Because your favourite colours deserve a safe journey and a dignified home.
Travelling with fountain pen ink is a little like travelling with perfume: entirely delightful, occasionally dramatic, and best handled with a touch of forethought. One poorly tightened cap, one overconfident toss into a tote bag, and suddenly your luggage has developed an abstract art phase.
This guide covers two things: how to store inks properly (so they stay beautiful and usable), and how to travel with a journaling kit that feels curated rather than chaotic. Minimal mess. Maximum magic.
How to Store Fountain Pen Inks (So They Stay Their Best)
Keep bottles upright and stable
Store ink bottles upright on a steady surface, ideally somewhere they wonβt be knocked by elbows, pets, or sudden bouts of enthusiasm. Think βwell-appointed apothecary shelf,β not βprecarious windowsill adventure.β
Avoid heat and direct sunlight
Ink is sensitive to extremes. Heat and bright sunlight can affect consistency and colour over time. Choose a cool, shaded spotβyour ink will remain far more well-mannered.
Cap tightly after every use
It sounds obvious, but this is where most tragedies begin. Ensure the cap is fully sealed after filling. If youβve spilled ink on the threads, wipe them clean before closing.
Label your samples and minis
If you decant ink into smaller containers, label them immediately. Todayβs βmysterious deep tealβ becomes tomorrowβs βwhat on earth is thisβ with astonishing speed.
Store away from paper and fabrics
Keep inks separate from your paper goods and textiles where possible. Ink bottles are charming, but they are not decorative throw pillows.
The Travel Reality: Pressure Changes and Leaks
If youβre flying, pressure changes can encourage inks (and inked pens) to misbehave. This does not mean you must abandon your fountain pen lifestyle at the airportβit simply means you must travel intelligently.
- Keep ink bottles tightly sealed and pack them upright if you can.
- Use a secondary barrier (a zip pouch or sealed bag) for peace of mind.
- Consider minis instead of full bottles for travel; less volume, less risk, more elegance.
The Best Journaling Items to Bring Along With You
A travel journaling kit should feel like a curated wardrobe: pieces that coordinate, behave well under pressure, and make you feel like the main character at a cafΓ© table.
1) A travel-friendly ink choice (or two)
For travel, smaller formats are delightfully sensibleβless to spill, easier to pack, and far more βI planned thisβ than βI panicked.β If you love colour variety while keeping things compact, reach for smaller bottles and story-rich shades.
2) One reliable writing instrument (and a sensible backup)
Choose a pen you trustβreliable flow, comfortable in the hand, not too precious to use daily. If youβre bringing a second pen, make it different enough to be genuinely useful (a different nib size, or a different ink mood).
3) Paper that behaves
Travel paper should resist feathering and bleedthrough and still show off your ink. Nothing spoils a romantic travel entry faster than paper that turns your elegant lines into fuzzy rumours.
4) A protective pouch system
Keep βink thingsβ separate from βpaper things.β Use one pouch for inks and refilling tools, and another for notebooks and finished pages. This is not paranoia; this is wisdom.
5) The tiny extras that save the day
- Soft cloth or tissues (for grip sections, fingers, and small spills)
- A small zip bag as a secondary barrier for inks
- A few cotton swabs for tidy cleanup
- A bookmark or ruler for quick journaling lines
How to Pack Ink Like a Responsible Romantic
- Choose minis when possible: smaller bottles travel more peacefully.
- Seal everything: check caps twice, wipe threads, close firmly.
- Bag the inks: put bottles inside a sealed bag or pouch before they go into luggage.
- Keep upright: if you can, pack bottles upright near the centre of your bag.
- Separate from paper: always. Your journal should not be an ink blotter.
You are not being fussy. You are being preparedβand preparation is extremely chic.
After Travel: A Quick Reset
When you arrive, give your kit a moment of ceremony:
- Check bottles for any residue around the cap and wipe clean.
- Store inks upright as soon as possible.
- If a pen has been jostled, uncap and test on scrap paper before journaling.
This small routine keeps your writing sessions calm, consistent, and entirely free of surprise ink incidents.