Bullet Journal Ideas for 2021

Looking for Bullet Journal ideas for 2021? Here is the giant list with ideas for everyone from beginner to Instagram-famous expert.

So you have your brand new notebook in front of you just ready to fill with bullet journal ideas for 2021…

Now what?

Or maybe you’ve been bullet journaling for awhile and have pages and pages filled, but you are just so tired of the same old layouts and spreads!

You could use some new bullet journal ideas for 2021 to re-engage you, to give your Bullet Journal some fresh energy and spark.

If you are a beginner, this post will point you to the best examples of Bullet Journal ideas, so you can get started fast! We’ve compiled the very best resources available for learning the basics and creating collections. If you’ve been bullet journaling for awhile, this post is for you, too, with inspiration and advanced techniques from the experts to take your Bullet Journal to the next level with themes, sketchnotes, and hand-lettering.

Besides, bullet journaling is fun, easy, and delivers a more creative and organized life. You can do this!

Heads up! This is a long post, so we’re including some handy jump links in the menu below. You can also download the entire article as a pdf to browse at your leisure. 

Don’t want to read this whole thing? Click a link to get straight to what interests you!

Bullet journal ideas 2021 for beginners

• How to get started
• Ideas for your Index Pages and Bullet Journal Key 
• Ideas for your Future Log 
• Ideas for your Daily / Weekly / Monthly Spreads 

Bullet journal collection ideas for 2021 

• Goals & visioning spreads 
• Finance layouts 
• Habit trackers
• Self-care 
• Home & family layouts 
• Bullet journal ideas for work 
• Bullet journal ideas for students  
• Travel 
• Arts and Entertainment 

Get inspired with ideas to make your Bullet Journal more creative in 2021. 

• Theme Ideas 
• Hand lettering 
• Sketchnotes & doodles
• Bullet journal ideas on Pinterest 

Just getting started? Here’s how to make the basic elements personal to you!

How to get started

The absolute best place to get started with the Bullet Journal system (bujo for short), is directly at the source. BulletJournal.com has a great video tutorial, which will give you an overview and provide a solid base for your practice.

That said, the Bullet Journal system is intentionally adaptable and minimalist. If you want to create some of the more elaborate spreads you’ve seen on Instagram and Pinterest, there are lots of articles and examples available to help you get started. 

Here are a few of our favorite resources for bullet journal ideas in 2021 on how to personalize the basic elements of your Bullet Journal: 

Index Pages: take those boring page lists and make them special.

The index pages in your Bullet Journal are where you tell yourself what’s where. It’s your table of contents. How you design it is completely up to you!

• 24 Easy Bullet Journal Key and Index Ideas – Crystal Fogleman at the Bullet Journal Addict provides an overview on keys and indexes, then shares visuals for 24 approaches. Some are quite simple, while others are more elaborate.
• Bullet Journal Key and Ideas – This quick post by Your Visual Journal has the basics of the official bullet journal key with reference photos for how people have morphed it in their own bullet journals.
• How to Start a Bullet Journal Index – Kat at Zen of Planning shares her approaches to index pages with different structures.
• How I Index My Bullet Journal – Kara Benz (aka Boho Berry) has a YouTube video (6:08) explaining how she approaches the index to her Bullet Journal. 
• 15+ Bullet Journal Index Ideas to be BEYOND ORGANIZED – Sylvia Wu at Mommy Over Work shares a variety of ideas – a few of which are very simple, while others are more complex; some of them incorporate some nice color coding options.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalindex on Instagram. 

Ideas for your Bullet Journal Future Log (btw, wtf is a future log?)

A future log is pretty much what it sounds like; it’s putting things in your Bullet Journal that you are going to do in the future. If it isn’t something happening in the current month, that’s a future log. Consider it a parking lot of sorts – for future tasks, events, and ideas. 

• Bullet Journal: Future Log – with over 70 pins, this Pinterest board, curated by the official Bullet Journal brand is one of the best collections of images we’ve seen for Future Logs. 
• Bullet Journal Future Logs – Nancy Queen at Sweet PlanIt has collected a number of beautiful future log spreads that are sure to inspire.
• Future Log: The Alastair Method – Alastair Johnston came up with his own spin on the future log–which has become wildly popular among Bullet Journalists.  
• Bullet Journal Future Log – Shelby Abrahamsen at Little Coffee Fox shares her anxiety over starting a future log, why she put it off for so long, and how it turned out once she tackled it. 
• How to Plan Your Year with a Future Log – Masha at Masha Plans describes the future log as a collection of your yearly events; it’s not necessarily something you’ll use everyday, but rather a master resource to reference as needed.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalfuturelog on Instagram. 

