Stationery Freaks

It’s the last Stationery Freaks episode before Christmas, and after a slightly chaotic month we’re back with a free-form catch-up full of notebook temptation, planning experiments, and advent calendar joy.
Helen reviews two very premium stationery advent calendars — Martha Brook(s) and Tom’s Studio — including what you actually get, which one feels more “decorative vs functional,” and the one item she absolutely refuses to touch (again).
Rob shares his new structured SmartPlanner time-blocking experiment (and why he’s moved from pen to pencil), an everyday-carry bag confession featuring nine notebooks, and an early idea he’s calling The Wallpaper Method: learning notes on a giant scroll.
We also chat about “analog wellbeing,” why January is peak notebook season, end-of-year reflection (hello, Collins ledger), and what we’ll be tackling in the first episode of 2026.

In this special on-the-road episode, Rob and Helen meet in person for the first time in almost six years — to celebrate Mark+Fold’s 10-year anniversary at their Brick Lane pop-up.
Recorded between a noisy East London bar and the beautifully minimalist Mark+Fold shop, this episode is a blend of celebration, nostalgia, and stationery-fueled creativity.
Apologies for some of the audio quality - London doesn't have many quiet bars and restuarants!
You’ll hear:
The Stationery Freaks origin story — how a shared love of pens and notebooks sparked a 7-year podcast
Why Mark+Fold’s aesthetic hits so deeply for creatives
How notebooks help ideas become real — from novels to meetings to films
What Helen did and didn’t buy (and what Rob tried to encourage…)
Plus two brilliant spontaneous mini-interviews:
Terri, a writer whose tiny handwriting and Bangkok-sourced micro-nib pens inspired us both
Vicky, a second-generation bookbinder behind the stitching of Mark+Fold’s planners and notebooks
It’s a celebration of longevity — Mark+Fold’s 10 years, Stationery Freaks’ 7 years — and the creative habits, tools, and people that keep us all moving from idea → creation.
Links & Mentions
Mark+Fold Pop-Up Shop – Open until 25th November 2025 - Find the store at 228 Brick Lane, London, E2 7EE
Mark+Fold Monthly Planners & Notebooks
Choosing Keeping (London stationery shop)
Blackwing Pencils
Hobonichi Techo & A6 notebooks
Oxford Notebooks & Yellow Legal Pads
Key Moments
00:00 — Meeting in person for the first time in years
03:10 — Why Mark+Fold’s design philosophy resonates
07:40 — How the Stationery Freaks podcast began
14:00 — Why we record even when the audio is imperfect
18:30 — What we learned from early listeners & global analytics
22:50 — Interview with Terry (writer + micro-nib pen enthusiast)
30:40 — Interview with Vicky (bookbinder who sews Mark+Fold’s planners)
38:00 — Live from the shop floor — Helen “lightly shopping”
46:00 — Reflections on creativity, tools, and 10 years of making things

Household stationery isn’t “our precious pens and paper in our study” — it’s the everyday tools that keep a home ticking. We talk freezer-proof labels, kitchen whiteboards, year-at-a-glance calendars we forget to update, junk-drawer essentials, elastic bands vs Velcro ties for cables, and even a full Kanban wall system that helps a building business run. 
Plus: Magic Click (a colour-pen system we need help decoding), why shrink-wrap on notebooks should be illegal, and the enduring magic of handwritten notes in old recipe books.
What We Cover
Labelling the real world: freezer labels that don’t fall off, pens that actually write on them, and why chalk pens disappointed.
Whiteboards at home: revision, “blurting” study technique, and why office whiteboards triple in size the moment they enter a house.
Family calendars: wall planners vs Google Calendar; how to stop answering “What’s for tea?” 47 times.
The junk drawer: string, Sellotape ends, last 3 Post-its, elastic bands—and occasionally £40.
Cable wrangling: elastic bands vs Velcro ties (and cats stealing the Velcro).
Kitchen Kanban: a visual, Post-it based board for a builder’s workload (columns from “mentioned” to “invoiced”).
Notes on doors: Berlin-style paper rolls to leave messages (and why phones killed the habit).
Measuring kids’ growth: doorframe ticks vs logging in Apple Notes.
Sticky label removal: we’ve tried dishwasher runs, washing-up liquid, alcohol… still tacky! (Your hacks welcome.)
Brands behaving oddly: a Moleskine “travel case” too small for a Cahier; shrink-wrapped notebooks you can’t test.
Why we love marginalia: old cookbooks and Reader’s Digest repair manuals with handwritten tweaks.
Content recommendations: Andrew Huberman’s interview with Steven Pressfield (resistance, turning pro, doing the work).
Event tease: Rob & Helen at a November stationery event (with a shop… send help).
Listener Shout-Outs
Lisa (In Berlin, in a kitchen): topic idea + brilliant list — thank you Lisa!
Nat: for sending Magic Click (and introducing us to Barbara Thames’ creativity/play angle).
Anonymous newsletter supporter: your generosity genuinely helps keep this ad-free. Thank you!
Resources & Mentions
Magic Click colour-pen system — creator Barbara Tammes (if you’ve used it, tell us how!).
Label makers: DYMO.
Notebooks & shops: Moleskine, Waterstones, Dingbats (reporter), Tom’s Studio (pens & inks).
Other: Vinted (finds), Nokia notebooks at a conference, Reader’s Digest Repair Manuals, The Newt (Somerset).
Podcasts: Steven Pressfield — The War of Art, Turning Pro; Dr Andrew Huberman interview with Steven Pressfield.
Where to Find Us
Newsletter & archive: stationeryfreaks.com → Substack
Instagram: @stationeryfreaksuk
Say hello / ideas: via the website or Insta DMs

