Many time management systems suggest carrying a small notebook with you wherever you go. That way you can write down those thoughts, ideas and to-dos before you have a chance to forget them.
This is great advice. But, for me, the hard part was always finding the right pocket notebook to take with me.
Some “pocket notebooks” are too big to fit comfortably in a pocket. Others will fit in your pocket just fine, but they’re too small to be truly useful.
Spiral notebooks can work. But if you carry one in your pocket (especially your back pocket) for a while, chances are good the spiral will get bent out of shape, which will make the pages hard to turn.
Most stitch-bound notebooks won’t lay flat. And you can’t fold them open either, which can make them hard to write in when you’re standing in line at the bank or grocery store.
When I found out about the hipster, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. And it worked great. It was the perfect size, didn’t have some of the disadvantage spiral-bound or stitch-bound pocket notebooks tend to have, and didn’t cost me a penny.
If you can’t find the “perfect” pocket notebook, the hipster might be just what you’re looking for.
What is a Hipster?
When the hipster was introduced a few years ago, productivity hackers went wild over it. Which is strange considering what a hipster actually is.It’s a stack of index cards.
Really, that’s all there is to it.
But this stack of index cards can be turned into a great pocket “notebook.” And you can make one for less than two bucks…or for nothing, if you already have the supplies.
If you use 3 by 5 inch index cards, your hipster will be the perfect size to slip into your pocket. And you don’t have to worry about a spiral getting bent out of shape.
Tearing pages out of store-bought notebooks can be hassle. But with a hipster, you can remove "pages” without damaging your “notebook.
And, when you’re hipster starts to run out of “pages,” you just take out any cards you don’t need anymore and replace them with fresh new cards.
Now that you know what a hipster is, here’s how you can create one of your very own.
Making a Hipster in 3 Easy Steps
1. Get some plain index cards.
Index cards are cheap. In fact, you can get a pack of a hundred for a dollar or less. And, if you buy in bulk, you can get an even better deal.
You can get lined or unlined index cards depending on what you prefer. Or, since index cards are so cheap, you can “splurge” and get a pack of each to start.
You can also spring for a pack of multi-colored index cards. They’re a little more expensive than plain, white cards. But having index cards in different colors can come in handy.
If there’s a list that you want to be able to find fast, put it on a card that’s a different color from the other cards in your hipster. For example, if most of the cards in your hipster are white, and you put your shopping list on a green card, you’ll have no trouble quickly spotting your shopping list in the stack.
When making your hipster, start with 10 to 20 cards. More than that and it might be too bulky to fit comfortably in your pocket.
2. Decide what you’ll use to “bind” your hipster.
Once you’ve got your stack of index cards, you’ll need something to hold them together when they are in your pocket, purse or bag.
One option is to use a simple binder clip, which is easy to remove. When you need to get to a specific card in your hipster, just take off the clip and shuffle through the stack to find the “page” you’re looking for.
A rubber band is another option. Not only will a rubber band hold your cards together, but it can also hold a pen too. Just wrap a rubber band around the hipster, and slip the pen inside the rubber band. Now you won’t have to hunt for said pen the next time you need to write something down.
3. Create a cardboard cover.
What happens if you need to write something in your hipster while you’re standing in line or sitting in your car? Well index cards are thin and pliable, so writing on them (even a stack of them) can be tough if you don’t have anything to lay the stack down on.
Having something thick and fairly rigid somewhere in your hipster will make writing in it on-the-go a whole lot easier.
All you need is a piece of thick cardboard, like the kind you might find on the back of an old legal pad. You can also find cheap cardboard on the craft aisle of many department stores.
All you need to do is cut the cardboard so that it’s the same size as your hipster. Now add the cardboard to your stack, and you’re set.
If you want to indulge your artistic side, you can decorate the cardboard and turn it into a hipster cover. You can draw designs on it, glue decorative or gift wrapping paper to it, or slap a bunch of stickers all over it if that’s what strikes your fancy.
And when you get bored with your current hipster cover, you can make a new one.
If you can’t find a pocket notebook that works for you, why not give a hipster a try? All you need is some cheap office supplies, a pair of scissors, and five minutes to put the whole thing together.
Do you carry a notebook with you wherever you go? Is it spiral-bound or stitch-bound? Or have you already discovered the wonders of the hipster? Leave a comment below and tell us about it.
