How To Bullet Journal - The Ultimate Bullet Journal Guide for Beginners (And Beyond)

If you've seen bullet journal pages online but aren't sure how to use one, start here. This guide walks through the basic setup and the ways you can adapt it.

You'll need a notebook, a pen, and a little time to try the first pages.

What is a bullet journal?

In the words of bullet journal creator Ryder Carroll, the bullet journal is a “mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system.”

I think of it as a notebook with a system for organizing notes and plans.

You can choose any notebook. The part to learn is how its pages and symbols work together.

Terms such as future log, signifiers, and migration confused me at first. Once I understood what each one did, the setup felt much more straightforward.

If you enjoy paper notes and lists, the method may be worth trying. Start small enough that you can see whether it suits you.

My bullet journal glossary explains common terms and abbreviations, including 'bujo.'

Setting up the core pages

Begin with a few reference pages and a place for your current notes.

The pages described below are:

An index to help you find pages

A future log for dates beyond the current month

A monthly log for the month ahead

And

Daily logs, with an optional weekly overview

Here's how to set up each page.

Step One – Index Page

An index is your notebook's table of contents. If the pages aren't already numbered, add numbers as you use them.

Reserve a page or two near the front for the index.

Write 'Index' at the top. As you add important pages or groups of notes, list their titles and page numbers here.

You can add to it as you go.

Step Two – Future Log

The future log holds dates and plans for upcoming months.

Use it for birthdays, appointments, events, and other things you want to remember before that month's pages exist.

Here’s another future log example:

Next, set up a monthly log.

You can begin with the current month, even if it's already underway.

See more future log layouts.

Step Three – Monthly Log

The Monthly Log gives you a big-picture view of the month ahead.

It can hold events, dates, tasks, and plans for the month.

Create a fresh monthly log when you need one. There's no need to recreate the months before you started.

One common layout uses two facing pages.

On one page, make a calendar grid or a dated list. Choose the one that's easiest for you to read.

Add known events, then update the page as plans change.

Use the facing page for tasks or goals. I also like to note holidays and monthly themes there.

With those reference pages ready, you can turn to the days ahead.

Step Four – Weekly Log

A weekly log is an optional addition to the original method.

It gives you a place to see several days together.

That can be useful when coordinating appointments or estimating the time available for tasks.

Try one page or two facing pages. After the first week, adjust the amount of space to match how much you write.

Label an area for each day. A grid is one option; in this example, I used horizontal lines for a simple layout.

Browse more weekly spread examples.

Step Five – Daily Log

A daily log is a running record of tasks, events, and notes. Add what you need to do and anything you want to remember from the day.

For example, if you have any appointments, meetings, classes, or things you need to get done for the day, write them in your daily log.

You can also record activities or observations, such as what you read or an exercise session, if those details are useful to you.

If you’re using a weekly log, you can just do your daily logging in the areas you already wrote out for each day.

Once the pages are ready, use them for your everyday notes.

Rapid logging is the shorthand you'll use to record those notes.

Rapid Logging

It combines brief entries with distinct bullet symbols.

The symbols show what kind of entry you've written.

You can distinguish a task from an event or note without changing pens or adding a color code.

Here are some typical bullet symbols and what they indicate:

• is for tasks

× is for completed tasks

O is for events

— is for notes

When you move or schedule an unfinished task, change its bullet to record what you've decided:

> is for migrated tasks

< is for scheduled tasks

Signifiers are extra marks that add information to an entry, such as its priority.

Here are some signifiers you can use:

⁕ is for priorities

eye is for explore (something you want to look into more later)

! is for inspiration

$ is for something you want to buy

You can adapt the symbols. Try a small set first, then change it when you find a clear reason to.

Record your symbols in a key so you can refer to their meanings.

A fold-out key stays visible while you use other pages.

My bullet journal key examples show several ways to make one.

After you've tried the basic pages, you can add collections that suit your interests.

Bullet Journal Trackers

Trackers record information you want to review over time. For lettering ideas to use on a tracker, see these bullet journal fonts.

