Bullet Journaling for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Start BuJo Today
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Are you thinking of starting a
This blog post is for you if you’re looking to start a
I’ll cover everything you need to get started, what pages you should include, what supplies you’ll need, the vocabulary plus tips and tricks that you might find helpful.
If you’re looking for a new way to stay organized and creative this year, then keep reading!
- What is a bullet journal (or BuJo for short)?
- 7 Easy steps to start your first bullet journal
- Bullet journaling vocabulary
- Which bullet journal pages should you include in your first bujo?
- Bullet journal pages (aka Collections)
- Best notebooks, pens and other supplies for bullet journaling
- How to keep your bullet journal simple yet pretty when starting out
- How should I organize my bullet journal?
- Super simple bullet journal set up with pictures
- Who created the bullet journal method?
- What's the big difference between a bullet journal and a calendar or a planner?
- Why should you start bullet journaling
- Get Bullet Journal Tips & Inspiration: Best BuJo Facebook Groups, YouTube Channels and Instagram Accounts
- Can you start a bullet journal if you don't know how to draw?
- In Conclusion
What is a bullet journal (or BuJo for short)?
A
It’s perfect for those who want more organization and less stress in their lives or people interested in art, design, creativity, and aesthetics.
You can use it as a journal, as a place to keep track of your habits and goals, a place where you keep lists of all kinds or anything else you can think of!
A
You could call
And you can make it as detailed or simple as you like or your time will allow.
7 Easy steps to start your first bullet journal
- Get a dot grid notebook, pens, and brush pens (optional). You can also start with any notebook (even an old and half used)
- Choose your core pages (f.ex. Index, Key, Monthly spread, Trackers)
- Set up your
bullet journal by creating the first pages for Index and Key (Use symbols and colors) - Create your first monthly spread (Make it simple)
- Write down events, appointments, etc. on your monthly spread
- Create a habit tracker (and choose what you want to track)
- Create a weekly spread or daily log and start planning
Optional: Decorate your pages with Washi tape, colored pens, stickers etc.
Bullet journaling vocabulary
A
I’ve listed some popular terms and their explanations to this little BuJo vocabulary.
BUJO TERM | EXPLANATION |
---|---|
BUJO | Bujo (also BUJO & BuJo) is short for |
INDEX | The index in a |
KEY | The key in a |
FUTURE LOG | The future log is a page or a spread that helps you plan for months or even years ahead of time by listing holidays, important dates (like birthdays), projects, goals, and deadlines that are coming up and are not yet scheduled into your monthly, weekly, or daily pages. |
SPREAD | A spread is a section in a |
COLLECTIONS (AKA BUJO PAGES) | The pages and spreads in your |
MONTHLY LOG (OR MONTHLY SPREAD, MONTHLIES) | The monthly log (or monthly spread) in a |
WEEKLY LOG (OR WEEKLY SPREAD, WEEKLIES) | A weekly log (or weekly spread) in a |
DAILY LOG (OR DAILY LIST, DAILIES) | The daily log is where you plan your day and track what needs to be done. These can include f.ex. task lists, to-dos, appointments, events, and notes. |
LIST PAGES | List pages can be used for projects, you’re in charge of (or want to start), things you regularly need, like a master grocery shopping list, or fun lists you like to keep, like bucket lists and gift shopping lists. |
TRACKERS | Trackers are pages (or parts of a spread) where you want to follow how you’re doing with a goal or a routine you want to implement. These can be f.ex. forming a new habit, how you spend your money, or your exercise |
RAPID LOGGING | Rapid logging is a way to more quickly capture events and tasks that come up during the day and then return to them later for deeper consideration. |
MIGRATION | Migration is the process of transferring all your old logs, notes, and tasks into new, fresh pages. |
BULLETS | Ryder Carrol (the creator of the Bullet Journal method) uses different “bullets” in his Ryder Carrol uses a dot in front of a task, a small circle in front of an event, and a line in front of a note. You can create your own symbols that work for your needs. |
GHOSTING | When you write on the page of your |
BLEEDING | When you use colored markers and highlighters and the colors “bleed through” the pages and show on the other side of the page (or color the next page after), that is bleeding |
Which bullet journal pages should you include in your first bujo?
When you’re just starting your
- Index
- Key
- Future log
- Monthly log (or monthly spread)
- Daily log (or weekly spread)
These are also called collections.
The additional pages you can add to your
- Trackers: like habit tracker, expense tracker, mood tracker, exercise tracker, savings tracker
- Projects: You can plan and track a project that you have
- Lists: like grocery lists, movies to watch, books to read.