In this episode of Stationery Freaks, Rob and Helen dive into the world of rituals and routines, exploring how our favourite stationery tools (along with time and space) can transform tasks into meaningful, mindful moments.

Helen discovers other writers are now using Blackwing pencils in her writing class. Rob spent so little time choosing which notebook to use for a business book he's writing (the Rhodia A4 notebook) - that he wonders what is wrong.
Rob and Helen also receive a very awesome poem in Zine format from previous guest, Richard. Very cool - check out the newsletter to see photos of it. Check out the interview with Richard about all things Commonplacing. 
Rob and Helen discuss the difference between routines (habitual efficiency) and rituals (intentional, mindful practices), and share tips for using stationery to create focused, productive, and inspiring workflows.

Also covered :
Hobonichi planners and the art of intentional notebook selection + staggering shipping costs!
Mark + Fold notebooks for capturing learning and ideas
Typewriters for slow writing
How music - from Helen's Gregorian chants and heavy metal, and Rob's HipHop and EDM - can trigger creative flow and rituals (some playlists in the newsletter!)
The ideas, thoughts and psychology behind ritual, habit-stacking, and productivity
If you love the feel of ink on paper, the smell of fresh notebooks, the way the pages turn and the joy of creating meaningful routines and rituals with stationery, give this episode a listen. There is also ramble chat about tea and coffee, secret hidden rooms and tunnels, and books about squirrels.
Why not check out the newsletter too - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

In this episode Rob and Helen dive deep into their latest stationery hauls — from Japanese Sailor pens and Tom’s Studio Wren to Martha Brooks advent calendars and Zebra limited editions.
Plus: writing contest success, notebooks you’ll never dare write in (that are ridiculously expensive), and a new digital note-taking tool that’s winning Rob over.
Helen refuses to talk about her sticker addiction and Etsy is properly off the table for conversation.
Helen is already buying advent calendars....in September. Rob is trying not to buy anything else, he's changed.
We chat about digital tools, more notebooks, pen hauls and share a story about a random stranger in Home Sense providing Helen with the perfect notebook.
Take a look at the notebooks and pens and read Helen's story submission for the writing competition over in the newsletter - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/
We mention the advent calendar series we did a few years back, here's the first of those episodes if you fancy getting into the Christmas spirit.
https://stationeryfreaks.com/17
Resources, Products & Brands Mentioned
Sailor Pens – Japanese fountain and calligraphy pens
Tom’s Studio – Wren fountain pen, Mulberry ink, Advent Calendar
Martha Brooks – Stationery Advent Calendar
Diamine Inks – Sparkling inks with shimmer effects
HomeSense / TK Maxx – Bargain stationery finds
Moleskine – Classic planners and notebooks
ChoosingKeeping (London shop) – Unique notebooks, some handmade
Zebra Pens – Limited edition retractable felt pens & ball pens
Sharpie – Fine liners and markers (classic red learning notes)
Capacities.io – Digital knowledge management and journaling app
Zotero – Digital reference management tool
Until next time.
Rob & Helen