Notepads are awesome! In fact, we love notepads so much here at Pogofandango that we've finally decided to start creating our own.
We wanted to take a moment here to celebrate the humble notepad.
Today we'll be talking about some of the more fun and creative ways to use a notepad, because they really are such a brilliant tool. I carry notepads with me EVERYWHERE. I have a notepad in every handbag, in the glovebox of my car, on my desk and even in my kitchen.
Let's just start with the obvious, because I want to make sure that we are all on the same page (ha! did you see what I did there?!)
What is the Difference Between a Notepad and a Notebook?
A notebook is essentially a book to write in. They can have plain, lined or even dotted pages (although in all honesty, I've never found a use for a dotted notebook apart from playing that game with the kids where you draw a line each and have to make as many squares as possible). Notebooks can have hard or soft covers, and can be bound with stitching, wire or glue.
Notebooks are brilliant for journaling, planning, brainstorming, organising and record-keeping.
Notepads are generally coverless sheets of paper, glued on one edge so that each sheet can be removed.
Notepads are, in my mind, less formal than notebooks — they feel safer, less of a commitment. With a notebook, you are committed. Once you write in a page, it is there forever (unless you tear out the page, which feels criminal!)
Notebooks are for big ideas, big plans, big thoughts.
Notepads are for instant ideas, little plans and quick thoughts.
What are Some Brilliant Uses for a Notepad?
1- List Writing
This one is the obvious one. I hear you. We all use notepads for lists - shopping lists, to-do lists and lists of things to remember.
2- Note-Taking
Notepads are so handy for note taking. It's why I always keep a notepad nearby - for those important things I need to keep track of and remember. I think it also goes without saying that a super cute notepad makes even the most boring of tasks more enjoyable. Pretty notepad equals instant dopamine hit, am I right?!
3- Doodles and Creativity
As an ADHD-er who just finished a Master's Degree, I am a constant doodler. I need to doodle to be able to focus. I was finding that my lecture notes were peppered with stars and swirls, which makes reading back my notes a total nightmare. So I've started keeping a notebook for writing my notes, and a notepad for doodles next to it. That way, I can still doodle to help with my concentration, but it isn't impacting on my notes and the stuff I really need to keep neat and tidy. Think of it as a sacrificial notepad, for the greater good!
4- Handwriting Practice
If you, like me, wish you could be a calligrapher, this one's for you. Notepads are a fantastic place to practice your handwriting- they have lines on them, and you can simply tear out the page and throw it away if you don't love what you've done. Equally, if you do love your work, simply paperclip your notepad page into your notebook.
5- On-the-Go Moments of Inspiration
Do you find that your best ideas come to you at the most inappropriate times?! Imagine, you're on the school run and you suddenly have this lightbulb moment that you REALLY don't want to forget. That's where a notepad is a total game changer. Keep a notepad on you for the times when inspiration hits and you're nowhere near a laptop.
6- Mini Journaling
Notepads are a wonderful place to jot down mini journal stuff- moments of gratitude, journal prompts you come across and want to use later, tiny moments of joy you want to remember or even keeping track of your achievements. I have a notepad I use to record my spin-class distance each week so I can see a (gradual) improvement over time.
7- Entertaining Bored Kids
Stop the doom scrolling with a humble notepad and pen. I have 3-4 games in my toolkit for moments of boredom, and they never fail.
Notepad Game 1- the scribble game- draw a quick, simple scribble and they have to turn it into a recognisable drawing of something- maybe a scene, animal or an object - it's their decision what to turn it into. The kids LOVE this game.
Notepad Game 2- the unseen doodle game- start at the top of the page, draw the top part of something (the top of a head, maybe a hat) and fold the paper over to just leave a tiny part of the drawing. They ten have to draw the next bit, fold the paper over and hand it back to you. When you reach the bottom of the page, you reveal the chaos.
Notepad Game 3- the box game - as mentioned previously, draw a grid of dots. Use one colour each and take turns to join two dots (horizontal or vertical lines only) to see who can get the most complete boxes. If you complete a box, you get to colour it in and then take another turn.
8 - Small Gifts
Notepads are excellent stocking fillers, secret Santa gifts or top-up gifts. I always have a few pretty notepads on standby and a few pretty pens to make up an emergency gift. Everyone loves to be gifted pretty stationery!
9- Spreading Tiny Handwritten Notes of Joy
I'm soppy. I'll fully admit it. I LOVE receiving thoughtful handwritten notes. Use a pretty notepad to leave someone a compliment as a random act of kindness, remind someone how much you love them with a meaningful reminder popped into the book they're currently reading, or add a silly joke to your kid's lunchbox to cheer them up at school.
10- Write Notes for Future-You
We're talking motivational quotes, ideas to re-visit, inspirational sayings, places to go, funny quotes from your kids, beautiful memories or even record your dreams as you wake up. Jot down the stuff that future-you will want to come back to.
11- Games Night
Keep scores at games night with a handy notepad- that way there will be no cheating and no arguing over who won! If you're a regular boardgame player, it's also really fun to keep track of scores over time and see who wins at which game every time.
There You Have It- 11 Brilliant Uses for a Notepad.
If you want to get your hands on a cute notepad from our new stationery collection, take a little mosey on over to this page and feast your eyes!
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