We’ve all seen the decked out, super aesthetically pleasing bullet journal spreads while scrolling on Instagram or Pinterest. Nothing is out of line, the calligraphy looks professionally done, and gosh, you wish you could recreate every single spread your eyes come across. Much patience is needed to bullet journal, but there is also so much room for creative freedom. If you don’t know where to start, follow these tips I’ve developed through my years of bullet journaling!
- find a notebook that you love
-
Having a notebook that makes you excited to plan out your week and track your habits will actually make you want to stick to bullet journaling. Bullet journals typically have dots on the pages instead of lines, but either type works! The brand of bullet journal that I see most often and also use is the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Plain Hardcover Notebook.
- have pens, markers, and what ever else your heart desires to help decorate your bullet journal
-
Over the years, I have collected many different sets of markers and pens to help create all of the spreads I’ve done. Some of my favorite pens that I also use for notes in school are Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens. I’m always looking for more markers, but right now I love the Kingart Watercolor Brush Markers as well as Tombow Dual Brush Pens. I don’t use stickers that much in my bullet journal, but I’m planning to incorporate them more by making some of my own.
- be persistent by filling out your bullet journal
-
One of the hardest things that comes with having a bullet journal is actually taking the time to fill it out and have all your plans in it. I typically sit down on Friday after my classwork is finished and plan my next week’s spread while watching a show. I always look forward to figuring out what I want my spreads to look like and being more creative than I think I am. When it is all filled out, it keeps you on track and accountable with everything you want and need to get done. It’s also an easy reference for you to check things off as the week goes along.
- have fun an experiment with different ideas
-
One of the best things about bullet journaling is that there is no right or wrong. If you want one page to be a habit tracker and another to have your 2022 goals, nothing can stop you from doing that. Every single page can look different from the previous. I love sending ideas and new spreads I want to try to my friends and seeing how it turns out when I do them, and I enjoy seeing what my friends’ spreads look like as well.
If you want to try a new way to organize your ideas and plan your week, I hope that you consider bullet journaling!