen - Glow in the dark ink (Etsy)Rob - Staedtler Norris School PencilsHelen - Waterman Carene Ink Pen (Fountain Pen)Rob - Waterman Deluxe Ink Pen (Fountain Pen)We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.After the first three episodes have aired we'll send out a Christmas Gift Guide newsletter - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

In this episode we chat with Amy Cooper-Wright who is the founder of Mark and Fold, one of our favourite stationery companies. Amy talks business, notebooks, gaps in the market, sustainability and shares her desert island stationery!We chat about:Why start a stationery companyWhy Amy was influenced when she was younger by making her own books and running a toy post officeWhy Amy sought out to make the notebook better, not cheaper - and held to her high bar of quality Why Amy was tired of not being able to find decent notebooks to buyLogistics, designs, challengesPens, notebooks and the love of stationeryWhy you need to gather your stationery supplies ready to unleash your potentialWhy it's important to build your own system - and why Mark and Fold don't prescribe the systemSustainability and waste in the stationery industryDesert Island stationery - find out which 5 products Amy would take with herSpecial OfferOur Stationery Freaks newsletter includes some images of our Mark and Fold products and details of the special offer - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.comWe mention the Mark and Fold products that we use:- The Everyday notebook- The planner PadAmy mentions Kenya Hara and his excellent book 100 whites (affiliate link) all about the colour white and paper.And here is the notebook Amy couldn't remember the name of: https://www.labobratori.com/And here is Amy's new adventure in branding and comms - https://www.ames-and.co/ThanksRob and Helen

In this episode we do a lovely interview with Sanne Visser, Technologist, Zentangle and Mandala aficionado and bullet journalling fan.We cover:* The Netherlands, bikes, canals and wonderful old libraries that sell stationery* What Zentangle and Mandala Art is, and why Sanne does it* The notebooks, pens and pencils used* Table cloth colouring* Stoic wisdom books* Cellotape, staples and Hobonichi planners* And Sanne shares the 5 items of stationery she would take with her to a desert island* We also muse whether water bottles and handcream are considered stationeryYou can find Sanne here:https://www.youtube.com/@9outof10testershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/techsannetized/Products Mentioned:Posca pensSakura Pigma Micron (non-bleed fineliners)Woodley Dual BrushBig coloring tableclothMandala coloring bookFind pictures of Sanne's artwork on our website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/

In this episode we discuss Helen's recent retreat to Gladstone Library. The surprising thing about the retreat was that there were no obvious stationery freaks....in a library.Helen explains what Gladstone Library is and the environmentHelen talks about her experience at the retreatHelen explains how everyone had laptops, and very few stationery freaks were thereRob talks a little about his retreat 2 years agoRob remarks that his was like a lads holiday, without the ladsHelen explains why she's rebooked alreadyPlus some hints and tips on doing your own retreatGladstone Library - https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/Previous episode where Helen Callaghan mentioned Gladstone Library - https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/episodes/helen-callaghanOur Stationery Freaks newsletter where we shared a picture of Helen at the retreat - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/p/travel-chaos-and-laziness-stationery

In this episode we were super inspired by a wonderful YouTube video we watched, called "You're Not Lazy : How to live a chaotically organised life" by YouTuber Elizabeth Filips. So, given it summed up how we work, or at least how Rob works (that was why Helen sent him the link to the video), we thought we'd deconstruct the video and share stories about how we operate. And of course, although light on stationery talk, how we use stationery to control our own chaos.In the episode we talk about:Stationery Stories:Helen has bought some single use ink pensRob's been boring and bought some coloured paper Helen's daughter is mapping out the entire history of the Roman Empire on a giant sheet of paper. We chat about white boardsHelen is retreating to a libraryAnd of course, we deconstruct the messages in Elizabeth's videos and how they resonated so much with us.Fall behind, catch up, move aheadSeven year itch - become 1000% better quicklyOptimise for passionAdult brat - talk to yourself properlyElizabeths video is here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sS00egAzg&t=639sHer channel is here : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFFHXvzAMRSD8Bq4bJppxQWe mention Van Neistat : https://creatorhub.patreon.com/articles/digital-spaghetti-van-neistatWe mention Mark Forster : http://markforster.squarespace.com/Check out the newsletter and website at stationeryfreaks.comThanks

In this episode we chat about what stationery we take with us when we travel. Let us know what you take.We cover:Bookaroo notebook carry cases are Helen's new thing. (affiliate Amazon link)Van Neistat's inspiring Rob again - this time to create ToDo lists and organise himselfHelen waxes lyrical about some new exercise booksRob turned up to a Mastermind meeting with the worst stationeryWe then chat about what we take with us to conferences and when travelling with work.- Notebooks- Pens- Pencil casesAnd we also share two examples of Stationery Freaks we've spotted in the wild - and how we might approach them to talk stationery.You can find more on https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/

