Bullet Journal Supplies

What Is A Bullet Journal? 

Firstly, what is a bullet journal?  Bullet Journaling has been a popular fad in the planner and getting organised communities online for a time, but it’s likely not something you’ve heard of. You’re in for a treat if you haven’t already. This is something you won’t want to miss if you enjoy making lists and checking them off.

We all have a variety of daily duties, appointments, and other things to keep track of. It’s tiring to try to keep track of everything in your thoughts. It’s even more difficult when you’re in charge of a team at work or a family at home. Consider how much more productive and less stressed you will be if you can avoid remembering all of this “stuff.”

A bullet journal is a notepad where you may keep track of everything you need to do. It is usually divided into three sections.

The index and key are included in the first section. They’ll take up the first two pages of your journal and help you remember where everything is and how everything works.

The second section includes a monthly log or calendar, followed by daily entries. In a moment, I’ll explain how these function.

 

The final section of a bullet journal is referred to as collections or lists. They’re simply lists of connected items you’d like to keep track of. You might have a list of books you want to read or clients you need to contact this month, for example.

The concept behind a bullet journal is to set aside two pages for your index and then record events as they occur during your day, week, or month. You create a monthly page at the start of each month. This is where you’ll keep track of appointments, anniversaries, and other important dates.

Construction Of A List

Some bullet journalers just construct a list of say 1-30 appointments and then leave space to record them when they occur. Others choose to use two pages to create a standard monthly calendar grid. Experiment with both and find which works best for you. Make a note of what page in your index each monthly grid or list is on as you draw it at the start of the month.

 

Put today’s date on the next blank page and start writing down things you need to do today, appointments you need to keep, and anything else you need to keep track of, such as quick notes and ideas. This is where your key will be useful. There are two typical methods for making your key, as well as numerous variations in between. Key to the Original.

 Original Key 

⃞     Task 

■ Completed Task 

⍈ Migrated Task 

⃝ Appointment 

⬤ Completed Appointment 

⟴ Migrated Appointment 

–  Notes

New Key 

ᐧ (Dot) Task 

X Completed Task 

> Migrated Task 

As before, appointments and notes are used.

If an item on your list is no longer relevant or necessary, it can be crossed out.

Choose the key system that appears most intuitive to you and begin keeping track of and remembering the things you need to remember in your Bullet Journal. It might be thought of as the ultimate never-ending to-do list.

Review your list at the end of the day. Things that haven’t been done should either be checked out since they aren’t relevant or important anymore, or they should be postponed to a later date. If you don’t want to or are unable to complete an item or two the next day, leave it open and evaluate and incorporate it at a later time.

Who Can Benefit From Bullet Journaling

Almost everybody may benefit from bullet journaling in today’s hectic environment, when we have to keep track of a lot of information. This method of remaining organised has a few characteristics that make it especially useful for folks who thrive on lists and prefer a non-digital system. Here’s a quick overview to see if bullet journaling is suited for you.

 

If You Use To-Do Lists Bullet Journaling May Be For You 

If you like to make to-do lists and keep one on your desk or kitchen counter, a bullet journal might be a good fit for you. Consider it a vast, continuing to-do list that also serves as a reminder for appointments, grocery lists, and other tasks. There will be no more frantic searches for that little list that contained everything you needed to do today now that it’s all in one journal. (Unless you misplace your journal, which will be a little simpler to locate than a scrap of paper.)

Are You Are Looking For An Analog System?

Although our technological devices are wonderful, there are moments when you want to return to pen and paper. This is a fantastic option for you if you want a well-organized, simple-to-use system that doesn’t require batteries or Wi-Fi.

Even if you think your Google Calendar takes care of everything, I encourage you to give this a shot. There’s something about writing things down by hand that allows us to think about them in a different way.

If You’re Looking For a Creative Outlet 

Bullet journaling may be a wonderful fit for you if you’re seeking for a creative outlet but don’t have the time to sit down and sketch, paint, or create. You can use your creativity to doodle and decorate your daily pages as you organise your day. This is, of course, entirely optional.

 

Keeping Track Of Too Much “Stuff” In Your Head 

Do you keep a running count of everything you need to do and remember today in your head? That takes up a lot of mental room. A bullet journal may be the ideal option because it allows you to scribble down all of those important appointments, to-dos, meetings and ideas as they arise.

Writing them down permits you to forget about them and cease running through your mind a never-ending list of things to remember. Consider what you can accomplish with all that extra brain power, as well as how much less worried you will be once you stop worrying about forgetting things.