- Logs: like sleep log, gratitude log, or journal
- Braindump and pages for ideas
- Dedicated pages for doodles and testing pens
- Quotes and inspiration
Bullet journal pages (aka Collections)
Pages and spreads in your
You should include a title for each page/spread/collection and any other relevant information that’s helpful (e.g., what this collection contains).
You can mix and match the collections that you want to include in your
Bullet journal Index
The index is the first page of your
It’s basically an index of all pages, topics, lists, trackers, concepts, or subjects found in your bujo.
The page number follows each topic/line in your index so you can easily find what you’re looking for.
For example, if you’ve created a page where you’ve written meal planning ideas, then you’ll write “meal planning” in your index and which page number you can find that information.
Bullet Journal Key
The
You can use different symbols, checkmarks, arrows, or colors to indicate various tasks.
You can also use symbols to indicate goals, ideas, or thoughts you don’t want to forget about and may not be ready for yet.
It’s what makes them so versatile and customizable because you can make your bujo whatever you want it to be.
Ryder Carrol (the Bullet Journal creator) uses a dot in front of a task, a small circle in front of an event, and a line in front of a note.
Symbol | Meaning |
---|---|
. | Task |
o | Event |
– | Note |
The small dot in front of the tasks can then be easily changed when the task changes its status
Symbol | Status |
---|---|
. | Task (not yet done) |
x | Task done |
> | Task added to a collection |
< | ask added to future log |
— |
But you can use any symbols you like and suit you the best.
Tip: Feel free always to get creative and use whatever symbols and statuses work best for your
Future Log
The future log in a
An excellent way to use the future log is to list your goals and deadlines for the coming months.
You can even write tasks, ideas, or thoughts you want to do in the future like “learn how to play guitar” or “go see a movie.”
The idea is that it’s not essential what day of the week it will happen on. But it’s there so you won’t forget it.
And when you’re planning a new month, you can add those tasks, ideas, projects, and plans from your future log to your monthly spread.
This is an excellent way to stay organized and make sure you don’t forget things.
You can also use this page as your “ideas” bullet
Monthly Log (monthly spread, monthlies)
The idea behind the monthly log is to have a page or a spread to overview what’s to come and what you want to accomplish.
This is where you can write tasks, ideas, or thoughts for that month.
If you already have things planned out for a certain date, you can add them to the calendar page/spread.
On the task page/spread, you can add your goals, projects, tasks, and ideas you want to accomplish or pursue that month.
Weekly Spread (weeklies)
The idea behind a weekly spread is to have a page or a spread that has everything you need for the week.
This includes your tasks, projects, events, and goals – all on one page or spread.
Ryder Carol uses only the monthly logs and the daily logs, but many people have added weekly spreads in addition to those to their bullet journals.
Daily Log (dailies)
The idea behind a daily log is to have one page, spread or part of a page, for each day’s tasks, ideas, and projects.
These pages are not meant to be created ahead of time. They’re like the to-do lists for the day with a possibility to add ideas you get.
Tip: I like to keep my dailies separate from my
Other pages (trackers, lists, quotes…) to have in your bullet journal
Other pages and spreads to have in your
- Trackers: like habit tracker, expense tracker, mood tracker, exercise tracker, savings tracker
- Projects: You can plan and track a project that you have
- Lists: like grocery lists, movies to watch, books to read.
- Logs: like sleep log, gratitude log, or journal
- Braindump and pages for ideas
- Dedicated pages for doodles and testing pens
- Quotes and inspiration
Best notebooks, pens and other supplies for bullet journaling
If you’re wondering which notebooks, pens and supplies you’ll need for your
The supplies you’ll need for bullet
OPTION 1) You can do a traditional one with monthly, (weekly,) and daily pages and any notebook and pen will do.
OPTION 2) Or if you’re more creative and want to make a
As for what supplies specifically are needed for bullet
Best dot grid notebooks
Choose a notebook that fits in with your theme or aesthetic- whether it’s plain or bright colors, softcover, or hardcover.
Dot grid notebooks are popular because the dots will guide you when creating grids, titles, and drawings.
Popular brands & products for
- Scribbles that matter
- Leuchtturm1917
- Vivid Scribbles (in my opinion a hidden gem)
If you’re debating which notebook to choose, read this post: Best dot grid notebooks + all you need to know when choosing a notebook for bullet journaling.
This is my favorite Bullet Journal Notebook. It’s a hidden gem!
I’ve also created a review post of the best dot grid notebooks for bullet
RELATED POST: The best notebooks for bullet journaling
- Premium crips white paper
- High quality book binding
- Additional features: an elastic pen loop, pen test pages, a key code page, pre-printed index pages and an expandable inner back pocket for paperwork or stickers.
