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Journaling has long been a mainstay in the wellness world. Regular journal writing is not only cathartic but encourages mindfulness, gratitude, confidence, and a strong sense of self. One good way to start on the path of journaling is to get a journal you love and want to write in every single day.
Below we have found a few great diaries and journals, most importantly with locks, that will keep your secrets, musings, and even lists safe and secure. We have included a few kid-friendly options that are full of bright, fun colors and designs that will make any kid, tween, or teen jump at the chance to write.
We have also included a couple of simple yet elegant journal options that are high in quality and make writing down your thoughts, at home or on the go, a pleasant, and hopefully meaningful experience.
Detailing Our Favorite Diaries With Lock of 2024
Cagie Combination Lock Journal — Best Overall
This simple yet elegant diary has a metal password lock in which you create your own unique three-digit combination, a waterproof fabric cover, and plenty of lines pages that are eco-friendly, recyclable, and pollution-free. This journal will also work with most types of pens or markers, makes a great gift, and comes packed in a sturdy storage box.
Pros
- A convenient inner pocket can be used to store ID, credit cards, tickets, and photos
Cons
- This journal cannot be refilled
Life Is A Doodle Unicorn Journal — Runner Up
Ideal for the youngster in your life or to bring out your inner unicorn, this lock and key diary is the perfect place for anyone to express their creativity and/or gratitude. This diary has 150 lined and 150 blank pages for versatility, two included keys for security and can act as a safe place for anyone to express their thoughts and feelings.
Pros
- A bonus infinity unicorn bracelet and multi-colored push pen are also included
Cons
- The lock may be hard for younger kids to open
Peaceable Kingdom Deep Space Diary — Honorable Mention
Another great diary for kids is this outer space-decorated one with sturdy lock and key. Ideal for ages 5 years and up, this diary comes with 104 double-sided lines pages that give a safe space for anyone to reflect and write down any personal thoughts or feelings. And, if your kid is not a writer, this diary makes a great place to sketch, doodle, insert photos or use as a private sticker book.
Pros
- The journal also glows in the dark
Cons
- The keys are small and can get lost easily
Playhouse Radioactive Lock & Key Diary — Contender
This cool diary features an even cooler designed, industrial-looking lock that will keep your secrets safe and secure. This diary features 108 double-sided, lined pages, comes with two keys, and, the best part, is its glow-in-the-dark cover. The pages of this diary are also unique and have a greenish tinge which helps make the diary that much more exciting to write in.
Pros
- Once the diary has been filled, it can be stored away as a keepsake
Cons
- The keys may be hard to remove on the initial opening
SMITCO Diary With Lock — Also Consider
This secret diary has everything you need to please your little one with a cover filled with everything a little diva can hope for. It comes with a generous amount of double-sided, lined pages which will take a while to fill up with anything and everything they can dream up including doodling, writing, coloring, or journaling. If that wasn’t enough, this diary also has an adorable and sturdy pink padlock outfitted with shiny gemstones.
Pros
- A pink satin bookmark is also included as a page holder
Cons
- The pages are not refillable
Too Personal Business Binder Journal With Combination Lock — Another Top Pick
For a more sophisticated option, this business journal or diary with a combination lock will make a great impression. Made from high-quality faux leather, this journal is refillable, has a convenient pen holder, and several useful pages for reminders, addresses, memos, and even bilingual conversions in Chinese and English.
Pros
- There is a way to reset the password should you forget it
Cons
- This does not have a bookmark
Hot Focus Peace Secret Diary with Lock — Another Option
This secret diary with lock has 3D features on the cover including bejeweled designs and flowers that make it come to life. The unique and colorful designs make this diary easily stand out in a crowd while the fun heart-shaped flower padlock keeps your secrets safe and keeps out any unwanted snoopers. This diary also has a hardcover for protection and plenty of lined pink pages that are great for writing, doodling or drawing.
Pros
- Any lost keys can be replaced
Cons
- This diary does not come with a gift box
Buying Guide: Diaries With Locks
Diaries With Locks
Diaries hold special and different meanings to a lot of people. People keep diaries to keep track of things going on in their life. Diaries are known to help organize thoughts and make them apprehensible. They can contain a record of your daily events, your thoughts, your feelings about a certain experience or encounter, and your opinions. A diary or journal is a reminder of your past and helps you store your life story in a written form.
Because diaries can hold so many personal thoughts, you always are afraid someone might go through them. Diaries contain your opinions and only hold meaning to you, any outsider that reads your diary may not understand what you wrote down. That is why there are now diaries that come with a lock so that only you can access the contents of it
Why Should You Own a Diary With a Lock?
Improves self-awareness
By keeping a diary, you get to know yourself which allows you to communicate your feelings tangibly. Because you can write anything you want to, it allows you to unlock thoughts and feelings that you may have been holding back. This helps to improve your self-awareness.
Calms your nerves and feelings
Because you can share your thoughts and emotions about certain situations, diaries allow you to develop a sense of control over your feelings and help reduce anxiety and settle your nerves.
Improves metacognition
Metacognition is defined as the ability to analyze how you process things. This means you can evaluate your performance and the causes of your successes and failures. People who keep diaries have better metacognition and are much better at preparing, monitoring, and self-questioning which are self-developing strategies.
Plan and reduce procrastination
By planning on a diary you can improve your time management. When we write down our past experiences and plan for the future it allows people to deal with procrastination and better deal with tasks ahead.
A place to store your ideas
The benefit of keeping a diary is that you can record your ideas on the go. Meaning even if you are not able to recall them you can revisit them and look for new links. You may have an idea and not be able to process it at that moment. Keeping a diary means that you can check on them later and be able to process them later.
Improves your memory
When you write something down, your brain is much more able to store that information than when you just think about it. Once you write down information, your brain is better able to recall them in the future even without looking at your diary.
Boosts creativity
When you write down ideas and express yourself, you can unleash your creativity much better. Because you can write anything that comes to your mind, you are better able to let your imagination run wild.
Enhances your wellbeing
According to evidence and research, it is indicated that keeping a diary can lead to happiness. While it may be hard and trivial to keep one, Writing and drawing down ideas has been shown to reduce negative thoughts and behaviors. There are also long-term mental health benefits to keeping a diary.
Protects them from others
The lock on the diary can help you keep it safe from others. This is not only essential to stop information from being read by others, but it also gives you self-confidence and surety and allows you to express yourself to your full potential because you are sure that your thoughts will only remain with you.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Diary
Size
You need to keep in mind the size of the diary when you are purchasing one. Based on how much you plan to write, and what purpose you wish to use the diary for, you may need diaries of different sizes. Whether you are using your diary to express your ideas, write down your daily events and experiences, or just to doodle around, it is essential to be sure of the size of the diary you wish to go for.
Refill ability
There are diaries available that allow you to refill and add further or new pages to them. Meanwhile, others cannot be refilled. Based on what you plan to do with the diary after it is complete, you can decide on whether you should buy a diary that can or cannot be refilled.
Lock type
There are different types of locks available on the market. There are several types of locks which include combination locks, key locks, digital locks, and even vault locks. Do consider the type of lock you should go for based on its usability and strength.
Design
Diaries can have all sorts of designs. Many factors are included in the design of the diary such as the outside cover, and the page type. If you plan to write a lot, then going for a lined diary is better, however, if you are planning to draw and sketch ideas, then going for blank paged ones are a good idea.
Materials
Different diaries are made of different materials, from plastic to hard-cover, to leather-made ones. If you are looking for a durable diary it is important to choose a material that lasts long.
