Bullet Journal

[mercifulTehlu]

I've just found out about this fab way of organising your life, thanks to a kind poster on the 'people who are efficient ' thread. I was wondering if any other MNers are Bullet Journalers? here is the website if anyone's interested.

It's only a couple of days since I started my journal, but I can already see that it's going to revolutionise my ability to be organised. I've tried loads of apps, lists etc in the past, but have never really hit on a system that worked for me. I have very high hopes of this one though (plus it involves pretty stationery )!

Right, I have read bits of the thread (dipped in and out) watched the video and put pen to paper, but I'm not sure I'm getting it. I've ended up with a massive and still growing to do list for February and I wrote in a few tasks yesterday, most of which I didn't do. Do I move those forward to today? How do you schedule tasks, eg phone calls to somewhere that won't be open till Wednesday? I've seen some people do weekly spreads but if I do that I might as well just use a diary and put 'collections' at the back hadn't I?

For the Wednesday phone call, I would either put in my Feb task list and transfer it on Wednesday (which wouldn't work for me) OR write on my Feb monthly calendar bit which I would check on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and transfer over then (which would work for me, so that's how I do it). Basically, I make an appointment to make the call on Wednesday.

Yes, I'd put it on my Feb calendar page (which is on the same double page spread as my Feb general task list). I check that every evening when I write my daily tasks for the next day.

I've been reading this thread (somewhat obsessively) over the last few days and am really hopeful that I've finally found a system that could work for me.

I'm very forgetful and a dreadful procrastinator, things I need to do sort of float into my head and then float out again without me actually doing them.

I definitely need to write things down as I've tried various online trackers for work and home stuff and they never work for me. I also have a bit of a stationery fetish so I get to satisfy that too.

Today I managed to get to a Tiger shop and got a hard-back A5 notebook, a mini-ruler and sticky note set, and two eraseable pens (red & purple) for only 7 euros.

I've decided to combine work and home stuff in the one book, and if I manage to stick to this I'll treat myself to a fancy notebook next time (possibly from Paperblanks, as I love their stuff).

I think it'll take a while to figure it all out but I'm so grateful to merciful for starting this thread.

Oh god I'm being sucked in......

It's my birthday on Wednesday, I've asked DH for a lovely notebook with page numbers and an envelope at the back together with a pen loop and a nice black pen to write in it with. I want him to give it to me NOW so I can get started. I've already started compiling lists (including a master list of lists) and layouts etc

I am more excited about my birthday than I've been in years

Glad you like the sound of it TheVeryThing. So pleased to have started a Useful Thread - not sure I've managed that before .

Normally after this amount of time (with a new app or system for trying to organise myself ), I'd be falling off the wagon. But my BuJo is going from strength to strength!

I had a hospital appointment this afternoon and was sitting in the waiting room adding things to lists, checking dates of events and thinking of things to add to my newest 'collection' - "Bullet Journal Ideas"!

I tell a lie, my newest collection (thanks to someone on this thread ) is the one I've just this minute added, called "Freezer List". I may decorate it with a little snowflake icon . I have numb hands now, as I have been rummaging around in the depths of my chest freezer!

Kewcumber - go on, you know you want to... .

Had a brainwave with my freezer list (or actually it's probably really obvious to do this ). Item is written in pen, then quantity in pencil so I can alter quantity or rub out altogether when I rum out. That way I shouldn't have to keep extending my list.

Oooooooh, freezer list! Song just a list of things you've got in there? I'm always leaving stuff to fester in there.

I may have spent half an hour today looking at notebooks on Amazon... Like a pp said, I am going to start with a cheap one from Wilkos and if I get into it, will splash out on one of the ones I was drooling over!

Exactly, Bendy. Plus I buy things not realising I've already got 3 packs of them in the freezer. I do my supermarket shop tomorrow and I've just planned the whole week's meals based on things I'd forgotten I had in the freezer. Cheap supermarket trip if I avoid the random stuff aisles in Aldi !

A freezer list is a genius idea merciful!

The extra inserts for my midori notebook have arrived. Now I just need the notebook itself . So glad I cracked on with a cheap notebook from Staples. My BuJo has really helped me over the last few days.