If You Need Something Mobile – Bullet Journal Supplies

The bullet journal has the advantage of being nothing more than a notepad and a pen. You may plan, check on your progress during the day, or add a new line item at any time and from anywhere. There’s no need to look for a power outlet, and it even works in direct sunshine.

To be honest, it’s wonderful to unplug and do some thinking away from your computer or smartphone every now and then.

Even if you don’t fit into all or even most of these categories, I urge you to give it a shot. You might not consider yourself a list or “pen and paper” person, but you might discover that this is exactly what you need to remain on top of everything that comes your way on a daily basis.

Three Ways To Start Your Bullet Journal 

You’re all set to try bullet journaling. You must first choose the type of bullet journal you wish to use before beginning your first one. In this piece, I’ll give you a quick rundown of the three most popular bullet journal formats. This should help you make a more informed selection. Most essential, get started, get your feet wet, and move to a different sort of diary if necessary until you find the appropriate one for you.

A Plain Notebook – Bullet Journal Supplies

The simplest way to get started is to use any notebook you have on hand. Of course, you can get one in the store for a low price. It doesn’t matter if it’s ruled, lined, or has blank pages if you just want to try it out. Any kind of notebook will suffice.

The benefit is that finding something to play with is simple and inexpensive. The negative is that cheap notebooks are prone to falling apart after a lot of usage, aren’t highly customisable, and require you to number the pages yourself. That being stated, I propose that you begin here. Give bullet journaling a shot and see if it works for you. If that’s the case, you can go on to one of the other notebook types.

A Moleskin Or Leuchtturm Notebook – Bullet Journal Supplies

Consider investing a few dollars in a Moleskin or Leuchtturm notebook when you’re ready to upgrade to a journal you’ll like writing in and proudly display. You’ll have a great, robust book to carry around or keep by your desk.  See image above.

A quality notebook has some additional benefits in addition to making bullet journaling a more pleasant experience. The paper will be more pleasant to write on, and because it usually contains a large number of pages, you may be able to fit a full year’s worth of notes and journaling into one notebook.

For indexing purposes, bullet journaling necessitates the usage of numbered pages in your journal. There are a few copies with numbered pages available, notably the Leuchtturm 1970 journal.

A Travel Journal or Midori – Bullet Journal Supplies

A trip journal or midori is a third option. This is made up of a leather cover and a succession of replaceable inserts that are held in place by elastic bands. The ability to customise a Midori style journal for bullet journaling is a significant benefit. You can keep a dedicated insert for collections instead of utilising an index and scattering your collections or lists throughout your notebook. See image above.

You can use a more traditional monthly and weekly calendar in your bullet journal if you’re missing a more traditional calendar style for your monthly pages.

Finally, by separating the important components of your bullet journal (monthly spreads, daily sections, and collections), you may replace only the portions that need to be replaced. That means you don’t have to go back and copy over any essential collections in a new diary when your daily journaling notebook is full. You keep your collections until you’re ready to replace them, at which point you start a new journal.

I hope you give bullet journaling a try regardless of which format you choose.

Make Your Bullet Journal Work For You 

One of the best aspects of the bullet journal is how deceptively simple it is to use, with only a few rules or principles to follow. When it comes to making your bullet journal work for you, this gives you a lot of options.

Take It For A Test Drive – Bullet Journal Supplies

Yes, you can learn how to use a bullet journal and watch a plethora of YouTube videos for inspiration. However, you won’t know what will work for you unless you start experimenting. Start with a cheap notepad and see how it goes. With an index, a key, and a monthly spread, follow the basic bullet journal structure. Keep track of your everyday activities and notice how you feel. Add a few lists or collections to get a sense of what information is useful and what information isn’t. Test out trackers and other “hacks” you come across to see what works best for you.

Start Small And Don’t Track Too Much 

You might be tempted to write down and track everything when you first start bullet journaling. You have a plethora of collection concepts. While it’s OK to test a variety of different things, you don’t want to over-commit and start tracking too much. You don’t want keeping a bullet journal to be a pain. It’s merely a tool. Start small and write down and measure what works and what is sustainable for you. Always remember that information is there to assist you, not add to your workload.

