From basic lists to elaborate spreads: how my bullet journal changed

I used to jot down tasks with simple dots and dashes. Now I spend hours setting up monthly themes with stickers and brush pens. Some folks say this loses the quick, easy vibe, but I love the creative outlet. Where do you stand on function versus art in your journal?

3 comments

3 Comments

iris9401mo ago

Yeah, that's a common trap. I started using pencil for my fancy layout lines and headers. That way I can erase and fix things without wrecking the whole page. I also keep a folded piece of paper tucked in the back as a total messy brain dump page. Lets the main spread stay clean but nothing gets lost. It takes the pressure off making it perfect.

holly7131mo ago

A friend of mine spent weeks setting up her dream planner with colored pens and stencils. She made these perfect floral borders for each week. Then she couldn't bring herself to write in it because her handwriting wasn't "artistic" enough. She started carrying a dollar store notebook for everything instead. The fancy planner is now just a photo prop on her desk.

the_skyler1mo ago

My friend totally got the "loses the quick, easy vibe" thing. She made these gorgeous weekly spreads but then felt bad adding messy notes to them. She just went back to simple lists because the pretty pages stressed her out.