I have a habit of getting interested in a new hobby, going all in, and buying all the materials for it only to drop it a few months later. My mom and I both thought that bullet journaling would be yet another hobby that I started and shortly forgot about, but here we are eight years later both wrong. I love bullet journaling, and my style and journals have changed a lot over the years. With the new year beginning, this is the perfect time for anyone interested in bullet journalling to get started.
What is Bullet Journaling?
Put simply, bullet journaling is journaling using a dotted-page book. More expansively, a bullet journal is a dotted journal you can use as your go-to planner for everything. Instead of having one planner for your school, another to keep track of expenses, and another to meal plan in, a bullet journal is a blank canvas for you to do all of the above. The dotted pages are made to help create different trackers and planners. You can create your bullet journal to have everything you need to keep track of your day-to-day life in a way that best suits you and your needs.
How to Get Started
The supplies you need to bullet journal will vary from person to person. I started with a small pink-dotted notebook and a pack of fine liners from Amazon. As you start bullet journalling, start with cheaper materials and slowly explore different types of journals, markers, and pens you may like and prefer.
My favorite journal to use is from Scribbles That Matter the B5 dotted notebook with 160gsm paper. This journal has thicker paper which prevents bleeding from pens and is the perfect size for the type of trackers and spreads that I make. For markers, I use Crayola Super Tip Markers that come in a 50-pack and Dual Tip Brush Markers. My markers are the backbone of coloring, drawing my spreads, and writing titles. For writing, I usually use a mechanical pencil or a Paper Mate Ink Joy gel pen.
Tracker Ideas
Now that you know what bullet journaling is, and you have the materials to get started you may be wondering what kinds of spreads you should start with.
The best beginner spreads to start with are:
- A yearly calendar
- A goals page
- A monthly calendar
- A weekly spread
- A monthly habit tracker
- A monthly mood tracker
- A movie tracker
- A TV show tracker
- A book tracker
- A brain dump page
- A pen test page
There are many more creative ideas for the types of spreads you can do these are simple ideas to get you started. If you feel like at a loss of where to begin, go on YouTube, Instagram, or Pinterest for some ideas. Here are some of my favorite bullet journaling content creators to help inspire your journal.
The best thing to remember when you start is that this journal is meant to be useful for you. I know it’s easy to see bullet journal content creators and feel discouraged if your journal doesn’t look as creative or pretty as theirs. If you want to draw and make elaborate spreads then go for it, and if you don’t want to, then that’s great. As long as you make something that you are happy with and suits your needs and preferences, then that’s all that matters.
Happy journaling!