Ideas for your Bullet Journal Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Spreads (also, do I really have to maintain all of those?)

Most bullet journalists create monthly spreads as an overview in their Bullet Journal (since it is part of the original system), and then use either weekly or daily spreads to record daily events and tasks. Your monthly spread–if you decide to even have one–can be used in a few ways. For example, you could sketch out some goals and list major dates/events to remember, or you can add to it throughout the month to note key moments or ideas you’d like to be able to come back to and reference easily later.

But do you really need all three? Probably not!

Here are some resources to help you decide what you want to do in your Bullet Journal with ideas for what that might look like:

• Bullet Journal Weekly Spreads | The Best Focused Ideas to Plan Your Week – Your Visual Journal created the guide we would want to read most! It breaks down the approaches, has lots of inspiration images, and gives you guidance on how to craft your own approach if you don’t find an exact match.
• Weekly Vs Daily Logs: How To Pick The Perfect Bullet Journal Layout – Kalyn at Kalyn Brooke has a great article on how to determine which approach is best for you. If you are just setting up your Bullet Journal, and haven’t decided whether it’s easier to work day-by-day or a week at  a time, this post is definitely for you. 
• Monthly Log Showcase – BulletJournal.com has a great showcase of monthly logs that starts with Ryder Carroll’s original idea, and then shows how other Bullet Journalists have modified it over time to fit their own needs. Many people use monthly logs in combination with daily logs. Think of it as having an overview, but then working with details on your daily pages.
• Bullet Journal Daily Spread Ideas that Will Make You More Productive – Thass Dezan and Kirsty Hill at Diary of a Journal Planner have a great post focused on daily spreads. What we love most about this post is the variety represented in the ideas and approaches they share, as well as their tips on how daily spreads can impact productivity. 
• 32 Easy Minimalist Weekly Bullet Journal Spreads to Try Right Now – Because the weekly spreads in this post by Waheeda at Habits Buzz are all minimalist, the variety provides a clear view into different ways you can structure your weekly spreads. If minimalist styles don’t work for you, you can always use one of these ideas as a starting place, and then embellish if you want, but this post provides a great peek into how different people approach the basics of weekly bujo spreads.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalweeklyspread on Instagram. 

Bullet Journal Collection Ideas (p.s. avoid the big mistake that many bullet journalists make)

A collection in the Bullet Journal method is just a grouping of information. It’s a name for notes that have a common theme or task. You collect them all together in one place, rather than spreading them out across your monthly or weekly spreads. Collections can include habit trackers, reading lists, mood trackers, budget planning, etc. – pretty much anything you can think of in terms of a theme could apply!  

Here’s the big mistake many make with collections…

They try to do all of them! (I got crazy exhausted just typing that. Who has time to maintain a ton of collections??)

A Bullet Journal is personalized to your life. It’s not a mass-produced planner. So only include a collection if it’s useful and personal to you.

Here are some ideas for different types of collections you might want to include in your Bullet Journal: 

Goals and Visioning Spreads: achieve your aspirations

Bullet journals can be aspirational, reminding you of where you want to go and what you are working toward. The following links have great resources for reaching your goals and pursuing your dreams.

• Bullet Journal Goals Page Ideas – Nancy Queen at Sweet PlanIt shares a post on goal setting that includes 12 examples of Bullet Journal approaches. 
• How to create a vision board in your Bullet Journal – Thass Dezan and Kirsty Hill at Diary of a Journal Planner share this post, which includes a video tutorial on how to create a vision board in your journal planner. 
• Creating a Vision Board in Your Journal – Teri Klinger at Muddy Fox Farm uses photo stickers to create her board. The mix of handwriting, photo stickers, doodles, and regular stickers gives it an interesting look. 
• 8 Ways to Vision Board without Cutting Up a Single Magazine – If the idea of vision boards sounds cheesy, our article hits the practical aspects of vision boarding and why it’s about more than cutting out photos of yachts. 
• How to set Goals and Achieve Them – Thass Dezan and Kirsty Hill at Diary of a Journal Planner get into setting SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timeline. 
• Why you may want to plan in a 13-week cycle – Why plan out the whole year when it is more effective to get it done in 13 weeks? Your Visual Journal gives three compelling reasons for compressing the timeline on your goals. 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bujovisionboard on Instagram. 

