How To Start A Bullet Journal

Journaling is one of the best forms of self-care because it provides the opportunity to let out emotions, thoughts, opinions and literally anything else that is on your mind. I started journaling back in 2015 as a way to express all of the thoughts I had that I didn’t want to share with my friends and family. Over the last few years, bullet journaling has become more popular on social media due to its creative nature and aesthetic. If you are like me, I thought it was easier to watch other people create bullet journals than to actually make one of my own. After watching a few videos and tutorials, I decided to make my own bullet journal and I wanted to share some tips with you about how to get started!

Buy A Plain Journal And Fine Point Pens

Having a plain journal and fine point writing instruments are two of the most important elements of starting a bullet journal. Bullet journaling is unique because of its presentation and artistic elements. I had lots of difficulty trying to find the perfect plain journal that was the right size without any lines or other markings. Barnes & Noble has a lot of different journals on display in-store and online to choose from and that is where I found the one for me. I suggest purchasing the journal in person because you want to make sure it has the feel and look you want. 

The fine point writing instruments are extremely important because one of the signature characteristics of a bullet journal is the neat font. A lot of the bullet journals I have seen on Instagram include a lot of calligraphy, but personally I thought trying to do that was going to add more stress so I decided to just try to use my best print. Barnes & Noble had these glitter markers that I fell in love with and they were able to give my bullet journal the fun look I wanted. 

Figure Out A Theme And Design You Want

One of the most exciting parts about starting a bullet journal is that you can decorate it however you want. Some of the most popular bullet journal themes include nature, flowers, and inspirational quotes. Since I love Disney, I wanted mine to be have a Disney theme so I decided to include characters and quotes from my favorite movies. It is important to keep in mind that your drawings might not come out as perfect as the images you are seeing online. I decided to print out pictures and tape them in just to spare myself the wasted pages of trial and error. I used my colored markers to add extra designs like polka dots, hearts, stars, etc. 

Plan How You Want To Use Your Bullet Journal

Do you want to have different sections in your bullet journal for scheduling, to-do lists, notes, etc? Do you want to have a weekly set up where everything is spread across the two pages for the week? It is crucial that you plan how you want to use your journal so you can plan your designs around it. It was more helpful for me to have different sections because having everything on one page stressed me out. For some people having everything written on one page is easier. Make sure you leave room to write and cross items off your list because at the end of the day that is the purpose of keeping a bullet journal. 

A bullet journal can be anything you want it to be and that is the best part. There are no boundaries when it comes to starting a bullet journal because everyone has a unique creative side that they can set free. 

Send us pictures of your bullet journals by tagging us on Instagram @Faviana and Twitter @FavianaNY. 

Xo,

Casey