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One of my 2018 Goals was to stay better organized with a bullet journal. I’d seen a lot of beautiful designs and all kinds of lists plastered on pinterest and instagram, and being the artsy list-maker that I am, I wanted to try it out.
I did a lot of research on the right pens to get, the right notebook, and all kinds of extra stuff to make your bullet journal the best it can be. Hopefully this post will help you out in deciding on some great products without having to break the bank!
First up is the Peter Pauper Press: Dot Journal from Amazon for $10.87. The cover is a durable material and resists stains, moisture, and tearing. There is an elastic band that holds the pages tightly together, and an inside back-cover pocket that holds stickers, stencils, rulers, or any other flat items you want to keep handy. The inside pages have a light gray 5 mm dot grid that are the BEST for bullet journaling, offering structure without those pesky lines. A black ribbon bookmark lets you pick up right where you left off.
I’d read a lot about getting a Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook but changed my mind after checking out the price tag. As great as the notebooks look (and come in many beautiful colors), paying $20 was a little much for me.
Next up are these Mudder Fineliner Colored Pens from Amazon for $7.99. This set comes with 12 fine tip pens with a 0.4 mm tip (including black). These are great because they don’t bleed through the paper, and the colors come out clean and bright. If you’re looking for more than just 12 colors, the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pen set has 20 colors (including black) with a 0.3 mm tip for $15.65.
Something I would definitely recommend when building your Bullet Journal starter pack is a ruler. I recommend the Helix Acrylic Office Ruler. This one is six inches long and fits great in the back pocket of my journal. At only $3.18, this little buddy can be your new best friend.
And there you go! The perfect products to start your bullet journaling! These right here are the bare bones of what you need. Want even more? Here are a two more items I would also suggest…
- A set of Yalis Bullet Journal Stencils if you feel a bit squeemish about free-handing banners and boxes. This set has 12 sheets of super awesome stencils that I use all the time.
- Ticonderoga EnviroStik pencils. These are super nice and sharpen and erase VERY well! If you’re like me and you want to sketch your your page design before putting it in ink, a good set of pencils will work wonders. They’re also environmental friendly with a latex free eraser that doesn’t rip up your page.
- A good set of brush-tip pens to spice up your handlettering. Nylea 15 Pack Dual Tip Brush Marker Pens are nice if you’re going for quantity over quality. If you’re looking for quality over quantity, I’d go with the Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers, though they are pretty pricey for only a 10 pack.
What are YOUR favorite bullet journal products? Let me know in the comments below, or shoot me a message. I’d love to hear from you!
Love this! I’m seriously thinking about starting a bullet journal but honestly, I have no idea where to even start. This is super helpful! Also nice that all the products won’t cost me an arm and a leg 😉
A- simplylovely90.com
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Glad you think so! I think it’s important to find great products that don’t break the bank.
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What a great post! I can’t believe how cheap your journal was, I’ve always wanted to start bullet journaling but don’t think I’m talented enough to make it pretty, however I had no idea about those stencils! How handy, I need to invest in some. Clare xx | https://www.clayaa.com
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Thanks! Yeah I LOVE the stencils! They help so much and make my pages look so nice!
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Your journal looks so beautiful ! I wish I had the time and courage to make one myself. Great work ! 😊💖
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I think the most important thing is to just do it! I might do a post soon with some simple yet beautiful designs for people who are nervous about starting up one of their own.
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That’s a great idea ! 🙂
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This looks amazing, the fine liners are absolutely perfect for this! I have just started my bullet journal and used pintrest for a lot of inspo x
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Yes!!! Pinterest saves my butt.
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This looks amazing! I am such an organizer and any notebook that I can track things on and color code is so me!
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I always think these are so awesome, and I’m like “Yeah I’m totally gonna do that!” And then I realize that I’m never going to keep up with it. Yours looks great! Let us know how it’s working out for you!
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Thanks! The best way for me to stay consistent is to keep it by my bedside table and take it to work with me. I have pages for jotting down notes and ideas. The real test will be to see if I can fill up the whole book!
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I think that’s a lifetime goal of mine, to actually fill up a notebook. I lose them, or move on to another, and never get them filled!
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Me too! That and chapstick….
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Oh gosh, the chapstick! I can never do it. I did finish a tube of lipstick recently which was very satisfying! Small victories…
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Good for you! Too often I end up finding them destroyed in the dryer or washer… 😂
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The worst fate!
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