Bullet Journal Finance Ideas: get your sh*t together

Bullet journals are a perfect place to plan and track your financial goals, manage spending, and achieve savings. The following ideas can help you with money management from multiple angles.

• How to Track Your Financial Goals in a Bullet Journal – The team at The Financial Gym shares specific advice on how to use your Bullet Journal from logging spending to monitoring subscriptions to charting your debt.
• Bullet Journal’s Finance Log Showcase – BulletJournal.com has a showcase of financial layouts that cover the gamut from tracking expenses to savings for a deposit on a future home. 
• 22 Financial Tracking Layouts for your Bullet Journal – Elizabeth Ghekiere at Elizabeth Journals shares some of her favorite financial tracking spreads. 
• Pen and Paper Financial Planner – Common Sense Money Management – Shelby Abrahamsen at Little Coffee Fox shares a look at her personal money management tracking in her journal. 
• How to Get Debt Free with 3 Simple Bullet Journal Layouts – If you are focused on paying off debt, Keri at Journaling My Life shares how she attacked hers with 3 simple layouts. 
• 20+ Bullet Journal Budget Layouts Only For People Who Suck With Money – Be sure to scroll the images on this one. There are some truly great layout ideas for finances from a number of different angles, including links to some printables from Anna at Anja Home. 
  

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalfinance on Instagram. 

Bullet Journal Habit Trackers: get credit for what you do daily

Aristotle is reported to have said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” So doesn’t it make sense to use our Bullet Journal to support us in building our daily habits? It’s a paper form of accountability. 

Not only that, but seeing our own progress can spark motivation. The links below share some ideas on what kinds of habits to track, and how to track them. 

• Bullet Journal Habit Trackers – How to Create One that Works for You – There are lots of ways to approach habit tracking in your Bullet Journal. Your Visual Journal (yes, that’s us!) has some tips on crafting one you will actually use. 
• 50 Habit Tracker Ideas Plus 7 Layouts – Crystal Fogleman at Bullet Journal Addict shows 7 layout ideas then gets into 50 things you might want to track. It’s great inspiration for determining what matters to you (and what you can skip.) 
• 121 Habit Tracker Ideas for Your Bullet Journal – Rachel Watts at Planning Mindfully has an alternate list of things to track broken into categories like: relationships, work, habits, etc. She also includes photos of layouts. 
• 7 Simple Ways to Lose Weight With Your Bullet Journal – Rose K. at Little Miss Rose shares how to support a weight loss journey with your Bullet Journal. She includes everything from gamification of the process to innovative layouts for shopping lists and meal planning. 
• How to Change Your Habits with a Bullet Journal – This post by Sheena at Sheena of the Journal focuses on how to use your Bullet Journal as a tool. (It includes some pretty cool Instagram examples of how others are using theirs.)
• 20+ Bullet Journal Fitness Ideas – If you want to leverage your journal to track your workouts, this additional post from Sheena at Sheena of the Journal shares an epic collection of  examples with lots of ideas on things to track and ways  to do it! 
• 51 Habit Trackers That Every Bullet Journal Needs – Sarah at Sarah Maker discusses the benefits of habit tracking and recommends 51 ideas for habits that could be worth tracking with a spin that’s slightly different to others on this list.

Interested in an ebook with even more layouts? Download 11 Visual Journal Templates to Get the Life You Want

Self-Care: remind yourself to recharge your internal battery

For busy people, self-care can often be the first thing to go when schedules are tight. Your Bullet Journal can help you prioritize it. 

