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Bullet Journal getting started tips

17 replies

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 17:48

Anyone use a bullet journal? I’ve decided to give it a go, have watched the videos and read numerous online articles but can’t quite get my head around it enough to start. I don’t get why you need so many forms of log for dates. I’m using a filofax clipbook so was thinking of just ordering usual diary inserts buy which ones; yearly overview, monthly, weekly or daily?

Do you put everything in the index even like one off shopping lists? I like to take just the list with me which is why I thought clipbook would be good as you can easily remove sheets.

I’ve looked online and am slightly overwhelmed by all the designs etc. I won’t be doing a single arty thing in mine, I just want to get my life organised!

Any tips to get started appreciated.

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GrimDamnFanjo · 19/12/2019 17:55

I think the beauty of bullet journaling is the flexibility. You create the system that works for you.
My typical month looks like this:
Double spread with full month one side line by line, opposite page halved with events top half and next month events bottom half.
1 week is two pages
Finances page
Ideas page

Spread throughout are random pages which are indexed eg
Bucket list
Travel plans
Books read
Films watched

Todo lists are carried over month by month.
I use washi and coloured pens but not much artistry!

GrimDamnFanjo · 19/12/2019 17:56

I prefer to use a squared a5 hardback.
It's got to be flexible for it to work.

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 17:59

Thank you GrimDamnFanjo that’s helpful. I think I’m trying to make it too perfect like the video when it may not work for me in all aspects.

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ExpletiveFairylighted · 19/12/2019 18:00

I don't have a single arty thing in mine and I change it around all the time (been doing it for about 3 years). I use it in conjunction with my phone calendar. I make a page-to-a-month calendar in list format every 4 months or so (approximating to start of a school term plus next long holiday). Then I use it mostly as a journal and a book of lists/plans/notes. I only put the lists etc and calendar pages on the contents pages as the journal entries are all dated so very easy to find by flicking pages, this makes the contents pages easier to scan through too.

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 18:00

Grim so do you index everything or just some pages?

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WiltedPlant · 19/12/2019 18:29

I don't really bullet journal, but what I started doing a few years ago is writing everything in a small hardback lined notebook. From to-do lists, ideas for birthday/Xmas gifts, train times and connections if I'm going out for the day. There's no art or design to it, but I was fed up of using and then using scrappy pieces of paper. I know that if I've written something down, it'll be in my notebook.

I don't use it for ordinary shopping lists, but I do use it for when I'm popping into town with several things I need/shops to go into.

I also don't normally do month or week to view pages, but if I've got a particularly busy week, with a lot of chores to fit in, I'll write down the days, what I need to do each day and where I'll be. That way it's easy to see what else I can easily and efficiently slot into my day when I look at my ongoing to-do list. (For example, I might have several parcels to send out, on a particular day I'll be working at a place nearby to a Post Office, so I'll write "post parcels" for that day).

FortunaMajor · 19/12/2019 18:29

I use an A5 filofax and make my own inserts in excel and word. I guillotine A4 paper in half and set the paper size to A5. Takes a few mins and I an adapt as I go if it doesn't work, or just reprint for the following year if it does. A lot of it is just different size tables with headings so not too difficult to make.

I also use section dividers for obvious things rather than indexing.

The main bulk of my daily notes are on blank or squared paper and I use the basic bullet journal methods to keep track and move things around. I only use a basic key as I like to keep it simple. I know it's not true bullet journaling but it works for me.

I have sections for
general admin - birthdays / bills / savings / insurance info / car stuff
home - social events / shopping lists / meal planning / diy jobs
work
day to day notes - which then get migrated to the relevant sections
hobbies
health - exercise / food / weight

The only downside is that it can be heavy to carry compared to a basic notebook.

The best advice I could give is to keep it simple and look at the basic method to start with and ignore the many very elaborate versions some people do. The basic system works very well.

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 18:46

Thank you all, this is helpful. Fortuna so do you use an index and number pages in your filofax or is dividing into sections enough.

I think my biggest problem will be remembering to look at it! That’s why I find my phone reminders useful as they will pop up to remind me of things. In the past I’ve written lists and then forgotten to look at them!

