I hope this video gives you inspiration to keep a commonplace book. Thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring! The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/thedailyconnoisseur05231 I would love to hear about your experience below. Have you noticed any of these benefits in your life? Thank you for watching. Love, Jennifer

My grandfather had a common place book with all of the words of wisdom that he lived by. When he passed away, my grandmother made beautifully bound copies of it for all of his children and grandchildren. It’s such a treasure for me to have!

You could put a pocket in the commonplace book and insert your index. This allows you to make it as long as it is needed to be and not run out of space for it.

I actually started this idea about a year ago with my grandchildren in mind. I fill it with my personal thoughts, stories from the past, and wisdom I find in writings. Someday when they may actually wonder how their grandmother felt about life….they can open my “common book” and realize I was more like them than they thought!

Oh, the magic of writing things down with a pen and a paper! 📝

Wow! My daily Bible study journeying has done this for me since 1972. Thanks for giving me a name for what I have been doing all these years.

I love this Jennifer. What I find really annoying is when I have a flash of wisdom and then I forget it before I’ve written it down. It sounds silly probably, but last week I put my hand on an oak tree and had a flash of insight but I can’t remember what it was!

I have kept a Commonplace book for years. I use a discbound notebook system so I can move pages around and keep it organized by general topic areas. This gives me an easy way to continuously access what I’ve written and learned.

These past couple of years I've changed my writing style from basic To do lists / inventory listing/ daily journal entries into a more organized style of COMMON-PLACE . My Commonplace is a sacred room for me, where I am taking a higher responsibility of my life, being more accountable, organized and focus on my cultivation and development of *MY LIFE* choices, directions and results. I still put in my daily thoughts of day, with inspirational quotes and sayings...yet I am now adding a more organized layout of teachings , and lessons received from others around me.

All this time I thought I was so disorganized for slopping all of my pearls of wisdom into one notebook! I didn’t know I was commonplacing! Validation!

I just started reading a nonfiction book about an event that happened in the 16th century and it was mentioned in passing that someone had noted an event in their commonplace book --- and I immediately thought of your previous video! That was the first time I had ever heard that term and how funny that it then shows up in a book I'm reading just a week later!

I love this Jennifer! I’m retiring next month and plan to incorporate a couple of journaling practices into my life, including a commonplace book. Also, I want to say, I love the length of your videos. A couple of other channels I follow have increased video length to 30 minutes or more, and I find I just can’t give up that much time for them. 10-15 minutes is optimal for me, with an occasional exception being ok. Thank you for all you do.

After your first commonplace book video, I ordered two journals from Erin Condren and had them embossed with “Commonplace Book 1” and “Commonplace Book 2”. I’m all in, haha!

I don't know how many times I try to remember something important or interesting I read in a book (or what the name of the book was), a line from a poem or the name or lyric of a song that popped up on Sirius while I was driving. I always tell myself I should have written it down! This video made so much sense to me. I love to buy beautiful journals - my favorites are from Papier - but most sit empty, just being pretty. Okay, I am going in . . .

I LOVE commonplacing. I started keeping a commonplace book long before I learned it was a thing with a name. I especially love your point about moving through the day with expectancy. “What will I encounter today that is memorable?” Expectancy is a posture of openness and positivity that serves me well. I also index my Commonplace book (and all my journals). I have learned a lot about indexing and “threading” from Ryder Carroll’s work on Bullet Journaling. I’m not a strict bullet journalist, but if you want to know about indexing and threading - you could learn a lot from looking up his methods. Threading is less pertinent, in my opinion, to commonplacing. However, I fully support finding an indexing system that makes sense to you and then find the discipline to apply it. Happy Commonplacing, everyone!!!

When I move into a new cpb, I like going through my previous book and pull out the best bits that stand out to me and copy them into the first pages of my new book. Typically 8 - 10 pages.

Have you heard of the children's book Carry On, Mr. Bowditch? It is based on a true story of a young boy who kept such a book. I read it to my children when I educated them at home. Highly recommend! I am glad that you posted about this! Also the movie A Walk to Remember, Jamie's mother kept a common place book that was left to her after her mother died.

I’m definitely also all in on the common place book. When I look back at my writing life, I often looked at my journal as more of a chore, but loved keeping what I now know was a commonplace journal. As a person who loves exploring personal growth in books, I agree with you, you become even more aware of seeking knowledge and expectancy reading and wanting to write it down.

I realised my scrappy notebooks I’ve been keeping for years are common place books!