• 10 Bujo Self-Care Ideas for Stress Relief – Anna at Anja Home shares a list of ideas for what self-care habits to track, with examples of layouts to inspire your own tracking ideas. 
• 9 Amazing Bullet Journal Ideas That Cultivate Self-Care – Our Mindful Life shares ideas for layouts for everything from “happy lists” to water consumption. She also asks the important question: “What is stopping me from taking care of myself?”
• My 30-Day Self-Care Challenge: This YouTube video from I am Hayley Sierra shares Hayley’s personal 30-day self care challenge with voice-overs that expand on her notes, as she records herself writing in her Bullet Journal. Hayley’s journal is a great starting place for anyone who loves a simple, minimalist style, and it’s fun to hear Hayley’s thoughts on the challenges she chose.
• 21 Motivational Self-Care Bullet Journal Pages – Erin at The Petite Planner takes a motivational angle on self-care, sharing layouts for a variety of collections. We thought the chakra related layouts were interesting. 
• Bullet Journal Sleep Tracker – Nancy Queen at Sweet PlanIt shares a variety of tracking layouts for sleep patterns. 
• Love Yourself First – Bullet Journal Self-care Spreads – In this post on Little Coffee Fox, LeeNichole offers a glimpse into some of her personal self-care habit trackers; we absolutely love her ABCs of self-care.
• 26 Bullet Journal Self-Care Page Ideas You Should Try – Happy Nifty Life shares several inspiring ideas for self-care habits worth tracking. The layouts featured range from very basic to quite complex, offering something for everyone.
• Self Care in the Bullet Journal – Georgina at Productive and Pretty offers ideas for tracking self care in the Bullet Journal–including a “self-care cheatsheet.” 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bujoselfcare on Instagram. 

Home and Family Layouts: because there are a lot of moving pieces to this parenting thing

The sheer volume of things we have to remember, plan, and coordinate for our families is daunting. Here’s how your Bullet Journal can become your “ride or die” for all the things your family needs. 

• Bullet Journal Ideas for Working Moms – Part of the challenge of being a working mom is that your task lists for work and home tend to run separately in your head. A Bullet Journal gets everything in one place, and our post clarifies why this is helpful, with some ideas on how to make it work for you.  
• Mom Brain is Real! 5 Ways a Journal Can Help You Survive it. – We wrote this post specifically for moms, because we know from experience that being a mom can be a logistical nightmare. It doesn’t include any layouts, but it is full of empathy and great strategies for how your Bullet Journal can help you. 
• 7 Meal Plan Bullet Journal Layouts – Kalyn at Kayln Brooke shares 7 meal plan layouts, so you will never again have to spend five minutes at 6:00pm in complete and utter brain-lock, trying to figure out what everyone is going to eat for dinner. 
• Party Planning in a Bullet Journal – Evie at Evie and Sarah shares this short pictorial instruction guide for party planning in your Bullet Journal. Her demo is for a kid’s birthday party, but as she points out, the basic methodology works for any kind of party. 
• Bullet Journal for Busy Families with Candace Madera – This guest post from Candace on Boho Berry shares the real Bullet Journal of a real mom with real kids; she talks about what worked and what didn’t. 
• 9 Bullet Journal Page Ideas for Moms of Young Children – Erin at The Petite Planner shares some thoughts on what to track, along with a few layout ideas. (We especially liked “funny things kids say.”) 
• Planning a Home Remodel with Your Bullet Journal – Petra and Tina at Productive and Pretty share ideas for planning a home remodel in a Bullet Journal. 
• My Bullet Journal + Spring Cleaning: How I finally tackled it all – Megan at Page Flutter shares her Bullet Journal spreads for decluttering and spring cleaning. 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bujofamily on Instagram. 

Bullet Journal Ideas for 2021 at Work: to make you 34% more of a badass

The Bullet Journal method was developed to help manage all of the elements of your life, but it can be especially helpful for your work life. The ideas below may help you find some inspiration.

• Bullet Journal Ideas for Working Moms –  Our practical post includes shortcuts to make Bullet Journaling easier, and addresses needs that are unique to working moms. After all its not everyone who is working on a multi-million dollar deal that has to stop to check a kid for lice. 
• How to Use Your Bullet Journal for Work – Kalyn at Kayln Brooke talks about the professional uses of a Bullet Journal including managing projects and keeping reference checklists.
• How to Start a Bullet Journal for Work – Anna at AnjaHome walks through the very basics step by step and even throws in some artistry.  
• 10 Tips for Using a Blank Journal as a Planner – These 10 tips can make a Bullet Journal more effective; our post includes ideas on how to think about that when it comes to work.  We recommend tips #3 & #4 especially. 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalforwork on Instagram.

Bullet Journal Ideas for 2021 for Students: banish overwhelm and have fun doing it

Students have unique needs when it comes to Bullet Journaling. If you’re a student, you know how true this is; your calendar runs on a different rhythm, and your deadlines move in a different way than they would in typical work life. The links below share some  inspiration for using a Bullet Journal as a student – whether you are in college, graduate school, high school, or even if you are a teacher, and have students yourself.

