Bullet Journaling Tips and Tricks

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Bullet journaling is an organizational method where journalers design their own pages. Anything from habit trackers and calendars to quote pages and budgets can be found in bullet journals. This type of journaling has been increasing in popularity over the past few years, but for beginners, the process can seem daunting. Here are some basic tips and page layouts to help you become a journaling pro!

Don’t aim for Perfection

The purpose of bullet journaling is to find a creative way to organize your life. The seemingly “perfect” pages you see online shouldn’t discourage you from your own journaling progress. Your pages may not be perfect, especially in the beginning, but practice makes you better. If you create a page you dislike, you can flip the page and start again.

To get some page inspiration, many journalers turn to YouTube channels. One of the most popular bullet journal channels is AmandaRachLee, which has over 1.6 million subscribers. She posts what she calls “Plan With Me” videos, where she lays out her bullet journal pages for the upcoming month.

You can Make More Than to-do Lists and Calendars

Bullet journals can include more than lists, calendars and budgets. Some people find joy in reserving pages for doodles, quotes or even taping in polaroid pictures that make them smile.

Sarah Vick, a graduate student teaching communications, recommends avoiding filling every page with information and tasks because it can be overwhelming.

“Saving pages in your journal to doodle, color or do something relaxing is super important,” Vick said. “If you put too much page after page, your journal will become a source of stress instead of a way to relax.”

Make it Something that Works for you

Bullet journals are meant to be organizational tools that work for you. If you don’t enjoy using habit trackers, don’t include them in your journal just because it’s “trendy.” Take the time to really think about what you want to use your journal for, and create pages that help you achieve that goal.

Jillian Sewell, a freshman economics major, has been keeping a bullet journal since middle school and said the hardest part is getting a grasp on why you want to journal.

“Keeping a bullet journal is hard when you first start because you’ll make a page you think will be useful and then never touch it again,” Sewell said. “Just keep powering through it and eventually you’ll get a better sense of what you want your journal to be.”

If you want to try bullet journaling, grab your markers, pens and washi tape and express your creativity!