c/bullet-journaling

I saw a bullet journal set up in a coffee shop that changed my mind about weekly logs

I was at The Daily Grind in Portland last week and the person next to me had their journal open. They were using a weekly log, but instead of just days of the week, they had drawn three small boxes for each day labeled 'work', 'home', and 'me'. I always thought weekly logs were too cramped, but seeing it broken down like that made total sense. It looked way more useful than my old daily rapid logging. Has anyone else tried a setup like that for keeping different parts of life separate?

I bought a $40 'bullet journal starter kit' online and it was a total waste lol

Showerthought: I thought the whole 'future log' thing was a waste of pages

For the first year I kept a bullet journal, I just skipped that section. I figured my phone calendar was fine for stuff more than a month away. Then, last December, I was planning a trip to Seattle for July and realized I had nowhere to put the flight info or the dates for my friend's wedding. I scribbled it on a sticky note and lost it. So I finally set up a simple future log with just six boxes, one for every two months. It took maybe ten minutes. Now I actually check it when I do my monthly setup, and I haven't missed a big date since. Why did I fight it for so long? Does anyone else have a section they avoided but now can't live without?

Hot take: my 'perfect' weekly spread setup is actually a huge time sink

I was setting up my journal for next month at my kitchen table, and I realized I'd spent 45 minutes just drawing lines and boxes for a single weekly spread. It looked nice, but I spent more time decorating it than actually using it to plan my week. On one side, a pretty layout helps me want to open the book. On the other, it feels like busywork that keeps me from the real task of getting organized. Has anyone else cut back on the fancy setups and found it works better?

Vent: My bullet journal tracker just hit 100 days straight and I'm kind of freaked out

Honestly, I started a simple habit tracker for my morning pages and didn't think I'd stick with it. Seeing that triple digit number made me realize how much I actually need this structure. Has anyone else had a tracker milestone that totally surprised them?

My whole weekly spread got wrecked by a leaky water bottle in my bag yesterday

The pages are all wavy and my ink ran, making my task list a blurry mess. Any good ways to fix this or should I just start fresh on the next page?

I was setting up my August spread when I saw my friend's journal at the coffee shop

I mean, I've been bullet journaling for like 2 years, and I always spent a ton of time drawing out these perfect weekly layouts on Sunday nights. But my friend, Sarah, just had a blank page with a few rapid log entries and a simple task list. She said she stopped pre-drawing spreads 6 months ago because it felt like homework. Idk, maybe it's just me, but seeing her simple page made me realize I was focusing on the art part way more than the actual planning. Has anyone else switched from fancy spreads to a more basic, just-write-it-down style?

My bullet journal tracker hit 100 days straight and I'm not sure it's a good thing

I started a simple habit tracker in my journal for morning pages, just a tiny box to fill in each day. I looked back yesterday and realized I've filled it in without a single break for over three months. Part of me feels proud of the streak, but another part wonders if I'm just filling a box instead of really thinking about the habit. Do you think long trackers help you build real habits, or do they just make you focus on the number?

Just bought a $40 fountain pen for my bullet journal and I'm not sure it was worth it

I got a Lamy Safari last month thinking it would make my writing look nicer and more consistent. The ink flow is smooth, but I find myself worrying about smudging and the pen skipping on some paper. It's also a bit heavier than my usual gel pens, so my hand gets tired faster during longer journaling sessions. I keep going back to my old pack of Pilot G2s that cost like $7. Has anyone else switched to a fountain pen and actually stuck with it for daily bujo use? I'm curious if I just need to get used to it or if it's not the right tool for me.

My sister said my bullet journal looked like a 'work report' and now I'm stuck.

Tried using a cheap fountain pen ink in my bullet journal and it bled through 5 pages

I grabbed a $3 bottle of 'quick dry' ink from a craft store last week, thinking it would be fine for my daily logs. The ink soaked right through my 120gsm notebook paper and ruined the spreads underneath. Has anyone found a truly affordable ink that doesn't ghost or bleed?