• Emily Studies – Emily is a medical student who posts her notes to Instagram @emily_studies. It’s a steady stream on leveraging your notebook for maximum interest, and the notes from her medical courses are interesting. Emily offers free printables and other resources for students on her website.
• My Bullet Journal School Layout – Jenniffer at Life is Messy and Brilliant shares a peek inside her own journal. She even includes a video tutorial. On Instagram, Jenniffer posts photos and videos of layout ideas along with links to her printable collections.
• Bullet Journal for School: 13 Reasons Why Students Should Have One – Rachel Watts at Planning Mindfully makes a compelling case for using a Bullet Journal at school, and her article includes photos with some great ideas for layouts. 
• Bullet Journaling for Students: Part 2 – Studying, Homework, & Projects – Mélanie at Petite Mélanie shares layouts for exams and group projects, including an overview of how your exams are spread out throughout the semester. (For tips on planning well for the semester, check out Part 1 of the series, too!)
• Bullet Journal Spread Ideas for School – Christina at Square Lime Design shares some great images in this post. 
• School Bullet Journal Layouts {to help you stay on top of your study game!} – This post from Clare at Just Bright Ideas is packed with visuals to give you a look inside other students’ journals and how they are using them in real life. 
• @PlannerJules – Julia Smith is a student with two kids and a German shepherd puppy, who uses her feed to show her real life planner pages. She also has a YouTube channel with walkthroughs.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalstudent on Instagram.

Bullet Journal Ideas for 2021 for Travel: your bujo makes the very best bucket list buddy

Traveling makes our lives richer, but there’s also all of the logistics. Where will we go? How will we get there? How much will it cost? Here are ideas for using your bujo to support you in your travels. 

• Travel Journal Ideas (Stop dreaming and Start Planning so you can go) – This post goes deep with how to and inspiration. (Plus you can download it as a free ebook to keep!)
• The Traveler’s Notebook | Everything You Need to Know – If you’ve been curious why travel journalers are obsessed with the travelers notebooks, this post gives the ins and outs about what makes them different and how to use one.
• 18 Inspiring Travel Planning Bullet Journal Layouts – Elizabeth Ghekiere at Elizabeth Journals shares a look inside other people’s Bullet Journals to show how they use them for travel. 
• How to Use Your Bullet Journal For Traveling: 10 Layouts to Switch Your Journal to Vacation Mode – Claire at Minimal Plan turns your Bullet Journal into your travel journal with some great, and very simple ideas. 
• How I Set Up My Travelers Notebook – Michelle Marie at Seaweed Kisses has a great YouTube tutorial demonstrating how to use a travelers notebook to make trips easier. 
• Master Packing List to De-Stress Your Routine – Megan at Page Flutter shares her master packing list in her Bullet Journal. (If you are a minimalist traveler, search “minimalist packing list” and adjust accordingly. 
• Side note: If you are thinking about leaving your cubicle and becoming a nomad, Mitch Glass at Project Untethered has a great Ultimate Guide for working abroad. Plus, he’s living it. (He was last spotted in Colombia!) 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #travelbujo on Instagram.

Bullet Journal Ideas for Arts & Entertainment: Get to the chill part of Netflix & chill faster!

Sometimes our fun takes a little bit of planning, or at least needs to be supported by some go-to lists for reference when our brains are tired, but we know we need to schedule some fun. Here are some Bullet Journal Ideas for arts & entertainment (our favorite kind of fun) – but of course, you can adapt these to whatever activities are fun for you!). 

• Bullet Journal Movie Trackers – If you love movies, and want them in your bujo, Nancy Queen of Sweet PlanIt totally has you covered! Whether you are keeping a list of what you’ve seen, want to see, or all-time favorites, there are some great spread ideas in this post. 
• Bullet Journal Setup Ideas for Readers – Vernieda Vergara’s list of Bullet Journal layouts for readers on Book Riot has a fantastic variety of different approaches. (What we love about this one is that Book Riot is a site about books, and not about Bullet Journaling, so the spreads are definitely designed by people who adore reading!) 
• Party Planning Spreads for Bullet Journal – Noelle Devoe at Seventeen has a video showing how to plan parties in your Bullet Journal, and while the post focuses on a “sweet 16” party, the basic principles can be applied to many different kinds of events. (Also, we love that she’s helping teens get started with Bullet Journaling!)
• 27 Essential Swatch Bullet Journal Layouts – Are you a Pantone geek? Or do you feel an almost romantic relationship with your pens?  Nicola Knobel at My Inner Creative delivers a post dedicated just to swatches. (Little samples that serve as reminders for color and texture.) 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out #bulletjournalmovies on Instagram.

