Bullet Journaling: A Secret Weapon for Staying Awesomely Organized

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As my busy life gets busier, I’m continually on the look-out for the things that act as workarounds, short-cuts, and hacks. After all, there are only so many minutes in a day and I really need to never lose sight of what can make my already packed schedule flow smoother.

I started using a Bullet Journal 2 years ago. As a virtual assistant, freelance writer, and project manager, I needed something “non-fussy” that helped me keep my life and work in order. After spending stupid amounts of money on fancy planners that never seemed to do the trick, I discovered Bullet Journals. I love how customizable it is PLUS it lets my creativity run wild!

#doodlesaremyworld.

A bullet journal is a way of keeping track of everything you need to do in one notebook. It usually consists of four main parts. The Bullet Journal is really more of a system than a product and it can be tweaked to fit just about any lifestyle. At its simplest form, all you need is a cheap spiral notebook. I personally began Bullet Journaling by using a yummy hardcover quadrille pad-style book that I scored for free at a blogging conference. Basically, you can adopt the system (outlined here) in any notebook of your choosing.

The Bullet Journal is an analog system, meaning you don’t need anything more complicated than a notebook and a pen or pencil. While it’s very customizable, and you’re certainly welcome to change things around. All you need to start is a simple dot or grid notebook and a kick-butt pen like the Uniball Signo.

Book-wise,  highly recommend something 5×8 in size, quadrilled lined or dotted and spiral bound is great if you can find it because it lays nice and flat. 

Supplies to “fun up” your Bullet Journal

If you want to “pretty up” your Bullet Journal, Washi Tape, 3M Post-It Tabs, and color pencils are a great way to give to style and flair.

Pens or Markers –My absolute favorite pen for my Bullet Journal is the Uniball 207 in black. I love the fine, crisp lines this pen makes plus it doesn’t bleed through. It also is perfect for my doodling and line art that I adorn the edges of my pages with. Pilot’s Frixon Pen is handy too because it’s erasable.

Washi Tape (optional) – Washi tape is an easy and colorful way to decorate your pages. It’s also a great way to tab or bookmark certain pages to make them easy to find.

Post It Flags: These non-permanent flags are a great way to put a colorful reminder in place if there’s a section of your Bullet Journal that needs more work or is acting as an ongoing reminder for you.

Stickers: Etsy has some awesome/unique stickers and labels just for bujo use.

Highlighters: I know some folks use highlighters to code and manage tasks and items, but seems to me they bleed through. I would suggest a bible highlight or “dry” highlighter as a better way to highlight.

Ruler (optional) – Makes it easier to keep lines straight and neat.

Colored Pencils (optional) – Used to embellish and decorate your journal. Since I am a doodler, being able to color in my page doodles with color pencils is a fun treat.

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Hi, it’s me, Becky. I’ve been blogging actively since 2009 but you may know me as Franticmommy. Currently, I am working on rebranding Franticmommy to reflect my shift in passions and projects so don’t be alarmed if you start seeing updates and blog posts from “Becky Flansburg.” What will not change is my unique perspective on life and parenting and the fact I am rocking being a 50-something wise woman with way too many pets (12 to be exact…and counting). So thank you for being a part of my life and be sure and look me up on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!

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