How to Start a Bucket List Bullet Journal

Travel the South spread in my bullet journal.

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I have seen gorgeous bullet journal pictures on Pinterest and Instagram for years. I have always wanted to do one, but I know I would never have the time or the motivation to draw out a layout each week. Plus, I like my Happy Planner.

After seeing a bullet journal list of America’s National Parks, I had an idea. Why not make a bullet journal for my travel goals?

If you’ve been around the blog before, then you know that I love a bucket list. I’ve posted 4 of them here:

Ummm…..why have I not thought of this before?

After deciding to start this journal, I read several articles on ‘How to Start a Bullet Journal’ and they pretty much all say the same thing:

  1. buy a journal
  2. buy something to write with
  3. make a plan/outline
  4. start writing

And that’s pretty much all it takes. Except…

How to Start a Bucket List Bullet Journal
(A beautiful bullet journal spread from Christina77star.net.)

Which journal should I get? Which pens are the best? Should I use color? Markers? Colored Pencils? Watercolors? How much will this cost? Should I do the index first? Where do I start?

So many questions! It’s enough to make ya crazy!

I did some more research and went shopping.

What Bullet Journal Should I Get?

The first answer ended up being simple for me. I went to Michaels and bought a journal. All of the ones recommended online were $20 -$30, which I think is too expensive for a freakin’ notebook. But I braced myself for the cost and decided to do it anyway.

So, imagine my surprise when I found a one for $5!

Yes! $5! I was so excited I bought 2.

If you look in the sketch pad section of Michaels, they sell ‘sketchbooks’ with dot grid patterns just like bullet journals. They have leather covers and come in a ton of different colors. You really can’t beat it!

Cheap ($5) bullet journal that you can buy at Michael's.
(This is the journal I bought, but they come in all different colors.)

Michaels Mint Green Dot Journal, 6”; x 8”; by Artist's Loft™Michaels Mint Green Dot Journal, 6”; x 8”; by Artist’s Loft™Michaels Mint Green Dot Journal, 6”; x 8”; by Artist's Loft™Bullet Dotted Journal, A5 Hard Cover Dotted Notebook with Premium 100 GSM Thick Paper, 192 Pages, Elastic Banded, Faux Leather Cover, Marker Ribbons, 5.71'' x 8.38'' (Pink)Bullet Dotted Journal, A5 Hard Cover Dotted Notebook with Premium 100 GSM Thick Paper, 192 Pages, Elastic Banded, Faux Leather Cover, Marker Ribbons, 5.71” x 8.38” (Pink)Bullet Dotted Journal, A5 Hard Cover Dotted Notebook with Premium 100 GSM Thick Paper, 192 Pages, Elastic Banded, Faux Leather Cover, Marker Ribbons, 5.71'' x 8.38'' (Pink)

 

‘Real bullet journalers’ would probably tell you that these journals are crap, but whatevs….they’re just jealous because they spent $30 on a blank notebook.

The only negative thing I have discovered about my cheap bullet journal is that the pages are regular paper. ‘Real bullet journals’ use thicker paper so that ink doesn’t bleed through.

However, since my bullet journal is about traveling anyway, I’m leaving every other spread blank and plan on adding pictures from our trips. So, it will be sort of like a travel journal.

Which Pens Are the Best?

Umm….honestly, I have no clue. Every bullet journal blog that I looked at gave a different answer. And all of them were expensive. I am just using a fine-point black pen that I picked up at Michaels for less than $3.

Sorry that I’m not more helpful in this department.

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Should I Use Color?

Yes!

Or at least I am.

I have seen layouts and lists in bullet journals that are done entirely in black and white and they are gorgeous. I was tempted to keep mine that way too, but after I got one of my lists wrote out in black and white, I was itching to add some color to it. And I am so glad that I did!

I think the spreads look so much more interesting after adding colorful illustrations.

Bullet Journal travel layout with illustrations.
(A bullet journal travel layout that inspired me to add color to own bujo.)

