Golden section
content notes
20 · 12 cells
The default when two parts hold different things. The wide part takes the content, the narrow one whatever annotates it — a notes column beside the text, or a title band above it.
33 dots
A run of 33 dots is 32 cells — you write between the dots, not on them, so there is always one fewer cell than dot. At 5 mm spacing that is 160 mm of paper.
Which edge you counted is up to you: dividing a run into equal parts is the same arithmetic across the page or down it, and every layout below works either way round. Each is drawn as a run left to right, so read a strip as columns or as bands stacked down the page, whichever you are laying out.
On a single page — 32 cells
Divide equally
Spare is what will not fit: split it between the two ends as margin, or keep it together as a sidebar.
| Parts | Each | Spare | How it lands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 16 | — | |
| 3 | 10 | 2 | |
| 4 | 8 | — | |
| 5 | 6 | 2 | |
| 6 | 5 | 2 | |
| 7 | 4 | 4 | |
| 8 | 4 | — | |
| 9 | 3 | 5 | |
| 10 | 3 | 2 | |
| 11 | 2 | 10 | |
| 12 | 2 | 8 | |
Divides exactly by 2, 4, 8 — those are the layouts with nothing left over.
Named layouts
| Layout | Parts | Each | Spare | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halves | 2 | 16 cells | — | A before/after, or two lists. |
| Thirds | 3 | 10 cells | 2 | Morning / afternoon / evening. |
| Quarters | 4 | 8 cells | — | Four quadrants, or a month of weeks. |
| Weekdays | 5 | 6 cells | 2 | Monday to Friday. |
| Week | 7 | 4 cells | 4 | One part per day of the week. |
| Month | 31 | 1 cell | 1 | One part per day of the month — a habit tracker. |
Layouts that are not evenly divided
An equal split is the obvious answer and often the wrong one: a label and the text beside it do not want the same width. The filled block holds the content.
Cornell
cue notes
10 · 22 cells
A cue column down the left for questions and keywords, notes to the right. Pairs with the summary band in the rows below.
Time gutter
time entry
3 · 29 cells
Three cells is 15 mm — exactly enough for “09:00” — and the rest of the run stays whole for the entry.
Bullet gutter
• text
1 · 31 cells
One cell for the bullet, box or signifier. Costs 5 mm and keeps every line of text starting on the same dot.
Week and sidebar
notes
4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 cells
Seven equal days of 4 cells leave 4 over. Keep them together as a sidebar instead of splitting them into margin — that is where the week's notes go.
Ledger
description in out balance
20 · 4 · 4 · 4 cells
A wide description column and narrow number columns. Four cells holds five digits at 5 mm spacing, which is enough for most sums.
Header band
title body
2 · 30 cells
Two cells is 10 mm, which is a date or a title written comfortably. Everything below it is body, and the band gives the page somewhere to start.
Header and total
title body total
2 · 28 · 2 cells
The same band top and bottom: a title above, a total or conclusion below. Anything that has to be added up wants the closing band reserved before you start writing into it.
Cornell summary
notes summary
26 · 6 cells
The row half of Cornell: a band across the foot of the page, written after the fact, for the summary the notes above are supposed to add up to.
Month of weeks
days
1 · 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 · 1 cells
One header row for the weekday names, then five bands of 6 cells — the shape of a month grid. Six bands if the month starts awkwardly, which costs 6 cells from the body.
Hour blocks
2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 cells
Two cells to the hour is 10 mm, the smallest band you can still write an appointment into. 16 hours fits this run exactly.
Across a spread — 64 cells
Two pages joined at the spine. Only one of the two axes doubles — the one that crosses the spine — and which one that is depends on how you are holding the notebook: upright, the run across the page doubles and the rows are untouched; turned ninety degrees, it is the other way round. The axis that does not cross the spine is unchanged, and the tables above are still its answer.
The fold falls exactly in the middle, which is worth planning around: an even number of parts puts a boundary on it, so the fold does the dividing for free and each page holds a whole number of parts. An odd number puts a part across the fold — fine for a table you read across, awkward for one you write in.
Divide equally
| Parts | Each | Spare | How it lands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 32 | — | |
| 3 | 21 | 1 | |
| 4 | 16 | — | |
| 5 | 12 | 4 | |
| 6 | 10 | 4 | |
| 7 | 9 | 1 | |
| 8 | 8 | — | |
| 9 | 7 | 1 | |
| 10 | 6 | 4 | |
| 11 | 5 | 9 | |
| 12 | 5 | 4 | |
Divides exactly by 2, 4, 8 — those are the layouts with nothing left over.
Named layouts
| Layout | Parts | Each | Spare | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halves | 2 | 32 cells | — | A before/after, or two lists. |
| Thirds | 3 | 21 cells | 1 | Morning / afternoon / evening. |
| Quarters | 4 | 16 cells | — | Four quadrants, or a month of weeks. |
| Weekdays | 5 | 12 cells | 4 | Monday to Friday. |
| Week | 7 | 9 cells | 1 | One part per day of the week. |
| Month | 31 | 2 cells | 2 | One part per day of the month — a habit tracker. |
Layouts that are not evenly divided
The proportions hold, but the narrow parts get room to breathe: a gutter stays a gutter while the content part doubles.
Golden section
content notes
40 · 24 cells
Cornell
cue notes
19 · 45 cells
Time gutter
time entry
3 · 61 cells
Bullet gutter
• text
1 · 63 cells
Ledger
description in out balance
52 · 4 · 4 · 4 cells
Header band
title body
2 · 62 cells
Header and total
title body total
2 · 60 · 2 cells
Cornell summary
notes summary
51 · 13 cells
Month of weeks
days
1 · 12 · 12 · 12 · 12 · 12 · 3 cells
Hour blocks
2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 cells
Counted squares rather than dots? Then you want 34 dots , since 33 squares means 34 dots. Counts run from 20 to 45.