A Bullet Journal is basically what the name states; it’s a journal, but it isn’t only that. It can be an agenda, a diary, a place for your to-do list—anything you want. It’s an organizing system for those who aren’t so fond of how constricting planners can be. For some, bullet journaling might seem difficult at first, but with time, it can be quite easy. All you need is a notebook, a pen and lots of motivation.
Let’s start with the basics: the materials. It’s recommended to use a notebook with graph or dotted pages, but honestly, you could just use a regular lined notebook, or even a blank notebook! With pens, you could use any you have, just make sure it doesn’t bleed out. I recommend the Paper•Mate Inkjoy gel 0.7 pens. They’re accessible and come in a variety of colors. You can also get markers and colored pencils to color code your spreads. If you think your pages need a little something more, get stickers and washi-tape! They add a lovely touch to your pages. It’s your choice, especially if you’re on a budget.
Now, when it comes to making your spreads, there will be some moments where you’ll need to get your creative juices flowing. I recommend following the bullet journaling tag on Instagram, watching YouTube videos, and searching pictures on Pinterest. You can also think of a theme. For example, last year, I decided that during the month of September, I would do a Heathers theme. My spreads had quotes from the movie and song lyrics from the musical. It kept me motivated and inspired to keep going. The Bujo movement is quite big, so I’m sure you’ll find exactly what you need.
Some spreads I recommend using are the weekly/monthly spread, the birthdays of the year spread, the movies I watched and books I’ve read lists, goals of the year, to-do lists (a must!), an inspiration board, a university information spread, and finally, just a regular blank page you can write your ideas in. Also, don’t be scared of making mistakes, nobody’s perfect! Just glue a blank page on it and carry on.
The beauty of bullet journaling is that everything is at your pace. If you suddenly have to stop for a month, it’s fine, because you’re planning it with your rules. Don’t feel pressured to bullet journal 24/7. Of course, if you want a full bullet journal with amazing spreads; then, you’ll need time and motivation. Remember, it’s all about enjoying yourself; you don’t want to make yourself hate it.
When it comes to the basics, bullet journaling is fun, and sometimes it takes lots of dedication, but it can help your life stick together. I tried it, and the number of possibilities of what you can write in it is endless. It also helps reflect on what’s going on in your life. So if you’re like me, and you’re not that great with keeping track of what’s going on, I urge you to try it. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a fancy journal or high-quality pens, because bullet journaling is for everyone!