I also have several journals, a little 5-year journal, where you write down happenings in several sentences in the small space. My husband enjoys when I read back about things we did, jobs he was on, etc. I started my gratitude journal when Jennifer had that as a suggestion in a monthly Chic Assignment. For years I have journaled what books I have read, a couple sentences about each, so I can go back to see who my favorite authors are, to order more of their books. And I have a quotations journal. I have a large paper planner which holds a lot of information and a smaller planner for my Airbnb business. All are helpful and/or enjoyable.

I also have a spiritual common place book. I keep homilies, spiritual reading quotes/notes, monthly Sodality meeting notes on the reflection, spiritual retreat notes and a running prayer intention list in the back. I do have a monthly journal/calendar/bullet journalwhere I keep gratitude lists and more prayer intentions in it that correspond to what is going on in the month. But the common place notebook is definitely different. I will also put any daily scripture reading flections in the common place, which are more personal thoughts than the quotes. But it is nice to write out the scriptures too, to better commit it to memory.

I wholeheartedly agree with this! I have kept a commonplace book since 2019, the first time I read L'art de la Simplicite by Dominique L'oreau. Her book was so inspirational and echoed my feelings so much, that I had to write down all the amazing insights in it! Now I have added many other authors to it, and I do re read it quite often and add colors, notes, etc. This commonplace book means so much to me.

I've been keeping one for my Bible reading and devotional books i read and occasionally even a hymn. I found it simpler to just start with one particular area vs anything and everything that I come across through the day. The important thing is, to just start however that looks for *you* .

I am enjoying your videos on this topic so much! I have been doing this for years, but didn’t know it had a name. When my daughter was young, I would write down things she said and insights she would have about the world around her. This book is so precious to me because I would have forgotten had I not written it down! Thank you for sharing, Connie

Just ordered my first notebook. What a delicious idea! It reminds me of a scene in the movie A Walk to Remember when Mandy Moore’s dad had given her the deceased mother’s notebook with scriptures, quotes, etc. I realize now that it was a commonplace book! It made quite an impression on me then, and your presentation now further solidifies my inner knowledge that I should be doing this. I would love to be able to give them to my daughter. Bien fait, madame! 😊

Writing is not my passion but I do take time to journal every now and then. It has been a tremendous blessing to look back and relive those special memories. Some can be painful but you get to see what God has brought you through and how much you have grown! Thank you for sharing more on the common place book. Very intriguing!

I wonder how many of us are going to put these points, especially the first one, in our own commonplace books. After watching this, I intend to go back and rewatch this video and write down your words of wisdom. Thank you, Jennifer💕

I've always journalled like crazy but it was a huge mash up of everything from prayer to whining to useful info. because some of it was just for me to process some stress, I never really looked back it, not wanting to relive it. So I threw the baby out with the bathwater. NOW I have this book to look back at! amazingly simple change

You approach material with expectancy. That is true and profound.

Your explanation of a common place book is exactly like what separates a “homeschooler” from being/doing homeschooling. Always on the lookout for new information, learning, and wisdom. My personal journaling began pretty much as a common place book then melded with a diary. I don’t have the inclination to have multiple journals, an all purpose & 5yr with occasional use of a project notebook is as much as I’m going to do, but I do like having the “commonplace” aspect of my everyday journal.

I liked this video. Great information. I have journaled now for 50 years. Not every day but usually at least some time in a year. I do go back and read them, and am amazed sometimes on what I wrote, or learned about myself. I also have a mind that seeks knowledge, and have often written down information from various sources that pertain to a specific time in my life or interest. In the last 10 years that includes what I glean from KZfaq videos. I wish I had kept it all on one place though.

Hi Jennifer, Your enthusiasm on this topic of keeping notes is infectious! If you printed these in a book as one page topics, I would purchase it! On another note, have you shared the painting on your dining room wall? The colors are fabulous and I’d love to see the details maybe on a “shorts” video format. Thanks for your ongoing inspiration, Julie 🌷

I saw the video where you talked about it and this idea of getting all thoughts, knoledge, tips in a common book blew up my mind. I’ve got one and… I can’t imagine how I was able to live without it! I’m a very curious person and every single day am looking for ideas, information and… it was very difficult for me to find it a few days after I read or watched it. Thank you so much, Jennifer. Your channel is a beautiful place to find inspiration. Wishing you a nice and calm week. 🌸🪴🇪🇸

I have been keeping a board with quotes and thoughts under the title of “Thoughtful conversation” but I will need to start writing down these words of wisdom….in my commonplace book…such a great idea. Thank you.

