All right, I’m back with a new article, and today I want to talk about Paper Republic. I finally got my Paper Republic journal, and I want to talk about it because why not? This is my blog. I’m allowed to talk about whatever the fuck I want to talk about.
Okay, so basically, on August 2nd, which I believe was a Sunday, before I left for my trip to Europe, I ordered a Paper Republic.
Now, I’ve known about Paper Republic since probably April or May of this year, something like that, or maybe even March, I guess. But the way I discovered them was through this creator called Chonnie, who was actually promoting Traveler’s Notebook.
And I originally wanted to get a Traveler’s Notebook, but then I found Paper Republic. Later on, I also found Louise Carmen, but Louise Carmen is, like, hella expensive, I think, and I haven’t really bothered to look into it.
So eventually, I just grew to love Paper Republic’s aesthetic, and I don’t know, there was something about Paper Republic that really attracted me. I kind of made it a goal for this year to buy one, and when I got the chance to do that, I was like, you know what? We’re jumping into this opportunity.
And eventually, on August 2nd this year, I ordered my first Paper Republic. And probably not my last one because, to be fair, you’ll see why. I think. I don’t know.
So basically, I ordered the journal, and everything seemed to go super smoothly. It ships from Germany, so I knew that shipping would be quick.
However, on August 6th, I got a message that there would be a delay of at least 10 business days. So mentally, I started to prepare to receive it in early, if not mid-September.
But I actually received it on, I believe, August 28th or something like that. Like August 27th, 28th, something like that. I don’t remember the exact date anymore, but I got it towards the end of August.
I ordered the Writer’s Bundle in Dusty Rose because I was honestly very hesitant about what color to get. I thought about blue, then green, but then I loved Dusty Rose, and I’m so glad I chose this color.
I did get 20% off because I registered for their email marketing thingy, their newsletter, and I got, like, 20% off, which was awesome.
But I didn’t really want to spend money on extra ribbons because I knew I would need them for extra inserts in my Paper Republic. So I ended up ordering those plus another insert from Traveler’s Notebook because I knew they would fit.
The ribbons fit.
The insert? Not really.
And it disappointed me, actually.
So my Paper Republic arrives. I’ve already received my ribbons plus the insert. Time to set it up.
And unfortunately, here comes a disappointment.
Basically, I was trying to set up my journal, but the insert that I got from Traveler’s Notebook, which is a zipper-lock type of insert where I can put my washi tape and markers, unfortunately didn’t quite fit. You will probably see this in my photos. It just doesn’t really fit, unfortunately.
But I’m still using it.
Then I started setting up my journal. I was using the five-minute diary that I bought from Poland, plus another mini diary that was, like, a questions-I-had-to-answer type of thingy. At first, I thought, so far, so good.
Then I tried to add the Paper Republic inserts, but I also tried to fill the zipper-lock bag, and everything became very messy.
But I fixed it.
Then I used this little charm from AliExpress because it was a charm that I was supposed to use for my iPod, but I just kept it because, I don’t know, I knew I would use it eventually.
And yeah.
However, I wanted to add other inserts too.
I realized that I needed to put my Bible study notebook that I’m currently using inside, and with that, unfortunately, my journal became too thick, and it couldn’t really hold everything.
So I ended up swapping the five-minute diary and the questions one for my Bible study notebook.
And then I realized that another thing I really wanted to use my Paper Republic for was keeping a book inside that fits comfortably, so that I can read if I’m, let’s say, at a coffee shop or on the road.
It’s good to have a book because, well, you can get bored, and we need more offline activities, right?
So I put a book inside, and I think I ended up swapping out one of the Paper Republic notebooks. I mean, one of their inserts.
But later on, I ended up not using any of the Paper Republic inserts at all, and I will explain why.
Every bundle, or at least mine, the Writer’s Bundle, arrived with one really thin Paper Republic notebook. I think it had only, like, 20 to 40 sheets or something like that.
Then there was another lined notebook that was considerably thicker and bigger, with more sheets and whatnot.
It also arrived with, like, a card holder thingy, and at first I thought I could use the card holder for maybe my washi tape or stickers. But then I realized they weren’t going to fit.
And my journal was becoming too chunky, so I just had to take that one out.
Then I took out the Paper Republic inserts as well because I already had a Bible study journal plus a book, and then I realized that I wanted more space. Like, I wanted a true A5 journal.
So I wanted to put in this one that I bought back when the weather was pretty cold, or at least I think it was still cold. I must have bought it in, like, April or something.
It was going to become my new journal because I really wanted to switch to a smaller journal.
But yeah, it didn’t fit in the Paper Republic either because it has, like, a hundred and something, if not two hundred, maybe three hundred pages, and that’s just too much for Paper Republic to handle, I suppose.
So I had to switch to this one that’s still a hundred and something pages long, but it fits.
At the moment, I do not have a photo of my current setup, unfortunately. I should have taken one.
But right now, what I have is the Paper Republic Dusty Rose cover, and on the inside, I am using the Traveler’s Notebook ribbons because, well, as I said already, they were cheaper and shipping was quicker from where I was getting them.
So that’s why I use them.
I also have the other Traveler’s Notebook insert with a zipper lock, but I plan on switching to another one because I need more space for markers, more washi tape, stickers, and whatnot.
So I’m using that one for now, and it’s just temporary.
Then I’m using an A5 ruled notebook, my current one for Bible study, and I still have to use it for at least another two months, if not two and a half months, until I finish it.
Then I also have a book on the inside as my second, let’s say, insert or whatever you want to call it, if we’re not counting the Traveler’s Notebook insert. You know what I mean?
And my final insert is an A5 ruled notebook that is currently my journal.
And okay, so do I plan on using the Paper Republic inserts?
I will test Paper Republic’s notebooks and whatnot, and I already have a €10 off code or something like that that I can use. I do plan on getting maybe one of their thicker notebooks so that I can use it as an insert.
So I think when I’m finished with all of my current inserts, I will probably swap them for the Paper Republic ones.
In the meantime, I do plan on possibly testing Midori notebooks, A5 or B6, maybe even B6 Slim if I can find it.
And I definitely need a new ziplock, double-ziplock insert because I need more space for my washi tape. I need more space for my markers. I want to put stickers in there.
And yeah, so we’ll see how it works.
But for now, this is my Paper Republic, and yeah, I hope you liked this post, and I hope you consider testing Paper Republic for yourself.