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I used to bullet journal. Then I quit. Now I’m back on the bandwagon and restocking my bullet journal supplies.
Bullet journaling can either be an overwhelming art test, or it can be an extremely functional tool in your planner arsenal. While I still use my Erin Condren planner for my appointments, daily to-do’s and reminders, I found there wasn’t quite enough room for EVERYTHING I wanted to track. I started using a companion notebook to meal plan, track my daily habits, and jot down thoughts and plans and realized I was bullet journaling again.
I think I have finally found the perfect planner setup – a planner for appointments, future planning, and daily to-do’s, and a bullet journal for lists, collections, brain dumps, etc. I’ve always loved both planners and bullet journals, but just using one or the other never felt quite right. Now I have been able to utilize the best aspects of both systems and maximize my own productivity.
If bullet journaling is something you would like to try, whether as your stand-alone planning system, or as a companion to a paper planner, knowing how to get started can be overwhelming. Really all you need is a notebook and pen, but there are so many options! I’m going to share some of my favorite bullet journal supplies as well as the most popular to give you an idea of what you should try first.
Basic Bullet Journal Supplies
Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook
The Leuchtturm is really the gold standard of bullet journaling. This is by far the most popular option for a notebook because of the size, the quality of paper, and the various colors available. They come in lined, plain, gridded, and dot grid. Dot grid is the most popular because it gives you the flexibility of a blank page yet you still have some guides. I have two of these notebooks and I love the creamy paper and that it even holds up to a fountain pen. Runners Up: Erin Condren Hardbound Notebook, and the Scribbles That Matter Notebook.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen F tip
A lot of bullet journalers use fountain pens, but my favorite is the Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen. This is a felt-tip that is easy to write with, and doesn’t smear. The best part is that it is India ink, so it is the blackest black. This pen produces crisp lines that wont fade or smudge. I prefer the F, or fine tip. Runners Up: Inkjoy Gel Pens, Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen
A Small Ruler
One accessory you will definitely want to get right away is a 6-8″ ruler. These are much easier to use than a full-sized ruler for making boxes, lines, and writing in a straight line.
Optional Supplies
The supplies I have already listed are all you really need to bullet journal, but there are plenty of fun extras if you want to get more creative.
Prismacolor Colored Pencils – I love colored pencils for adding soft color without fear of bleeding through the page. Prismacolors are my favorite because of the wide color range, intensity of color, and the fact that they are widely available.
Washi Tape – Washi tape can add fun accents, and is also useful for covering up mistakes!
Stamps – Planner stamps also work well in bullet journals! Some of my favorites are from Studio L2e, Sweet Stamp Shop, and Ateleir Dreams on Etsy.
Stickers – You can use stickers in a bullet journal just like a planner! I love Erin Condren stickers, Krissyanne Designs,
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