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FortunaMajor · 19/12/2019 19:55

Littlemiss I don't really index as such. Each section divider tells me on the tab what the section is for, then I have a page inside each section with a list of what is in there. The other tool I use is coloured paper within a section for different things.

The main section is where I work daily.
At the front of this section there is a yearly calendar, then yearly overview (12 boxes), then a month overview (a line per day), then a weekly overview (8 boxes - one per day plus one for anything not day specific). Then I have a chunk of blank pages. At the start of the day I write the date at the top of the blank page and anything I note down that day goes here. The next day I either start a new page or draw a line and carry on. At the back of this section I have the rest of the month pages ready for the year and a dozen week pages. That way if I need to note something down specifically for the next week/month I can do it there and then. When the week is over I bring the next week page forward, same at the end of the month. For weeks in the past I use a paperclip to hold them together so I can easily flip to the current day I am working on. Most of my interaction with it is in this section as I write everything here even if there is another section for it, then migrate the info to the correct section later. I hope that makes sense

As another poster mentioned, if you date everything then indexing isn't that necessary.

I then put aside 10-15 minutes every evening to migrate notes to relevant sections and check what is coming up. I also use the notes to add reminders to my phone calendar.

The trick is to use it regularly and make it a habit. If you don't look over it daily that is when it runs away from you. It may seem like a waste of time/twice the effort to write notes in one section and then migrate them again to another later in the day, but it keeps everything together in one place at the time and the action of looking at it and moving it later also helps you remember about it. You get faster at it once you are used to the system

I've added a picture to show you some of the spreads I have made, but I don't know how well you will be able to see it.

Bullet Journal getting started tips
JulietTango · 19/12/2019 20:07

I use an index for the big things like where each month starts and if I'm planning something.

I think the best way of looking at it is it's a diary/planner and notebook in the one book.
So I set up my week spread over two pages then if I need to write notes I'll just use the next page then the following week it starts again

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 20:34

Wow FortunaMajor that is amazing! And you say you create all the sheets yourself? I like the sound of your system and think I would benefit from similar. I’m just thinking I might just buy the inserts that are made for the A5 filofax as I am not at all
good at doing things like that myself. I know they sell the dividers and diary inserts so I’ll start with those. It kind of feels like I’m not doing it in the proper Bullet Journal style doing it this way but as people have said it’s about finding what works for each person I guess.

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ffswhatnext · 19/12/2019 21:19

I've been doing this for years.
First couple of pages - each page 3 month overlook for 18 months. This is where every single appointment I have goes, including work stuff, school holidays, parents meeting, etc. Then a gift idea list.

The month is set up as a weekly overview, which I quickly add every week as my weeks vary space-wise. Some weeks I can do a single page, other weeks I need a couple of them.

I do have a monthly tracker - meds, fluids in/out, sleep and a few other things I have to keep an eye on.
A list which is colour coded for priority.

Then whatever for that month - finances, if I've seen/tried a new recipe, books and films, specific shopping items, a brief diary recap if it relates to something I'm tracking, including the dc's. Design ideas for anything I might want to do in the future, appointment notes and much more.

This time of the year, every single thing needed is written down from the carrots to the wrapping paper. Last delivery days for companies I use. If people are coming here, who they are, what they are bringing, allergies etc.

Expensive and electrical purchases with all relevant details as also added, simply for if things go wrong, whilst the original paperwork is being dugout, I'm already on hold. These get carried over to any new book at the beginning until a reasonable time has run out. If I still bought warranties I would do the same to keep track.

I do index everything and do this every time I start a new page. Makes finding things months later a lot easier. If I'm going into a meeting and know I need previous info, I mark the pages with some washie tape, and the index helps in the meeting if I need to refer to something unmarked. If I have referred to something in my private diary, I will mark the page and somewhere the page and book number is mentioned.

I've used a variety of paper and sizes. Prefer A5 simply because it fits in my bag. Paper, thick enough so nothing seeps through the page. I tried the filofax as finding books cheaply with 500+ pages can be challenging, but found it harder to flick through quickly in the same way you can a book.

