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The Evolution of My Bullet Journal
Starting my bullet journal was like shot in the dark. I didn’t really know what I was doing or how it would turn out, all I DID know was that I needed a method of organizing my day that was as customizable as possible. Lots of people expect an amazingly beautiful journal right off the bat but the truth is it’s a process at first but that’s what makes it a great system. Take a look at how my bullet journal evolved as I got to know what worked for me.
When I started my first bullet journal I was starting a new business, along with trying to wrap up my previous company and then there were all the arbitrary duties that come with being the mom of 2 kids. I wanted something that would be able to house everything I needed. From schedules and reminders to notes and lists. I wanted something easy to use and keep up with and if it wasn’t asking too much, I wanted something that could be a bit of fun.
Not sure what would work or what wouldn’t and certainly not expecting to end up with something Instagram worthy (I know you’ve seen all those crazy spreads!), I started my first page. I wasn’t even sure how much drawing I wanted to do but it was time to put pen to paper.
If you’ve come to this post to gain the courage you need to start a bullet journaling this is the place for that. My journal started out basic but colourful and not very pretty. But as I paid attention to what I liked and what I didn’t it started to evolve and change. Turning into something that I now truly love.
And my drawing has gotten so much better! Although every once in a while my ineptitude does rear it’s ugly head again lol.
First 3 Set Ups
Monthly Spread
The first three monthly spreads of my bullet journal started with the basic “Ryder” calendar and a simple habit tracker beside it so I would only need to put in the dates once. It was very easy and minimal. Just write in things to remember and fill in the box for the habit you completed on the corresponding day.
I felt like I was missing a tasks or monthly to-do list at this point. I wanted something that would help me be more productive and focused so I added that to my February spread. Having seen a lot of gratitude trackers and thinking it was a great idea I added a column in this month on my “ryder” calendar. There is also quote to fill the rest of the space.
I did the same thing in March but added a Brain Dump section that I did not use once. There is definitely some trial and error in finding out what you like and what works when it comes to your bullet journal. That’s what makes it fun, getting to change it up!
Weekly
From January to March I pretty much did the same weekly spread with 3 horizontal sections per page.
There were a few pages special “collections” I added in as well like notes from a conference and memories from my niece’s birth. But these first months were pretty basic as I got used to using the bullet journal method. I also needed to gain some confidence in my creative abilities but the key with that was every time I sat down to set up my week I really enjoyed it. So I kept doing it.
Switching it up
April
In April, I felt like I wanted to do more doodling since I had really started to like that part of the setup process. I really went to town with that in April using a fox theme.
I looked up a bunch of inspiration and did a full 2-page calendar with a geometric fox drawing. This was the first time I did a traditional calendar in my bullet journal. And with that, I added a second spread to my monthly st up.
On the next spread, I included a full-page habit tracker and a gratitude page. My habit tracker page included a mood tracker, monthly task list and a quote. I loved the way it ended up looking, so nice! On the downside, my calendar ended up being pretty empty.
May
In May I the gave the calendar layout another try just to see if it would be helpful. Then I did the same thing with my secondary spread of gratitude and habits. I adding in a goals section with my monthly tasks as well. Again, the calendar was empty, obviously not something that works particularly well for me. I resolved to go back to the ryder calendar for June.
This month I tried out something completely different after my calendar. I printed out watercolor pictures of ballet dancers to decorate my spreads. I just taped them down with floral washi tape.
This made my weekly set up super fast since I had printed off all the pictures at the same time and stored them in the pocket of my journal so all I needed to do was tape them down and draw some boxes.
June
I changed the monthly set up again in June since the calendar thing wasn’t working. I decided to put a mini calendar on the opening page that just had colour coded dots on days with events for an at-a-glance feel. There was also larger sections for goals and tasks.
On the opposite page I went back to the Ryder style calendar and a habit tracker like I had done originally. I also put coloured squares around the days that corresponded with the mini calendar with the details. June is all Pokemon themed and the kids were loving it. This style of monthly set up stuck and I’ve kept with it since then since I think it provides the best of both world for me. Room for everything and no wasted space.
On the following 2 pages I had my gratitude page that I’d come to appreciate and I added something new on the other page, a chores breakdown. I really liked this and it ended up being super helpful in the maintenance of my house! I hate chores so breaking it up into daily tasks made it so much more bearable.
In June, I tried out a few more weekly layouts but kept coming back to the same horizontal layout.
I have found that I’m a visual person and a goal setter. So I added that to my journal as well. I started to do a bi-weekly spread, with a set of graphs that I use to see if I’m on track for my work numbers and daily earnings. I also put space on that page for notes, to do’s without a specific time, groceries and meal ideas.
Third Quarter
July
I continued with the same set up in July since it worked well in June. I also kept my weeklies simple with the exact same layout with a different drawing weekly.
August- October
Over the last few months my monthly set up has stayed very similar since I have found that it’s worked great for me. But it did take me some experimentation to find out that what really was.
I also found that for my weekly layouts the horizontal sections or a box set up is what I like best.
There were a few different spreads (like the below) that I liked but the above are really what work for me!
I can’t stress enough that the key to a great bullet journal is making it work for you. The only way to make that happen is by testing out different ideas for spreads, trackers, doodles and anything else.
Don’t be afraid to try something out and not like it. If it doesn’t work scrap it for next month or just turn the page. You try something different right when you notice it’s not quite right. Keep what you love and the things that help you be productive and keep drawing or getting creative if you find it relaxing or fun.
Bullet journaling is an evolution and as you develop the system for you, you’ll see more and more energy and time saved.
Want to know if all this is worth it? Read about my take here
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