2021 Bullet Journal Tour

I was actually planning on showing you this weeks ago, but things always didn't quite work out, plus there were so many cloudy/rainy/snowy days this winter when I couldn't really get good pictures. (Spoiler: I still didn't get very good pictures, but that wasn't the sun's fault.)

Usually I'm all "eeeek!" about sharing so much online, but I figured I really don't have anything that personal in my BuJo so far, minus what I blurred out, and also I don't think there are that many readers that come here, too, right? XD Anyway, here is the most extensive look at my bullet journaling I ever shared to date, haha!

(I kind of like the floral thing I am doing for my year's theme this time.)

 

So, the index and the numbered pages are what hold the organization together, for the most part. This year I added an Expenses tracker/ledger page(s), because I'm curious to know how much I cost - what's the minimum amount I need to live and whatnot haha Also, it's probably just a good idea in general for me to be keeping a little better track of my budgeting...I don't know; it's mostly just a recording of my flailing and penny pinching and not so much of a Plan. XD (I have a photo of the page further down.)

I seem to adjust what kinds of pages I add (or leave out) a little with each new journal, and that's totally expected and fine. It's all about finding what works for one's own self, and getting a little creative while staying semi- or very organized, whichever one wants to do.

The Key and Abbreviations (also acronyms) pages are basically so things don't get so cryptic and inconsistent that even I can't understand it.

The yearly calendar is both one of the most fun as well as most frustrating pages to make (featuring white out) and then I list my yearly goals...nothing huge - mostly projects that I want to complete during the year.

Don't stare at the mistakes haha - I only noticed them after I put the picture into my computer.

The Future Log is more of a monthly and quarterly overview/breakdown of goals/calendar events...I actually added to these this year, also: I didn't note the holidays here before.

and here's that Expenses page

After the main yearly/monthly goals and keys and whatnot are down, then after that it's just a matter of setting up each month as it comes along; so it doesn't take a TON of time to set up my bullet journal at the beginning of the year, and very little time each month.

I pick a different decorative theme each month, too, besides having a general theme for the year. Usually it only involves a different font and maybe one color or two. It depends on how excited I am for the month, how creative I'm feeling the day I set it up, and how much time I have to play with it that day as well.

For instance, I don't know if you can see that January is pretty basic, just a little bit of a typographic variety - and then I changed the font and threw extra hearts at February lol My everyday lists and normal writing stay the same, of course.

Then at the beginning of each week I just have to throw together a simple two-page planner spread, featuring the month's lettering theme, unless it's a new month, then I set up the two month pages as well. Sometimes I'll do that the end of the week before though, instead of at the beginning.

I put a little space with a heart at the end of each day to write something I'm particularly thankful for that day; it helps me to look for the silver linings even on a "bad" day, and sometimes what I list is something kind of silly XD

I'm just using a medium-size sketchbook thing for my bullet journal. There are journals you can get that are specifically for official Bullet Journaling, with dotted grid papers, or you can use just a lined journal or an actual planner or something. I find that for me, it's least distracting to just use blank paper and a ruler to cut my own crooked paths through, like the roads in a Dr. Seuss book. (Okay, maybe I'm not quite that messy, but you get the idea.) I've been doing this for enough years now that I know roughly how many pages I need to be in the book at least for the whole year, usually leaving extra in case I want to add sections of things; and beyond that, I like to look for brown paper or pretty covers or whatever. *shrug* I've toyed with the idea of trying to make my own hand-bound sketchbook for my bullet journal a couple of times, but that would be another project I probably "wouldn't have time for" so for now it stays only a fun idea.

At the end of the year, I use the yearly theme again at the back of the bullet journal to recap and regroup things, as part of my reflection and wrap up type of thing. And if there are extra pages left, they get drawn on later.

Some people don't start a new journal for every year, and just keep going right on through into another book, but I like to group mine this way. Again, it's what works for me.

I think that's about it! Happy year to you!