Stationery Freaks

The Trouble With Making Everything Easier

Is analogue making a comeback? 

Maybe. But perhaps that isn't quite the right question.

In this episode of Stationery Freaks, Helen and Rob wander and meander through notebooks, video games (yes, you read that right), typewriters, old cars, AI-generated music, writing retreats, Hobonichis, Moleskines and the pleasure of making things slightly harder than they need to be.

• Helen has become unexpectedly absorbed in an online game. Of course, this comes complete with colour-coded plans and strategies in her Hobonichi. 
• Rob has repurposed the writing bureau specifically for finishing his squirrel book — and then written exactly zero words in it.

There is a pattern somewhere in here.

We've spent years removing friction from everything. Digital tools make things faster. AI makes things easier. Algorithms make decisions for us. We're told to optimise everything and digital is wonderfully good at doing that optimisation. 

And yet some of the things we value most seem to require the opposite. And maybe that's really what people are reclaiming.

A notebook takes longer than a notes app. A typewriter is considerably slower than a laptop. An old car requires actual participation and focus. Sketching before opening a computer gives an idea time to breathe. Even spending an hour playing a game can feel more restorative than another hour scrolling.

Maybe it's not a rise of just analogue. Maybe analogue is just one of the ways to regain some control over what we actually think. 

Well, that's where we ended up anyway - of course, it wasn't a straight line to get there. 

Along the way we discuss:

• Rob's Department of Interesting Things
• Helen's beloved Hobonichi
• A fascinating shop called Labour and Wait
• Moleskines and banning digital
• Apple Notes for voice memos and early drafts
• As well as writing rituals, the appeal of analogue travel kits, and the excellent YouTube channel of John Pattison.

It's a slightly rambling conversation, as usual, about stationery that turns into something else entirely: what happens when we stop trying to make every minute productive?

And whether a little friction might actually be good for us.

Grab the newsletter for more about this episode.
https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

After a few months away — and a very welcome "petition of one" from Stacy in Florida — Rob and Helen are back.

Rob has been building a public commonplace: twenty-five years of learning, typed onto index cards (possibly breaking his typewriter in the process) and slowly taking over his studio wall. Helen has been redistributing her notebook collection to a room of grateful authors, which may or may not count as cheating in the great notebook challenge. See original hoarding cast here and a revisit to the challenge of using notebooks here.

Along the way: why old publishing offices were built around attention rather than productivity, a typewritten daily planning ritual that's quietly replaced Todoist, the strange magnetism of Midori paper, a beautiful Japanese storage haul, giving away index cards to parents and why the whole world seems to be drifting back to analogue.

It's like old times. Which is rather the point of the cast.
It's good to be back.

If you'd like to see images, and more about the show - check out the companion newsletter to this episode.
https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

In this episode of Stationery Freaks, Rob and Helen dig into the messy, essential world of scrap notes: desk pads, Post-its, legal pads, envelopes, voice memos, and the “grab whatever’s nearby” capture habit.

They explore the real question beneath the stationery: what’s the process for turning a quick note into something useful — and what happens when your capture system becomes a pile of open loops.

We cover:

• Why scrap notes exist: capturing ideas without breaking the moment
• Desk pads as “work in progress” surfaces (and why that’s a feature, not a bug)
• The threshold problem: forgetting what you went to write down the moment you change rooms
• Analog vs digital: how Rob and Helen bounce between both
• The discipline of finishing: why ideas aren’t valuable until they become something
• A practical “funnel” approach: backlog → sprouts → now (commitment increases as you narrow)
• The emotional side: cluttered desks = cluttered minds, and why clearing down helps you think
• Listener shout-outs and the surprisingly global reach of Stationery Freaks

Listener request:
Share your stationery “in the wild” or your desk setup on Instagram (doesn’t have to be pretty!) and tag @stationeryfreaksuk.

We mention:

• Mark+Fold “Glow” notebook
• Noted (Substack) by Jillian Hess
• “Analog Attorney” series (Attorney at Work) by Bull Garlington

It’s our first Stationery Freaks episode of 2026, and we’re going deep on goal setting, as we usually do for the first cast of the year. 

Rob and Helen compare two different approaches to planning the year: outcomes vs lifestyle, goals vs systems, and why the “right” method depends on what helps you keep going (not what looks good on paper).

Helen shares her shift toward building routines that protect what matters - writing time, movement, mental bandwidth - plus a surprisingly brilliant charity-shop find: a Rocketbook reusable notebook for 50p.

Rob reflects on his year using a Collins ledger, talks “painted picture” thinking, and explains why reducing friction is the only way his creative work (and business) stays sustainable - including a post-mortem on the infamous Wallpaper Method.

Along the way we talk Obsidian vs Apple Notes, Todoist, habit tracking (and why it can backfire), buying stationery locally vs Amazon, and the uncomfortable truth:
between us, we’re entering 2026 with 172 unused notebooks (yes, really).
And how this year we've set ourselves the target of ending the year with fewer notebooks.

If you’re planning your year - or rebuilding your systems after they collapsed in January - this one’s for you.