Choose something you actually want to keep a record of. Some common examples are:

• Weight loss
• Steps taken per day
• Alcohol consumption
• Menstrual cycle
• Money saved
  • Is there something you’d like to save up for? A vacation, a house, a car… perhaps a new computer? Or perhaps you’d just like to build your savings up to create a safety net? You can use your bullet journal to create a money tracker to remind yourself of your savings goals, and keep track of them. Check out some bujo money tracker ideas.
• Money spent
  • Tracking money spent is also quick and easy to do in your bullet journal. I myself track all the money I spend on my blog/business in my bullet journal, which helps me enter that information into my accounting software (which I hate opening up because it’s boring) at a later time. Tracking your spending is a great idea for students and anyone who’ wants to live on a budget.
• Student loan/Debt payments
  • Having debt is no fun, but many finance experts say that making a visual tracker can help you feel motivated to pay it off more quickly. Seeing the progress made as you continue to pay off a debt will inspire you to keep going. You can create a special debt payoff tracker in your bullet journal to do just that.
• Social media followers or posts
  • A social media tracker is where you can track your follower growth on all the social media platforms you participate in. It’s great for anyone (like myself) who is working on long-term blogging or business goals where social media growth is beneficial.
• Cleaning
  • So, most people don’t like cleaning that much. We mostly do it when we notice we have to, or when we have guests coming over, ya? A bullet journal cleaning schedule can help you keep your home in better shape by reminding you of when you last cleaned something. It’s a daily, weekly, or monthly plan you can refer back to to stay on track with whatever you feel is a manageable cleaning routine for your home.
• Sleep
  • Another thing many people wish to improve in their lives is the amount of sleep they get. I know I am! A bullet journal sleep tracker will help you learn about your sleep patterns and encourage you to make adjustments. Once you start tracking your sleep, you may realize that you’re getting much less sleep than what you thought. Reviewing the tracker should make it easier to see where you can try to make improvements.
• Other habit tracker ideas to try:
  • There are a million and one things you could potentially track in your bullet journal. Some ideas are:
    • How much water you drank
    • If you exercised, for how long/what type/what you focused on, etc.
    • What foods you ate, whether you met your daily caloric or macro targets
    • Whether you abstained from drinking alcohol, coffee, smoking, or anything else you’re trying to give up
    • Whether you took your vitamins or daily medication
    • If you or your child gets sick, it’s a good idea to keep track of things like temperature, medications given, vomiting, etc in a special log. You can bring it to the doctor if needed, so they have a clear picture of the sickness.
    • If you suffer from chronic illness, what symptoms you’re experiencing
    • Your mood. Keeping a mood tracker in your bullet journal can help you avoid getting into depression. If you notice that your mood is starting to fall for a day or two, you can recognize the downard trend in your tracker and take action with some self-care.
    • Everything having to do with pregnancy – ttc, mood swings, food aversions, morning sickness, baby kicks, name brainstorming, appointment dates.
    • Baby & pets – if you need to keep track of their feeding schedule, dirty diapers, or days without accidents.
    • Anything you want to practice daily, whether it be meditation, drawing, piano, brush lettering, reading, foreign language, kendama skillz, or just using your bullet journal!
    • Menstrual cylce. Even if it’s for no other reason that to know when it’s coming and be prepared!
    • And more! Use your imagination and think of all the things you could benefit from tracking in your bullet journal.

Dutch Door Habit Tracker

My Dutch door habit tracker holds several habits and can be used across more than one month.

See the instructions and video for making the tracker.

Bullet Journal Lists

A collection can also be a simple list. Here are a few ideas:

Favorite songs

I used to put my favorite songs on minidiscs, CDs, and cassette mixes. A journal playlist gives me a paper record of what I was listening to at a particular time.

Gratitude log

A gratitude log holds moments or things you appreciated.

Add an entry each day if you enjoy the routine, or write when something stands out.

You can return to those notes later without needing to make every entry positive.

Affirmation log

An affirmation page is a place to write qualities you value in yourself.

You might note your curiosity, creativity, or the care you give to others. Use words that feel true to you.

Keep the page available when you'd like a reminder of those qualities.

Goals

I sometimes write a list of goals when I'm having a difficult day. It gives my thoughts somewhere to go without needing to act on them immediately.

Later, I look back and choose the ideas I still want to explore.

Books read/want to read

A reading list helps you remember books you've read and ones you'd like to try.

Add start and finish dates if you'd enjoy that record. You can also note a book you'd like to return to.

