Bullet journaling is becoming all the rage, and so many planner-enthusiasts are looking to start one, but you can’t start something that you don’t know anything about. I am here to explain to you what bullet journaling is, how it can be useful in your daily life and how to get started TODAY!
*It is important to note that no two people use their bullet journal in the same way, set it up in the same order or have the same amount of time to dedicate to it. Therefore, I will supply you with the ways in which I use, set-up and maintain MY bullet journal. You can then take the information and resources that I have provided you and make your bullet journal unique to your lifestyle!*
With that being said, let’s get started!!
What is a Bullet Journal?
The definition of a ‘bullet journal’ according to bulletjournal.com is,
“the Bullet Journal is a customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. It will teach you to do more with less.”
Additionally, they write that,
“It's designed to help you organize your what while you remain aware of your why. The goal of the Bullet Journal is to help its practitioners (bullet journalists) live intentional lives, ones that are productive and meaningful.”
Although these definitions do narrow the concept a bit, it still leaves most of the interpretation to the reader. Therefore, we must look at how bullet journals are used in order to develop the concept fully.
3 Main Sections of a Bullet Journal
1. Overview Spreads - These typically begin your bullet journal by displaying an overview of the entire year/an entire month.
Examples are:
• Year at a Glance (see photo below)
• Future Log
• Monthly Calendars
2. Weekly/Daily Spreads - These are spreads that are recurring for each day/week (whether you break your journal out into weeks or have a page dedicated to every day is completely up to you.)
3. Collections - These are additional, creative spreads that you can sprinkle throughout your journal.
Examples include:
• Birthdays
• Bucket Lists
• Books to read
• Weight tracker
• Restaurants to try
• Money tracker
Why You Need to Bullet Journal
Get Organized - If you are anything like me, you have 5 to-do lists going at the same time and are struggling to keep your tasks, activities and assignments straight. The bullet journal can encapsulate all of those lists into one convenient location. Personally, my favorite part of my bullet journal is the monthly calendar and my color coding system. Everything in my calendar is clearly laid out and all I have to do is take a quick glance and I know exactly what needs to get done.
Express Your Creativity - You have the ability to create a masterpiece on every page. But don’t let this creative freedom get the best of you. Pinterest can be a wonderful place to draw inspiration from, however, not everyone has the same artistic abilities. As a tip, your skill and confidence levels will improve as you go, but you must be willing to take risks and try your best before that can happen!
De-Stress - Maybe writing about your day calms you. Maybe you always feel the need to have everything planned out ahead of time. Maybe there are so many random thoughts running through your head that you just feel immensely overwhelmed. Your bullet journal can help you with all of these. Dedicate full pages to writing about your day. Use the calendar and future log spreads to track everything you have coming up. Or create a ‘brain dump’ page to have somewhere to write all of your ideas you don’t want to forget. It is guaranteed that when you finish writing in your bullet journal you will feel totally rejuvenated.
How to Start TODAY
After all this talk about what a bullet journal is and how it can improve your life, the only other thing you need to know is how to get started!
Necessary Supplies
• Notebook - This can literally be any book. Personally, I use the Artist's Loft dot journal from Michaels, this is a compact journal which comes in multiple cover colors/designs and is very inexpensive! However, you can use any old notebook you have lying around. Some people prefer totally blank books, others need a dot or square grid, meanwhile others are happy using lined paper. It is all about finding what works best for you and your journaling style.
• Pen/Pencil - Again, this can be any type/brand pen or pencil. I started out with a normal ball-point pen and a mechanical pencil. Now, I use the Micron 05 black pen as well as Stabilo point 88 colored pens. But to this day I still plan and trace almost everything out in pencil before allowing even one speck of ink to touch the page.
Optional Supplies
• Washi Tape - I would always see washi tape in stores but never knew of a good reason to buy it. That was until I started bullet journaling. Since that point, I have become OBSESSED!!! From borders to adding pops of color to covering up mistakes, washi tape has become a staple in my journal.
• Markers/Highlighters/Colored Pencils - If you enjoy doodling, these are ways to make your journal more vibrant and take it to the next level.
The best way to begin a bullet journal is to just go for it. No holding back, no nervousness about not knowing what to do or whether you are going to mess up. Messing up is inevitable, everyone does it, and it’s fine! Just keep going, because at the end of the day, you will look back at your journal in admiration and look forward to all the planning that lies ahead.
- Kristen
P.S. If you are looking for additional information on how to get started, I found this How to Start a Bullet Journal | Plan With Me video super informative! You should also check out this How to Bullet Journal: The Absolute Ultimate Guide blog post, in this article, Kendra goes super in depth with some of the key elements of a bullet journal!
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