 Find the newsletter (with Rocketbook photos) and past episodes at stationeryfreaks.com
Instagram: @stationeryfreaksuk

It’s the last Stationery Freaks episode before Christmas, and after a slightly chaotic month we’re back with a free-form catch-up full of notebook temptation, planning experiments, and advent calendar joy.

Helen reviews two very premium stationery advent calendars — Martha Brook(s) and Tom’s Studio — including what you actually get, which one feels more “decorative vs functional,” and the one item she absolutely refuses to touch (again).

Rob shares his new structured SmartPlanner time-blocking experiment (and why he’s moved from pen to pencil), an everyday-carry bag confession featuring nine notebooks, and an early idea he’s calling The Wallpaper Method: learning notes on a giant scroll.

We also chat about “analog wellbeing,” why January is peak notebook season, end-of-year reflection (hello, Collins ledger), and what we’ll be tackling in the first episode of 2026.

In this special on-the-road episode, Rob and Helen meet in person for the first time in almost six years — to celebrate Mark+Fold’s 10-year anniversary at their Brick Lane pop-up.

Recorded between a noisy East London bar and the beautifully minimalist Mark+Fold shop, this episode is a blend of celebration, nostalgia, and stationery-fueled creativity.

Apologies for some of the audio quality - London doesn't have many quiet bars and restuarants!

You’ll hear:

• The Stationery Freaks origin story — how a shared love of pens and notebooks sparked a 7-year podcast
• Why Mark+Fold’s aesthetic hits so deeply for creatives
• How notebooks help ideas become real — from novels to meetings to films
• What Helen did and didn’t buy (and what Rob tried to encourage…)

Plus two brilliant spontaneous mini-interviews:

• Terri, a writer whose tiny handwriting and Bangkok-sourced micro-nib pens inspired us both
• Vicky, a second-generation bookbinder behind the stitching of Mark+Fold’s planners and notebooks

It’s a celebration of longevity — Mark+Fold’s 10 years, Stationery Freaks’ 7 years — and the creative habits, tools, and people that keep us all moving from idea → creation.

Links & Mentions

• Mark+Fold Pop-Up Shop – Open until 25th November 2025 - Find the store at 228 Brick Lane, London, E2 7EE
• Mark+Fold Monthly Planners & Notebooks
• Choosing Keeping (London stationery shop)
• Blackwing Pencils
• Hobonichi Techo & A6 notebooks
• Oxford Notebooks & Yellow Legal Pads

Key Moments

00:00 — Meeting in person for the first time in years
03:10 — Why Mark+Fold’s design philosophy resonates
07:40 — How the Stationery Freaks podcast began
14:00 — Why we record even when the audio is imperfect
18:30 — What we learned from early listeners & global analytics
22:50 — Interview with Terry (writer + micro-nib pen enthusiast)
30:40 — Interview with Vicky (bookbinder who sews Mark+Fold’s planners)
38:00 — Live from the shop floor — Helen “lightly shopping”
46:00 — Reflections on creativity, tools, and 10 years of making things

Household stationery isn’t “our precious pens and paper in our study” — it’s the everyday tools that keep a home ticking. We talk freezer-proof labels, kitchen whiteboards, year-at-a-glance calendars we forget to update, junk-drawer essentials, elastic bands vs Velcro ties for cables, and even a full Kanban wall system that helps a building business run. 

Plus: Magic Click (a colour-pen system we need help decoding), why shrink-wrap on notebooks should be illegal, and the enduring magic of handwritten notes in old recipe books.

What We Cover

• Labelling the real world: freezer labels that don’t fall off, pens that actually write on them, and why chalk pens disappointed.
• Whiteboards at home: revision, “blurting” study technique, and why office whiteboards triple in size the moment they enter a house.
• Family calendars: wall planners vs Google Calendar; how to stop answering “What’s for tea?” 47 times.
• The junk drawer: string, Sellotape ends, last 3 Post-its, elastic bands—and occasionally £40.
• Cable wrangling: elastic bands vs Velcro ties (and cats stealing the Velcro).
• Kitchen Kanban: a visual, Post-it based board for a builder’s workload (columns from “mentioned” to “invoiced”).
• Notes on doors: Berlin-style paper rolls to leave messages (and why phones killed the habit).
• Measuring kids’ growth: doorframe ticks vs logging in Apple Notes.
• Sticky label removal: we’ve tried dishwasher runs, washing-up liquid, alcohol… still tacky! (Your hacks welcome.)
• Brands behaving oddly: a Moleskine “travel case” too small for a Cahier; shrink-wrapped notebooks you can’t test.
• Why we love marginalia: old cookbooks and Reader’s Digest repair manuals with handwritten tweaks.
• Content recommendations: Andrew Huberman’s interview with Steven Pressfield (resistance, turning pro, doing the work).
• Event tease: Rob & Helen at a November stationery event (with a shop… send help).

Listener Shout-Outs

• Lisa (In Berlin, in a kitchen): topic idea + brilliant list — thank you Lisa!
• Nat: for sending Magic Click (and introducing us to Barbara Thames’ creativity/play angle).
• Anonymous newsletter supporter: your generosity genuinely helps keep this ad-free. Thank you!

