Getting Started
To get started with bullet journaling, all you need is a notebook and pen. The best thing to look for in a notebook is one with thick pages, so the ink does not bleed through. There are four basic types of paper layouts to choose from – blank, lined, grid and dot grid. While I started with a planner and grid-lined paper, I’ve since moved on to dot grid and love it. The dots help keep me organized and lines straight, but are light enough that they are not overpowering or obtrusive.
Notebooks
My all-time favorite notebook is the A5 (Medium) Leuchtuurm Dot Grid Hardcover. The hard cover design lets you plan on the go without a lap desk or table, and the size is just perfect for capturing weekly planner layouts and lists. It’s small enough to be portable, but large enough to capture what’s needed. As a bonus, it comes in SO MANY BEAUTIFUL COLORS!
A few runners up are Moleskine notebooks, Rhodia notebooks, and the ultra-cute Scribble that Matter series. I would recommend trying them out, especially if you’re lucky enough to have a stationary or bookstore in your area that carry a variety of notebooks. I’ve found the best deals on these at Amazon, but I hear they’re starting to pop up in retail locations of Barnes and Noble too.
Pens
Starting out, my first try with bullet journaling started with sharpie fine point pens. I quickly learned that these can easily bleed through even very thick paper. I found my very favorite pens in Staedtler Triplus Fineliners. These come in lots of sizes and I would highly recommend starting out with one of the sets with an easel case. They are great for portability. I started out with the 24 pack and found it was perfect for doing layouts and doodles in my bujo. I’ve since upgraded to the 36 pack to get more colors, but have had to also pick up a pencil case to store them (the cardboard box is not nearly as durable as the plastic case the smaller sets come in. As a bonus, these do NOT dry out when left uncapped for brief periods of time and seem to have lots of ink. I’ve burned through two pens over the past year of bullet journaling (purple and black), but it turns out both of these are available in a small set and the black can be found separately as well. There are lots of other recommendations on pens that I’ll plan to cover in future posts!
Highlighters
As I’ve done more and more with my bullet journal, I’ve also explored other popular pens and markers. If you’re looking for more color or softer colors than you’ll find with the fineliners, you may want to consider getting a set of the Zebra Midliner Highlighters. There are three different color sets, each with five pens. These are great because they have two tip sizes – a traditional chiseled highlighter point and a thinner marker point for drawing lines. I found a pack with all three color sets on Amazon and have definitely not regretted picking these up.
Markers
While exploring other pens and ways to add color, I also picked up a pack of Staedtler Dual Tip Markers. I’d originally hoped that these would be in the same colors as the 36 pack of Staedtler Triplus Fineliners (so I could outline with the fineliners and fill areas with the markers) but was disappointed to see that the colors did not quite match up. They were, however, a gorgeous colorful addition to my bullet journaling repertoire. They are great for adding color to pages and filling in larger areas. The dual tips do match up, so you can outline with the thing tip and fill with the larger tip.
Brush Markers
If you’re looking for professional-grade markers for brush lettering, the community seems to agree that Tombow Dual Brush Pens are the way to go. I’ve just picked up my first pack of these and I’ll post more updates as I play around with them. For now, I can say they are gorgeous and fun to blend (blender included). I started out with the bright set and found the best deal here. These come in a variety of color sets and all look gorgeous. Here are some of the options I’ve seen:
Bright
Primary
Secondary
Landscape
Portrait
Muted
Grayscale
Other Supplies
Once you are set up to write in your bullet journal, you’ll find lots of other accessories are fun additions. I’ll cover these more in future posts, but here are a few that I have gotten questions about in Instagram posts. 🙂
Helix Circle and Angle Maker – This one is a new addition to my supply arsenal, but is now part of my daily carry. The middle section spins so you can easily make circles with a variety of pens.
Eiffel Tower Scissors – These are not ultra-sharp, but are so cute and affordable, who could resist?!?
Metallic Washi – This adds a touch of glam to your pages and helps you get perfect straight borders. Plus, this washi is opaque and can help cover mistakes!
Uniball Gold Metallic Pen – This writes like a smooth gel pen, but the ink is a gorgeous metallic gold color. Great for writing over darker areas of your journal or planner.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you purchase something through the links here, at no cost to you. These are all products that I use and love, and any purchases made help support this site and my newly found stationary addiction. 😉 Thank you so much for your support and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions!
