Best Journaling Supplies and Aesthetic Stationery: How to Build a Complete Kit in 2026

The gap between “I want to start journaling” and actually journaling is usually not motivation. It’s the twenty minutes you spend in a stationery aisle holding a notebook, having no idea whether the pens you own will bleed through it.

So this guide is structured as a kit rather than a list. Each section covers one job — writing, paper, decoration, storage — and by the end you’ll have a complete setup with nothing redundant in it.

Everything here comes from ChicChoi, which curates from around two dozen independent designers rather than manufacturing its own line. That matters for a specific reason I’ll come back to: it means the designs are genuinely different from what’s on a big-box shelf, and it also means stock is less predictable.

Quick Picks

1. Pens — Start Here, Not With the Notebook

Most people buy the notebook first and then discover their pens ghost through the page. Reverse the order. Pick pens, then pick paper that suits them.

Fall in Collection Push-Type Gel Pen Set, Fine Tip (5-Pack) — from $4.90

Your workhorses. Push-type means no cap to lose — a small thing that matters enormously when you’re writing on a train or in a lecture. Five pens for under five dollars is the cheapest entry point in this entire guide, and the fine tip suits small handwriting and tight planner boxes.

Buy this if: you write a lot and want colour variation without thinking about it.

Angelic Shimmer Gel Pens Set — 4 pens, 0.5mm, $8.90

The design trick here is worth understanding: these have a shimmer finish on the barrel but write in standard black ink at 0.5mm. So they look like decorative pens and function as everyday ones. If you only buy one pen set, this is the more versatile choice — you can use them for headers and for actual writing.

Lucky Charm Scented Gel Pens — Set of 4, $7.90

Scented pens sound like a gimmick and mostly are. But there’s a real behavioural argument: journaling habits fail because nothing pulls you back to the page. A sensory hook is a small, cheap nudge. At under eight dollars, it’s worth testing whether it works on you.

The Mindflow 4-in-1 Stress-Relief Pen — $7.90

A fidget mechanism built into the pen body. This is aimed squarely at students who click, tap and spin things during long study sessions — which is most of them. Rated five stars, though on a small number of reviews so far.

4pcs Soft Ribbon Gel Pens Set — $7.90

Available in 0.38mm and 0.5mm. Pick 0.38mm if your handwriting is small or you’re annotating textbooks; 0.5mm if you want the line to actually show up in photos of your spreads.

Browse the full pen range →

2. Paper — And Why the M5 System Is Worth Understanding

Life is Colorful Loose-Leaf Notebook, B5/A5 — from $6.50

Loose-leaf is the right default for journaling, and the reason is psychological rather than practical. A bound notebook punishes bad pages — one messy spread and the whole book feels ruined, and people abandon it. Loose-leaf lets you remove, replace and reorder. Nothing is permanent, so nothing is precious, so you keep writing.

On size: B5 is the larger option and better for study notes, mind maps and anything you’ll write during a lecture. A5 is more portable and suits daily journaling. B5 if it lives on a desk, A5 if it lives in a bag.

School Series B5/A5 Loose-Leaf Notebook — from $7.90

Same format, cleaner and more restrained design. Choose this one if you want something that won’t look out of place in a seminar or an office.

M5 Pocket Loose-Leaf Notebook with PVC Cover — $8.49

M5 is a pocket-sized ring format that has developed a substantial following, and it’s the part of this catalogue most worth exploring if you’re new to it. The system is modular: you buy a cover once, then swap refill packs — weekly spreads, to-do lists, blank paper, grid — as your needs change.

Two things make it work. First, it fits in a pocket or small bag, so you actually carry it. Second, the refill market is deep and cheap: M5 notepad and binder refills start from $4.90, so experimenting with a new layout costs less than a coffee.

M5 Transparent Refillable Binder Covers, 5-Ring — $17.90

The clear cover is the one to get if you plan to decorate. You can slide artwork, photos or pressed flowers behind the PVC and change the look without touching the contents. It’s the single most customisable item in this guide.

Fall in Collection Soft Gradient Mixed Notepaper — $6.90

A mixed box of gradient-toned sheets. This is collage material rather than writing paper — layered under photos, used as backing for a spread, or cut into strips. If your journal looks flat and you don’t know why, mixed-tone paper is usually the missing layer.

3. Decoration — Where Kits Get Expensive Unnecessarily

This is the category where people overspend. You do not need forty rolls of washi tape. You need one fast, repeatable way to add visual structure.

6-in-1 Multicolor Pen Stamp Set for Planners — $7.49

The best value item in this guide. Six stamp patterns and a pen in one barrel, at half its original price. The reason it beats stickers on a cost-per-use basis is simple: a sticker sheet runs out. A stamp doesn’t.

For daily or weekly spreads, where you’re repeating the same layout, a stamp set turns a ten-minute decorating session into a thirty-second one. And repeatability is what makes a journaling habit survive a busy week.

Stickers, Stamps and Washi Tape

Worth browsing rather than prescribing, since this is where personal taste dominates. My one piece of advice: buy narrow washi first. Wide tape looks impressive and then sits unused because it dominates every page it touches. Narrow tape gets used up.

Sugar Cube Mini Stapler — $8.90

A small object that quietly earns its place — for attaching ticket stubs, receipts, photos and folded inserts into a journal. Fits in a pencil case, which the stapler in your desk drawer does not.

4. Storage — The Part That Determines Whether You Keep Going

Star Series Drawstring Pencil Case, Large Capacity — $19.90

Rated 4.95 across twenty reviews, which is the strongest review profile in the stationery range relative to price.

