Introduction
The best thing about a multi-year bound diary is that you can easily look back on entries from prior years and feel a greater sense of depth in the events of your own life, while also more easily recalling those events in greater detail.
The problem with such diaries is that they end, and when they do, you have to start all over again. Even if you do that, though, it’ll be at least a year before you start getting entries from prior years to look back on. Sure, you can look at the old diary, but that gets unwieldy.
So I thought, why not make an infinitely expandable diary? The form factor would have to be different, but the advantages would make it worth it.
The Infinite Diary takes the concept of a bound multi-year diary and shifts it to a loose-leaf format that can keep going as long as you can. Filled up the page for July 23rd? Print another and put it next to the completed page.
This way, you can keep it going indefinitely. You might eventually run out of years to live, but with this system at least you won’t run out of space in your diary before that.
This is an ongoing system of products that I originally started designing for my own, personal use, but then figured I might as well make them available for others, too.
Currently, the products described below are available as digital files that you can print at home. If there is enough interest, I may look into having some of these manufactured so they can be purchased in a pre-printed format. Get in touch if you’d be interested.
Products and variations currently in the product ecosystem:
1. The Infinite Diary (Original)
This is where it all began. I figured, if it’s loose-leaf instead of bound, when one day’s page is filled up, I could just add another page behind it and keep it going indefinitely.
In this (original) version, each page has the month and day printed at the top of the page. Below that, the page is divided into five sections, each with lines for writing and a box in which to write the year.
The PDF bundle includes three versions of the diary formatted for two paper sizes: A5 and US half letter. The three versions are one with a lined back for overflow, a double-sided version (accommodates up to 10 years per sheet), and a single-sided version.
Think this might be a good solution for you or for someone you know? Get it at the link below.
1.5 The Infinite Diary (日本語)
近日公開！
2. The Infinite Diary (Undated Edition)
The same pages as the original, without the printed dates. Instead of a month and day at the top, each sheet has a line where you write it yourself, and the year boxes stay blank.
That makes it the most flexible version. You can start on any day, write the date in whatever format or language you like, and print only the sheets you need. Each file is a single sheet (one or two pages), so you can print a few at a time and add more as you go. The trade-off is that you write the date on every sheet and file the sheets in order yourself.
It comes in the same three layouts (lined back, double-sided, and single-sided) and the same two paper sizes (A5 and US half letter), and costs less than the original, since the dates aren’t printed. Not sure about the whole system? This is a low-commitment way to try it.
3. The Infinite Diary (Printed Years, 2027 Edition)
This version does the setup for you. Every page has its date printed at the top, and each of the five entry sections is labeled with its year, starting at 2027. There’s nothing to fill in but the entry itself, and for some people, a binder full of labeled pages makes the habit easier to stick with.
The three layouts and two paper sizes are the same as the original. The front of each page covers 2027 to 2031, and the double-sided version adds 2032 to 2036 on the back, so a single sheet per date takes you through a full decade.
Because the years are printed, this version is tied to them. When you reach the end of the printed years, the original (with blank year boxes) lets you keep going without a new set of files.
Future Expansions and Possibilities
This is just a start. While I’ve got my own ideas and plans, including add-on pages that go in the same binder, I also want to hear from you. What would you like this system to be able to do? What kind of pages would you like to see?
Get in touch at davidrmunson@gmail.com with ideas, requests, or questions.