I've been keeping notes in Google Keep for a few years; I guess that could be considered a digital commonplace book. I am in the process of moving all those notes to a Google Doc which I will print out, cut apart, and tape/paste the entries into a journal.

Great recommendation. I have kept this kind of journal at different times in my life. Very random, no proper organization. My book is filled with all kinds of cool things I read, thought about, heard of, came across, that I did not want to forget. I love to flip through the book and see all the cool things again which I , of course, forgot about! When I see them with fresh eyes I am always so happy that I captured them for future consumption ❤

When i was psychology student (master's degree), i used a commonplace book for this purpose only. Now i used it to further my knowledge. Yes, it works :)

I want to thank you so much for your video's! I just started watching your channel when you shared about keeping a Commonplace Book. I loved that video so much! That very day my 19 year old daughter happened to be decluttering her room. She came up to me having no idea I was watching this video or what a Commonplace Book was and said "Hey mom- I have this journal book I have no use for- is it something you would want?" But of course! Feeling so grateful!

I bought a journal after your first video on this topic a few weeks ago. I love my Commonplace Journal. Thank you for the new tips today. It is very helpful.

Thanks Jennifer, you've inspired me to start one! I need a place to write down those random nuggets of wisdom that God puts in my head, ideas for poems I'd like to write and powerful quotes that I come across here and there. I already keep a 5-year diary (I've so enjoyed reading my grandmother's diaries from the 1930s) and a commonplace book is a natural next step. Not to mention it's another opportunity to practice my handwriting. I'd love for it to be as beautiful as my grandmother's! I recently purchased The Lost Art of Handwriting by Brenna Jordan and it's been such a great resource.

I’d like to hear an example of what you’ve written in your book.

I’m one of those people who didn’t realize they needed a commonplace book! I jotted down notes into it during this video, actually. 😊 And I realized that I have been using it for brain dumps, which is the not the purpose I intended. But it made me realize that I haven’t been seeking out or looking for the wisdom and knowledge that I do want to keep in this book. I’m still early on and I’m thankful I can course correct! I will likely keep several different books at once. 😂

I have been keeping my commonplace book on word doc. It's easier for me since I have bad handwriting and also easier to find keywords. Also I have been keeping a separate commonplace book for prayer requests.

I'm not an outdoors type of woman; however, this morning I was standing outside my Dr's office waiting for it to open and tiny white buds were on the ground. They were under a palm tree so I knew the buds didn't drop off them so I walked over to inspect them more closely and discovered they were something growing from the ground! They looked like tiny snow white trumpets. I debated taking my phone out to take a photo but I'm not good (yet) at that and would likely drop the phone and then there were people standing around and might wonder, "What is she doing?" I have to get over that. As I walked back to where I had been standing I noticed little purple round somethings on a tree limb that overhung the walkway. A closer look indicated they were not solid but, rather, on the top of each circle the buds (?) were pulling away, giving it a lovely look. Something caught my eye and a glance to the left revealed yet another tree with a lot of little round red somethings but these were solid - I wondered if they were cranberries then my mind went on a quick journey of "Where do cranberries grow?" All this took about five minutes and the trees have been there for years but why did I just now notice them? The ground cover (really wish I'd photoed them) probably blooms at certain times. I truly believe the planning of a commonplace book - haven't even started it yet - made me more aware of the lovely nature surrounding me that I never notice.

I've needed something like this for years - especially now because of all the informative KZfaq sites! Thanks for giving this process a name and encouraging us to do it.I resist the idea of an index but will incorporate a loose one (I don't want to be too organized !).

I love this video that goes a bit deeper into what a common place book is and excited to start one.

I love to read and journal and I've loved doing this for years. My problem is that I didn't keep my ideas, information, poems, writings and other things all in one place. I can see the value of keeping all of these things in ONE BOOK.

