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19 Cool Bullet Journal Ideas to Keep You Writing and Drawing

An organized bujo can change your life — guaranteed.

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preview for Bullet Journaling With Inspiration From AmandaRachLee | Artists & Crafts | GH

If your organization strategy needs an overhaul, or you simply want to hold yourself more accountable and adopt some better habits going forward, the bullet journal may be just the tool you need. One part helpful planner, one part diary, one part meditation, creator Ryder Carroll devised bullet journaling as a way to deal with his own ADD at a time when there weren't a lot of tools out there that worked the way his brain did.

"Rather than trying to keep notes like other people, I tried to figure out how to organize and sort information, the way that my mind works," Carroll explains. "Once in a while, I’d find out a way to make things just a little bit better and focus on those things and refine those tools and techniques until I finally found the ones that were consistently effective." His groundbreaking strategy sparked a book, a website, and a supportive community of participants who share strategies, design tips and their own twists on using the method.

Bullet journaling is endlessly customizable, with as many customizability options as there are users. "Bullet journaling is always about function over form," Carroll says. "It doesn't matter what your bullet journal looks like. It's about how it makes you feel, and how effective it is in moving you towards the things that matter to you." Whether you've just purchased your first bujo or you're looking for inspiration to make yours even more effective, we've rounded up some fantastic bullet journal ideas. Just take what you need and leave the rest — that's what bullet journaling is all about.

1

Set the Tone With a Monthly Spread

a december monthly spread by diary of a journal planner
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

Start the month off on a good foot with a two-page spread that lets you look at the whole span at a glance. This concept, from Diary of a Journal Planner, has a calendar-style block for daily appointments, plus boxes for goals and priorities to really dig down on what needs to get done.

2

Note Your Sleep Patterns

a bullet journal sleep tracker from masha plans
courtesy of Masha Plans

Those of us who don't sleep well know how important shut-eye is to, well, everything. Using your bullet journal to keep track of how much sleep you get helps you notice any patterns that emerge. This adorable design by Masha Plans makes it fun.

3

Stay Tuned in With a TV Show Tracker

bullet journal ideas   tv show tracker
courtesy of Life by Whitney

In this golden age of television streaming, it can get tough to keep track of what you're watching. Use this bullet journal spread idea created by Life by Whitney to get a handle on your viewing schedule. You'll never have to wonder what to watch next again.

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4

Celebrate With a Birthday Page

bullet journal ideas - birthday tracker
courtesy of Masha Plans

If you're the kind of person who always swings by the drugstore to buy a gift on the way to the party, you need this adorable birthday tracker idea by Masha Plans. Adjust the size or number of balloons to fit more birthdays in any given month or to suit the number of months you need. Don't forget to add your own!

5

Use Your Bujo for Meal Planning

bullet journal ideas   meal planning
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

A little meal planning will keep you from panicking over what's for dinner, and your bujo can help keep it all in one place. Create a chart to map out each day's menu, then stick Post-It notes with your shopping list to the page. When you head to the store, Diary of a Journal planner recommends bringing the sticky note with you, so you don't forget anything.

6

Make Your Annual Goals Pop

bullet journal ideas - yearly goals
courtesy of Masha Plans

This graphic goal visualization from Masha Plans works especially great at the start of a new year. Sit down and reflect on what you want to work toward in 2020, then represent it in an artful way. Drawing it out will encourage you to really meditate on your aspirations, and you'll be more likely to look at it if it's visually pleasing.

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7

Think Outside the Box With a Circle Design

bullet journal ideas   circle tracker
courtesy of Life by Whitney

While pretty bullet journal styles abound, circle day trackers are both gorgeous and useful. This one from Life by Whitney breaks up your entire day into manageable chunks of time so you can see what's happening and when. But you don't have to stop there. Circles work well for weekly, monthly, habit, or mood trackers, too.

