Bullet journals have become a popular way to plan and organize your life. They can be a calendar, diary, planner, and journal all in one notebook. For bullet journal beginners, it can be a very daunting world to step into. Even more experienced creators are always looking for new ideas!
We've searched the internet and bujo ("bullet journal") communities to find the best supplies to make your bullet journal as unique as you are. Whether this is your first time creating a bullet journal or you've been maintaining one for years, there is something out there for you!
Quick List - Top Bullet Journal Supplies
Leuchtturm1917
A Notebook Specifically Crafted for Bullet Journaling
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Table of Contents
Ryder Carroll created the bullet journal system as a way to plan and organize your life in a personalized manner. It allows you to streamline your life, reflect on your achievements (no matter how small!), and clear your mind of distracting tasks.
Affectionately known as "bujos," bullet journals can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be, but they do have a few characteristics in common!
Bullet journals give you a lot of flexibility, but there are some sections that every bujo should include. The first is an index, with a table of contents to list the pages in the journal and their page numbers.
Following that should be a future log. This is an at-a-glance look at your year. You can include birthdays, holidays, and any other future events. A log for each month individually is common as well, as it allows you to go into a little more detail for that month and can also include monthly goals and tasks. Finally, you should have a daily log for daily tasks and appointments.
Your bujo can be so much more than just a list of tasks and events, and that's what makes this system so popular! It can help with your wellbeing, as you can track your moods or the things that make you smile each day.
If you're planning a vacation, try creating a savings tracker and collating ideas of what to do while you'll there. For those into health and fitness, then meal planners, exercise trackers, and weight-loss records are popular. You can track anything at all in your bujo—the only limit is your own imagination!
Ready to start writing? Check out our buying guide to get all the details on how to start an effective bullet journal! Whether you want a simple journal to help keep track of your schedule or a complex system to manage every area of your life, we've got you covered.
All you need to start a bullet journal is a blank notebook. Not needing any specialist equipment is great, but it also means that there are hundreds of options! The most popular style of notebooks used are those with dotted pages, as this gives the most flexibility for page designs.
It's also worth thinking about what style of notebook you prefer. Many journalers find notebooks with hard covers and lay-flat binding to be the most practical. A hard cover or case will also keep your journal safe from wear and tear, especially if you'll be bringing it on-the-go with you.
Some notebooks even come with pockets, bookmarks, or pen holders. These features come in handy if you'll be taking your bujo to work, school, or traveling!
If you're planning to use a lot of colored marker pens in your bujo, then you should prioritize notebooks that have thick, high-quality paper so that the colors don't bleed through. Look for the gsm (grams per square meter) rating, which tells you the thickness of the paper.
90 gsm is the thickness of normal printer paper, while paper between 100 and 200 will be heavier. Anything over 300 isn't necessary, as this is the thickness of card stock!
However, if you're going to use items like colored pencils, stickers, and washi tape, then paper thickness is less of a concern. For beginners who aren't sure if bullet journaling is for you and are looking to give it a try, you may want to start with cheaper notebooks.
If you've been bullet journaling for some time or are committed to doing it going forward, then a notebook with better paper, more pages, and a higher price tag is worth the investment. Many journalers prefer to have enough pages to last the whole year, which is about 183 pages.
There are so many options when creating a bujo. It can be overwhelming to start one! It's very easy to fall into the trap of wanting to do everything at once, but bullet journals are something that can grow and evolve as time goes on.
Try starting small and allow yourself some time to let your creativity flourish! You can then build on your ideas as your experience and confidence grow.
All you need to start is a journal and writing utensil. When you start designing your layouts, it's likely that you'll make a few mistakes! So, working with pencils and keeping an eraser on hand are musts.
Make sure you have a ruler and some colored ink pens, as these are a simple way to make parts of your layout stand out. You can expand and add more stationery, such as colored pens, a compass, stencils, or stickers, at any time when you have a clearer design focus.
If you're new to bullet journaling, then you may be looking at our list of bullet journal supplies and wondering exactly what all of these supplies do! There are no strict rules when it comes to how to design a bullet journal, but there are some common ways journalers use these items.
Curious about some popular ways supplies are used? Washi tape often decorates a page. It can separate sections, fill empty spaces with color, or be a base for writing headings and titles. The tape can also be used to bookmark pages! Simply fold it over the edges of the page like a tab.
Stickers can also be used for decoration or to highlight and add emphasis to specific notes or tasks. Stencils give your layouts form and make decorating pages easy. Stamps are also popular, as they're easy to use for repeated icons or layout designs. For example, people may use a money sign stamp to mark payday in their schedule or a balloon stamp to mark birthdays!
