50 Bullet journal ideas for beginners to help get your life in order

We have all had moments in our lives when we felt like everything around us is in total chaos. Especially, recently, there are so many things going on in the world, sometimes it is hard to keep track. What’s more, our minds are occupied by so many things, we rarely have time to sit down and think about our own lives. For example, if you have been quarantining at home and are now finally starting to go out you probably have a thousand things to do. Things that you have been putting off or weren’t able to do can sometimes be overwhelming. Fear not, however, because we have the answer to all of your troubles – journaling. So, today, we have prepared 50 bullet journal ideas, which are going to help you get your life in order and bring some organisation and calmness into it.

Bullet journals are a great way to organise your life

What is a bullet journal?

Well, bullet journals as a concept were created by Ryder Carroll. According to him, he came up with the system to “track the past, order the present and design the future”. In general, bullet journaling is a method of organisation through to-do lists, scheduling, reminders and other tools in a single notebook. What makes bullet journaling so special, however, is the fact that you have a creative freedom to create a journal, tailored to your needs. What’s more, it allows you to draw your own pages and graphics, to use different colors and techniques and create a real space where you can completely free your mind.

You can decorate your bullet journal with anything you want

What do you write in a bullet journal?

In general, you have lots of freedom to put anything you want in your journal. If you are a beginner, however, here are the basics and how to arrange them (and yes, we are listing them with bullet points):

• Key – this should be the first page of your journal. It is going to serve as a key for all of the symbols and colors you are going to be using in your BuJo.
• Index – as any other book, your journal also needs an index. So, make a list of what you want to have in your journal and help yourself with an index. That way you won’t have to flip through all the pages if you are looking for something.
• Monthly spreads – a page dedicated to each month. It basically serves as an overview of the whole month. The great news here is that you can pick a theme for each monthly spread and decorate accordingly. For example, your monthly log for December, of course, will be dedicated to Christmas. You August monthly log, on the other hand, can be decorated with drawings, giving off beach vibes. Choice is yours!
• Weekly spreads – page dedicated to each week. After all, if you are very busy, you need separate space of each week. That way, you can track what your plans are for the week and organise them. Once again, let your creativity run wild and decorate your weekly logs as much as you want.
• Daily spreads – this one is not a must. However, if you want to get super organised, you might try having daily logs. They basically contain a plan for your day by the hour.
• Miscellaneous – there is a variety of things you can add to your bullet journal. These can be mood and habit trackers, self care routines, budget planner, books to read, movies or TV shows to watch, etc. Just any kind of additional list you may need.

Here is a break down of everything you might put in your journal

Bullet journal ideas for beginners to help you get started

The good news is that all you need is a notebook and a few pencils or markers. If you are not very good at drawing, there are plenty of templates you can find online and you can just color them. Otherwise, having a bullet journal is extremely helpful. It is a proven method to help you prioritise better and organise your everyday life. What’s more, since you can add things like mood and habit trackers, budget planning and fitness and food habits, this allows you to take better care of yourself. For example, you probably don’t notice how much sleep you are getting on average, or how much water you are drinking. However, if you turn tracking these things into a habit, you might notice new things. Maybe you are not getting enough sleep, which is why you feel tired all of the time. It could be that you are not drinking enough water, or you are eating too much sugar. Even better, you can track your exercise habits or your weight. You can create lists, which are going to remind you to meditate and take some me time. Whatever the case, keeping a bullet journal will definitely have positive effects on your mind and body.

And here are some more things you can track with the help of your journal

Things to remember when you start journaling

Putting everything that you need to do right in front of you might seem scary at first. But once you see what the effect of organising your life is, trust us, you will love it. So, when you decide to start a bullet journal, the first thing that you need to remember is not to overdo it. Start small. You don’t have to have intricate drawings and lots of colors. Keep things simple and minimalistic in the beginning. After you become a bullet journal pro you can add anything else you might want. Moreover, start with the basics, don’t add unnecessary lists, which might make you feel pressured to do all of them. Keep in mind that things can be migrated from one day to the other. Just because you have planned something for today and didn’t manage to do it, or didn’t feel like it, doesn’t mean you need to beat yourself up for it. Just add it to the next day and keep going.

If you are into doodling you can turn your bullet journal into a piece of art

A simple index goes a long way

And here are some bullet journal ideas for lists that you can add

Here is an example on how to start a bullet journal

Your mood tracker can be whatever you decide

And here is a cool weekly spread along with a cool sleep, weather and step log

This is what a page for a month can look like

Even more lists

Your bullet journal can help you with your mental health

Bullet journal ideas from the creator of the method himself

Add a page so you can track your expenses

Keep scrolling to find even more bullet journal ideas

Fun weekly spread in all of the colors of the rainbow

Who doesn’t love a good bucket list

Cute watercolor weight tracker

And here are a few different ideas for fonts you can use

Write down things you are grateful for

Budget graphics don’t have to be boring

With so many things to watch on Netflix, having a to-watch list is very helpful

A creative way to write down things you are grateful for each day of the month