10 Supplies You NEED If You Want To Start Bullet Journaling
Bullet journaling is a great way to stay on top of things and get organized, especially with the start of a new year quickly approaching! But what do you really need to start, and make it look aesthetically pleasing?
1. A Dotted Grid Notebook
Of course, to start, you need to purchase a dotted notebook. There are so many brands that sell nice ones such as Leuchtturum 1917, Moleskine, Archer & Olive, and Shop Amandarachlee. Now, these notebooks can get a bit pricey depending on paper thickness, but the ones by YouTuber Amandarachlee are a midrange option that retail at $26.00. The cover of the notebook is covered in cute little doodles that are made with gold foiling and there are five color options to choose from: light pink, black, grey, light blue, and tan as pictured below. These pages are nice because they are thick enough that whatever markers you use will not bleed through the pages, plus the pages are numbered so if you decide to make us of an index this will be very helpful. There are also cheaper options available on Amazon, such as ones from the brand Minimalism Art which is what I personally use.
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2. Brush Tip Pens Or Markers
Once you have decided on a dotted notebook, you will want to get either some brush tip pens or markers to use within the notebook for monthly title pages, coloring in doodles, and just any pops of color you want to add to your journal spreads. My favorite markers to use for bullet journaling are the Tombow Dual Brush Pens. These come in various themed sets or you can choose individual dual brush pens, though that can add up. The first set I bought was the brights set, which is a great one to start with if you want to have a variety of colors but do not have a specific color palette in mind. If brights are not your thing, Tombow offers a variety of other sets such as the pastel, cottage, and galaxy sets. What is great about these markers specifically is that they are duel ended. One side of the marker is a brush tip, while the other end is a smaller, chiseled tip. You can do so much with these and they usually retail starting at $18.00.
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3. A Black Fineliner Pen
Something I actually need to get my hands on soon is a pack of these Sakura Micron Fineliner Pens. These pens are great for outlining things such as monthly calendars, titles for habit trackers, and monthly title pages, really the possibilities are endless! Basic as these pens seem to be, you will definitely want to have some on hand. The thin black outline around everything makes your bullet journal spreads look so crisp and clean, plus they have a small enough tip to be useful for writing the dates in your monthly calendar.
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4. Pencil for Sketching
Before you go in and outline everything with a black pen, you will probably want to use a good quality pencil to sketch things out first. You can use whatever kind of pencil you have lying around, just as long as it is easy to erase after you have gone over the pencil with a black pen. I usually just use the Papermate Clearpoint mechanical pencils with 0.07 mm lead. This starter pack is available on Amazon and comes with some extra pencil lead and a few jumbo erasers, which is perfect to help you erase the pencil through the black ink of the Sakura Micron pens.
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5. A Ruler
This next one is only necessary if you are looking to make incredibly straight and accurate lines. I personally do not use one because I do not mind if my lines are a bit crooked, however, if you are going to get one I recommend purchasing a clear ruler. A clear ruler will allow you to see the dots along the pages so that you can create crisp straight lines for anything you want to draw in your bullet journal. This one is only a few dollars on Amazon, so if you are interested, I would get this one.
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6. Washi Tape
One of my favorite ways to spice up my bullet journal spreads is by using some cute washi tape. There are so many places to get these and even more patterns and colors available to choose from. No matter if you love stars or fluffy pink clouds, there is sure to be a roll of washi tape that you will love! If you are not sure which pattern or color you are specifically looking for, this set of washi tapes from Amazon is a good option to get a variety to use. There are forty-eight rolls of slim washi tape within this set including so many patterns and colors. The slim washi tapes can really add some color and develop a theme within your journaling spreads. This particular set is only $8.49, which is such a steal!
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7. A White Gel Pen
Another supply that can really make your journal spreads pop is the Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen. These come in a set of three and really pop against black craft paper or washi tape specifically, which can be fun to use to make your titles pop. Or, if you opt to purchase a bullet journal with black dotted pages, like the Blackout Book from Archer & Olive, you can use these pens to create entire minimalistic spreads. The pens are available in three thicknesses: 0.3, 0.5, and 0.8 mm, so no matter which look you are going for there is something you can use!
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8. Stickers To Decorate
To even further decorate your bullet journal spreads, try using some stickers. Etsy has a wide range of stickers that are perfect for enhancing any theme you choose to do, but even Amazon can be a good place to check, especially if you are a Prime member. These gold foil galaxy stickers are stunning and super affordable! This set of stickers comes with sixty pieces for only $6.99, which is a great deal if you are planning on doing a space theme.
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9. Fun Memo Pads
If you want to add even more decoration to your journal layouts and go for a scrapbook type look, try adding some memo pads with unique designs to create to-do lists or even playlists. Just like stickers, there are so many different designs you can find from retro ones to these pretty roses. This three-pack of pink, purple, and orange roses retail for only $4.99 on Amazon and would add such a feminine flair to your journal.
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10. Glue Tape Pen
Another thing you can do to personalize your bullet journal spreads even further is glue in photos of you and your loved ones or just aesthetic images you find on Pinterest as I like to do. You can of course use a regular glue stick if you have one on hand, but something that I have found that works even better than that is the Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive Roller. This is so easy to use and the pictures I have glued into my bullet journal using this roller have not budged in the slightest! If you love it and use it until it runs out, you can purchase refills for this glue roller as well. For a single roller, it is approximately $7.00 on Amazon.
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