Toto Tvalavadze

Make Your Own Unbound Notebook

This is a guide to making the canonical (version I use) Unbound notebook. The entire system is designed to be loose and flexible, tailored to fit only me. I encourage you to use the following information as inspiration and modify the steps to make a notebook that matches you.

Table of Contents

Tools & Materials Needed

  • Hole-punch: An adjustable multi- or single-hole punch to make holes in the cover material for the ring binder.
  • Blade or Scissors: For cutting the cover material of your choice. You can use a sheet of your notebook paper as a size guide since Unbound covers are exactly the same size as the notebook paper.
  • Loose-leaf Paper: Choose a size for your notebook. I recommend pre-made loose-leaf paper to reduce setup friction. You can also cut and punch your own paper (assuming you have a binder for it).
  • Cover Material: Cloth, leather, PVC sheet, or any material you prefer.
  • Binder: Something sturdy to hold the pages and covers together, allowing easy flipping.

Base Notebook

Assemble your binder with some loose-leaf pages and covers. Avoid overloading the binder, as too many pages may make flipping difficult. That’s it—you’re done!

This base notebook is fully functional and supports everything described in the system overview. However, I add accessories and components to make it truly mine.

Toto’s Unbound Notebook

Below are the materials and brands I use for my Unbound notebooks:

  • Size: I use System Techō Bible size paper, also known as Personal or Compact in the Filofax universe. Plotter USA also calls this size Bible.
  • Paper: Plain white Davinci DR338W. It’s thin yet fountain pen-friendly, allowing me to carry more paper without making the notebook unreasonably thick.
  • Binder: AC-RING 16R, which has no mounting hardware for covers—perfect for the Unbound “cover-as-pages” style. It’s slightly awkward to open compared to classic ring binders, but it’s the best I’ve found.
  • Cover: My primary cover is cut from a discarded Freitag DAN 08 pouch, but I also like 1.0mm leather covers, which I’ve made myself.
  • Cover Pocket: Traveler’s Notebook Pocket Sticker 006 glued to the back cover. It requires trimming since it’s slightly taller than Bible-sized paper.
  • Paper Holder: A flat TOHKIN PC-8S-3 Clip on the back cover transforms it into a writing pad for loose-leaf pages.
  • Flags: Coco Fusen Sticky Notes (small size) glued inside the front cover. These are great for marking important pages.
  • Memorabilia Pocket: [MISSING BRAND NAME], used for storing receipts and memorabilia.
  • Ring Hole Reinforcement: [MISSING BRAND NAME], for reinforcing holes in pages that get frequent use, ensuring longevity.
  • Writing Pad Insert: This accessory features incomplete circles instead of holes, allowing you to insert it anywhere in the notebook quickly. I use it to find the first blank page and as a writing pad. It also includes a pen loop (which I removed).

Cover Advice

Anything works as long as it doesn’t make the notebook too bulky or flipping pages too difficult. I’ve found that 1.0mm leather is the thickest acceptable material—anything thicker wastes ring space and hinders usability. Thin covers may feel floppy on their own but become surprisingly sturdy and pleasant when sandwiched around the notebook.

My DIY Freitag cover is even thinner—0.6mm of reinforced tarpaulin—and feels incredible in hand.

While any paper works, I recommend Davinci DR series paper for several reasons:

  • Thin yet durable: It keeps the notebook practical without excessive bulk.
  • Fountain pen-friendly: No feathering or bleeding.
  • Variety: Available in plain, lined, grids, and fold-out formats. My favorite is DR338W (white); the same model in cream is DR338.

One drawback: it bleeds when printed with inkjet. I never use both sides of the paper, so this isn’t an issue for me, but if you do, be aware that text on the reverse may be hard to read.

Colored Paper

For my few custom templates, I use colored paper (e.g., yellow, pink, blue) to make them easily identifiable. For example, I print film log templates on pale-yellow paper and keep them at the end of my notebook.

Curious Accessories

  • Canon ZINK Mini-Printers: These compact printers require no ink (though they use specialized paper) and print on pre-made stickers that fit most loose leaf papers perfectly. I frequently print photos to glue into my notes.
  • Three-Hole Punch: Useful for punching holes into any piece of paper so it can be added to the notebook. I often stamp these papers with a date for easy reference.
  • Date Stamper: Handy for neatly dating pages or documents within the notebook.
  • Glue Stick: Ideal for attaching papers, photos, receipts, and other ephemera to your notebook pages.

I hope this guide inspires you to create your own Unbound notebook.

On a final note, I’d like to reiterate and strongly advise keeping it as simple as possible, especially when starting out. Avoid diving into the rabbit hole of accessorizing and specializing with templates right away. A binder, a set of covers, and plain or ruled paper are the best starting point in 99% of cases. As you use the system, you’ll naturally feel what’s missing and adapt it to suit your needs.