In today’s episode we chat about why we revert to lists when we’re overwhelmed - as well as some stationery storiesStationery StoriesThe man who stuck post-it notes to his tie - Helen recalls the story of a man who used this process to get things done.Rob's using Helen's post-it notesTeachers using iPads to stick post-it notes toRob has sent the Remarkable2 back - and bought a typewriterMain Topic - Lists when overwhelmedWe chat about lists, what we use them for and why we revert to them when things get overwhelmingNot all of our lists are analogueRob talks about his bucket list as the master listWe chat about how digital tools can store endless lists - and that's why analogue can be helpful - there is limited spaceHelen talks about using a list to write storiesHelen talks about workflowy and how she uses itWe mention:Van Neistat's ToDo list videoRemarkable2WorkflowyYou can find our newsletter and other episodes on https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/

In this episode we talk about what's happening to us - as we find digital tooling becoming more important in our stationery world. We talk about the Remarkable 2, Moleskine balance and how we are still stationery freaks! And Rob is retooling his knowledge management and Helen learned nothing about herself, despite sticker journaling for a few weeks.We cover:Woolsthorpe manor, where Isaac Newton saw the apple fall - and the fact you can buy pens made from the very tree that Newton saw the apple fall fromRob's bought a Remarkable - will he send it back?Rob's doing a workshop in Romania - and has bought hundreds of stickers for an immersive workshopHelen's been using the Moleskine Balance app to track habits, mood etc. The interface is calming and clean - she is enjoyingHelen is using Bullet Journaling more for work than personal - due to working from home more often and "closing down the day"Rob's been researching tooling for a Personal Knowledge Management System - and was spending more time fiddling with the system than learning. Helen is using Obsidian, Rob uninstalled it after 10 minutes.Rob talks about The Brain as a PKMS. It's an awesome tool - but pricey, and would require a big on-going financial investment.Helen has been sticker journaling about her mood and energy levels, and tracking this using stickers. What did she learn about herself? Absolutely nothing by all accounts. Zero insights. Nothing. NadaRob talks about using Zotero and the Remarkable as his new PKMSRob talks through why he's bought the Remarkable 2, and how it fits into his ecosystem of learning and note taking. At the moment, he's keeping it, but there is a 100 day returns promiseHelen's not convinced about the Remarkable. Truth be told, Rob isn't either.Find more episodes and subscribe to the newsletter at www.stationeryfreaks.com

In this episode we discuss habits and how we define them and track them using both digital and analogue tracking and documenting. We share our own perspectives of how we develop habits.* Helen has bought all of the stickers in the whole world (possibly)* Rob is trying to build the habit of not buying anymore notebooks for a while - and instead, using up the mountain of notepads he has* Rob has regained the love of Yellow Legal Pads* Helen spends her life trying to make herself better using structures and systems to try and take away the thinking around habits* Helen is trying to stop eating chocolate* We reference Atomic Habits by James Clear as an awesome book about habits (affiliate link)* Rob talks about how routines and habits that he used to work with in business* Charles Duhigg's book on habits is also pretty special (The Power of Habit) (affiliate link)* Helen is tracking how she feels using stickers in a notebook* Rob used to track habits in ToDoist and simply didn't keep it up to date* Helen is using Moleskine Balance digital app to track her habits. And reminisces about "Sunrise" app by Dan Ariely - since closed down* Rob used to do quantified self, then went on to use the fridge of accountability* Rob is changing his environment to force the habit of weightlifting - and will become the strongest man in Winchester within a month* Rob references The Diary of a CEO podcast with Tim Spector* Helen has moved to measuring the impact habits is having on her life, rather than the thing itselfWhy not subscribe to the newsletter!ThanksRob and Helen

In this episode we interview Maria Van Le of LeVan Books. Maria makes her own beautiful notebooks - of which Helen has purchased a few. They are exquisite, hand made and use some top notch material.In this episode:Helen talks about her 6 ink pens - and decides she needs more (or not).Maria talks about her passion for glass ink pens, water colour painting and using her own booksMaria explains how she started making books for her daughter and her friends, before making them for other peopleMaria is self taught and a perfectionist - always ensuring her books meet her own high standards - therefore delighting the customerMaria mentions Shepherds book binding (bookbinding.co.uk) - a cool store where she gets many of her materials from.Rob realises Shepherds is not too far from his office….credit card readyMaria explains how long books take to make and how precise she needs to beWe discuss GSM paper thickness and their different uses. Maria also shares the 5 things she would take to a desert islandMaria also shares why she set up the Etsy store and how you can get your own custom notebookUseful LinksYou can find Maria on Etsy at LeVan Books - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LeVanBooks?ref=usf_2020Fancy having a go at making your own notebook? Here’s a kit (affiliate link).

In this episode Rob and Helen share some of their stationery disasters as well as ramble chat about stationery, including, but not limited to,Helen has a new LeVan notebooksHelen Callaghan Writing Challenges - check out this previous podcast featuring Helen CallaghanStationery Care Packages - Helen sends some beautiful gifts, perfectly wrapped. Rob sends a package with a terrible index card in it. Rob uses his Bella Beso planners.Helen explains to a new team member that she doesn’t use digital tools. Rob uses analogue note taking methods whilst others smirk. Helen explains how she ruined a notebookRob explains how he lost his entire digital Personal Knowledge Management System (we’ve done a cast on this)Helen is now going to come up with creative ways to ruin more notebooks so she can justify starting new ones.https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/episodes/stationery-disastersHope you enjoy.Rob and Helen