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Friday, June 8, 2012

Why do we keep buying Moleskines?

I mean the collective We here. I buy tons of Moleskine planners and notebooks. Why do we keep coming back for more?  I've come up with a few explanations:

1. You know what you're going to get. This is the same reason why my husband's grandparents eat at McDonald's when they are traveling in foreign countries. They know what to expect, and they know they're going to like it. When you buy a Moleskine, you know it's going to be well made, good quality, and generally pleasant to use.

2. You can get them everywhere. At the airport, online, at Target, in other countries. No matter where you are, you know you can get your hands on a Moleskine. It reduces the intimidation of writing in one when it's not so rare you'll never find another one.

3. It's appropriate in any situation.  You don't have to worry about busting out your screaming pink Hello Kitty planner in a board meeting.  The black cover might be boring, but it can go from a meeting with the CEO to getting spit up on at playgroup. The solid construction looks like quality, and I have to admit it's just a classy-looking book. 

4. They keep coming out with exciting new stuff.  This is what has me gagging for more Moleskines.  I mean, how can I pass up Star Wars plannersColored covers? New formats? Endless sizes from teeny to huge?  I'm always chomping at the bit to see what they'll come out with next.

Those of you who buy Moleskine planners and/ or notebooks, why do you keep returning to the brand?

16 comments:

  1. I've never owned one.... am I the only person not to have owned one...

    Then again I've never read any Harry Potter or seen any of the films...

    Yeah ok I'm a bit odd like that!!!

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    1. WHAT?!? Oh Steve, I understand about Moleskines if they're just not your thing. But Harry Potter?? You must!!

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    2. O_O ... no Harry Potter? I agree with Laurie!

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  2. I too like Moleskine. The quality for the price is very good. There are better, but costs can be exorbitant for other, perhaps less well known makes. I use notebooks for a variety of reasons, including daily reminders since my memory was affected by illness. I also use electronic methods, (I'm typing this on my phone!) But I still enjoy the freedom of expression from actual 'pen and paper writing). (Never read any Harry Potter either!)

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  3. For a lot of the reasons you've listed, but I also really like the feel of the paper. It seems to slide under any pen. The binding is really appealing too - I have a ridiculous hatred of spiral bound note books!

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  4. I do like Moleskine. They are not too expensive when compared to many notebooks, yet the quality in terms of paper and build, is really very good. Deals can be had if you search the internet, however Amazon need to be watched carefully as their prices tend to fluctuate wildly on a daily basis! I do use electronic devices, including a Windows mobile to make notes, but I still prefer using the tried and tested 'pen and paper' method! (And...I have never read any Harry Potter either!)

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  6. Harry who? I've never seen Star Wars either. But, the first time I saw and held a Moleskine, some decades ago, I was hooked. And, today I still use the same large version. For me, Moleskine hits the sweet spot dead on with size, construction, paper color, handiness, versatility, etc, etc. Yes, the paper can fluctuate from time to time, and paintbrush like pens will bleed, but ... so what, who cares. I'm not into the explosion of variety in recent years, but I understand it. For me, I will keep with my large black version (although, I must admit to shaking it up sometimes by walking on the wild side alternating ruled and squared). Lastly, I don't like copycats, so I will continue with my Moleskine large journal.

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  7. I buy them for many of the reasons you mention. As you say, you know what you are getting. I have tried so many other journals that have stupidly narrow lines or won't stay open which makes it hard to write in them. I do also like all the new ranges. I really wish they would make a Bucket List notebook in their Passions range. I only buy them for my journals though because of the price. £15 for an A5 notebook is pretty steep (I know you can sometimes get them half-price online) so I don't buy them just to take notes or write shopping lists etc as a cheaper notebook will do just as well for that.

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  8. I've loved and used plain Moleskine journals for years for my written journals, and now I also use the watercolor sketchbooks and regular sketchbooks for my art journals. The consistency and "classic" look are what appeal to me. Now if only they would offer colored covers in the pocket and large size notebooks, I would be completely happy! But for now, I'll settle for Star Wars planners and notebooks!

    -Tina

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  9. The correct expression is "champing at the bit".

    champ 1 (chmp)
    v. champed, champ·ing, champs
    v.tr.
    To bite or chew upon noisily. See Synonyms at bite.
    v.intr.
    To work the jaws and teeth vigorously.
    Idiom:
    champ at the bit
    To show impatience at being held back or delayed.

    This is one of my pet peeves and I seem to be seeing and hearing it more and more frequently. Please don't let this mar your otherwise excellent blog.

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  10. I love my Moleskines! Although I must say, I am a bit disappointed in my recent purchase. I just today received my new 18 month XL soft cover 2012/2013 planner. Much to my dismay, my beloved box-calendar is gone, replaced by some odd vertically lined "month" planner. I honestly haven't the slightest idea how to use this effectively (any advice?), considering I used the box-calendar to track my college exams. I'm definitely disappointed that this wasn't clearly made known before I purchased it (I tend to think of "calendar format" as stated on the Moleskine website, as box-style.) Overall though, they really are great planners!

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    1. The months as columns with a line per day were the monthly calendars the Moleskines used until just a couple of years ago, when they started using the monthly grids. Moleskine brought back the monthly columns "due to popular demand." I think it's because with the monthly grids there was only space for the current year, but with the monthly columns there's room for the current and future years' worth of monthly planning.

      Personally I much prefer the monthly grids and have never had much luck with using monthly columns. The monthly columns are good for long-range planning of holidays, vacations, bills due and deadlines, but the lines aren't big enough for writing appointments.

      When I'm using a planner that has no monthly grid calendars, I buy a separate one like the Moleskine Monthly Notebook.

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  11. I stopped buying them :) Over here, I can get webbies for nearly the same price, and the paper doesn't make me weep whenever I use a fountain pen on it.

    The pocket reporters, cahiers I still have are being used up for pencil sketching, mostly. The only Mole I can see buying in the future is a watercolour sketchbook, as it's hard to find anything else in quite the same format that will take watercolour.

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    1. a quick update - there's an art supply manufacturer (Seawhite) that does "all media" sketchbooks (standard hard cover type in various sizes) and an "Artist's Journal". The Artist's Journal is the elastic band closure, pocket at the back format we know and love, and they do an all plain, or one page ruled, one page plain format. I plan to try one soon.

      Price? Less than half the price of the equivalent Moleskine sketchbook.

      I had a quick look at the hardcover sketchbook on my site;
      http://monkeyphotomcr.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/quick-look-seawhite-a6-sketchpad_14.html

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  12. The main reason I still use molies is I asked for them as gifts several years ago for a special occasion. The request simplified everyone's decision-making and I ended up with a stash that would last many many years.

    That was before the debbie was available more's the pity.

    I stopped worrying about molie's terrible paper and my fountain pens when I started using only there recto side of each leaf. With a supply of empty notebooks I'm not concerned about this economy of space but this practice also makes the information in each volume far less dense and therefore much easier to locate in the future.

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