I just realized my bullet journal was making me feel bad about myself for over a year.

My five year old asked why my bullet journal has a 'done' list

I was checking off tasks yesterday when my kid pointed at my weekly spread and said, 'But mom, you already did those things.' I explained it helps me remember what I finished, and she just shrugged and said, 'My brain remembers.' It made me think about why I track completed items versus just moving on. Do you keep a log of finished tasks, or is that extra work?

My bullet journal got soaked in a freak sink overflow at the clinic

I was trying to salvage the pages and ended up using a hair dryer on low heat, which actually worked and didn't warp the paper too much. Now I'm paranoid and keep my journal in a ziploc bag at work. What's the weirdest thing you've had to do to save your bujo from disaster?

Honestly, I just hit 365 days straight of daily journal entries

Tbh, I started my bullet journal last March just to keep track of work tasks. I added a tiny habit tracker in the corner for daily logging, mostly just a quick sentence. I didn't even notice the streak until I flipped back and counted every page from the last year. Ngl, it surprised me because I'm not usually that consistent with anything. So, is a long streak more about building discipline, or does it risk making the journal feel like a chore?

Appreciation post: my weekly spread finally clicked after I switched from a pen to a pencil

I kept messing up my layouts with ink and it made me not want to use the pages. Using a basic #2 pencil for the structure first let me fix mistakes without stress. Anyone else find a simple tool change made their bujo way less scary?

Okay, so I tried a watercolor wash background in my journal and it warped everything

I got a new watercolor set last week and thought a light blue wash would look great behind my weekly spread. I painted it on, let it dry for an hour, and then went to write with my regular gel pens. The paper was so buckled and bumpy that my writing looked terrible and skipped all over the place. I had to copy the whole week's plan onto fresh pages, which wasted a whole evening. Has anyone found a pen that actually works on warped watercolor paper, or do you just avoid it for planning pages?

Stopped by the craft store in Oakwood and saw something funny with the planners

I was looking for a new notebook last Friday and went down the journal aisle. They had a whole section for bullet journaling, but every single display book was filled with these perfect, colorful spreads. It was all fancy lettering and complex trackers, not a simple to-do list in sight. It made me wonder if people new to the hobby get scared off, thinking it has to look like that. Has anyone else seen this and do you think it keeps people from just starting?

Vent: I think the whole 'perfectly decorated monthly cover page' thing is a waste of time. Three years ago I started my first bullet journal and spent hours on those.

Update: The great pen versus pencil debate for my weekly spread

I had to choose between using my favorite black gel pen or a mechanical pencil for my whole weekly layout. I went with the pen for a clean look, but then I messed up the dates for Wednesday. My partner looked at it and said, 'So, is Thursday the new hump day now?' Anyone have a good fix for pen mistakes that doesn't involve whiteout?

I tried using a super cheap watercolor set for my bujo spreads and it bled through 5 pages.

Looking back at my first bullet journal from 3 years ago in my old apartment

It was just a basic notebook with messy daily logs, but flipping through it last week showed me how much my system has grown since then. Has anyone else found their old layouts surprisingly simple compared to what you use now?

My sister told me to stop using a ruler for my weekly spread and it felt like a weird rule

She said, 'Just draw the lines freehand, it's faster and it looks more like you.' I thought it would look messy, but after two weeks of trying it, my setup time went from 30 minutes to about 10. I was so focused on perfect boxes that I was wasting time. Now my pages have more character and I don't stress about tiny mistakes. Has anyone else ditched a tool that actually made their journal better?

I finally saw why my weekly spreads felt useless

I was just copying layouts from Instagram for a year, but my friend pointed out I never looked at them after Tuesday. Now I only plan three days ahead and it actually works. How do you stop your journal from being just a pretty thing you ignore?

Shoutout to the person who suggested using a single pen for a whole month

I was getting overwhelmed by my 48-color set and switching pens constantly, so I forced myself to use only a black 0.5mm Pilot G2 for all of April, and it actually made me focus on the content instead of the colors.