Post-it notes can be used to great effect in a bullet journal too! If you have a busy month and need extra space for notes and tasks, you can write them on a sticky note to add inside your journal.
They can also make layouts reusable. For example, if you have a meal planner layout, you can write your meals on post-it notes instead and change them out each week.You can use as many or as few of these materials as you'd like!
There is a thriving community of bujo creators that post their layouts across social media or on their blogs. Some even produce blank layouts that can be downloaded and stuck into your journal. When you start your own bujo (or even if you're experienced and want new ideas!) look around and see what inspires you.
If you find layouts and designs you like, then take note of what kind of supplies they use. Usually, it's clear what kinds of items are used, and it's helpful see how different creators use similar supplies. You find a unique way to use highlighters or a clever method to add pockets to a page!
Some creators share what supplies they use. This is especially true when it comes to colored pens, so if you see a shade you like, you'll often see exactly what brand of pen was used in the photo caption or blog text.
Bullet journals are as unique as their owners. They can be simple and clean or complicated and artistic. There is no right way to design a bujo.
Even if your ideas are more artistic than your skill level, you can still make pretty and well-designed layouts by using washi tape, stencils, and stickers. Don't feel pressured to draw something you can't when there are other options.
However, if you're feeling ambitious, give it a go! Practice makes perfect, after all. Bujos are a great way to experiment with or grow your creative skills. Plus, you'll be able to see the progress you've made over time!
On the other hand, if you feel confident in your artistic abilities and know that you can express your ideas, then you may only need some colored pens and your imagination.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Scribbles That Matter A5 Dotted Journal | ![]() | A High Quality Journal With Bleed-Proof Paper | |
2 | Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Dotted Hardcover Notebook | ![]() | A Notebook Specifically Crafted for Bullet Journaling | |
3 | Stabilo Point 88 Fineliner Pens|30 pens | ![]() | A Multitude of Colorful Pens Ideal for Precise Designs | |
4 | Mengcube Mengcube Journal Stencils|12 pack | ![]() | A Variety of Useful Stencils Add Detail to Pages | |
5 | Agutape Washi Tape Set|20 rolls | ![]() | Washi Tape Perfect for Round-the-Year Use | |
6 | Stabilo Blister Swing Cool Pastel Highlighters|6 pack | ![]() | Easy and Smooth Highlighting in Pastel Colors | |
7 | Helix Angle and Circle Maker with Integrated Circle Templates | ![]() | An Easy Compass for Circular Designs | |
8 | Zicoto Gorgeous Monthly Planner Stickers|22 sheets | ![]() | Over 1,000 Stickers for Any Situation | |
9 | Post-it Bright Neon Post-it Super Sticky Notes|8 pack | ![]() | The Perfect Way to Re-Use Layouts | |
10 | Tombow Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens | ![]() | The Perfect Pens for Eye-Catching Headers |
This journal comes in a variety of colors and has 160gsm dotted paper, which ensures that ink won't ghost or bleed through the pages. You can test this before you start, as there is a pen test page at the back of the journal.
Each page is numbered and there is an index that you can fill in to keep your pages in order. The binding of the journal is high-quality and won't break apart too! Plus, it includes a storage pocket and two bookmarks.
Reviewers praise the paper and state that only the heaviest color bleeds through (such as watercolor paints). They also comment on the sturdiness of the journal. A few reviewers have had issues with the pen loop coming loose but not the pages. The cover and edges of the paper might pick up dirt if it's thrown into a bag daily, but the binding will remain intact.
This is a sturdy journal that is perfect for people who use heavy amounts of color on their pages.
This journal has 80gsm paper and includes numbered pages as well as a blank index at the beginning of the journal. It also comes with label stickers that can be used for archiving your journal. Plus, it has a few pages in the back of the journal that can be easily ripped out.
Reviewers praise the sturdiness of the journal. Some have used the journal for several months, stuffing it full of sticky notes and extra pieces of paper, and it still held together! Reviewers love the length of this sturdy journal as well, as it has 249 pages. However, several reviewers state that ink can bleed through the pages.
This long-lasting journal has a bumper number of pages and is a firm favorite in the bujo community.
This brand of colored fineliner pens come in various colors and quantities, but this 30 color offers plenty of options for journaling! The hexagonal shape of the pens is designed to make them comfortable to hold. These pens are 0.4mm in width, making them perfect for detailed work or stencils. Shades range from basic colors to bright neons!
