The under-stairs closet in my parents’ home has become my storage space for my future home. There awaits one wedding gift I haven’t even opened because we don’t have the space in our one-bedroom apartment but those Pyrex containers will be so wonderful to use one day! Also in that closet? All the journals from my childhood.
I’ve been an avid journaler for as long as I can remember, although journaling has taken many forms for me. I remember keeping track of daily happenings in long form and recording all the adventures of my Costa Rica mission trip. I’ve used a journal specifically for my quiet times for the decade+ I’ve been studying the Bible. Last year, I even adopted the practice of having a journal devoted to prayer.
Then a blogger friend introduced me to bullet journaling and I found a new favorite obsession!
What is a bullet journal?
If you’re not familiar with bullet journaling, allow me to enlighten you: it’s awesome.
Bullet journaling combines three things:
- a journal
- a planner
- any type of lists you love!
In a typical bullet journal, you’ll find spreads which detail a month, a week, or a day. You’ll also find collections which are lists or diagrams or doodles or any other type of thing you’d love to list or keep track of or have handy.
Most importantly, within a bullet journal, you’ll find an index. An index allows you to find all the different spreads and collections within your bullet journal with ease, because you’ve catalogued your page numbers.
A bullet journal sounds like an organizer’s dream, doesn’t it? This is why I was immediately intrigued and couldn’t wait for my first dot-journal to arrive in the mail so I could get to work.
At first, I loved it. I loved the simplicity and organization of the system. I loved drawing and doodling and prettying up my journal. But then something happened…
Why I Broke Up with My First Bullet Journal
I realized some aspects bullet journaling weren’t for me for several reasons:
- I could never make it artistic enough to suit me.
- I wasn’t keeping up with it.
- I was getting lost–even though I rewrote my index three times!
Although I combed Pinterest for ideas on how to decorate my monthly, weekly, and daily spreads, I couldn’t quite get it. I’m a writer, but I’m not an artist in that way, which is perfectly okay on a normal day! But when it came time to pretty up my bullet journal pages, I found myself longing for the pretty printables I had been using to organize my days and weeks.
But here’s what saved me–and my bullet journal:
Here’s the thing about bullet journaling. You don’t have to be an artist, and you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to customize!
When I found the freedom of personalization, my world shifted.
As long as you love your bullet journal and devote to it either the time it takes to make it beautiful or you don’t fall trap to the comparison game like I did, this system will work for you.
The magic’s in the Bullet Journaling … Index.
I love love love the idea of the Index page. Keeping a list on one page of what your bullet journal contains? Brilliant. I ended up rewriting my index three times to include and exclude pages whose relevancy was limited. Which is why this is written on the very first page inside the journal, that flimsy first page on the left. ;)
Tip: If you’re digging into bullet journaling for the first time, I recommend starting a few pages in, just in case you do what I did!
Why I still love my bullet journal
I’ll be keeping my bullet journal and then storing it in that sacred space in the understairs closet when I’m through and ready to move on to the next one.
Exhibit A: 2017 Reading Log Page <– I posted a picture of this page on Instagram because that’s how much I love it.
Exhibit E: June Menu Plan <– this is an especially endearing page because June was the month my husband decided to become vegetarian for various reasons, and this chronicles my cooking endeavors. #eggplantparm ;)
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek inside my bullet journal! If you decide to take up bullet journaling for yourself, I hope you check out my friend Kalyn’s guide to bullet journaling. Not only did she get me hooked on this productivity practice, she’s the queen of how to do it.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below: I’d love to know if you journal, use a planner, or bullet journal!
I couldn’t get your blog post (or the other related blog post and vlogs that I’ve come across) out of my head — you’re not alone in your struggle; it’s apparently quite a trend!
So I wrote a response. This isn’t a direct response to your post, but almost more of a general rant, honestly. Still, even if it is a rant, it’s far from being simply a complaint. I offer a solution to the foundational problem I’ve been seeing. Here’s the article (I’ve also linked it to my name in case that’s easier to click.) http://jordanelisheva.com/blog/bujo-break-up
Thanks for sharing, Jordan! I enjoyed reading your post, browsing your website, and reading your About page. We are both relative newlyweds who love writing! :) And your Instagram feed is so pretty!
Good for you for diving in and trying a bullet journal. {And thank you for the mention!} There are a lot of pages other bullet journalers recommend that I tried and failed with as well. It really is an individual preference based on things you want to track. You definitely don’t want it to be a tedious chore, otherwise it ceases to be that amazing organizing tool everyone raves about. :)
I just thought of this, but there’s another blogger who uses a regular planner AND a bullet journal together. Her planner is for future and weekly planning, while her bullet journal holds a few collections and daily to-do lists. Perhaps that method is one that’s worth trying? Especially since you still have a few things you love using the bullet journal for.
I always love it when you stop by and comment, Kalyn! Especially since you inspired my bullet journal journey. :)
That’s what I plan to do! I’m in love with the Happy Planner my husband bought me for my birthday (I’m thinking of blogging a review soon), but my bullet journal still goes with me everywhere. I’m becoming quite the write-it-down person after years of using Google calendar; I’m beyond glad to live in this century sometimes, when our systems can shift with our life seasons. :)