Drawstring cases solve a specific problem that zip cases don’t: they open flat into a bowl, so everything inside is visible and reachable at once. With a zip case you dig. With a drawstring case you look. For anyone carrying fifteen-plus pens, this is the difference between using your collection and forgetting what’s in it.

“Large capacity” is meaningful here — this is sized for a full kit, not four pens and a rubber.

Cream Star Drawstring Backpack — $39.90

The most validated product in the catalogue — 4.94 from 54 reviews, several times more feedback than anything else here. It’s also stocked on Amazon, which is usually a sign a product has cleared a volume threshold and survived returns scrutiny.

Matches the Star Series pencil case if you want the set to look intentional.

Wingwing Fluffy Angel Wings School Backpack — $42.90

The statement option. Fluffy wing detailing, and considerably less subtle than the Cream Star. Choose it if the bag is part of your outfit rather than just a container — but check the dimensions on the product page against your laptop before ordering, since decorative backpacks often trade capacity for shape.

DOT DOT Drawstring Backpack — $42.90

Five stars across nine reviews. A middle ground between the two above: more personality than the Cream Star, less commitment than the wings.

Ballet Dream PU Leather Card Holder — $11.90

For student ID, transit cards and library cards. Small, cheap, and the thing you’ll be glad you bought in week three of term.

See pencil cases and bags →

Build Your Kit: Three Budgets

Concrete builds rather than a shopping list. Note the free-shipping and discount thresholds when deciding where to stop.

Starter kit — around $25

Everything you need to start and nothing you don’t. If journaling doesn’t stick, you’ve lost the price of two lunches.

Complete kit — around $62

This clears the $59 threshold for the subscriber discount — worth signing up for the newsletter before checkout rather than after.

Full setup — around $105

A matched set for a full academic year, at roughly what a single premium leather notebook costs.

What You Should Know Before Ordering

Around a quarter of the range is out of stock

The stationery collection lists 466 products, of which 131 show as unavailable at any given time. That’s the trade-off of a curated model — small independent designers produce in limited runs, and restocks aren’t guaranteed. Filter by “In stock” before you start browsing, or you’ll build a wishlist you can’t buy. If something you want is available, don’t sit on it.

Review counts are thin on most individual products

Several items I’ve recommended have one to three reviews. The store’s overall feedback is strong, but “5.0 from 2 reviews” is not the same evidence as “4.94 from 54 reviews.” Where I’ve flagged high review counts — the Cream Star backpack, the Star Series pencil case — that’s meaningful validation. Elsewhere, you’re partly buying on the photographs.

Every item shows a struck-through original price

Sale pricing appears to be permanent rather than promotional. Judge each item on its actual asking price, not on the size of the apparent discount. By that measure most of these still represent fair value for independently designed goods — which makes the anchoring unnecessary.

Check dimensions before buying bags

Aesthetic backpacks frequently prioritise silhouette over capacity. If you need to fit a 15-inch laptop or B5 binders, measure first. The product pages carry the dimensions; the listing images don’t communicate scale reliably.

What’s genuinely good

• Import duties and VAT are covered for US, UK and EU orders. This is a bigger deal than it sounds — cross-border stationery orders are exactly the size where a surprise customs charge exceeds the value of the goods. Removing that removes the main risk of ordering internationally.
• A student discount programme, which is well matched to the actual customer base.
• Klarna and Afterpay alongside standard payment methods, plus PayPal for buyer protection.
• $10 off orders over $59 for email subscribers — sign up first, since the complete kit above clears that threshold.
• Genuinely independent designs. Around two dozen named studios rather than white-labelled generics. If you want stationery nobody in your class already has, this is the actual reason to shop here rather than a big retailer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I actually need to start journaling?

Four things: a pen you enjoy holding, paper that doesn’t bleed, one repeatable decoration method, and somewhere to keep it all. That’s roughly $25. Everything beyond that is preference, and preference is much easier to identify after a month of writing than before.

Is loose-leaf better than a bound notebook?

For most people starting out, yes. Loose-leaf lets you remove pages you dislike and reorder sections, which removes the perfectionism that kills journaling habits. Bound notebooks are better for archival journals you intend to keep permanently.

What is the M5 system?

A pocket-sized ring binder format with a wide ecosystem of interchangeable refills — weekly planners, to-do lists, grid and blank paper. You buy the cover once and swap refills as your needs change. It’s the most flexible option here for anyone who wants a planner that travels.

Will I pay customs charges?

Not for US, UK or EU orders — import duties and VAT are covered by the store. For other destinations, check the shipping information page, since terms vary by country.

How long does delivery take?

This varies by destination and shipping method chosen at checkout. Check the store’s shipping page before ordering if you’re buying for a specific date such as the start of term or a birthday.

Is there a student discount?

Yes — the store runs a dedicated student discount programme. Verify eligibility on their student discount page before placing your order, since discounts generally can’t be applied retroactively.

The Verdict

If you want cheap, functional stationery, buy it locally and skip the shipping wait. That’s the honest recommendation for anyone who just needs pens that work.

This is for the other case — where the stationery is part of why you sit down to write. The designs here come from independent studios rather than a catalogue, the pricing is reasonable for what that is, and covering import duties removes the main reason people avoid ordering stationery across borders.

Strengths: genuinely distinctive independent designs, low entry prices, duties and VAT covered for US, UK and EU, a deep and cheap M5 refill ecosystem, student discount, and flexible payment options.

Weaknesses: roughly 28% of the range is out of stock at any time, most individual products carry very few reviews, permanent sale anchoring, and bag dimensions that need checking before purchase.

Rating: 8.5/10. Start with the $25 kit. If you’re still writing in it a month later, build out from there.

Shop the full stationery collection →

Prices, ratings and stock reflect published listings as of August 2026 and are subject to change. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page.