8

Remind Yourself of Happy Thoughts

a page of happy things from a bullet journal
courtesy of Masha Plans

These days, we all need every little bit of happiness we can get. Sometimes though, it's hard to remember what brings us joy. Use your bullet journal with this idea from Masha Plans: create a page with cute little pictures of things that make you smile. If you aren't an artist, consider just writing out your happiness boosters and using stickers or Washi Tape to make it pretty instead.

9

Track Your Year in Pixels

bullet journal ideas   year in pixels
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

Mood trackers can give you an at-a-glance sense of how you're feeling, which in turn, can help pinpoint trouble spots to help keep a handle on your mental health. This comprehensive Year in Pixels page by Diary of a Journal Planner helps you do just that.

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10

Your BuJo Helps Keep It Clean

bullet journal ideas    cleaning page
courtesy of Masha Plans

Think of this cleaning page from Masha Plans as your motivation to actually do those hated chores on a regular basis. Since you can break it up into segments for daily, weekly, and other regularly occurring chores, it helps keep you accountable for even those infrequent tasks like cleaning the oven or dusting light fixtures.

11

Get Granular With a Goal Grid

bullet journal ideas    life by whitney
courtesy of Life by Whitney

Whether you're looking forward to graduating from school, finishing a big project at work, or getting in better shape, a goal grid like this one from Life by Whitney will help you visualize those targets. Organize your goals over whatever time span works best for you in a starburst shape, then break down each stage into more bite-sized steps on the opposite page.

12

Keep Your Meditation Practice on Track

a meditation tracking page from a bullet journal
courtesy of Masha Plans

The benefits of meditation are well-documented, but when our lives get busy, sometimes a regular practice falls by the wayside. With a bullet journal page like this whimsical one by Masha Plans, you can stay accountable to finding time to center yourself.

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13

Get It out With a Brain Dump

bullet journal ideas - brain dump
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

Sometimes, we have so many thoughts swirling around our heads that it's hard to focus on anything else. Use this brain dump page from Diary of a Journal Planner to declutter your mind and get everything out in the open, so you can better organize your world.

14

Get Your Skin Under Control

bullet journal ideas - skincare routine
courtesy of Masha Plans

It seems like we have more skincare options these days than ever, but the more products you add to your routine, the harder it is to keep straight. Masha Plans created this gorgeous skincare page to do just that. Consider using a similar page to illustrate other self-care techniques like meditation, exercise, or favorite hobbies, too.

15

Strategize With Time Blocking

bullet journal ideas  - time blocking
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

If you struggle with your to-do list (who doesn't?) try this easy bullet journal idea from Diary of a Journal Planner. Rather than trying and failing to multitask, your bujo can help block out spans of time to focus on one task. You'll be amazed how much you get done.

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16

Set Goals – and Stick to Them! – in Your BuJo

a bullet journal page with 20 things to do in 2020
courtesy of Masha Plans

Don't wait until the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve to set some goals for the year or even the month. Creating a graphic page like this one from Masha Plans gives you at-a-glance motivation, but even writing out what you want to accomplish in the weeks or months ahead will help.

17

Hack Your Spring (or Anytime!) Cleaning

bullet journal ideas - spring cleaning
courtesy of Diary of a Journal Planner

Keep your spring cleaning list in order with this bullet journal spread from Diary of a Journal Planner. Make a list of cleaning products on a detachable Post-It, notes on what needs to get done, specific cleaning tasks, and decluttering projects all in one, aesthetically pleasing spot.

18

Don't Sweat This Workout Page

bullet journal ideas - workout tracker
courtesy of Masha Plans

If you're dedicating yourself to a new fitness plan, stay on track with this workout page from Masha Plans. Self-care pages like this one can help you stay committed to your goals, since filling them in adds extra motivation to stick to it.

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19

Sort Your Mail Using BuJo

bullet journal ideas - mail tracker
courtesy of Carling Hare

This Harry Potter-themed mail tracking page from works especially well for people who send or receive a ton of snail mail. People with Etsy or clothing resale businesses or particularly active online shoppers, give this bujo idea a try.

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