- Comes in a beautiful gift box
Psst! If you’re not sure if bullet
RELATED POST: Free printable dot grid paper templates for bullet journal (multiple sizes)
RELATED POST: How to make dot grid paper using Google Sheets – step by step guide
Best fine line pens
Fine Line pens are bullet journaler’s favorite pens because the lines are thin enough to create the grids, write and make drawings and doodles. Buy a set with a few different thicknesses and test them out first on your pen test page and see which one would be perfect for each design.
Popular brands & products for fine line pens:
- The go-to pens for bullet journals
- Precise points & lines
- Smooth writing and rich black ink
- Waterproof, bleed free and quick drying
- Perfect variety from superfine line to brush pen
- Premium quality ink
- Water and smudge resistant
- Highly pigmented ink
Tip: Keep a separate notebook or print out dot grid papers where you’ll doodle ideas and grids to test them out.
Best colored pens for bullet journaling
Colored pens are also great when bullet
- Mini pocket size
- Cute colors
- Even ink application
- Variety of colors: perfect for underlining or making quick notes
- Cute colors
- Multipack
- Super fine line
- Mix and Match: all colors match each other perfectly
Best brush pens for your bujo
Brush pens are flexible like paintbrushes, and you can use them for lettering, and they write beautifully on bullet journals! They come in different colors, thicknesses, opacity levels (light or dark), and sizes.
Popular brands & products for brush pens
- Tombow (Dual Brush Pens)
- Perfect for brush lettering, faux calligraphy, journaling and doodling
- Cute colors
- Non-bleed water-based ink
Highlighters
Highlighters are also a great way to add some color to your bujo because they highlight your bullet points and make the task stand out more.
Popular brands & products for highlighters:
- Zebra (Midliner Highlighters)
- Double ended highlighters
- Quick drying ink
- Cute colors
- Perfect for note taking, underlying and color-coding
Stickers
Who doesn’t love cute stickers? Stickers are a fun, super easy, and quick way to add some flair and decoration to
You can use them, for example, for
- page decorations
- functional purposes like marking important events on the calendar
- or flagging a task as complete.
There are endless choices and awesome affordable sets so you can be sure to find some you’ll love!
Check out these cute sticker sets for bullet journaling from Amazon.
- Pretty & Productive
- Set goals, create lists, get insprired
- Perfect for your bullet journal, planner or calendar
Washi tape
Washi tape is an easy, fun and affordable way to decorate bullet journals and add some uniqueness and color to them.
Check out these cute washi tapes from Amazon.
- 21 washi tapes in 3 different sizes
- Cute designs
- Can be repositioned without damaging the paper
- Perfect for decorating your bullet journal
Stencils
Stencils are perfect for bullet
So if you don’t have a lot of time or don’t know how to draw, stencils can help you create pretty
Check out these cute & helpful bullet journal stencils from Amazon.
- Set of 30 different stencils
- Includes different shapes, letters, numbers and styles
- Quality plastic
- Fits inside most A5 notebooks
- Perfect for creating bullet journal spreads
Bujo stamps/wood stamps
Wood stamps are another great way to decorate your
Check out these bullet journal stamps/wood stamps from Amazon.
- Mounted rubber stamps
- Variety of designs
- Set goals or use for to-do lists, trackers, logs, reading lists and more…
Other Journal supplies
The best thing about bullet journals is that there are no rules and you can get as creative as you like: rip pictures from magazines, use glue sticks, tape, super cute paper clips, glitter…
As you can see, there are plenty of options and everything is really up to personal preference.
How to keep your bullet journal simple yet pretty when starting out
Here are a few tips to keep your
Tip 1 – Use only one pen to keep it simple
Use only one pen and keep your spreads simple. Add drawings and pretty hand-lettering later.
Tip 2 – print out dot grid papers and practice
Print out these free dot grid papers and practice your handwriting or making some grids on them. Or use an old notebook to test how you’d like to use your
Or learn how to make dot grid paper using Google Sheets.
This way, if you don’t like some of the pages you’ve made, it doesn’t matter.
Tip 3 – Start small
Do only a few pages/spreads first. You can later add as many pages as you wish and need. But if you start with too many pages, it might get overwhelming, and that’s not the point of bullet
Bullet
Tip 4 – Use printables
Use printable
Tip 5 – Inspire yourself
Fill your journal with what inspires you!