Thank you for this video and the explanation! I realize that I definitely need to implement this into my life! As a working mom I forget important things or have been highlighting or writing down in random places which of course I forget where I put! Having a book where I know I put everything in and can reference sounds like the perfect solution!! 😊

Ah! I thought i was the only one who didn't like reading my old journals! Definitely trying the commonplace book. Thanks for sharing

I’m 43 and I’ve been doing this since all my adult life , it’s no order or just a certain note book and only wrote on it at random times of my life and , when I look back to read these pieces of notes and papers, I ask my self, where my head space was at that time and where did I come up with this, like a genius almost 😊 I now know what, it’s called, thank you

I make journals as a hobby. Some call them “junk journals”, but they aren’t really “junk”. Mine consist of beautiful papers of all types, colors, and patterns creatively embellished with fabrics, trims, laces, jewelry, and other paper ephemera combined in a unique way. With all kinds of secret journal spots, tuck spaces, and truly fun and whimsical ways to write and remember. Places to put photos, mementos. From an aesthetic standpoint having a beautiful, unique, one of a kind journal can add to the pleasure of journaling and I would encourage you to check out the many artists who create and sell these beauties. I don’t sell mine at present but there are so many others who do. Of course journals come in all sorts of designs-simple to ornate. A “junk journal” in my opinion seems like the perfect repository for a commonplace journal practice.

Wow, Jennifer, you are so right, reading a past journal can be painful. I love the idea of the art journal course you are taking, perhaps you could do a video on the process for you and how it is going. (For those who also don't feel they are creative enough.) I do have a nature journal that i keep from when i homeschooled my children. They too had their own nature journals. I'm just loving these videos of yours. Thank you for the inspiration. Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa.

Thanks for this, Jennifer...I'm feeling inspired to go and buy a book right now! I have random recipes, highlights in my Kindle, quotes from books, and wardrobe ideas all over the place! Will be great to get it all organised. Oh, and your outfits shown in this video are all beautiful...I'm slowly putting together my own capsule wardrobe thanks to you :-)

Excellent video on commonplace books

I tried to keep a commonplace in a book but my need to have everything in order as well as wanting to find things quickly didn't work with a book (for me). Then I heard that some people keep their notes on record cards. I tried it and it works perfectly for me. I can put things into alphabetical order with categories so it's easier to find again when I want it. I also keep a small index for anything that might go into two categories e.g. recipes that might contain healing plants. Over time with books you might have a large collection and have to go through each book to find something. With cards you just have to go through the category that it's filed under. If the categories get too full, you just break it down further. e.g. Recipes can be broken down into sweet and savoury, drinks, desserts etc. Another system that's really good for using with books is the Japanese tagging system. You still have your index in a book, but you can then index multiple key words without having a huge index. Thank you xx

I do this in ny journal already! Never thought to have a journal dedicated to it!

I’m starting to be more intentional with my commonplace book. This video was helpful!

this advise of being in constante chase of wisdon goes so well with rick rubin's advice about being present and aware to find new ideas for projects and art in general :)

Ok esta es una tremenda y milagrosa idea. Voy a empezar hoy...

Thank you for this! I have never heard of a commonplace book but this sounds like a wise habit. Can wait to pick a notebook and enjoy my new companion in life.

Your last video on this topic inspired me to start a couple of my own. I've always kept a journal, but I love the idea of having a separate place to keep accumulated knowledge or wisdom.

I love my commonplace books. I have one for my art, one for writing, one for meditation.

I always take notes when you make videos like this Jennifer. I have documents from taking notes from your previous videos. They are so helpful. Thank you for sharing these 8 tips. I have never been someone to employ time blocking in my planner but I really like the points you made for using it. Focusing on one thing before staring another has been a weakness of mine. This tip I will for sure put to practice.

First I want to thank you so much for taking the time to share your wisdom with our community. I am excited to join your Society. I recently retired and was blessed to have a husband that did not realize he did not marry a homemaker😂. We were not blessed to have children. Have you thought of doing a series on how to be an older "rookie" homemaker. I am lost- I can't clean, I can't cook etc.... You get the picture. Thank you for your time. With love, Cathy Rosen

Austin Shrock… just watched his KZfaq video about his notebook too!! 😳 In it he mentioned another KZfaqr, Nathaniel Drew, that I’d like to watch. But this is a good idea!! I’ve been carrying around a little notebook in my purse, but I haven’t utilized it as much as I need to… These videos are encouraging me to do so. 👏🏼🙌🏼😊

I didn’t realize I need this until I learned about the concept of commonplace book)) Thank you for the idea!

I love my commonplace books! Thank you for such an affirming post for a commonplace user.