Get inspired with ideas to make your Bullet Journal more creative

By embellishing your Bullet Journal, you can add elements which allow your creative self room to play, prompt visual memory, and add depth and emotion to your pages. Here are a few ways to do that:

Theme Ideas: Go from basic bujo to Instagrammable in a heartbeat

Themes create an overall visual look that is tied together by artistic elements which follow across a number of pages. Augmenting your Bullet Journal with a theme doesn’t mean you need to lock yourself in to that theme forever; a theme might only play out for a month or a season. The following  approaches to themes offer some great inspiration for your own unique layouts.  

• Bullet Journal Quiz: What’s Your Bullet Journal Style? – Feel a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities? Rachel Watts at Planning Mindfully has a quiz to help you identify which flavor of Bullet Journaling suits you best. It can be a great place to start to help orient your preferences.
• 40 Juicy Bullet Journal Theme Ideas – This whole post feels like summer, and all the visuals of citrus fruits by Nicola Knobel at My Inner Creative just feel happy. It features themes heavy on pops of color with tons of orange, yellow, and lime green!
• How to Color Code Your Bullet Journal – Christina at Square Lime Designs has a post that goes deep on color coding. My favorite part of this article was the popout she created with washi for the key. She also detailed how a color code can work across the basic elements of your Bullet Journal – like the index, weekly/monthly spreads, and your daily to-do list. 
• 200+ Beautiful Bullet Journal Monthly Covers To Try – Monthly cover pages are an easy way to add themes to your Bullet Journal; you can use them to inspire a monthly theme (for example, using daisies as embellishments for all of your April pages), or to break up your journal with one colorful, decorated page to highlight that the next section is a new month. Thass Dezan and Kirsty Hill at Diary of a Journal Planner share more than 200 ideas in this post; one of them is sure to inspire your next monthly spread.
• 100+ Bullet Journal Theme Ideas by Month – Sometimes all you need is a one or two word prompt to get those creative juices flowing. Elizabeth Ghekiere at Elizabeth Journals offers just that, along with links to cool spreads that will also spark some ideas. 
• 8 Bullet Journal Theme Ideas – Spread Ideas for your Monthly Plan with Me – Stationery Island has a great video on YouTube, demonstrating eight ideas for possible themes; the drawings are simple, and watching as they are created can help you identify how to go about making the artwork you’d love to create.

• 71 Bullet Journal Theme Ideas To Inspire Your Next Layout – Megan at Compass and Ink has another great list of prompts for themes you might like to try.  She recommends that as you find inspiration, keeping your own list of ideas for the future will give you a great resource to come back to when you’re not sure what theme you’d like to try next.
• 15 Unique Bullet Journal Ideas You’ve Probably Never Seen Before – Uliana at Tinker About shares some really fun and creative Bullet Journal ideas that truly are unique. (A “vent” page might not be a bad idea, now that we think about it…)
• Bullet Journal Theme Ideas To Try This Summer – Summer is in full swing at the time this post is being published. Masha at Masha Plans has some great recommendations for summer themes.  (Masha also has her own “ultimate list,” with ideas for all 4 seasons, as well as non-seasonal theme ideas.)
• 31 Ways with Washi – Washi tape is patterned masking tape which can create frames, borders, and other artistic elements on a page. The big win with washi is that you can add visual interest to a layout fast, without a lot of effort. Nicola Knobel at My Inner Creative shares 31 gorgeous ideas. 
• 50 Monthly Theme Ideas for your Bullet Journal – Hannah at Hannah Emily Lane shares her thoughts in this article – not just on themes to try, but also on how to apply them, what to track, materials to consider, etc.
• 75+ Fun Ideas For Popular Bullet Journal Themes – Crystal Fogleman at Bullet Journal Addict not only shares links to some of her favorite themes, but also discusses how to go about choosing a theme – with some practical advice on knowing your limits as an artist, while also knowing that those limits will change. All it takes is some time, and practice!)
• 19 Bullet Journal Monthly Cover Page and Theme Ideas – Happy Nifty Life shares some super-cute monthly theme ideas, curated from several great sources.
• Bullet Journal Themes for Every Month! – Our absolute favorite part of this collection of theme ideas from Kristin Harris at Tales from Home are the weird historical facts she dug up about each month; they could inspire some very creative themes!
• Do You Even Theme? 13 Inspirational Bullet Journal Theme Ideas – Rose K. at Little Miss Rose has collected a number of inspirational themes, featuring a diversity of ideas: from florals and succulents, to Disney and Harry Potter themed spreads.
• From Drab To Fab With Bullet Journal Headers – Kat at Zen of Planning shares some of her favorite styles for headers, which can be easily incorporated into monthly, weekly, or daily themes.