This can be quotes or lyrics from music or books that touch your heart, pictures of places that inspire you and make you happy, photos of nature – anything that makes YOU feel good 🙂
Bullet
How should I organize my bullet journal ?
If you’re not sure yet what kind of system would work for you, then here are some questions that might help:
- How many tasks or events do you want to track each day/week?
- What kind of information do you need to follow?
- Do you want the tasks in your
bullet journal to be hierarchical (bigger task leads to smaller, more detailed tasks)? - What is your favorite way of organizing information: by time or by topic?
- How much space are you willing to dedicate to each particular project?
- Do you want to track your moods, habits, expenses, or something else in your
bullet journal ?
Once again, there are no wrong answers.
If you go with simple layouts, it’s super easy to start a
You can choose whatever system feels right for you and experiment with different layouts until you find something that’s easy – and enjoyable!
Super simple bullet journal set up with pictures
Here’s a super simple
Bullet journal index example
Bullet journal key idea
Future log example for your bujo
Monthly spread idea
Weekly spread example for inspiration
Daily list idea for your bullet journal
Habit tracker examples
Quotes page idea for your bujo
Pen test page idea
Who created the bullet journal method?
Ryder Carroll created the bullet journal, and in 2013 he launched his website bulletjournal.com.
He created the
He is now the co-founder of an online education company called
What’s the big difference between a bullet journal and a calendar or a planner?
The big difference between a
1) No set dates
A planner has set dates, while you can use the
2) “Bigger to smaller”
In the
3) You can start any time of the year
You can start a
4) Versatility
Bullet journals are also versatile: they could contain sketches of your ideas, quotes that inspire you, thoughts on life goals, and personal reflections – no matter what you want to do with them!
Why should you start bullet journaling
A
You get to express yourself and try different layouts to find what works best for you.
Ryder Carrol, the
And even though you might bump into numerous gorgeous layouts with calligraphy fonts and beautiful decorations and drawings, it’s not about the looks. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you can let your creativity out without being a perfectionist at all.
Get Bullet Journal Tips & Inspiration: Best BuJo Facebook Groups, YouTube Channels and Instagram Accounts
I’ve listed here some
The best bullet journaling Facebook groups
Facebook groups are a perfect place to get some
Whether you want to
- have ideas for journal supplies
- get inspired on how to prettify your collections: the index page, key, or the monthly or weekly spreads
- or you want to learn how other planners use a
bullet journal ,
Being part of a BuJo Facebook group is a great place to start.
Some of the groups are public, and you can view them without joining the group.
And for others, you’ll need to be approved.
But getting approved is super simple. Just answer the questions they ask and always remember to follow the rules and guidelines of the group.
I recommend joining a few to get ideas for layouts and what supplies to buy, and just hang out with others who
Some of the best bullet
- Bullet Journal Junkies: This is a public group with over 100,000 members. You can join and view without joining the group.
- Bullet Journal for Beginners: A private Facebook Group that’s created specifically to help newbies on bullet
journaling basics or just keeping tabs on them as they start out. - Bullet Journal: The official
Bullet Journal ® Facebook group. - Bullet Journaling Tips and Tricks: “A group for newbies, old timers and everyone in between.” You can share tips, answer questions, offer assistance, and ask for help.
- Minimalist Bullet Journal: This group is for Bullet Journalists “who prefer to keep things simple and functional. This group is about function over form.”
The best bullet journaling YouTube channels
YouTube has a lot of channels dedicated to bullet
Here are a few YouTube channels you might like:
- Bullet Journal (the official
bullet journal ) - AmandaRachLee
- Shayda Campbell (scroll down her main page until you see
Bullet Journal setups) - Seed Successful You
- Plant Based Bride
- Bujo With Zozo
The best bullet journal Instagram accounts and hashtags
Instagram has a lot of profiles just for bullet
You can start by checking out these Instagram accounts for inspirations.
- @bulletjournal (the official
bullet journal Instagram account created by Ryder Carroll - @bulletsandcoffetti
- @tinyrayofsunshine
- @bullet.journals
- @mashaplans
- @stationarypal
- @isabelplans (minimalist bullet
journaling )
You can also find more by using for example these hashtags:
Popular
Can you start a bullet journal if you don’t know how to draw?
Definitely! You can
This is what you can do if you still want to have some color and cuteness in your
- Use symbols, shapes, and numbers for the days of the week instead.
- You can also use pre-drawn printable templates! There are lots available on Etsy or do a quick search on Pinterest for free
bullet journal printables - Use stickers to add extra decoration.
- Decorate with washi tape
- Use stencils
- Learn how to draw simple yet pretty images.
In Conclusion
Bullet