Guided journaling provides a space to consider and organize your thoughts – even if you haven’t completely mastered the art of doing this in your apartment. You might have used a journal to track a health condition – like 64% of respondents in Journal My Health’s 2023 Survey – or chosen a free association exploration by writing whatever comes to mind. But whether you’re a seasoned writer or yet to put pen to paper, guided journaling questions make it easy to sit down and start.
A question prompt gets you started more quickly than having to come up with your own topic. This can be helpful if you’re having a harder time concentrating in close quarters. As Serial-Diarist shared on Reddit, “My first ever journal was a guided journal and I’ve loved them ever since. Sometimes I prefer them over blank journals. They’re great for focus, creativity, and organization.”
The Benefits of Journaling in a Small Space Include Gratitude and Flow
Regardless of whether you’ve embraced the benefits of small space living due to finances or to live more simply, it may feel constraining or limiting some days. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” Plato said. Similarly, using the challenges facing you in your day to day physical space also might spur your creativity and encourage you to explore what’s going on for you inside.
Guided journals encourage you to focus more quickly, and to center your writing around the topic at hand. This gives you a chance to pour out your thoughts onto the page, but in an organized fashion rather than as broadly as you might in a less structured format. While you may still have dishes in your too-tiny kitchen sink, journaling will help you approach your next challenge feeling a bit less cluttered on the inside.
Similarly, while you may not have as much room to distance after a fight with your partner, writing a response to a different topic gives you a breather. Figuring out how to vent about how angry you feel, while also answering a question about overcoming challenges presented by living in a small space, sure beats throwing the toaster across the room. You’ll thank yourself when you need to heat up your bagel in the morning.
Focusing on gratitude – those things, people, or happenings that bring you tiny moments of joy – keeps positive energy flowing in your home and your life. The structure of a guided journal helps get you started. The practice reminds you to put aside daily hassles – if only for the time it takes for you to write. A question such as, “What small details in my space make it feel like home?” gives you the place to appreciate those beautiful touches you added – whether they were gifts, lucky finds, or carefully chosen treasures.
Set Aside a Time and Place for Your Journaling Routine
Consider setting up a schedule – a specific time and place to journal. An intentionally created small space retreat you build for yourself can be the perfect place to write. Whether you do this or simply choose an armchair, your side of the bed, or the kitchen counter, you’ll benefit if your spot is:
- Available to you at most times you’ll need it
- Respected as your journaling spot by your roommates or family
- Not a place where you’ll be frequently interrupted
- Free from clutter, other people’s things, and your own overly high expectations
Pick a time that you can commit to, keeping in mind that life happens. Consider mornings before breakfast, right before bed, or once a month on your one free Saturday. No one else’s schedule has to be yours, so build a habit that fits your own. If you’re a morning person and it’s helpful to efficiently answer your daily gratitude prompt, use that time. If you find yourself to be a bit of an insomniac, consider writing at night to destress. Or take a few minutes out of your work lunch.
Look for Journaling Tools and Materials that Fit Your Small Space Style
If you’re on a strict budget, start your guided journaling practice with a drugstore notebook and a Bic pen. Looking for something more elegant, modern, or fun? Consider a splashy gratitude journal, zen-styled self-care reflection journal, or time-boxed journal for busy people.
If you’re writing down your own small space guided journaling questions – or using ours – look for a blank book. Sturdy, high quality paper options include the classic Leuchtturm1917, Archer and Olive with stylishly embossed covers, or Yansinido spiral notebooks with waterproof covers in bubblegum colors.
Pick up a new set of pens while you’re at it. Try some options to see which ones you like best. For guided journaling, decide whether you’ll be doodling near or illustrating your answers. If so, add some brush pens or gel pens in playful colors. Double-ended brush pens mimic the feel of a paint brush on one side, and a simple felt tip on the other. Gel pens also come in all the colors, and are great for drawing lines as well as writing. Not an artist? Rollerball pens’ smoother line and darker pigment make them excellent for fitting a quick writing session in between work and dinner.
Guided Prompts Just for Small Spaces Will Get You Started
Self-Reflection Prompts:
“What about my home brings me joy?”
“What challenges have I overcome living in a small space?”
Gratitude Prompts:
“List three things I love about my small space today.”
“What small details in my space make it feel like home?”
Peace & Mindfulness Prompts:
“How can I create moments of peace in my daily routine?”
“What does happiness mean to me in this stage of life?”
Future-Focused Prompts:
“How can I make my small space even more enjoyable?”
“What habits can I develop to embrace small-space living fully?”
Use These Tips to Maintain a Consistent Journaling Practice
Do:
- Look for inspiration from artists posting their journals on social media.
- Turn your journaling time into a mindfulness practice by letting yourself be fully present with the feel of the pen on paper, the warmth of your coffee nearby, and the delight of your cat sitting on your lap.
- Pick a different prompt if you’re stuck on the one you chose.
- Go back, now and then, and re-read something you’ve written in the past to see what a slow living guru you’ve become.
Don’t:
- Turn your journaling time into a chore – if you miss a day, just start again the next time.
- Use stress as an excuse not to write – journaling might be a good way to recenter yourself.
- Schedule your quiet time to overlap with the noisiest time for your roommates.
- Hesitate to use noise cancelling headphones or earplugs if they help.
Above all, have fun and let us know if you have any small space guided journaling prompts to share!
