Want to make your own DIY gratitude notebook? This folding gratitude journal combines mindfulness with hands-on crafting — featuring moon and star patterns, morning and evening gratitude sections, and a wire-bound spine that folds flat on your desk. It’s the perfect project for anyone who loves making custom planners and journaling tools.
Keeping a gratitude journal on your desk serves as a gentle reminder to appreciate the little things and find joy in the everyday. It’s a powerful tool for shifting your perspective, reducing stress, and inviting positivity into your life.
In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to design gratitude pages in Planify Pro, print covers on sticker paper, and assemble everything with wire binding. If you’re new to bookbinding, start with our guide to book binding methods for a full overview of techniques.
What you’ll need to prepare before crafting your DIY gratitude notebook:
- Paper to print out the Notes Pages — see our best printers for planners guide for recommendations
- 2 Chipboards
- White Glossy Sticker Paper
- O-wires
- Cinch Binding Machine
Design Your DIY Gratitude Notebook
Create a New Planner
- Create a new planner in Planify Pro with a half-page A5 size.
Design Morning Gratitude Section
- On the left side, design the morning gratitude section using widgets. Here are the widgets you will need and how to style them:
- Horizontal box widget with one row for “Today’s Focus”
- Copy the horizontal box widget and rename it to “Today’s Affirmation”
- Notes widget with a styled outline for the “What I’m Grateful for Today” section
- Lined notes widget with six rows for “What I’m Excited About Today” section
Design Evening Gratitude Section
- Do the same thing on the right side to create the evening gratitude section.
- Once you are happy with the design, export the digital planner as a PDF.
Print the Inserts
- Print the PDF on A4 paper and cut it in half to create inserts.
Design and Print the Covers
- Design the front and back covers on separate pages in Planify Pro.
- Export the front and back covers as separate PDFs.
- Print the front and back covers on white glossy sticker paper at 115% or 120% scale.
Bind Your DIY Gratitude Notebook
Now it’s time to assemble your gratitude journal using wire binding. This technique creates a professional folding notebook that sits flat on your desk. If you’d like to explore other binding options, see our tutorials for half-hidden wire binding or signature binding with Coptic stitch.
Prepare the Materials
- Cut down the printed inserts to size.
- Trim off the white sides of the front and back cover sticker paper.
Apply Chipboard to Front Cover
- Peel off the sticker paper and place the chipboard in the middle.
- Fold the sides of the sticker paper using a ruler or spatula.
Prepare the Back Cover
- Cut down white glossy sticker paper to a size slightly smaller than the cover and place it on the back side of the back cover.
- Use a bone folder to create a crease for folding.
More DIY Planner & Notebook Tutorials
Enjoyed making this DIY gratitude notebook? Explore these other handmade planner and notebook projects:
Ready to Create Your Own Planner?
Want more tips and inspiration for building your own custom planner or launching a personalized planner brand? Check out our blog for a helpful beginner’s guide: “What You Need to Start a Planner Shop” and Courses to help you get started.
Planify Pro has more DIY tips to help you personalize your planner, whether you’re designing a gift, building a product line, or just creating a layout that works for you.
Check out these easy tutorials and bring your custom planner ideas to life Click Here! Don’t forget to visit our Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest for more inspiration—and to explore our wide selection of premade planner templates, design stickers, and fonts for making your own personalized planner. Let Planify Pro help you on your journey to planner success!
