My Bullet Journal & Why I Started One

Amanda Rach Lee was my inspiration in starting my first ever bullet journal. I got curious on how bullet journal works so I watched a lot of other bullet journal videos on Youtube and I had decided to make one last March 2017. I know some might find it a lot of work but planning and doodling is a fun thing to do, so I thought why not give it a try, right? By the way, this post is inspired by Explore With Corinth.

The Bullet Journal (BuJo) is a customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. (BulletJournal.com)  

I know this is a planner but yeah, I am using this Starbucks 2017 Mermaid Planner as my current bullet journal. I bought a blank notebook so I can fully customize my bullet journal but you know that this planner cost me a lot of frappucinos last Christmas. I just can't leave it like that! Lol. Aside from that, I just wanted to try it at first. I didn't know I'd be consistent with my BuJo. What I don't like about this planner is the paper is really thin. I had to be picky with the highlighters and pen that I use because it easily transfers at the back. I also use colored papers to stick it on if I wanted to cover up a mistake.

Since I am currently using a planner, the monthly and daily spreads are already there and it makes my BuJo a little less work to do. Each box is big enough to input my events and stuff which is a good thing.

On the first page of my planner/BuJo, I have decided to put a Period Tracker. I am still on medication and having a tracker is really convenient. I can easily monitor my period with a chart rather than just writing the dates down.

The materials that I use are just ordinary pens and highlighters. I use bond papers and colored papers in covering my mistakes and I use graphing papers for my charts/tables. By the way, the Miniso Color Markers are alcohol-based ink so I don't directly use it on my BuJo but the colors are the bomb! The markers and pens on Miniso are really cheap.

I find it kinda hard in learning calligraphy, to be honest. I am definitely not gifted on that part. Haha! 

• Dong-A My Gel Tec 0.4 (National Bookstore, 21.75pesos)
• Gelly Roll Metallic Pens (SM Department Store, 49.00pesos)
• Monami Calligraphy Pen 3.0 Water Based Ink (National Bookstore, 34.75pesos)
• Artline 660 Fluorescent Highlighter (National Bookstore, 29.50php)
• ZIG Memory System (National Bookstore, 97.00php)
• Miniso Aquarelle Brush No. 311101 (Miniso, 3 for 100.00pesos) 
• Miniso Color Marker in Turquoise Blue and Pale Pink (Miniso, 3 for 100.00pesos)

March 2017

On my March 2017 set up, I had two pages of quotes and I guess it was a bad idea. I also have a page for my Bills To Pay, Expense Tracker, Blogpost Ideas and Kdramas To Watch. On the last page, I have my Habit Tracker, Social Media Growth Tracker (Inspired by Amanda Lee) and my Happy List. As you can see, this is a bit messy. I didn't have any ideas on what to do that time. 

April 2017

I saw these grid images in an old magazine and I thought it would be perfect for that big space right there on the first page. Instagram vibes! On the second page, I still have my Bills To Pay and Expense Tracker right there. I have a whole page for my Blogpost Ideas because I just feel like it. Haha! There are a lot of pages and space for my April 2017. I also added a Mood Tracker together with a Monthly-To-Do List on one page. I doodled another quote that says "Let's be weird and wonderful together" which I really like. The design was inspired by Amanda Lee and the quote was from Pinterest. I also have my Kdramas To Watch underneath the quote. On the last page, I still have my Mood Tracker, Happy List, Social Media Growth Tracker and I added my Wattpad Stories List.

May 2017

I find my previous set up really messy. So I made it simpler and a bit effortless on the next month. I came up with the idea of pink hearts (cutouts) and green lines for the month of May. For the pages, I changed the Bills To Pay to Bills Tracker. I have my Expense Tracker on one page so it will all fit this time. I've been buying a lot of things lately. Oh no! My Blogpost Ideas, Watch List and a quote are on one page. Then, I have my Mood Tracker, Monthly Goals, and Happy List on another page. I find the Social Media Growth Tracker very useful so I still have it. On the last page is my Habit Tracker.

Why Did I Start My Bullet Journal?

I really like doing this kind of stuff. Since 2011, it became my tradition to get a planner from Starbucks for Christmas. I like their planners and I find it really useful especially when I was a college student back then. Please don't hate me for that. Haha.

My planner before was just too plain. BuJo is life changing especially if you like doing these things like me. I like the planning and doodling part. It became my stress reliever. I am always excited when another month is approaching because that's when you plan the spreads (Can you feel me? Haha). I became organized and I can say that it is very effective for me. It just makes life easier.

If you find that it has a lot of work to do, then I might say that BuJo is not for you. Not all people like doing these things and it is fine. We all have different preferences in life. But for some people who would want to give it a try, go. It's really a fun thing to do. So far, I am loving it and I don't have any thoughts of stopping it yet.

If you want to start out a bullet journal, you have to watch a lot of videos on Youtube, read blogs, and research on Pinterest so you can have many ideas. Buy the things that you need. That's what I did when I first started out.

You might want to check them out for inspiration:
★ Amanda Rach Lee (Youtube channel / Instagram)
★ StudyWithInspo (Youtube channel / Instagram)
★ Explore With Corinth
★ The Paper Junkie

What are your thoughts about Bullet Journals? Do you own one?