As a little girl, I started writing down quotes from books I like, or even entire paragraphs or poems that were special to me. I used French Clairefontaine notebooks and often illustrated the pages with theme-related drawings or pictures I glued to the paper. I've kept all my "cahiers de citation" (quote notebooks) and now that I have grandchildren, I plan to share these notebooks with them when they are old enough :) I've also had commonplace notebooks (often in my handbag) but only to jot down little things I want to remember in the short run, mainly practical ones and these don't have a special value in the long run so they are not keepers. I already have so many notebooks: journals/diaries, Filofaxes, notebooks where I write about the books I've read, others for movies and series I've watched, Midori-type travel notebooks, and those are the ones I save. I'm not a fan of notebooks that collect "everything", as in many too many different types/genres of information, as I find them confusing. I do love VERY old commonplace notebooks, the ones written by soldiers, writers, artists, philosophers, in ink on paper yellowed by time. I especially love those written by women, because their precious voices were drowned so much in the previous centuries! I also love the simple, humble, unpretentious notebooks where women collected recipes, thoughts, little quotes, practical household or fashion tips, notes about their children... these are not easy to find, so they are all the more precious.

Love the whimsy in the song and thumbnail. Thankyou for further explanation m. Wonderful as always.

Thank you. I'm understanding the commonplace book better now. In fact, this video might lead to my first entry. 😊

I used to use a paper journal for this. Now, I type my notes on a Google doc. Then I sometimes print it out and put it in a binder.

Any individual who has toile wallpaper has earned my trust.

I've never heard anyone say they did not like reading their journals, I feel the same way and was unable to put a finger on it until you stated it. Journals can be painful and a work though of "stuff". I throw away my journals at the end of thef year bec I see no need to keep them once I've worked through something. I used to think a commonplace book was the same as a journal. I think I'd like to try a commonplace book.

I used to do that without knowing that it has a name!! So i'll continue to do it. Thanks for your wonderfull videos!!

I have been doing this for years but I didn't know it had a name. Also, I have several journals with different categories in them but after your advice I think I will buy a new journal and keep everything in one place. When it is filled, I will start another. Thanks

Thanks im thinking of start journaling but a bit lazy because it is too hard work but your video just give me a great idea by starting this common place book. ❤

I was so excited to see this video posted today! After watching the last video about this I started a common place book and a family memories book. Love this topic!!! Thanks for the inspiration.

I love love love this thumbnail! Great video I feel like I need to be reminded. I bought a journal but just need to remember to actually write in it!

Two of my coworkers keep commonplace books and they swear by them.They're way older than me (in their 60s,70s) and I was always intrigued seeing them write in their notebooks and being able to find useful notes. I think I'll finally start one myself!

I never realized what I’ve been writing is a common place book, I need to write this down!

I love this idea!!

Would love longer videos from you Jennifer. Feel they are a little rushed as i love all the content. ❤️

Besides the physical one I have been keeping 'a common place book' in a form of a pinterest board for more than a decade ❤ and I go back to it often ❤

I love common place books!! Thanks!!❤

Love the John Locke suggestion for how to create an index - because the number of rabbit holes I fall down regularly deserve to be documented! Hahahaha. I have kept notes over the years, but unfortunately not in a way that would be useful later - usually notes or scattered among many notebooks. Having ONE notebook with an index may just be a game changer! (and the geeky part of me also thinks it would be amazing to scan it at the end of the year and create a digital database of all of this stuff to be added to each year - i.e.-keep paper for the year, then scan it in!)

I am trying to start a commonplace book. It is an attempt to create something USEFUL and a reference guide. I see commonplace books with decorating, stickers, etc.; others are journals, which I don’t want. I don’t want to create JUNK! I am struggling with organizing it so that it is actually useful!

Jennifer, do you have a booklist? Like maybe one toward end of year of what you have read/listened to? I’m always looking for a booklist especially for summer.

Thank you for sharing tilhis, Jennifer! Older books are full of wisdom, as are your books. I took so many notes while reading your books.

Words to live by.

Jenny This was very grounding for me. 🙏🏽

How have I never thought to add an index to my common place book? I feel like I'll use it so much more if I had a better system top organize things. I'll have to try that!!

I actually used to keep a commonplace book in high school and college - I called it my “quote book.” Never realized it was a thing. Thank you for inspiring me to pick it up again! Would you say it’s OK to include personal reflections in a commonplace book? Or do you think those are best placed somewhere else?

I am just stuck on your crystal candlesticks!

Thank you so very much for putting a name to my years old habit. I now know that my writings are called common place notebooks.

I really appreciated this video!

Love this concept!

What do you do to remember what you hear before you get the chance to write it in your journal?

Thank you! ❤

Your content is very unique

Being a minimalist, what do you do with all the journals when you finish and how many do you keep? Mine are out of control as I have journaled for over 30 yrs. I know I have asked this before but you didn’t answer 🤷‍♀️