The desk pad is probably my most-used stationery item that’s not a pen. Whether it’s having a pad of paper readily available to jot notes or for actual drafting, a landscape-style writing pad is one thing that I can’t live without, and this has remained consistent over the years. Note that here I’m drawing a distinction between a legal-style writing pad and a true desk pad, which in my opinion should be designed to lie horizontally across a desk (or beneath a keyboard) for maximum accessibility and utility during the workday.
The Baron Fig Mastermind still sees a lot of use. (Though this is not my current desk setup.)
The good news is that the number of desk pads on the market has exploded in recent years. Baron Fig kicked off this trend a few years ago with the release of their “Mastermind” Desk Pad, which remains a favorite. But what other options are out there? I’ve expanded my own paper usage and have been doing some exploring as I’ve stocked the T.G.S. shop.
Midori MD Paper Pad. Available in both A4 and A5 sizes, Midori binds their writing pads on two edges, which reduces both the likelihood of the pages tearing before you’re finished with them, and “curling” of the paper, which can sometimes happen if you’ve been working all day with your wrists resting on your desk pad.
Midori MD Cotton Paper Pad. Midori’s white cotton paper is slightly absorbent and offers a softer writing experience. The MD Cotton pad is also available in both A4 and A5, in the same double-bound format as the standard MD pad.
Landscape Notebooks with Perforated Pages. There are many companies who make landscape-style spiral notebooks, but in order for the notebook to function as a desk pad, it needs perforated pages. An excellent option is the Maruman Mnemosyne Notebook in the grid/graph ruling.
Levenger “Freeleaf” Oasis Desk Pad. When I want to mind-map on paper, or need a (much) larger canvas to sketch out ideas, I break out my Levenger Oasis Pad, a birthday gift from many years ago. I have a leather pad backer that holds the refills and pulls double duty as either a lap desk or a blotter.
These are only a few of the many options available, and of course you can always turn a blank or dot-grid writing pad sideways and create your own “landscape-style” desk pad if you’re in a pinch. That said, I tend to rely on dedicated, purpose-built desk pads for most of my own daily work.
WMS & Co’s keyboard-sized desk planner - key if you want to jot notes organized by day, or if you want “planner-style” structure without an actual planner. (Just tear off and toss the sheet when you’re done with it.)
New Desk Pad Discoveries from WMS & Co.
As I’ve worked to expand my own retail offerings, I’ve added some new desk pads to the store. I’ve been following WMS & Co’s paper lineup for the past year, and what’s caught my eye is their series of absolutely massive desk pads, which contain anywhere from 180-225 sheets of paper and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The white pads use a very heavy paper stock, and work well with most pen and ink combinations I have tried so far. There is also a set of what WMS & Co refers to as “ColorPads,” featuring grey, blush, and yellow paper, which are a lot of fun to write on and look great on a desk. (As you might expect with color-slicked paper, your success with fountain pen ink is going to vary wildly, but colored paper is an excellent medium for using your colored pencils, white gel pens, and markers.)
WMS & Co. also makes smaller, 74-page “Planner Pads” in both “desk” and “keyboard” size. I’ve been using the keyboard-size planer for the past week, and it’s worked extremely well for me. The paper is the same heavy stock as in the larger WMS & Co. desk pads, and the planner pads are thick enough to lie flat.
Further Reading
The Gentleman Stationer now includes more easily navigable archives of past content. If you’re interested in reading further on paper recommendations for a wide range of different uses, be sure to check out the “Best Paper for Everyday Writing” series, as well as the regularly updated running post “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper,” which has an extensive comments section discussing paper options beyond what I’m reasonably able to test and recommend here on the blog. Be sure to read the user comments!
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