So you want to start bullet journaling but don’t know where to start? Well, I can help!
I have been bullet journaling on and off for a few years now and have finally found supplies that I love and that help me continue bullet journaling. I realized I never truly liked the supplies I was using and that was one of the reasons why I stopped. And then I would find new supplies I thought I would like and start again, then a few weeks later realized I didn’t like them.
So here are some of my favorite supplies and would recommend you get if you want to start bullet journaling!
- Journal
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So obviously to have a bullet journal, you need some sort of journal. Any journal will work. Some people like to have journals with dot pages, some like lined, and some like completely blank pages. I prefer dotted pages. Another thing to consider is the page thickness. If you aren’t going to be using the backs of pages, maybe you don’t need to worry about if markers bleed through. A thick paper will prevent most, if not all, depending on how thick it is, ink from bleeding through the paper. A final thing to keep in mind is if you want a spiral bound journal or not. I find them difficult to use, but everyone is different!
I linked my favorite journal below. The pages are thick enough that I can use my favorite pens and markers and not worry about them bleeding through. It has the dot pages like I prefer and it folds flat so it’s easy to write on.
- pens
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The writing is what really makes the bullet journal and having good writing supplies is important! I usually draft my page with light pencil and then lightly erase it, just enough so I can see it and use it as a guide when I am ready to formalize it with pens.
I typically don’t use normal pens because I haven’t found a nice pen to write with. I like a smooth look and have found pens to leave jagged edges on the lines when I write with them, so I don’t use them. I usually use a marker pen and have found fine point ones that work really nicely.
For fine details or writing, I use two different types of pens. The iBayam Colored Pens are great for writing and fine details because they are thin. I love that they come in multiple colors or packs of plain black. I have both because the black pen is always my go-to.
Another set of pens I like are the Precision Micro-Line Pens. I got the set of 9 which have different thicknesses. The thick pens are nice when you want to make something bold and stand out or outline something. I also enjoy using the really fine point pens when I have to write something in a small space. The only negative I have found with these pens is that if you erase on top of them, they fade. When I lightly erase the pencil writing to then use the markers, sometimes the pencil still shows and I need to go back and erase more after I went over it in pen. If I use these pens and need to erase more, they fade and turn a black/brown color which I don’t like. The iBayam pens don’t fade when I erase on top of them.
- Markers
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Markers are what bring the bullet journal to life. You want to make sure you have enough variety in colors and types of markers to use in your journal. Some markers I only use as a base color to then outline with pen on top or some I only use for coloring things in. Whatever you use them for, you want to have enough to fill your journal with lots of colors!
The Zebra Mildliner’s are very popular and with good reason! The shades of these are great for subtle pops of color on your page. They are so smooth and with the double sides, they make them even more versatile.
I am always sucker for a good Crayon SuperTip marker. They are cheap, write well, and always reliable go to.
- miscellaneous
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I’ve covered the basic supplies needed for bullet journaling, but there are a few random things that come in handy.
A good eraser is a great thing to have, especially if you are doing a rough draft in pencil and plan on erasing it. You don’t want an eraser to leave those black marks on your paper! That gives me flashbacks to the holiday pencils you would get in elementary school and the eraser was rock hard and turned you paper black instantly. Anyway… A good eraser I like to use are the white block erasers.
Another good thing to have is a ruler. If you don’t have a page with dots on it, it can be difficult to get a straight line. I mean, even with a dotted page I struggle to get a perfectly straight line sometimes.
The last thing I recommend you have is a Pinterest account! This is where I find most of my inspiration for new pages. Whether it be theme ideas, doodle ideas, lay out options- Pinterest is my go to when I’m starting a new page.
Well, that’s all I have for you! Good luck on you new bullet journaling journey!
HCXO,
Sydnee