Guide to Memo Pads

August 1, 2017 solespen

Nothing beats a memo pad for jotting down impromptu notes, observations, and ideas. It conveniently slips into any pocket or bag and is always ready for action. With its easy-to-remove pages, the memo pad is more casual and free than it’s cousin, the pocket notebook, and we always have one or two on hand to scribble our thoughts down. Keep reading to see what our favorite memo pads are and how we use them.

Characteristics

Small Size

B7 and A7 memo pads

Memo pads range from A7 to B7 (2.9” x 4.1” to 3.5” x 4.9”, respectively). Portable and convenient, they fit anywhere from the smallest compartment in your backpack to your shirt pocket.

Top-Bound

Staple and glue binding (left) vs twin ring binding (right)

Another characteristic of memo pads is that they’re bound from the top rather than the side. They can feature different kinds of bindings including staple, twin ring, thread, and glue.

Easy-To-Remove Pages

Perforated pages in memo pads

Many memo pads feature perforation that allows you to remove pages easily. Even if pages aren’t perforated, memo pads often have ring bindings that make it simple to tear pages out.

Page Style

Lined (left), blank (center), and graph (right) page styles

You can find memo pads in all sorts of sheet styles. The most common are: graph, blank, and lined. Lined and graph paper are great for keeping things straight and organized while blank sheets are preferable for creative types.

Recommendations For

General Use: Maruman M.Memo Mini Notepad

Maruman M.Memo Mini Notepad

Maruman M.Memo Mini Notepad Writing Sample

If you want a straightforward, functional, travel-friendly option, the lined Maruman M.Memo Mini Notepad is the way to go. This fuss-free, no-nonsense notepad is pocket-sized and perfect for taking notes on the fly. There is also micro-perforation for effortless tear-out, so you can leave notes around for yourself or other people. We found that it works best with ballpoint pens.

Professional Use: Midori Diamond Memo Pad

Midori Diamond Memo Pad

Midori Diamond Memo Pad Writing Sample

For those who want just a smidge more organization, we recommend the Midori Diamond Memo Pad. Originally made as an all-purpose memo pad for working professionals, it sets itself apart from other lined notebooks with its unique print. Sheets are printed on both sides with a pale bluish gray 5 mm grid, and every fifth horizontal line is bold. The bold line gives you a bonus way to organize thoughts and ideas—you can even make a weekly schedule! This memo pad pairs well with ballpoint and gel pens.

To-Do Lists: Kokuyo Tidbit Free Cut Memo Pad

Kokuyo Tidbit Free Cut Memo Pad

Kokuyo Tidbit Free Cut Memo Pad Writing Sample

This fun little memo pad is our pick for writing to-do lists. The Tidbit features an innovative micro-perforated system in which each line or grid is tearable. The perforation is quite fine, so it doesn’t get in the way of your writing. One of ways we use it is to write down our tasks for the day. As we finish each task, we simply tear out and discard the line or grid it’s written on!

Everyday Carry: Maruman 3feet Notepad

Maruman 3feet Notepad

Maruman 3feet Notepad Writing Sample

Everyday carry (EDC) is all about taking time to carefully consider what we choose to carry on a daily basis. Maruman’s 3feet Notepad is at the top of our list for an everyday carry memo pad. It has a thick cardboard backing and a sturdy protective front cover that folds back and tucks away neatly to not get in your way. Its smooth high-quality paper works well with most writing instruments and you can choose between lined or graph paper. The back of each sheet is blank, perfect for those times when you just want to do some mindless doodles.

Idea Book: Maruai The Basic Pocket Size Notebook

Maruai The Basic Notebook

Maruai The Basic Notebook Writing Sample

Whether you’re brainstorming, creating diagrams, or strategizing, Maruai The Basic Pocket Size Notebook is a foolproof spot to keep all of your ideas. Its gridded pages make a great backdrop for creating diagrams, sketchnotes, and more. We recommend pairing this memo pad with a pencil or ballpoint pen as the pages are thin. This memo pad doesn’t have a convenient way to remove pages, but this doesn’t bother us as it makes it simple to keep all our ideas in one place for easy reference.

Fountain Pens: Rhodia R Premium Notepads

Rhodia R Premium Notepads

Rhodia R Premium Notepads Writing Sample

Rhodia paper is renowned for its smooth, high-quality, fountain-pen-friendly characteristics, and the R Premium paper is Rhodia’s creamiest and most luxurious paper yet. Fountain pen users don’t have to settle for just any memo pad—R Premium paper is available in this small memo pad format. Artists can also use the blank version to do quick sketches or doodles as the smooth paper can handle dry media and a variety of inks.

A New Leaf

We gave you some ideas in our pocket notebooks article about what you can fill your notebooks with. Here are a few more things you might want to jot down.

Witty comebacks. Never think on the spot again!
Quotable quotes. These are useful for slipping into papers.
Compliments in your in-laws’ mother tongue. Repeat these phrases to them and bask in the praise that rolls back in.
Favorite regular expressions. Here’s one of ours: ^([w]{3}\.)*jetpens(\.com)*$
As many of the digits of pi you can fit into one page—just because you can.
Diagrams of obscure organs. In case you need a quick refresher before that big surgery.
Stephen Curry’s PER. Fantasy sports anyone?

Ending Notes

Ideas bubble up at the most random of times—don’t be caught without a memo pad to jot them down! We hope you found this post helpful and that you have fresh ideas on how to use memo pads. What do you put in your memo pad? Let us know in the comments below.

Product	Size	Cover	Binding	Page Style	Perforated
Maruman M.Memo Mini Notepads	A7	Cardstock	Twin ring	Lined	Yes
Midori Diamond Memo Pads	3″ x 4.7″	Plastic	Twin ring	Lined	No
Kokuyo Tidbit Free Cut Memo Pads	A7	Cardstock	Staple and glue	Lined or graph	Yes
Maruman 3feet Notepads	A7, B7	Cardstock	Staple and glue	Lined or graph	Yes
Maruai The Basic Pocket Size Notebooks	4.1″ x 2.4″	Cardstock	Thread and glue	Graph	No
Rhodia R Premium Notepads	3.4″ x 4.8″	Cardstock	Staple and glue	Lined or blank	Yes

SOURCE:https://www.jetpens.com/blog/guide-to-memo-pads/pt/578

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