Don’t Be Afraid To Rip Things Out And Start Over 

If something isn’t working for you, don’t be scared to get rid of it. Did you think the weekly reading collection was a nice idea at the time, but now you dread it? That page should be ripped out. If your bullet journal’s general layout isn’t working for you, don’t be hesitant to chuck it and start again. This is why you should begin with a little, affordable notepad. Pick up a new one and begin over. You’ll discover the ideal arrangement and method for you.

Tweak It And Change It Until It Works For You 

Expect to do some experimenting, modifying, and switching things around until you find something that works well for you. Our lives are all different, and our brains are all distinct. That should be reflected in our bullet journals. Continue to work on it until you have a system that feels natural. When you get there, you’ll know. The ultimate goal is to have a bullet journal set up that makes your life easier and keeps you organised without making writing in it feel like a chore.

Three Big Benefits Of Bullet Journaling 

Bullet journaling is an excellent way to keep track of your activities throughout the day. It’s also a great way to keep track of things. You can tell how far you’ve come in any given week or month by looking back. If you’re thinking about trying bullet journaling, I hope these major advantages will entice you to pick up a pen and notebook and get started.

It’s Easy And Customizable – Bullet Journal Supplies

You are not need to purchase a large planning system or download a sophisticated app to your smartphone. All you need is a notebook and a pen or pencil instead. There’s a good chance you have an old notepad laying around the house. Take it and try it out. It’s easy to set up a basic bullet diary. In just a few minutes, the full procedure can be explained. You’re ready to go once you’ve set up your key, index, and monthly spread.

It’s easy to adjust it for your needs because it’s such a simple method. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out YouTube or follow a few bullet journalers on social media. You’ll find a lot of inspiration for customising your bullet notebook to fit your needs. Because it’s an analog system (just pen and paper), your bullet journal will work anytime anywhere, no power or Wi-Fi required.

It Helps You Stay Organized – Bullet Journal Supplies

Your bullet journal can help you stay organised in all areas of your life once you get into the habit of recording and ticking off anything important. Organize your job duties, dentist appointments, and grocery list all in one location. It’s simple to keep track of everything thanks to the key and index.

Because it’s only a notebook and a pen, you can take it with you everywhere you go. Put it in your purse, keep it on your desk next to you and evaluate your day before going to bed. Once you’ve gotten into the practise of utilising your diary throughout the day, carrying it around with you will become second nature, just like carrying your phone.

It Frees Up Brain Space – Bullet Journal Supplies

The most significant advantage of utilising a bullet journal is that it frees up a lot of mental space. You’ll be astonished at how big of a difference this can make. Most of us are unaware of how many appointments, tasks, and other bits of data we keep track of. Writing things down allows you to put those brain cells to better use, allowing you to be more creative and productive. You might even find that you sleep better now that you’re not anxious about forgetting a crucial assignment or appointment the next day.

Using The Bullet Journal As A Creative Outlet 

The first bullet journal was a rudimentary analogue system for organising tasks, appointments, and miscellaneous thoughts. It started out as an organisational tool, and for the most part, it still is. However, because the core concept is so straightforward and appealing, it can also serve as a creative outlet for you.

In addition to keeping track of their daily responsibilities, many creative bullet journalers utilise their notebooks as an art journal. They relish the prospect of designing lovely weekly or monthly layouts to keep track of appointments and experimenting with hand-drawn typefaces for their daily headlines.

Consider utilising your bullet notebook as a daily creative outlet if you enjoy drawing or practising handwriting. You can take a few minutes here and there, in addition to keeping track of your day, to add a little drawing or try out a different font.

On the weekend get out your water paints and make some gorgeous backgrounds for the pages you’ll be filling up throughout the week. Collect ticket stubs and other memento’s, print some photos, or use stickers and washi tape to make pages that are both practical and beautiful.

Turn Your Bullet Journal Into A Scrapbook

You may even make your bullet journal into a scrapbook that not only keeps track of what you need to get done, but also serves as a beautiful record of your accomplishments for posterity. Keep it for yourself or give it to family and friends later. Whatever you choose to do with your bullet journal, it will serve as a means to record memories for years to come.

It’s entirely up to you how creative you want to be with your diary, and the materials you can use are nearly limitless. Go for it if you find it enjoyable and useful. Don’t be afraid to try new things or make mistakes. After all, it’s a journal, and there’s beauty in flaws.

Look no further than the internet for ideas for your creative diary pages. On YouTube and Instagram, you’ll find a growing community of fellow creative bullet journalers. Join in the fun to get new ideas and try new ways.