A sentence about what you enjoyed may be more useful than tracking how many books you finish.

Movies watched/want to see

Keep a list of films you'd like to see, then add a rating or a note after watching one.

Projects you want to try

Record project ideas when they occur to you, even if the timing isn't right to begin.

Wishlist

A wishlist can hold purchases you're considering.

Leave ideas there while you decide whether to buy them, save for them, or share them as gift suggestions.

Looking back may show that some items no longer interest you. You can also read about my experience with journaling.

Quotes

If a quote stays with you, give it a place in your notebook.

Collect quotes on one page or add them beside related notes.

Include the attribution so you can find the source again.

Here are more collection ideas:

Goal Plans

Use a project page to turn a goal into smaller tasks.

List the steps, then place dated tasks in your future or monthly log.

When plans change, review unfinished tasks before moving them forward.

Brain Dump

A brain dump is a page for thoughts you want to get onto paper.

Once you've written them down, sort out what needs action, what can wait, and what is simply a note.

Rapid logging symbols can help distinguish those entries.

Journaling

You can include diary entries alongside the planning pages.

Give them a separate section if you prefer longer writing to the short rapid logging format.

Write about the day, a memory, or something you've been thinking about.

The length and frequency are yours to choose.

Doodles

You can also use a page for sketches or doodles, whether as decoration or a record of something you saw.

Other people's drawings can be a source of ideas.

If decorating doesn't interest you, leave it out.

A plain page with readable notes does its job.

Recipe Bank

A recipe collection can hold family favorites, everyday meals, and dishes you'd like to try.

Refer to it when choosing meals and writing a shopping list.

It's also a way to share the recipes you make often.

Someone else can use the notes when you're away or when they want to make a familiar dish.

Notes

Note-taking and the bullet journal go hand-in-hand. Essentially, rapid-logging is just taking quick notes of the important things you want to remember in your life.

Brief entries and consistent symbols can make notes easier to scan later.

If you’re a student, you can either take your notes in your main bullet journal (remember to add each course’s notes to your index), or use different notebooks for each subject.

Choose the arrangement that makes your notes easy to use.

Bullet Journal Collection Pages

In bullet journal terminology, a collection is a group of related entries or pages.

For example, the pages you use for January can form a 'January logs' collection in your index.

Write the title and the relevant page numbers, such as 'January logs: 24–28.'

Collections can group project notes, course material, plans, or anything else you want to find together.

If a collection continues elsewhere in the notebook, threading connects its pages by recording where to turn next.

For a collection on pages 21–22 that continues on page 30, write 'continued on page 30' near the end of page 22.

Bullet Journal Migration

Migration means reviewing unfinished tasks and deciding what to do with them.

At the end of a month, move a task to the current log, schedule it for later, or cross it out if you no longer need it.

The review matters more than copying every item forward.

Bullet Journal Examples

I like looking at other people's pages before setting up my own.

Their examples can show an arrangement I hadn't considered.

Borrow the useful detail, then adapt it to the way you write.

These examples offer a few starting points:

via natyastudies

via _liesl.studies_

For more, browse bullet journal page ideas.

You can also explore theme ideas.

Bullet Journal Supplies

The supplies you choose to use for your bullet journal will depend on how you want to use it.

A notebook and a pen are enough. Add drawing or decorating supplies if you enjoy using them.

Bullet Journal Notebooks

Dotted, blank, lined, and squared notebooks can all work. Choose a page style that suits your notes.

Read my guide to choosing a bullet journal notebook.

Bullet Journal Pens

My preferred black pen changes as I try different ones.

Here are my favorite bullet journal pens.

Where To Buy Bullet Journal Supplies

Stationery, craft, and general shops are places to compare basic notebooks and pens.

Online shops offer other options if you can't find what you need locally.

See more of my favorite journal supplies.

Conclusion

You now have the pieces for a basic setup. Try them with today's notes before adding more pages.

Keep the journal somewhere you'll remember to open it, and simplify anything you find difficult to maintain.

Your handwriting and decoration don't need to meet anyone else's standard. The useful question is whether you can read and find your own notes.

If setup is taking more time than you want, read how to bullet journal when you're short on time.

If this guide helped, you can share it on Pinterest or Facebook, or leave a comment.