Two folds from the same sheet

Before cutting paper for a notebook, try folding two scraps from the same sheet.

Cut two squares from an offcut. Before you separate them, mark the same edge on both with a pencil. Fold the first square parallel to its mark and the second across it. Use the same pressure on each fold. Open both squares and hold them under a lamp so the light falls across the creases. Compare how easily each fold closed and what the paper looks like along the line.

If one fold feels easier and looks cleaner, use that direction for the spine when you lay out the pages. If the difference is hard to see, try again with a larger scrap before cutting the full stack. Keep one folded sample with the remaining paper and draw a small arrow along the crease you prefer. The next time you reach for that stock, the sample will save you a second test.