Don’t overlook the creative possibilities that your journals‘ cover pages provide. To add a personal touch to your bullet journal, try decoupage, sewing a unique cover or pulling out those leather tooling tools. To put it another way let your creative side out and have some fun with your notebook.

Turn Your Bullet Journal Into A Memory Keeper 

When you’re having a good time or are just plain busy, which who isn’t? It can often feel as if life is passing us by, and it can be difficult to recall all of the wonderful small things that have happened to us, even just a few months ago. Your bullet journal can also serve as a memory keeper with a few little adjustments. In years to come, you’ll enjoy thumbing through the pages and being transported back in time. Here are three options for doing so.

Look Back And Reflect – Bullet Journal Supplies

Even if you don’t make any special notes, your bullet journal will serve as an excellent time machine. Seeing your previous entry about ordering a raised garden bed will bring back memories of growing your first few vegetables in the garden, or the “Take down and wash the curtains” task will bring back memories of the day your washing machine broke and you had to take six loads of laundry to your parents’ house.

Your journal will serve as a memory keeper for you even if you don’t pay extra attention to writing memorable experiences.

Make Note Of Daily Little Events You Want To Remember 

Before you go to bed, jot down a quick note, or even a few bullet points, about significant events from the day that you’d like to remember later. If you have small children, you may wish to keep track of their achievements or amusing remarks. It’s entirely up to you what you want to capture and how you want to record it. Add a photo, draw anything or insert something in your page that reminds you of the day’s events if you’re so inclined. You could, for example, include the ticket stub from the movie you saw on your date tonight. Looking back and reading about these notable incidents from the past will be entertaining.

Add A Monthly Memory Page – Bullet Journal Supplies

Last but not least, you have the option of including memory pages in your journal. Consider them miniature scrapbook pages. It’s entirely up to you how you design them. Do what makes you happy. Making a classic scrapbook page with photos and washi tape, writing a brief essay, or a page of doodles and words that symbolise things you wish to remember from the month are all possibilities.

Remember that this is your journal, and there is no one size fits all approach to using it as a memory keeper. Figure out a method that works for you. As an extra plus focusing on capturing small memories forces you to live in the moment and appreciate the fun and intriguing events that occur.

Different Styles Of Bullet Journaling Explained

Bullet journaling can be done in a variety of ways. In reality, it’s a highly personal and adaptable approach to journal, plan and keep track of your hectic schedule. Use these styles as a jumping off point and mix and combine to create a system that works for you.

The Daily Planner And Organizer 

One of the most common use for the bullet journal is as a daily planner and a means to arrange your hectic schedule. It will keep track of all of your appointments, tasks and other obligations. It’s the ideal daily planner that you can personalise to fit your needs, work and personal life, and keep track of just about anything. It’s simple to keep track of different parts of your life by colour coding or adding additional sections.

The Ultimate To-Do List – Bullet Journal Supplies

You’ll appreciate the bullet journal if you enjoy writing and working from daily to do lists. Because each daily segment is nothing more than a list, it’s the ultimate to do list system. Collections, which are nothing more than topic lists that you use in addition to your daily to do lists are the same way. You won’t have to go looking for stray scraps of paper because everything is kept in the journal.

The Creative Outlet And Memory Keeper 

Consider utilising your bullet journal as a creative outlet to develop your artistic side if you’ve been thinking about keeping a traditional notebook, art journal, or scrapbook but don’t want to commit to a dedicated book. You may make it as simple or as complicated as you want and you can still use the notebook to keep track of the tasks you need to do.

The Personal Improvement Tool – Bullet Journal Supplies

A bullet journal is also a terrific tool to keep track of goals and ensure that you’re accomplishing something every day to help you progress. You can use trackers to keep track of your progress and set monthly and daily reminders to help you form beneficial habits. For books you want to read, courses you want to take, or new things you want to try, use trackers, mind maps and dedicated lists. The bullet journal is an excellent tool for personal development.

It’s entirely up to you how you use your bullet journal. Use the list above as a starting point for developing your own bullet journaling style. Keep in mind that it’s a tool designed to make your life easier, more fun, and more inspiring. Make it happen.

Bullet Journaling 101

Because the bullet journal is an analogue approach, all you need is a notebook and a pen or pencil to get started. While it’s highly customizable, and you’re free to modify things up as you see fit, in this article, I’ll show you how to set up a typical bullet journal.  Use it as a starting point get used to the basic framework and then make changes as needed.

