The Perfect Notion Home Page Setup for Writers (And Beginners) 2024
Stay Organized and Efficient
Notion continues to be my powerhouse app of choice for writing, storing, and planning, allowing me to accomplish tasks that previously required multiple tools.
That's already pretty sweet. The fact that Notion can do that all in the free version is even sweeter. No need to pay another subscription.
From note-taking to task management, calendars to blog writing, and everything in between, Notion has me (and you) covered.
I can't help but rave about it on social media:
https://twitter.com/burkr_/status/1614974311135150080?s=20
Problems with versatility
With such versatility comes a level of complexity that can intimidate some users, as it did for me when I first tried Notion three years ago, in 2021.
To help you overcome this hurdle, let's explore a simple home page setup you can create as a starting point in your Notion journey for 2024.
Your 2024 home page
Why have a dedicated home page in Notion in 2024?
It's a fair question.
This page will serve as your central hub, your launching pad from which you'll access every other page in your Notion workspace.
My main page is called "Hub," specifically "Work Hub," housing all my work-related content.
I maintain a separate page for personal matters.
While I could combine these into a single "home page," that felt like overkill for my needs.
Here's what my "Work Hub" looks like for 2024:
It's simple enough to grasp at a glance, yet complex enough to contain all the content I need to access when opening Notion.
The page is composed of multiple block elements, and most of my Notion pages follow a similar design and layout approach.
A few layout tips for 2024
#1 Columns
I always arrange the top section of my pages in columns. You can learn how to add columns here.
As you can see in my Work Hub, the left column is just a list of links to other Notion pages I visit frequently.
The middle column features three toggle lists that house to-dos (in a database), a task list (simple checkboxes), and an archive for all completed or outdated information.
On the right, you'll find a neat widget from Indify, a free service for Notion widgets and add-ons. It displays the percentage of various data points relevant to me.
#2 Quotes
To add visual interest to a template design in Notion, I like to incorporate a quote.
This breaks up sections that would otherwise be stacked on top of each other. I also enjoy the inspiration quotes can provide.
It's as simple as finding a quote, pasting it in, and formatting it as a heading for visual emphasis.
#3 Databases
My primary storage mechanism (likely similar to most Notion users in 2024) is databases.
At the bottom of my Work Hub, you can see my main content database. It stores all the content I write or create for my online platforms, such as Medium, Substack, Gumroad, YouTube, and social media.
This database structure is based on Superwriter*, my comprehensive writing system for bloggers & content creators.
On the Work Hub page, I display the database in Gallery view, creating those nice-looking cards with featured images.
Whenever I write a new post, it's added to this database. From there, I'll send it over to Medium, Substack, Gumroad, or wherever it's destined.
Other data In addition to the content database, I have a few other databases.
One stores all tags for my content, like the topics I use in Medium stories, including information about top writer tags.
Another database houses my Medium lists. I also keep a database of affiliate programs and content. Here, I store all affiliate programs with my individual links and the stories I've added them to.
Additionally, I link from here to my workout tracker (a simple database to monitor my gym routine progress), my goals chart which lists important goals I want to achieve soon, and my movie & TV show tracker.
You'll also find a link to my Template Hub, where I keep all the Notion templates I offer as free downloads or paid products.
Speaking of which...
Get (free) templates for 2024
You can find some of my aforementioned Notion pages as downloadable templates in my online store here
I'll be adding more in the future.
If you want my Work Hub as a template, download it for free here*.
And if you want to be notified when I release new templates in 2024, sign up for my newsletter!
The bottom line
There you have it – my simple home page in Notion for 2024.
Notion is a powerful app that can replace multiple applications, but its complexity can be intimidating.
This article provides tips to set up a home page in Notion that is easy to create, looks aesthetic, and includes columns, quotes, and databases to show relevant information in 2024.
By following these tips and techniques, you can create an efficient and aesthetically pleasing home page that helps you stay organized and productive in 2024.
It's important to remember that Notion is a complex tool with a lot of features and customizations. It can be overwhelming at first, but once you have your home page set up for 2024, you can explore the other features and customizations available.
To make sure you stay organized and productive in 2024, use the home page to link to other relevant pages and trackers.
That way, you can quickly access the information you need and stay on top of your projects throughout the year.