I can't claim credit for the freezer list idea, sadly! I think it was FeliciaJollygoodfellow upthread, so big thanks to her!

Has anyone else made a Bullet Journal Ideas page? I thought it would be good to note down ideas for collections I'm thinking of adding at some point. Plus any ideas I think of for ways to improve on my BuJo set-up for next time.

Looked at the site and vids, I have it seems been doing this for years. Who knew? Helps organise live and then when I need it for notes its there.

Each book i start with the Index, this really, really does help. I just use a general book that I have picked up at the time, so some have been lined, squared, plain etc. Usually all the same size - A5, as this fits nicely in with my life. On the front hard page inside I keep a key, even though I've been doing them for years this really does help as my live frequently changes. The back it's appointment for the next 6 months.

So I've got my index, and I start with my 6 month planner.. Two page spread divided into 6. Any upcoming stuff I add there.

Then I have the first month laid out on a two day spread with a bit of space at the end for any addresses, numbers etc. Everything for the month is there,

Next page is tasks again double page some months, which I generally know about.

Next two spread financial stuff.

When I do my 6 month plan I add how many weeks that month has, so when I do my weekly one I put January Week 1 (helps when i have to ref stuff in another month as a continuation).

Then its useful websites - I do this once in each book, but will mention over months whats been added. Same for films and books. So these are long term unending things.

Dieting stuff appears ad hoc.

Notes from meeting etc in that month at the end of the weekly thing.

On the daily thing I have a water and a fruit veg box - really simple way to get 5 a day and water. It quickly adds up.

Exercise stuff ad hoc.

Around September a present list appears.

Holiday lists ad hoc.

So each month I set up the next one. The financial one I have a template I print out and stick in. Same with the weekly one.

Yes it goes everywhere with me. I also add work related stuff in there.

Wow, bloodyteenagers - you just created it by yourself! Wish I'd thought of it years ago.

when I was in secondary far too many years
Ago I was given a Filofax. Never took it to school but it helped organize my live. I also had a diary and a school diary.
When the Filofax was filled I couldn't afford any replacements. Notebooks cheaper.
As time went by made sense to keep everything together.
Then when I split up with my ds's dad things got nasty so more stuff in and end of every month then I would condense all the shit from the month, but there was still loads. It was the solicitor who said how about an index for where certain stuff is.. And that's how it was created.

The dc's enjoyed reading the pregnancy and first year ones.

The closest I have found digital wise was one note which has the bonus of digital stuff chucked in and click the index and you are where you need to be. But didn't feel the same. But like the books, preferences differ.

There's probably lots of people that have these systems in place, just don't realise there's a name for it. Others have created stuff like strike through, gtd, Evernote. The board approach with millions of side notes and post its.

Well I started my BuJo again today as I rushed into the one last week then regretted it!

Lots of homework done and am now happy with the work I have done in it today! Bought some ink joy pens from supermarket over the weekend, lovely colours and lovely to write with. Apart from the coloured pens and whatever I can do with a ruler - have decided simple for me works best!

Have achieved loads today inbetween bujoing, haven't felt this fired up in a long time!!!!

merciful I had some pretty little post it notes with no purpose in my desk drawer which I have used today to make notes of things I want to add to my bujo. Thought it would be nice to keep them tucked in the front cover to refer to when I like then just remove/add the post its as things progress.

Loving this thread, it's nice to see how people are doing theirs or to read the comments from those just not getting it and preferring an app. For me personally I love writing lists and stationary so pen to paper is a no brainer for me.

I was out for most of today, and normally on a day like that, I'd expect to come home, think "Oh god, the house is a mess because I've got nothing done." and feel like there were so many jobs to do that I wouldn't know where to start.

Instead, my house is already pretty good because of jobs I've ticked off on previous days, and I've steadily worked through the other tasks allocated for today.

I have none of that "Eek! What have I forgotten? Can I remember all the things the dc need for school and extra-curriular stuff?" I know it's all in my BuJo.

I'm in. I've been messing around on Pinterest and looking at different examples of BuJos for days.

I'm a sucker for good notebooks so I ordered myself a black Leuchtturm and a pink pen loop to go with it. I'm dithering over whether to do a 6 or 12 month future log and doodling my key page while I decide.