To get started you’ll need a notebook, a pen and some time. It’s entirely up to you which notebook you use. Grid or dotted paper is the usual style but I find that ruled or blank pages work just as well.

The Key

Your key will be on the first page of your bullet journal. This will keep track of the bullet entry shorthand you use. The conventional codes are listed below. Feel free to contribute to it or change it as you see fit.

ᐧ (Dot) Task 

X Completed Task 

> Migrated Task 

⃝ Appointment 

⬤ Completed Appointment 

⟴ Migrated Appointment 

–  Notes

The Index 

The next two to four pages will be used to index your work. This will enable you to quickly locate any collection or navigate to a specific month. Move on to the next section after naming each page as an index page.

The Future Log 

This is a two-page spread in the traditional bullet journal design that tracks the next six months. Instead of using a bullet journal, many people prefer to utilise a standard yearly calendar. This is a fantastic location to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, and vacation dates. Add or make a mental note of the page number and keep track of your future logs in your index.

Monthly Logs 

A monthly log should be started at the beginning of each month. You’ll keep track of appointments and deadlines here. You can use a grid style or one line for each month’s day. While you won’t use the monthly log to keep track of most of your duties, it will come in helpful when you have a dentist appointment or your daughter is invited to a friend’s birthday party.

Daily Logs 

The daily log is where you’ll spend the majority of your journaling time. Each day, start a new section and write down everything important that happened that day. Make a to-do list and tick items off as you do them. Make a list of everything crucial you need to remember during the day, including appointments. For speed and convenience, everything is logged in the daily log. You can then move it to the monthly or future log as appropriate or relocate it to a different day.

Migrating Tasks 

It’s time to evaluate your tasks at the end of the day, or first thing the next morning, and cross out and migrate everything that hasn’t been checked off. Draw an arrow through it and add it to today’s daily job list, for example, if you didn’t get around to doing laundry today. If you made a note of an appointment that occurred yesterday, move it to your monthly list and cross it off of yesterday’s list. Cross out anything that no longer applies. Your goal is to complete, migrate, or cross out each item on your daily list.

Collections – Bullet Journal Supplies

Collections are the final piece of the puzzle. These are essentially topic lists that aren’t time-related. A list of books you want to read is a great example. Begin making a list on the next blank page. Start by giving it a title and making a list of the books you want to read. Make a note of the page you’re on and add it to your index page as a collection. You may now easily locate a new book title to add to this list or refer to it to see what you wish to read by using the index.

Using A Bullet Journal To Boost Your Productivity 

A bullet journal is an excellent tool for staying organised at work, at home, or in school. Bullet journaling can be beneficial to anybody, from college students to working moms. If you don’t feel like you have enough hours in the day to get everything done, utilise a bullet journal to help you plan and prioritise your tasks.

The Bullet Journal Makes You Plan Ahead 

You must consider what you should be working on as you build your daily task lists. Instead of sitting at your desk doing busy work, this forces you to plan ahead and consider things through. A little forethought can help you make significant progress while also increasing your overall productivity. If you find daily to-do lists helpful, try bullet journaling as a way to be even more efficient and get things done faster.

Some people find it beneficial to write a task list for the next day at the conclusion of the day. Others prefer to make their to-do list first thing in the morning, while sipping coffee and getting ready for the day. Both are viable options. Give both a shot and see what works.

The Bullet Journal Motivates You To Get Stuff Done 

You’ll be driven to do your daily activities once you’ve written them down. In a variety of ways, this will considerably boost your productivity. The first is that you have a clear idea of what you should be doing. You won’t squander time deciding what to do next or sitting around watching cat videos instead of doing something useful.

The daily job list will also motivate you to work a bit harder to ensure that everything is completed before you call it a day. Try it out and see how much more you can get done in a day with a bullet journal daily list.

The Bullet Journal Is A Great Record To Help You Reflect 

The bullet journal is an excellent way to keep track of your everyday activities. At the end of the week or month, set aside some time to go over your notes. Consider what is working and what isn’t. Where do you need to put in more effort, and what can you eliminate? Make use of the information provided by your bullet journal to better your processes and tasks. It will improve your performance at work, school, and at home. Use it for both personal and professional development.

Pens And Accessories

Pilot Retractable Pens

Micro Line Ultra Fine Pens

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stabilo Point Color Wallet

Papermate Ballpoint Pens

Redi-Tag Divider Sticky

Like this article, pin it on Pinterest