Frequently Used Supplies

Ever since a couple of months ago, the number of stationery purchases I make on a regular basis has gone down considerably. I still get the monthly box from The Stationery Selection and occasionally treat myself to bigger things like the Baum-kuchen x The Superior Labor Analogue Bag, but other than that I’ve actually been using up my existing stationery. I came to this realization as I was flipping through my sticker folder the other day and thinking, I’m almost done with so many of these sheets. It feels liberating, and I plan to continue shopping from my own stash.

Something else that stuck out to me was that I have integrated a few particular items into my everyday journaling - items I reach for almost every single time I work on a page or open mail. These are my go-to “tools of the (stationery hobby) trade,” if you will, and I thought I would give them a feature here on the blog since I use them so much!

Washi Tape Cutter

The 10-15mm version is perfect for regular sized rolls of washi tape!

For larger rolls of washi tape, the 20-25mm is recommended.

This Karu Kut washi tape cutter by Kokuyo is incredibly useful for when I’m creating any kind of journal spread. I use washi tape for almost all of my memory-keeping or decorative pages, so having a washi tape cutter that allows me to tear the washi tape in a clean, even line is a must for me. It’s usually one of the first tools I reach for as I start to work on a spread, which means it’s always sitting in the corner of my desk, ready to be picked up.

The 10-15mm version I have works perfectly with regular sized rolls of washi tape. I also own a few larger washi tapes that don’t fit quite as well - if you have a lot of large washi tapes, I’d recommend the 20-25mm version. I received mine in an older monthly box from The Stationery Selection, but since then the washi tape cutter has been made available on other websites like JetPens.

Letter Opener

This letter opener by Ohto is what I use on a daily basis to open mail that arrive in standard sized envelopes. Before I had this letter opener, I would either embarrassingly struggle with tearing open an envelope (often rushing through it and ripping parts of the content) or have to grab a pair of scissors to cut the top. Now, I pile up the day’s mail and open them all in one go!

I enjoy how small and compact it is - most letter openers I see available for purchase are bigger and have exposed blades, but this one is designed so that the blade is hidden away in the mechanism, if that makes sense. It also has a little circular dip in the center where my thumb goes, so that I can have a more secure grip as the blade slices open an envelope.

Once again, I got this months ago in The Stationery Selection box, but I’ve seen them available on JetPens as well as Amazon.

Mini Dater Stamp

Another item I use regularly is the mini dater stamp by Shiny (model name is Mini Dater S-300). I use it to stamp down dates in both my written diary (on the left, in a Nanami Paper Cafe Note in B6 slim) and my memory-keeping journal (on the right, a Midori diary in B6 slim). This particular dater stamp goes all the way to the year 2030, and it also has a replaceable ink pad in the middle. Considering how often I use this thing, I should probably research how to switch out the ink pad at some point.

I own a few other options when it comes to dater stamps - I have a brass one, but since all the parts are made of hardy brass I have to put a lot of effort into switching the date. I have another number set from Shachihata (featured in this blog post) that used to be a favorite, but it takes longer to stamp each time and the numbers don’t look as nicely aligned. Suffice to say, the one featured here is my current go-to!

Gel Pens

Of course, gel pens are a staple when I’m journaling. Out of all widely available pen types (ballpoint, rollerball, fountain pens, etc.), I personally prefer gel pens. I usually stick to 0.5mm or lower - although I find 0.28mm a little too scratchy for my liking. I stay within the 0.38mm - 0.5mm, for those gel pen lovers out there who can relate.

As for brands, I stick to the tried and true Uni-ball Signo and Zebra Sarasa. I’ve had the pens pictured above for a while now, and I go through them quite slowly because I have a lot of (too many?) colors. In any case, it’s a great reason to shop from my own collection.

There are a few other popular pens out there I have yet to try, like the Frixion and Hi-Tec-C line from Pilot. If you have a favorite that you’d like to recommend, please let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear about what analogue tools you use for writing.

Scrap Papers & Ephemera

Lastly, I’ve been reaching for my scrap paper pile a lot more recently. There are a number of people to thank for creating these beautiful journaling ephemera - Yoojin (@paperpilea), Valery (@seasaltedpaper) and Mia (@miavibes, her shop @feelgoodparcel) to name a few. The paper folder in the bottom left corner was created by Yoojin and generously gifted to me along with her most recent pen pal letter. The vintage paper scraps are trims that Valery included with the junk journal I purchased from her last year. The bottom right corner features a lovely Caramel Latte ephemera set from Feel Good Parcel, Mia’s shop of handmade paper goods. The other random bits (like the Traveler’s Company paper) are ones I saved from previous purchases and other packaging.

I find that adding just one or two of these paper pieces really helps to add character to an empty spread. They mostly have a neutral color palette, which makes it easier to combine them with washi tape and stickers I already have.

It’s fun to see how my own stationery preferences have changed over time, and to reflect on what I use on a regular basis. I hope to continue using what I have through at least the month of May so that I can reduce the existing pile of stationery that keeps growing around my desk. Ever since I got a separate IKEA Raskog cart to store them all, the goal has been not to let additional supplies outgrow my storage space - fingers crossed that I can keep this up!

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