43 Folders

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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

More Moleskine Hacks

Everytime I pick up a new Moleskine, I’m reminded how much I freaking love these things. I got a fresh one the other day at Flax, so why not mention a few new Moleskine hacks?

  • Moleskine Metadata - Use the upper right corner of a page to make a small note of what that page is about. Could be the name of the project or whatever helps you jog your memory when flipping through, looking for a specific item.
  • Work the accordion - Since I mentioned the Amazon wish list hack, I’ve started toting other stuff around in my primary notebook’s accordion folder:
    • Extra $20 bill for emergencies
    • Index cards (no need to rip out pages when you wanna share music tips or phone numbers)
    • Photos of family and friends
    • Spare BART card with a few bucks on it
    • CD or DVD  (Pros only.) This is a very tight fit, but a handy way to protect a disc you don’t want shaking loose in your bag.
  • Spine Icons - I know some of you, like me, are multiple-Moleskine nerds. It’s sad, but this is how God’s made us. So, this means you might have a lined notebook, a sketch book, a music notebook, or even a storyboard notebook—all of the same size and outward appearance. Using a silver Sharpie or the like, make a small icon or letter at the same place on each spine to remind you which is which.
  • New Datebooks - Although I primarily live by an electronic calendar, I couldn’t resist picking up the new Moleskine Diary for 2005. If you need a sexy, low-key diary and love the Moleskine feel, give it a spin
  • Dream Journal - I keep a Mini-Moleskine on the night stand for jotting down dreams in the morning. Also handy if you’re dozing off to sleep and remember something you need to do tomorrow.
  • Img_3929Moleskine Smoking Journal - I’ve recently resumed the terrible habit of smoking cigars. I’ve used a Moleskine Heavy Sketchbook to paste in the labels and make notes on each smoke. You could do the same with your own guilty pleasure, whether it’s wine, candy from East Asia, or—I don’t know—labels from beef brisket, I suppose.
  • The Plume - Although I still swear by my Fisher Space Pen when I’m on the road, I’ve become a recent convert to the Pilot G2 gel pen. It feels great on a Moleskine’s silky  pages. Nice sharp line that’s more even than the Space Pen’s, I must admit. Sits well in your hand, too.

Got a novel use for your Moleskine?

About Merlin

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Bio

Merlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He’s best known for being the guy who created the website you’re reading right now. He lives in San Francisco, does lots of public speaking, and helps make cool things like You Look Nice Today, Back to Work, and Kung Fu Grippe. Also? He’s writing this book, he lives with this face, he suffers from this hair, he answers these questions, and he’s had this life. So far.

Merlin’s favorite thing he’s written in the past few years is an essay entitled, “Cranking.”

 
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