Cant find the right size!

Major pocket scrapbooker here. I'm a big fan of both the process and the finished product.

I've gone back to 6x12 this year. I've got my small stash of 6x12 WRMK albums and I love the format for pocket scrapbooking. I also insert 6x12 layouts throughout the year. The beauty of working with 6x12 is that you get a 12x12 square per spread. Very balanced and yet familiar to work with.

Have you tried 9x12? I know it's annoying that Studio Calico holds the monopole in terms of albums and page protectors but if you manage to source down the 9x12 albums they did under the Seven Paper brand, you'll actually have the simple universal 3-ring system that is compatible with most page protectors out there. If it goes out of style (not anytime soon considering its popularity), there really isn't much to worry about it: you'll still have a 12 inch spine sitting on your shelves, nothing unusual or odd.

My advice is to just get scrapping and push through it. Pick an easy format that won't give you too much hassle (I agree that 8.5x11 is tricky and ends up becoming another scrappy chore to deal with when pocket documenting ought to take the hard labour out of scrapbooking) and just do it for half a year/a year. Don't keep putting it off because of format issues. 6x8 could be a nice format to actually ease you into it. Have you thought about doing a special small album just for summer this year (or winter, depening on the hemisphere you're in)?

There aren't any miracle sizes out there. You'll either do quite small (6x8), very big (12x12) or either of the two sizes in between (9x12, 6x12). Sorry! You've just got to commit to properly trying out one of these sizes (don't overbuy: one album and enough page protectors to fill it) and see where it takes you. Even pocket fanatics end up changing format once in a while.
Best of luck!

I only do pocket scrapbooking and at first thought maybe the 6x8 was too small, but ultimately fell in love with it. I don't feel overwhelmed by massive 12x12 pages, all my albums match in size including vacation albums, and they are less bulky on a shelf. I wish BH made a pocket page with 2x2 squares all over it, but oh well. I love that with the 6x8 page protector that's divided into 4 I can put photos on opposite corners, a fun card in an empty pocket, and then journaling in the last one. I think it encourages me to use 2 photos per page that way. I haven't done it yet, but they also make 4x4 pockets you can randomly insert into your album and I think those would be great to scatter with Instagram photos when you feel like you need to include some pics but don't want an entire page devoted to it.

I use a 12x12 album, and then just put in whatever inserts work best. My albums are mix of traditional 12x12 layouts and whatever size pocket page I need to do the job (12x12, 8x10, 8.5x11, 6x12, 9x12, 6x8, 5x7). The binder holes are standard, so I just use the protector that I need to tell the story I want.

I did one year of 12x12 and by the end of it, I was desperate to try something smaller. I am on my second year of 6x8 and as much as I've loved it, I don't find it a good size when trying to document big occasions like weddings or vacations. I filled a whole 6x8 album just documenting a long weekend trip.

I've just bought some page protectors to try 9x12 for my vacation album for this year. I don't think it's a size I'm going to be able to use long term because it's exclusive to Studio Calico and as a international, the shipping price of the albums are just extortionate. I haven't bought an album yet, I might punch an extra hole and put them in a 12x12 album which I can buy online in my country.

I don't think many people find a size and use it forever. It sounds to me that you need to give 6x8 a chance or consider 6x12 (6x12 albums aren't easy to come by but some people just take scalpels to 12x12 and make an album that way) or look into 9x12 at Studio Calico.