Baby steps in Bullet Journalling

I like to think I'm organised. I'm not!

Over the past couple of years I have got less and less organised.
I learned a while ago that diaries, calendars and planners are no use unless you write in them and then check them regularly.

I started last year with 2 diaries and 3 calendars it didnt help.

This year I have one diary and haven't written in it all.

I've tried notebooks and writing out monthly calendar spreads but couldnt keep up with any of them. I always end up with notes in more than one note book, post it notes, backs of envelopes or scraps of paper.

Recently when I had a bit of down time to just browse the net. I came across Bullet Journals on pinterest and then blogs and now they're everywhere.

Find the Basic idea here http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/

Then some good explanations and videos here http://bohoberry.wpengine.com/category/bullet-journal/

Then just jump in.  I'm  sharing this for Kat as she wants to stop collecting and get started as well.

I have a ton of crafty stuff and blank notebooks already. Although I always thought my notebooks were too pretty to actually write in, nuts I know! I'm learning.

I decided to use a note book I bought  a year or more ago from my local book shop and the hi tec point pens I bought to zentangle and the colour pencils I have for the grown up colouring books.
The only thing I've bought new is gold and silver sharpies to write on the cover.


I'm also trying to let go of my perfectionism. I was so busy thinking of pretty lettering and fonts I wrote the wrong year. I spent ages thinking of ways to cover it up and redo it but then thought, Sod it. It's my journal and I don't mind so I changed it and wrote oops.

The next page to setup was my name page this is in case I ever lose it I've added contact details but not my address.

I came back and added the key and the why later.

The Index is the main way to keep the journal organised. Instead of writing in specific sections of a preprinted planner you add to the index whenever you start a page and then if that section spans several pages you can extend the entry and even start again pages and pages later.  I'm liking the idea of only starting pages as you need them not months in advance.

 The Future log is the section to put upcoming tasks, events, dates, meetings things you want to start planning for. You can put exact dates or just list things inthe months you think they'll happen. I have two spreads of 4 months each to fill in the rest of the year.

This means I can add things even if I'm not sure exactly when I'll do them.

Then I have a monthly page. Again a little mistake as I had turned over two pages at once when doing my future log and split this page in half. I did debate ripping the pages out so it would look better but again Sod it came to the rescue. 

I've listed the days down once side and the tasks or goals on the opposite page.

Then I get to start on my daily logs. You just start at the top of the page with the date and then bullet your tasks or events or meetings. you can change the dot . to a X when its complete or if you need to move it to another day you can change it to > to show it has migrated or if I need to rethink it and reschedule it I can use <

I've added hours at athe top and weather info taking a hint from Boho Berry's planning but I may not keep it up as most of my days will be the same as working 8.5 hrs a day same hours Monday to Friday.

I've setup a couple of extra pages so far one for a Gratitude journal with two things to be thankful for each day. another oops I didn't count the lines properly so had to add two days side on. My perfectionism is pretty much out the window by now and I'm just letting go and finding something that works. 

The other is a Books list, Books I've read this year and books I want to read. This may be easier to keep up than Goodreads.  If  my kindle could just connect to Goodreads for me and tell it when I finish a book that would be great. Or I may have to start using the tweet function to share when I've finished a book as that would give me a timeline. 

 
So there you go my shot at the Bullet Journal, I'm only three days in so far but I'm liking it and it fits in my handbag so I can carry it with me and just jot things down as I think of them.

It does mean I have to work a bit more on my handwriting and maybe try out some lettering styles I haven't done since buying Becky Higgins Creative Lettering like a lifetime ago but I can handle that.

Let me know what you think, have you tried it? is it working for you? how would you have coped with my oops moments? I think the main thing is have fun and don't sweat the small stuff.