Hand lettering: the best technique to “She’s All That” your bujo

Developing hand lettering techniques can help add interesting dimensions to your pages, and is especially effective for drawing the eye to headings on a page. Below are some ideas on  are things to try. 

• 12 Beautifully Easy Bullet Journal Fonts to Take Your Journal to the Next Level – These twelve fonts featured on our blog are perfect for beginners to try; they’re easy to imitate, and don’t require an art degree to pull off!
• 9 Brush Lettering Shadow Techniques – What we love about this tutorial from Shelby Abrahamsen at Little Coffee Fox is that it is focused on a single technique: how to add shadows to brush letters. The instructions are clear and easy to follow for all of the nine techniques. 
• Focusnflow – This Instagram account features beautifully lettered inspirational quotes and spreads; we definitely recommend checking it out.
• 11 Simple Hand-Lettered Fonts For Your Bullet Journal – Rose K. at Little Miss Rose gives step-by-step directions on how to create a variety of simple hand lettering fonts that will jazz up your headings and monthly spreads nicely.
• Great Bullet Journal Fonts To Try On Your Bujo Today – Alongside a few of their own fonts, Thass Dezan and Kirsty Hill at Diary of A Journal Planner share the true secret to great hand lettering for your Bullet Journal: practice, practice, and more practice!  
• 12 Bullet Journal Fonts Anyone Can Do – Sheena at Sheena of the Journal illustrates how to transform simply written words into artistic headings and page dividers, with clear directions and beautiful imagery.
• Hand Lettering Fonts! My Favorite 9 Handwriting Styles | Bullet Journal Fonts & Lettering Ideas – In this video, Suzy from How To HandLetter demonstrates how to create nine of her favorite fonts. (Suzy also offers a free mini-course on hand lettering through her website.)
• The Best Beginner Hand Lettering Tutorials – If video tutorials are your jam, you will love this post from Nancy at Sweet PlanIt; she has curated a great collection of videos on hand lettering and calligraphy.
• 10 “WRITE”-ful Tips to Improve Handwriting & Lettering – Sylvia Wu at Mommy Over Work suggests several resources for hand lettering tutorials and inspiration.
• The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy – This guide to getting started with calligraphy by Lindsey Bugbee at The Postman’s Knock is delightful, simple, thorough, and easy to follow; it also includes recommendations on supplies.
• Start Lettering With Crayola Markers – Want to try hand lettering with the higher costs of supplies? This tutorial from Alyssa at Lyss Tyler Letters is the perfect place to start.
• The Best Hand Lettering Tutorials – Crystal Fogleman at Bullet Journal Addict has a great post that curates a number of helpful tutorials, along with some helpful advice from her personal experience in using different types of pens, etc. 
• How To Use Fonts To Draw Beautiful Bullet Journal Titles – Jenniffer at Life is Messy and Brilliant takes a different approach to hand lettering, by explaining how to use computer fonts from Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages application in your Bullet Journal.
• Super Easy Hand Lettering Techniques with an Artful Spin – This article on The Artists Network demonstrates techniques for how to take the alphabet in your own handwriting and create something entirely new.
• Hand Lettering 101: An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering – This is a beautiful step-by-step guide to creating hand lettered fonts and design, by Sarah at Chalk Full Of Love.
• The ultimate list of free hand lettering resources! – There are so many ways to hand letter; Kim at Sublime Reflection has put together a fantastic list of resources, from books and worksheets to videos, and recommendations on who to follow for inspiration on Instagram.

Sketchnotes and Doodles: simple scribbles are high impact

Using sketchnotes and doodles on your page makes the information more “sticky” for your brain. It helps you process fast. (Plus, they are fun and make your Bullet Journal more visually interesting.) 

