Tools & Guides
Resources for intentional planners
Study guides, analog tool recommendations, and books that have shaped the way I think about planning, engineering, and building a deliberate life.
Morning Ritual
Ríos de Oro Coffee
Before the pen touches paper, the coffee is in the cup. Colombian beans from my family's farms in Caldas — two farms, over 50 years, roasted fresh and shipped to the US within a week. No warehouse, no middlemen.
farming
shipment
farms
Stationery & Tools
Analog Tools I Recommend
The physical tools that have become part of my daily planning practice. Each one chosen for a reason — not nostalgia, but precision.
*These are Amazon affiliate links. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Start Here
If you buy just one thing
New to analog planning? Skip the rabbit hole. This is the three-piece core I'd hand a friend to get started: a binder, the inserts that go in it, and a pen that makes writing feel good. Everything below builds on it.
MeePlus Binder
A ring binder you build into a planner that flexes with you. Add, remove, and reorder pages anytime.
MeePlusKaweco Sport*
Pocket-sized fountain pen that makes you actually want to write.
AmazonPlanning Engineered Planner Templates
The planner pages I designed to drop straight into the binder. Printable PDFs, built for focus.
ShopNotebooks & Planners
Lochby Mini Field Journal*
A waxed canvas notebook carrier that holds up to 4 pocket-sized notebooks. Elastic bands, bookmarks, and a pen slot keep everything in one compact system.
AmazonLochby Voyageur*
A waxed canvas journal system that holds up to 4 TN-sized notebooks with an elastic pen loop and inner and outer pockets.
AmazonLochby Venture Pouch*
Keeps pens, cards, and inserts together. The analog version of a desktop dock.
Amazon In my bagLochby Quattro*
A waxed canvas pen pouch with soft velvet interior lining. Offset pockets hold 4–8 pens without crowding, with a centre slot for cartridges and small accessories.
AmazonLochby Tomoe River Notebook*
Thin, fountain-pen-friendly Tomoe River paper in a Lochby format. Ink shading looks exceptional on this.
Amazon In my bagField Notes*
Always in the back pocket. For anything that needs to leave my head before it disappears.
Amazon In my bagPaper Republic Grand Voyageur
A leather cover system that holds inserts, cards, and a pen. The most tactile part of my daily carry.
Paper RepublicSterling Ink Planners
A beautifully designed planner for intentional living. Thoughtful layout built for focus and reflection.
Sterling Ink In my bagMeePlus Binder
A ring binder system I use to build a planner that flexes with me. Add, remove, and reorder pages so the setup never locks you in.
Shop In my bagBira Craft 6-Hole Punch
The exact 6-hole punch I use to turn printed templates and cut-down paper into ring-ready inserts. Adjustable for personal, A5, A6, and pocket sizes.
AmazonPens & Writing
Kaweco Sport*
Pocket-sized, capped, and reliable. Clips into any cover without adding bulk.
Amazon In my bagTWSBI Eco & Go*
Demonstrator body, smooth writer, great ink capacity. The pen that converted many skeptics.
AmazonTraveler's Company FP*
Made to pair with the Traveler's Notebook system. Slim, elegant, and writes beautifully out of the box.
AmazonTraveler's Company BP*
When a fountain pen isn't the right tool. Smooth, confident line for quick notes and signatures.
AmazonTraveler's Company Pencil*
For sketches, calculations, and anything that needs to be erasable. Pairs perfectly with the notebook system.
Amazon In my bagZebra Sarasa Grand Vintage*
The gel pen that writes like butter. Vintage ink tones that look refined on any paper.
AmazonZebra Sarasa Vintage Set*
A curated set of muted, vintage-tone colors. Great for color-coding a planner without it looking like a highlighter explosion.
Amazon In my bagBig Idea Design Baseline*
Satisfying bolt-action mechanism, machined precision. The pen for when you want writing to feel like an event.
Amazon In my bagTombow Fudenosuke*
Firm tip, excellent control. My go-to for headers and titles in notebooks and planners.
AmazonTombow Dual Brush Pen*
Two tips, endless color options. For lettering, color-coding, and adding visual structure to a spread.
Amazon In my bagZebra Mildliners*
Muted, ink-friendly highlighters that don't bleed or overwhelm a page. The only highlighters worth using with fountain pens.
Amazon In my bagPilot Vanishing Point*
A retractable fountain pen with a click deploy. One-handed like a ballpoint, writes like a real nib. The one I reach for at the desk.
Amazon In my bagTraveler's Company Brass Ruler*
A solid brass ruler that builds a patina with use. Heavy enough to stay put, short enough to live in a notebook pocket.
Amazon In my bagPentel Multi 8*
A 2mm lead holder that carries eight colored and graphite leads in one barrel. Color-codes a spread without a fistful of pencils.
Amazon In my bagTraveler's Company Brass Pencil*
A compact brass pencil that extends to full length in hand and ages with a patina. Pairs with the notebook system.
AmazonFocus Tools
Time Timer*
A shrinking red arc shows exactly how much time remains. No noise, no distraction, just visual focus. Transformed how I work through deep tasks.
AmazonDesk Cube Timer*
A flip-cube timer for Pomodoro sprints. Set it, flip it, and the countdown starts. No screen and no notifications to pull you off the page.
AmazonAirPods Pro*
Active noise cancellation that erases the room when I need to drop into deep work. The fastest way I have to tell my brain it is time to focus.
AmazonReading List
Recommended Books
Books that have shaped how I think about planning, engineering, career, and living deliberately.
*Amazon affiliate links. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Free Downloads
Free Printables
Low-ink A5 sheets that fit a six-ring binder. Print them at home, no email required. If they earn a spot on your desk, the weekly newsletter below has more.