Journaling & Field Notes

Journaling Supplies for Beginners: What You Need and What You Don't

A short, honest list of journaling supplies for beginners in the Philippines: one notebook, one pen, and a few cheap extras worth adding later.

Scroll through journaling posts and the first thing people ask is "where did you buy that?" Pens, pouches, stickers, inks. It is fun, but it can make the hobby look expensive. It is not.

What you need

• One notebook. Any size you will carry. If it lives in your bag, small is better.
• One pen you like. A gel pen or a basic fountain pen. Journalers in the Philippines often recommend an entry-level fountain pen as a first step, but a ₱20 ballpen that writes smoothly is also correct.

That is the full starter kit.

Worth adding later

• A glue stick. For receipts and tickets.
• Washi tape. One or two rolls go a long way.
• A pencil and a small ruler. For boxes and lines.
• A zip pouch. So the pen stays with the notebook.
• Two or three coloured pens. Enough for headings. Not a full set.

What you can skip

• Sticker hauls. Use what comes into your life for free first.
• Expensive paper, until you know you will keep going.
• Matching sets. Your journal does not have to look like anyone else's.

Try before you buy

One nice thing about a shared table is that you can test supplies before spending. Our studio keeps pens, watercolour and oil pastels out for anyone who visits, so you can find out whether you are a fountain pen person without buying one first.

When you are ready for a notebook with a job to do, the Marikina Field Notes is ₱100 and handmade here. Then read how to start journaling and write your first three lines.