• How to Create Sketchnotes (with No Artistic Ability at All) – If you’ve ever wanted to try sketchnotes in your Bullet Journal, here are 8 truly easy things you can do while taking notes to get you started. Zero artistic ability needed.
• 3 Ideas for Adding Visuals to Your Journal – You don’t have to be able to draw to add visuals to your Bullet Journal; our article walks you through how to do it.
• How to Draw Cute Stuff: Draw Anything and Everything in the Cutest Style Ever – We are obsessed with Angela Nguyen’s book on drawing cute things. It will take your visual journaling and doodling to the next level.
• The Simple Guide to Visual Journaling  (even if you are not an artist) by Cathy Hutchison – this book is designed to get you sketchnoting in your journal fast. 
• 9 Quick and Easy Ways to Decorate Your Minimalist Bullet Journal – In this guest post for Planning Mindfully, Erin from The Petite Planner demonstrates a few very simple decorations for your Bullet Journal, perfect for minimalists, and also for those who are just starting out.
• Draw Beautiful Bullet Journal Doodles – Rachel Watts at Planning Mindfully interviewed Eli Brook from Productive Style about doodling for your Bullet Journal; the resulting article highlights some great resources for the “how-tos” of doodling.
• Bullet Journal Secrets – Idea Notebook just for Fonts & Doodles – Lindsay at LindsayBraman.com suggests keeping a notebook for the sole purpose of practicing new fonts and doodles you’d like to try in your Bullet Journal. (She also offers several printable tutorials.)
• Absolutely Amazing How To Doodle Accounts – Kat at Zen of Planning shares some beautiful images from several Instagram accounts she recommends following for doodling inspiration.
• 50+ Bullet Journal and Header Ideas – This YouTube tutorial by AmandaRachLee demonstrates ways to incorporate simple doodles into your Bullet Journal headers. 
• Sjoera’s Creations – Follow this Instagram account for some colorful and creative inspiration.  Doodles can be a super-fun way to spice up your trackers; we particularly love these yoga doodles.
• The Sketchnote Handbook: the illustrated guide to visual note taking by Mike Rohde – This guide teaches all the basics of how to sketch note – even if you’re not an artist.
• The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently by Sunni Brown – Doodles do more than simply adding depth and color to your Bullet Journal; they’re actually proven to help you think. 
• 16 Doodle Tutorials (Step By Step) For Your Bullet Journal – This post from Hana at Crafts On Fire has some fun how-to tutorials for doodlers.
• Sketchnotes – This Pinterest board shares dozens of examples of sketchnotes and doodles that are sure to inspire your own creativity. (Be sure to follow our Doodles and Sketchnotes board as well!)
• Mike Rohde – Sketchnotes – Bulletjournal.com interviewed Mike Rohde about sketchnoting and how he incorporates words and images; Rohde also shares some advice for those just getting started with sketchnotes. 
• Simple Doodles You Can Easily Copy in Your Bullet Journal – For those who favor a minimalist style for their Bullet Journal, Em at Simple Life of a Lady shares a collection of very basic doodles.
• Free Printable Bullet Journal Doodles Practice Sheet – This fun printable doodle practice sheet from Erin at The Petite Planner is perfect for beginners.
• 50 amazing doodle “How to’s” for your bullet journal – Nicola Knobel at My Inner Creative shares some of her favorite resources for how-to doodle tutorials.

Want more? Check out Bullet Journal ideas on Pinterest 

If Pinterest is your go-to for inspiration, we have you covered. Follow these boards: https://www.pinterest.com/yourvisualjournal/boards/

Now that you have all of these Bullet Journal Ideas, it’s time to pull it out and get started!

With all of this inspiration, you are ready to put all of your new skills into action! You’ve learned some fresh Bullet Journal ideas for the basics, have gotten inspired with the collections that matter to you, and have tons of fuel to add that creative spark to take your journal from functional to creative.

What’s next?

Pull your journal out and test drive things. Don’t worry about perfect. If you botch a layout, you’ll just turn the page and try something new. Remember, your Bullet Journal is just for you and it gets easier with practice, so pull it out, open the pages, and play!

Want to keep this article as an ebook? You can also download it as a pdf when you subscribe. (Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time!)

Want more? Take our online course:
How To Start (and Keep) a Visual Journal

Banish overwhelm and boost creativity with a life-changing practice that takes only minutes a day!