Reviewers say that the ink can bleed through thinner paper. However, many reviewers loved the variety of colors in the pack.
They state that the pens are perfect for small and intricate work but are not appropriate for coloring large areas. (They recommend the Stabilo 68 pens for large areas!) If you often use your bullet journal for fine details or writing, these pens are perfect.
This product features 12 plastic stencils and a six-inch stainless steel ruler. The stencils are A5 size, so they can easily slot into A5 journal pockets. There are several types of stencils, such as full words, single letters, shapes, borders, and small images.
Reviewers like the variety of the stencils and comment that, unlike others, they are free of mistakes. Other commenters praise their sturdiness and lack of staining. Some reviewers criticize the small size of certain designs, saying it's difficult to get pens inside some of the stencils. However, pencils fit with more ease!
Every stencil in this set is perfect for bullet journaling. Plus, they come with a clasp ring for easy storage!
This set includes 20 different designs, and each roll is over 16 feet long, so you'll have plenty of tape for decorating your journal! These tapes stick to paper easily but can also be peeled off and repositioned without leaving behind any sticky residue.
Like most washi tape, it is quite thin, but when it's stuck on white paper this doesn't matter. Plus, this set includes designs that can be used all year, ranging from summery pineapples to pink hearts perfect for Valentine's Day.
Reviewers praise the quality of the tape and are happy that the photos on the listing reflect the actual product. They confirm that the tape can be moved without leaving any sticky residue behind too!
This product has six pens in a range of pastel water-based ink colors. You can highlight text with them and their 1cm nib, and they can also be used as 4mm fineliner.
The pens don't dry out easily, and you can leave their caps off for up to four hours without any issues. They glide over paper smoothly, making highlighting titles or tasks in your bujo easy and eye-catching.
Reviewers praise the colors and confirm that you can still see the original text through the pens clearly. Other reviews like the longevity of the pens, although some do state that the pens can bleed through thinner paper. If you want to highlight important items in your journal, these pens are perfect!
This compass makes it easy to draw perfect circles of different sizes! It comprises of two circles—the outer circle has degrees marked on them, while the inner piece moves and allows you to draw smaller circles.
If you've seen bullet journal habit tracker layouts that are drawn using several circles of different sizes, then it's highly likely they were drawn with this!
Reviewers love how neat and evenly spaced they can draw circles and comment that the compass is easy to use. Some comments do remark that the compass needs a steady hand to ensure that the compass moves smoothly. They recommend practicing before using it on your bujo pages.
This set includes 22 sheets and over 1,100 individual stickers specifically made for journals! There are sheets for each month with stickers to fit the theme of that season, as well as other sheets that can be used around the year. These sheets include stickers for highlighting appointments, ticking off tasks, and even motivational phrases.
The reviewers love the bright and vibrant colors of the stickers. They say that the stickers adhere to the pages well, but can also be repositioned if needed.
One criticism is that it's difficult to write on the blank stickers due to the gloss finish of the paper. However, many reviewers were pleased that the makers of the stickers included a handwritten note thanking them for their purchase!
These sticky notes come in a variety of colors and boast double the sticking power of other Post-it notes. They can also be peeled off and stuck again.
They are just under two square inches, making them small enough to easily fit in your bullet journal. You can use post-it notes to add extra space to an already full layout, or as a way of reusing a layout.
Reviewers love the bright colors and confirm the stickiness of the notes. They also praise the quality of the paper and that ink doesn't run or bleed. Several reviewers love the smaller size and state that they're perfect for use with journals and planners.
This set of calligraphy pens includes both a hard tip and a soft tip pen. This makes them perfect for people who aren't experienced for calligraphy and have yet to form a preference between the two choices! Plus, it gives you more options with lettering or designs.
The brush tip is flexible, giving you maximum control over the thickness of your brush strokes. The ink is odorless, and it should be noted that the pens are non-refillable.
Reviewers like the clean lines of the ink and say that they are easy to use. They also state that the pens don't bleed, which makes them suitable for use in bullet journals. Some reviewers comment that the ink does dry out quickly, however.
Could you use a little help in making your life more orderly? We've all been there! Check out these useful products, from apps to notebooks, that will help make your life more organized.
No. 1: Scribbles That Matter|A5 Dotted Journal
No. 2: Leuchtturm1917|Medium A5 Dotted Hardcover Notebook
No. 3: Stabilo|Point 88 Fineliner Pens|30 pens
No. 4: Mengcube|Mengcube Journal Stencils|12 pack
No. 5: Agutape|Washi Tape Set|20 rolls
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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