I've also tried doing it digitally, it does have it's advantages as you can search, or click the index part, but it's not the same. Although I do keep playing around as my skills develop and more note/diary options are released.

So my advice would be - start with the yearly overlook. Add in the monthly or weekly diary for ease, and just start each page blank. It soon becomes obvious how you want yours to work. That's what I love about the system, it adapts to you because it's all blank aside from maybe a page number, a dot or a line.

AmIAWeed · 19/12/2019 21:27

I started one in January and kept it basic. I did a monthly overview which was more like a diary of the month. I had a page for achievements which is good to look back on and makes me think 2019 actually has been a good year for me.
I also have things like debt repayment so I can track where I want to be V where I really am with the goals for when I'm debt free
A page of environmental changes so each month I try and introduce something new, also a list of places to go for days out so if we have a random day we can look and see what's nearby without googling or wasting the day.
Big projects I've plotted out what to do when, but my notebook is easily only 1 third full - I was convinced I needed to fill it which was stupid, now I see it more as a 2-3 year journal!!

FortunaMajor · 19/12/2019 21:32

It's definitely not a prescribed system at all and it has to work for you. It took me a few years of experimenting to really get happy with my own system and I change it up slightly every year. I've been working in this format since 2013. The thing to remember is that it doesn't matter if you make a mistake or change your mind, the BuJo Police will not come for you.

If you're buying refills then I would suggest a week-to-view set. Then you could put paperclips on either page of you current week to mark it and dump some blank paper in the middle for your notebook part for that week. Just an idea to try? Or a separate section of blank that you move around? Again it has to work for you. Using a filofax type folder means you can move stuff to suit so makes it a bit more flexible than a notebook.

Have a look around for refills as a lot of other places such as Paperchase sell filofax compatible refills that are cheaper. I used to buy refills/extra dividers/rulers/general bits from shops on ebay until I got everything I needed.

It is a complete faff to make your own, but I enjoy it as it gets me in good place to hit the ground running in the new year. If you do have access to a printer/hole punch etc then it might be worth searching online for bullet journal printables as some sites offer them free. Other than that there's nothing wrong with a ruler and a pencil if you have something specific in mind.

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 21:50

FortunaMajor thanks for tips on refills, I hadn’t thought to look around. I’ve had a quick look at A5 filofax refills and there are so many diary formats. I think I will get the fold out year to view. You suggested a week to view - there are various formats; week on one page, week on two pages and then one that shows time slots for each day which I thought might be good for scheduling time for things. Which one do you think would work best? Also, if I were to buy the diary refill should I keep it at the back and just pull that week’s to the front as required? Where should I put the weeks that have passed - keep them or throw them? I think you’ve explained this in your earlier post but I’m not sure I fully understood. Thank you

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FortunaMajor · 19/12/2019 22:17

I think the type you choose will be very dependent on how busy your week is. If you have a lot of appointment/meetings/scheduled things daily then I would choose one that gives you daily timings. If you are moderately busy then I would go for a week on 2 pages, not that busy then a week per page. Don't forget that you can write your own timing page on a blank sheet with numbers down one side for days that you need it if your weeks vary.

For past weeks it depends. If a notes page is just a bit of a brain dump - me organising myself / working things out and not relevant to refer back to then I ditch the page entirely. If it contains useful info/meeting notes/ reference info then I keep it where it is. I do keep the week overview pages. I use a combo of clip in rulers / paper clips / binder clips to mark where I am up to, so once a month has passed I paperclip/ binderclip that month together so I can turn it as one group rather than searching through loads of pages in a section to find where I am up to

As for where you keep stuff. I would be inclined to have the dairy section as it is and then either keep a blank section you use and insert the pages in the relevant week at the end of the day, or add a few blank pages into to the week you are working on with more available at the back that you can add in as you need them. I think this is something you would need to experiment with to see what works for you. Try one idea for the first week and then another for the next. The joy of a folder is you can move stuff to suit.

Your first year will be a messy one while you figure it out.

Littlemiss74 · 19/12/2019 23:56

Ok thank you I’ll have another look at the options.

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