Resources & Mentions

• Magic Click colour-pen system — creator Barbara Tammes (if you’ve used it, tell us how!).
• Label makers: DYMO.
• Notebooks & shops: Moleskine, Waterstones, Dingbats (reporter), Tom’s Studio (pens & inks).
• Other: Vinted (finds), Nokia notebooks at a conference, Reader’s Digest Repair Manuals, The Newt (Somerset).
• Podcasts: Steven Pressfield — The War of Art, Turning Pro; Dr Andrew Huberman interview with Steven Pressfield.

Where to Find Us

• Newsletter & archive: stationeryfreaks.com → Substack
• Instagram: @stationeryfreaksuk
• Say hello / ideas: via the website or Insta DMs

In this episode of Stationery Freaks, Rob and Helen dive into the world of rituals and routines, exploring how our favourite stationery tools (along with time and space) can transform tasks into meaningful, mindful moments.

Helen discovers other writers are now using Blackwing pencils in her writing class. Rob spent so little time choosing which notebook to use for a business book he's writing (the Rhodia A4 notebook) - that he wonders what is wrong.

Rob and Helen also receive a very awesome poem in Zine format from previous guest, Richard. Very cool - check out the newsletter to see photos of it. Check out the interview with Richard about all things Commonplacing. 

Rob and Helen discuss the difference between routines (habitual efficiency) and rituals (intentional, mindful practices), and share tips for using stationery to create focused, productive, and inspiring workflows.

Also covered :

• Hobonichi planners and the art of intentional notebook selection + staggering shipping costs!
• Mark + Fold notebooks for capturing learning and ideas
• Typewriters for slow writing
• How music - from Helen's Gregorian chants and heavy metal, and Rob's HipHop and EDM - can trigger creative flow and rituals (some playlists in the newsletter!)
• The ideas, thoughts and psychology behind ritual, habit-stacking, and productivity

If you love the feel of ink on paper, the smell of fresh notebooks, the way the pages turn and the joy of creating meaningful routines and rituals with stationery, give this episode a listen. There is also ramble chat about tea and coffee, secret hidden rooms and tunnels, and books about squirrels.

Why not check out the newsletter too - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

In this episode Rob and Helen dive deep into their latest stationery hauls — from Japanese Sailor pens and Tom’s Studio Wren to Martha Brooks advent calendars and Zebra limited editions.

Plus: writing contest success, notebooks you’ll never dare write in (that are ridiculously expensive), and a new digital note-taking tool that’s winning Rob over.

Helen refuses to talk about her sticker addiction and Etsy is properly off the table for conversation.

Helen is already buying advent calendars....in September. Rob is trying not to buy anything else, he's changed.

We chat about digital tools, more notebooks, pen hauls and share a story about a random stranger in Home Sense providing Helen with the perfect notebook.

Take a look at the notebooks and pens and read Helen's story submission for the writing competition over in the newsletter - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

We mention the advent calendar series we did a few years back, here's the first of those episodes if you fancy getting into the Christmas spirit.
https://stationeryfreaks.com/17

Resources, Products & Brands Mentioned

• Sailor Pens – Japanese fountain and calligraphy pens
• Tom’s Studio – Wren fountain pen, Mulberry ink, Advent Calendar
• Martha Brooks – Stationery Advent Calendar
• Diamine Inks – Sparkling inks with shimmer effects
• HomeSense / TK Maxx – Bargain stationery finds
• Moleskine – Classic planners and notebooks
• ChoosingKeeping (London shop) – Unique notebooks, some handmade
• Zebra Pens – Limited edition retractable felt pens & ball pens
• Sharpie – Fine liners and markers (classic red learning notes)
• Capacities.io – Digital knowledge management and journaling app
• Zotero – Digital reference management tool

Until next time.
Rob & Helen

In this episode of the podcast, Rob & Helen chat to Richard Barnard; collage enthusiast and commonplacer. 

Have you ever wondered what a Commonplace book is, and what it's used for? 

Well, in this episode we explore the origins of the Commonplace book, how Richard uses his, the stationery he uses for it and how he searches through the wealth of insights, observations, quotes and thoughts.

Richard Barnard, an avid commonplacer and passionate collage artist, explains that it's a way of "creating the best book you've ever owned."

He shares his analog-first, but still digital-friendly, system for capturing moments that resonate with him (like the sound of trumpets!!), including an excellent book recommendation: The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen.

We chat about:

• The different ways to use commonplace books, from Rob's use of digital tools to Richard's dedicated analog notebooks.

• The unexpected history of these books, which started as "waste books" for merchants in the 14th century.

• The lasting value of commonplacing, which becomes a personal archive of one's life.

• Richard’s passion for collage art, which is inspired by vintage stationery and street photography.

• Desert Island Stationery, where Richard shares five of his essential stationery items he would have on a desert island!

Join us as we explore the joy of collecting, the challenge of filling a blank page, and the lasting legacy that a commonplace book can create.

See Richard's artwork and more about the products and books mentioned in the accompanying Stationery Freaks newsletter at : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

Enjoy!
Rob & Helen