Notebooks have plenty of uses in school and in the office, but along those who prefer to use composition books, or steno notepads, there are plenty of people who prefer to use a notebook without lines for their work. Most would assume that sketchbooks for use with artistic pens and pencils would work, and sometimes they do, but they aren’t ideal for everyday school and office spaces.
A notebook without lines is called an “unruled notebook”. Other names include “unlined notebook,” “plain notebooks,” and “blank notebooks”.
Great to Use Notepad in Organic Chemistry Classes
When it comes down to drawing out skeletons and complicated structures, a notebook without lines comes in very handy. Solving or balancing equations in chemistry sometimes requires lots of space on paper, which is where an unruled notebook comes in.
As a Spiral Notebook in Business Meetings in Creative Spaces
When it comes down to explaining something to a client on paper, we wouldn’t make such a great impression if we pull out a cheapo notebook from Staples to draw up a layout for a website. I’ve been in that situation before (as a website designer), where I have to meet with a client to discuss a proposal, and having the white canvas space to explain my points makes it feel like I’m writing on a whiteboard.
Blank Notebook for Use as a Journal
Keeping track of thoughts and ideas don’t typically follow the rules (ha! pun.) of a notebook. We might be thinking a sentence in our heads, followed by a sketch, a diagram, or a sudden need to doodle on the sides or empty spaces of the notebook.
How I Use Unlined Notebooks
Emnotes has been creating notebooks for students and professionals for several years and when I started making them, I couldn’t find them in stores.
Nowadays, unruled notebooks can be found just about anywhere if you search in the right places, and I own several from other brands as well as stock up heavily on Emnotes. Some of my favorites include Clairefountaine and Field Notes –always blank, of course.
One peculiar thing that I found about blank books is that you have plenty of space, almost twice as much as I have with other notebooks. Having no headers, no margins, and no blocked off spaces means that I get to fit twice as much in a single page. This saves the need to flip between pages, as well as saves money (and the environment, and and and and..).
I highly recommend searching around for a notebook that works for you, especially if you take note taking seriously and you find it beneficial to your learning process or how you work.