9 Of The Best Tips For How To Start Outdoor Journaling
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Enjoying your natural surroundings while nature journaling can be so rewarding! Create a deeper connection with yourself and the great outdoors by outdoor journaling!
I love outdoor journaling because it allows me to record thoughts onto a piece of paper instead of letting my thoughts build up in my brain!
Outdoor journaling is a fantastic way to connect with nature while connecting with yourself as well. Making memories in nature is what journaling outside is all about! This will help to deepen your connection to a specific spot and create lasting memories.
Writing about life in nature seems to put everything into perspective.
This post is all about outdoor journaling!
The Best Tips And Tricks For Outdoor Journaling
1. Use Binder Clips
When journaling outside, it can be essential to keep your journal open and prevent yourself from getting frustrated with the wind. These pretty gold wire binder clips are my favorite way to keep my journal open and ready to use!
What is great about the binder clips is that you can close the notebook with the clips still on it, and your page will be bookmarked! Depending on the time of year, these binder clips can be a game changer since you won’t have to fight to keep yourself motivated when your journal is propped open.
Having a dedicated nature journal with your dedicated clips, you will have a much fuller experience with the creations you make. Make your own nature journal by pressing flowers, drawing birds…. JK! Take a deep breath because in everyday life we might not have time to make a journal look aesthetically pleasing. But such things are not necessary for having a beautiful journal. Here is a great journal that I use that is simple and nondescript.
2. Keep Clear Tape On Hand
With tape and some wax paper, you can collect leaves and flowers you find and put them in the journal by making a makeshift sticker! Here is a great tutorial that you can use to help you make your leaf stickers!
Making a sticker can be a great way to express your creative expression! The leaves and flowers will not only make your journal beautiful but also help you make memories of the place you were journaling.
Tape can also be helpful to hold pages down or make pretty designs with your pages. Pick up a specific plant cut out the shape of the plant and try to trace and recreate it on your paper!
My Recommendations:
- Make a small pack for your journal with pens, clips, tape, and a sheet or two of wax paper!
- If you don’t have time to create your own stickers, here are some beautiful press flower stickers from Amazon that will make a perfect addition to your outdoor journaling adventures! The backing is a little difficult to peel off, but they look beautiful because of the clear background!
- Here is some cheap packing tape on Amazon that you can keep with you!
3. Get Dirty!
Don’t be afraid to lay in the grass or experience the great outdoors fully. Nature has a way of leaving its mark on you, and if you don’t let it, you will not get the whole experience of nature journaling.
Make observations of nature by picking up leaves and finding tracks from a wild animal. If you look and increase your observation skills, you never know where a local park can take you.
My Recommendations:
- Keep your journal and pens in a ziploc baggie so that your journal will be safe if it rains.
- Bring baby wipes to help you feel more safe to explore and get a little dirty. When you feel scared about digging in the mud, remember the wipes in your bag that will clean you up!
4. But… Bring A Quilt
Having a small quilt or tarp you can sit on will make it so much easier to get comfy when you want to sit and journal. Nature is beautiful, but it can also ruin your clothes when it’s rainy and muddy!
You can get a cheap quilt at Goodwill or you can make one yourself if you are feeling adventurous! There are a million great resources for quilt making, and all you have to do is youtube it.
Having personal reflections on a cute quilt can be enough to make you want to nature journal everyday, even if it is in nearby areas such as your front porch!
My Recommendations:
5. Dress Appropriately
For your mental health, please dress appropriately! It would be miserable to wear long sleeves in the summer or no coat in the winter. Whether you are completing scavenger hunts or sitting on your front porch, being comfortable is so important when nature journaling.
Find your favorite workout clothes for the weather, grab a backpack and your journal, and get outside to start your nature journaling and improve your mental health!
My Recommendations:
- Here is a cute hiking coat that has a hood and is waterproof!
- These are my favorite leggings of all time! They’re even better than the Lululemon aligns, and they are a third of the price… Leggings are great to protect your legs from itchy grass and they are lightweight and comfortable!
6. Get Outside!
The first steps outside with all that fresh air might not feel magical to you, but it is! Take a moment to embrace the world around you and connect deeply with the outdoors.
Nature and outdoor journaling’s most fundamental aspect is being in the great outdoors.
My Recommendations:
- Make a scavenger hunt where you find different colors, take a petal from a flower or a leaf of a different color, and put it in your journal!
- Record your thoughts on the outdoors and get real artsy with it. Write a poem or just write what nature makes you feel!
7. Go To The Thrift Store
Before you head to nature journaling for the first time, think about stopping at a thrift store to find a cute quilt or a new shirt that can help you enhance your experience.
What’s great about the thrift store is that you can create pretty stories to yourself about the product and create memories with physical products. When journaling you can write about your new shirt or quilt and describe it in detail. Draw pretty pictures of yourself and nature to boost your creativity!
The thrift store is filled with a variety of products, patterns, and vibes that can all help to inspire you and help you write more and with more variety!
8. Bring Lunch Or Snacks
Bringing some food can make this experience much more enjoyable and help you stay motivated to stay a little longer than you want in the moment. A great option is string cheese, crackers, and protein bars!
Don’t forget your water bottle and backpack if you are walking to an outdoor journal! During all times of the year, you need water. If you don’t drink enough water, then you can’t expect your brain to work at it’s optimal level.
My Recommendations:
- The Owala Free Sip water bottle is excellent for hiking or just sitting on your porch! It allows you to use a straw or pour spout to get the needed water.
- Here is a cute backpack that would be perfect for keeping your journal, pens, snacks, and water bottle!
9. Have An Open Mind
You need to keep an open mind when you journal in general! Despite various weather conditions and blank pages, let nature guide your outdoor adventures!
Please don’t set your expectations too high because you will not be able to meet them… Go out into the natural world with your nature notebook and let yourself be free in the present moment.
My Recommendations:
- ​Try a different location if you have difficulty feeling a strong connection with your location now.
- Try nature drawing to help you in your outdoor learning and improve your creativity!
- Look at the journal pages and start writing. Don’t come in with any expectations on what you will write and how perfect your writing will look and sound!
This Post Was All About Outdoor Journaling!
Lovely readers, people of all ages can benefit from outdoor journaling as it gives you a close look into yourself and nature!
