How to Start a Bullet Journal, California Senior Photographer, Sharon Wallace Photography
Planners/Journals/ArtBooks
Let’s pick a Bullet Journal!
How to Start a Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal 101
Who’s done with 2020 and looking forward to starting a new year?
Well, I can tell you I certainly am ready to give 2021 a whirl!
I decided I would start the new year off with a Bullet Journal. This is my first year starting one so I just had to share a little bit of the information I found on how to get started with you. It seems they can be as creative, or artistic or as minimal as you desire which I totally love. You can use them to track you habits, your business or your school or combine them all. That is the beauty of this style of planning…..you can make it your own! You can even change up your style or tracking everyday, every week, every month etc. I love this! It allows you to experiment and explore the possibilities without commitment for the whole year. Yes, I get to change my mind!
Now, the guru starter of the bullet journal is Ryder Carroll and you can find out more about him and the making of the original bullet journal here. You can find out more about his original “Key” bullets and pages right there on his website if you are a purist, or you can go it on your own if you are adventurous sort like myself.
I have to say I have been using planners for pretty much the past 25 years to plan out and keep straight my activities. I have used every style of Franklin Covey, and over the counter style daily, weekly and monthly calendars. I am a visual person so I love to see the overall picture, use color to block my work requirements, or special activities, and then I really love to brain dump all my ideas. I have never used a bullet journal though so I am a newbie! I am so excited to share this process with you! I think I will really love the flexibility and the creative process so I am really excited about the process!
Supplies
So what do you need to get started? Well, technically all you really need is a journal and a writing implement…. but I have chosen to use variety of the art supplies I already have. I purchased a bullet journal then pulled out my favorite Sakura Micron Pens, Tombows, some washi tape and I will be printing out some images to use from my phone on my HP Sprocket mini printer and some stickers using my Epson ET7750 and my Cricket Air Explore 2 as well as my Phomemo thermal printer. So keep following my blogs and vlogs on my You Tube Channel and I will share my process and spread decisions, designs, successes and no doubt my fails!
Bullet Journal 101 - and coffee!
How to start a Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal Options
I am going to try a Bullet Journal from Walmart to test out a few spreads before actually starting on my Bullet Journal from Scribbles That Matter. I went with Scribbles because of it’s page thickness, bleed through protection and general styling including a pen holder. Of course I will share the testing process and actual journal in a future blog & vlog post. You could also go with Dingbats, or Archer and Olive (who by the way has an awesome all black paged journal I might just have to try out!). Another favorite seems to be Hobinichi, Traveler’s and Moleskin.
I listed a few options for you as I personally love the feel of certain textures of paper, whiteness, and other tactile components that keep me coming back to paper stationary goods and products rather than digital. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good amount of tech. but when it comes to creating or reading for that matter, I love the tactile feel of my colored pencils or art media on the perfect paper.
Bullet Journal Content/Headers/Sections
As I newbie to this style of journaling, I am not really sure of the appropriate terminology to call each section of the journal, but I wanted to give you an idea of how you could lay out the contents.
1 -It seems, the Journal starts with of course a page to identify the user and the year or portion of year. I will call this the Title page. Make this title page as fun as you like! I am starting my journal with a quote, for looking ahead to 2021. What quote would you pick? I am going to use the following affirmation for the new year:
“Now is the time to believe in yourself”
2 - Key. A key is a legend showing/reminding you what each of the chosen bullet points you are using in your bullet journal stand for……see the example following.
. Task
x Task done
. Task migrated
,Task scheduled
o Event
^ Appointment
- Note
*priority
! Idea
Many people use blocks, hearts or other shapes to designate work or home tasks and priorities. Check out my Pinterest Board on Bullet Journaling for more ideas that might work for you.
3 - Next comes an Index - this is simply a page or two dedicated to listing sections of your journal as you create them and the corresponding page number. I believe my plan is to forgo this section and use washi tape to mark sections I use.
4 - Future Log or Yearly Calendar or both. - Ideally this section can be used to note birthdays or events of importance, or to capture special events that occurred. I will make them both as I love a good yearly overview.
5 - 2021 Goals page - this is exactly what it sounds like. List as many goals as you like - big or small - whatever seems to empower you. I will start with 21 Goals for 2021!
6 - Monthly spreads
7 - Weekly spreads
8 - Daily spreads
9 - Habit trackers
This is where I plan to get wild and creative! I will use Monthly spreads and weekly spreads. I am choosing not to do daily spreads at the moment. I want to use these sections to plan out my business blogs, vlogs, IG posts, Photography sessions, and digital uploads to my shop.
10 - Year in pictures - I will use my cell phone and HP Spocket printer to capture images from the year. I know this spread is going to be one of my favorite components!
Are you Ready to Start Your Own Bullet Journal?
I can’t wait to get started and share this bullet journaling experience with you!!! Follow along on my blog, and studio vlog on my You Tube channel.
I will be featuring freebies, stickers and Photography related templates in my store as well as starting a monthly subscription for those of you who love to be the first to get access to new templates and to enjoy those freebie sticker templates that come along with the monthly subscription. I will be posting more about the monthly subscription offer next week on my blog so stay turned!
Let’s get our BuJo Started!
xoxoxo,
Sharon
p.s. All images for todays blog were courtesy of the fabulous Kate Max. you can find her female entrepreneur stock images @katemaxstock or katemaxstock.com