Hello! I never would have noticed this thread if it hadn't been centre stage on Mumsnet front page and today, with a plain old A4 notepad I made a start! I got a bit confused reading some of these posts so got to work putting the bujo together starting and pausing the YouTube video. Already I feel more organised having realised that some of my few tasks cannot be done til Thursday for example and writing it in Thursday's things to do list. Very please!

If it hadn't been for you lot I probably would've been dead plain but today I bought 3 erasable ink pens which are nothing short of a miracle, I have no idea how they work but they do and are nothing like the old fashioned type. So my bullet points etc are pink, headings are blue and notes in black with all 3 pens fastened to the front of the notepad. It pleases me .

I was going to do a work and home one but have decided to have a joint. One as per a poster unthread who sounded like Mrs Organised with the bulk tights thread!

My collections so far are...

• an ongoing to do list
• stuff needed for the house (a grid with a box for each room) I've only recently moved in
• DIY jobs around the house (again the room grid)
• house floorplan with room sizes, curtain sizes, furniture sizes etc in case the whim takes me while I am out for new carpet/curtains, furniture
• books to read (I live by the library so go a lot, but often find myself overwhelmed and not knowing where to start looking with fiction)
• films to watch
• life goals (short 12 months/ medium 5 years/ long 10 years terms)
• oh the places you will go (travel lust page sorted by UK/Europe/Worldwide)
• consumables lists, so a complete food inventory / freezer list / toiletries list / cleaning products I tend to bulk buy when offers are on, so it's worth knowing I already have x amount if I see a good deal.
• lightbulb list - (thanks whoever that was, fabulous idea)
• batteries list (akin to the lightbulb list)
• waiting on... (tracker for expected parcels, letters, emails etc)
• call me maybe? (A list of people for me to contact that I owe calls, letters, emails to etc. I always know what they are, but by writing them down it forces me to do them more than having it in the back of my mind and also means I will specifically schedule them) I'm terrible at keeping in touch otherwise.
• household tasks (for the big things that you forget to do, flip mattress, descale washer, boiler service, renew home insurance etc)
• car list (tyre size, dates for MOT, insurance renewal, road tax, services etc. I also note down repairs.)
• budget/expenses/ savings planner/tracker
• meal planner and shopping list
• food and exercise tracker
• dog page, vet visits, worming schedule, grooming etc
• monthly treat page (I promise myself something nice every month, so I have a page of ideas/forward planning) Hello February back massage!
• holiday packing list
• garden plans (when and what to plant, prune etc)
• knitting list plus trackers of what I have (needles sizes etc)
• birthdays tracker (grid with box per month)
• phone numbers list (in case of phone failure or I forget to take it out)
• addresses
• email addresses

Mine is done in a filofax so I don't mind having pages for stuff you might not want to spend time writing out every time if I were to use a notebook. I can keep my collections in their own section and I index this seperately.

I know have a lot of duplicate things, but I like to have everythig ordered by topic so if I suddenly think about the car or the dog everything is in one place, but it is also scheduled where it needs to be in the diary section.

I also do a monthly reflections page.

I also have a priorities page to pull out in emergencies. If you ever find yourself overwhelmed with too much to do draw a large + sign on your page. The x axis is urgent on the right and not urgent on the left. The y axis is important at the top and not important at the bottom. You then plot your task by level of importance/urgency in the 4 sections. So the top right section is for things that are important and urgent. The bottom left is not urgent and unimportant. You then work through the tasks in order of which box they fall into

1. Urgent and important
2. Urgent but not important
3. Important but not urgent
4. Not important and not urgent (therefore drop/don't worry about these things today or do them last, or never!).

I find this really helps if you find yourself in a mad panic of too many things and not enough time. Those 5 minutes spent plotting tasks stops the spiral of panic where you don't get anything done for worrying you don't have enough time.

Any other ideas? I love a good list.

Was flicking through the App Store and thought about getting a period tracker and then thought hang on I can do it in bullet journal.

I just made my bullet journal last night! However the notebook I bought only has 28 horizontal lines so I will buy a new one for next month. This is a practice one.

Any notebook recommendations?

I can't be bothered colour coding or making it all pretty, I need functional and faff free lazy