How to start a bullet journal (Ultimate Beginners Guide)
If you think you can’t start a bullet journal if you are a beginner then think again. This post will demystify the process for you and help you start your own bullet journal just like I started to paint without any previous training!
I started to go to the local school for Art class ( ok not with the kids but at night for an evening class ) I gained more confidence to continue painting to where I am today.
Check out my shop here to see how I have progressed and you can even buy one of my original pieces too!
(If this post contains affiliate links please see our full disclosure policy although I have to say I tried really hard to make it interesting and even I struggled to write it so if you really must read it you can find it here)
Table of Contents
What is the point of a Bullet Journal
A bullet journal is a way to get yourself organised and plan for your year.
The best thing about a Bullet Journal or BuJo is its an all in one type of journal so you don’t have different journals and notebooks for different things it’s all in the one place so no more scattered half-finished journals!
It’s a specific way to organise a planner.
It can also be called a BuJo.
The great thing about a bullet journal is it’s highly customisable and can be creative as well.
Things you can organise with a bullet journal include:
- Helps to become organised or stay organised
- Creative outlet
- Loves things like scrapbooking
- Daily to do’s
- Savings
- Long term goals
- Monthly calendars
- Basically, it’s up to you what you put in it!
How do I get started Bullet journalling
The basic equipment you need is Notepad and a pen.

1.Minimalism Art
2.Dotted Grid Notebook/Journal
3.Leuchtturm1917
4.Dotted Journal by Scribbles That Matter
And Pens

☑️ Best journals for bullet journalling
Best Value |
Best Overall |
Best for Artists |
|
Notebooks |
Dot Grid Notebook |
Leuchturnm 1917 |
Moleskine Art Sketchbook |
Rating |
4.8 out of 5 |
4.3 out of 5 |
4.6 out of 5 |
Pens |
Pilot Frixion Erasable Gel Pen |
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens |
Sakura Pen-Touch Paint Markers |
Rating |
4.8 out of 5 |
3.9 out of 5 |
4.4 out of 5 |
What is a dot-grid journal
A dot grid Journal is a journal that has dot-shaped as a grid in it. It is used for guide marks for drawing tables, templates and drawing diagrams or sketching pictures.
How do you start a beginners bullet journal
When you first start a bullet journal you are NOT striving for perfection it will take time to get to grips with all the shortcodes and layouts.
Don’t use a brand new leather fabulously expensive journal start off with something not too expensive.
First, you need to know about the terminology it’s got its own language too well not too much!
What’s the difference between an ordinary Journal and a BuJo
I have already mentioned that its a collection of different journals and notebooks all in one.
It also has an Index page (a bit like a content section in a novel ) and Section pages.
First, you decide on the sections then you create your index. And you can add to these as you go along.
Things you can track with your bullet journal
Here are things you can track with your bullet journal:
- Calendar pages include daily, monthly yearly tasks, meal planning, expenses
- Goals – saving money, work or exercise
- Trackers- sleep, diet or fitness
- Logs – future, gratitude, book lists to read
- Project planners
What should you put in my bullet journal
Types of pages to add to your bullet journal depend on the things you want to track the list above gives you inspiration for the types of sections you could have in your journal.
Have a look online and below for different types of templates you would want to include in your journal. Maybe you just want to stick to a project planner for your work or meal planning and cleaning schedules and savings goals.
If that’s all you want then great you don’t need to add more!
Once you have an idea of layouts you want to use sketch them out in pencil first or you can use the Pilot eraser gel pens ( I love them it’s amazing how well they erase out to leave a blank page- they are not my go-to pen to use for my blogging work using a Bujo. )
I also love using sticky tabs like this one to mark Index pages I reference all the time these are my favourite ones just now.
Index page
This is your first page in your Bullet Journal and this is where you add each section along with a page number for each. Leave at least two pages for this section.
Key
This page shows all your signifiers and colours and what they mean.
Future Log
This is a list of your important events, goals and plans for the year on one page
Daily Log
Basically a daily to-do list of things for each day to get done
Monthly Calendar
Basically a monthly calendar of events listed on one page
Now onto your Section pages
This is where you have all your bullet journal collections.
Bullet Journal Terms
You don’t write out lots of detail in bullet journals the idea is to use a sort of shorthand in BuJo lingo – rapid logging includes things like bullets, short sentences, page numbers, and topics.
Here are some terms:
- Bullets to signify tasks like dots, dash <>
- Signifiers to add attention like * ! checkmark to show something is complete
- Migration – check for unfulfilled tasks at the end of each month move it to a new month using this >
- Threading – this is what to do with your page numbers when you have non-consecutive collections you can add the page number to the bottom. For example, say you have 5 pages 1 5 6 7 and 23 all with the same collection information you would then add →5 to page one then on page 5 add →6 to the bottom of page 5.
Best Related Bullet Journal posts
7 Bullet Journals templates to help save money
7 Budgeting Bullet Journal templates
Overview of the basics of Bullet Journaling
Notebook – for instance, the Leuchturnm 1917
Pens- for instance, Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
PensPages – Index, Key, Future log, Daily and Monthly calender and collections
Best Bullet Journal templates for Artists
Here is a collection of Bullet Journal Ideas for layouts to get you started:
Best Resources for Bullet Journals
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