STAEDTLER Watercolor Pencils, Box of 36 Colors (14410ND36)STAEDTLER Watercolor Pencils, Box of 36 Colors (14410ND36)STAEDTLER Watercolor Pencils, Box of 36 Colors (14410ND36)35 Dual Markers Pen for Adult Coloring Book, Coloring Brush Art Marker, Fine Tip Colored Pens for Kids, Bullet Journaling Drawing Planner35 Dual Markers Pen for Adult Coloring Book, Coloring Brush Art Marker, Fine Tip Colored Pens for Kids, Bullet Journaling Drawing Planner35 Dual Markers Pen for Adult Coloring Book, Coloring Brush Art Marker, Fine Tip Colored Pens for Kids, Bullet Journaling Drawing Planner

 

What should I add color with?

There are so many options to choose from when it comes to adding color to your bullet journal. The images that are most likely to catch my attention are the ones that use watercolor.

That would be a terrible choice for me, as I know nothing about painting and my journal has thin paper. So, I chose to use colored pencils.

Markers and colored pens are other options, but since I was already having bleeding issues, colored pencils make the most sense to me.

Bullet journal with watercolor illustrations.
(I love the look of this watercolor art in this bullet journal from Kelly at Odyssey Art.)

MAIKEDEPOT Watercolor Brush Pens - 72 Watercolor Brush Markers 3 Water Brush Pens Online Tutorial Video Artists & Beginner Supplies for Calligraphy, Bullet Journals, Coloring, Drawing(72 Colors)MAIKEDEPOT Watercolor Brush Pens – 72 Watercolor Brush Markers 3 Water Brush Pens Online Tutorial Video Artists & Beginner Supplies for Calligraphy, Bullet Journals, Coloring, Drawing(72 Colors)MAIKEDEPOT Watercolor Brush Pens - 72 Watercolor Brush Markers 3 Water Brush Pens Online Tutorial Video Artists & Beginner Supplies for Calligraphy, Bullet Journals, Coloring, Drawing(72 Colors)Strathmore 460-55 400 Series Visual Watercolor Journal, 140 LB Cold Press, 5.5Strathmore 460-55 400 Series Visual Watercolor Journal, 140 LB Cold Press, 5.5Strathmore 460-55 400 Series Visual Watercolor Journal, 140 LB Cold Press, 5.5

 

How much will this cost?

I walked out of Michaels having spent less than $10! My husband was so proud!

The bullet journal was $5 and the pen was $2.65-ish. And that was all I needed to buy. I already had colored pencils and a ruler here at home.

I’m making this bullet journal with:

  • 1 cheap journal
  • a pencil
  • 1 fine point black pen
  • a box of colored pencils
  • a ruler

This proves that bullet journaling can be a cheap hobby. I’ve looked at several different blogs that recommended expensive journals, fancy pens, watercolors, high-end brushes, a ‘practice’ journal, calligraphy pens, etc.

If you have the money to put into it….go for it! But don’t think that you NEED all of those things to make a bullet journal because you don’t.

(You can take a peek inside my travel bullet journal here!)

Bullet Dotted Journal Kit - Bullet Dotted Journal Set with Black Faux Leather Notebook, 10 Colored Pens, 6 Reusable Stencils, Sticker Sheet, Stylish Starry BoxBullet Dotted Journal Kit – Bullet Dotted Journal Set with Black Faux Leather Notebook, 10 Colored Pens, 6 Reusable Stencils, Sticker Sheet, Stylish Starry BoxBullet Dotted Journal Kit - Bullet Dotted Journal Set with Black Faux Leather Notebook, 10 Colored Pens, 6 Reusable Stencils, Sticker Sheet, Stylish Starry BoxPAPERAGE Bullet Journal Kit, Dotted Journaling Kit, Hardcover Dotted Journal Notebook (Blush) 100GSM Thick Paper, 15 Fineliner Pens, 8 Sticker Sheets, 3 Stencil Sheets, 6 Washi Tapes & Creative GuidePAPERAGE Bullet Journal Kit, Dotted Journaling Kit, Hardcover Dotted Journal Notebook (Blush) 100GSM Thick Paper, 15 Fineliner Pens, 8 Sticker Sheets, 3 Stencil Sheets, 6 Washi Tapes & Creative GuidePAPERAGE Bullet Journal Kit, Dotted Journaling Kit, Hardcover Dotted Journal Notebook (Blush) 100GSM Thick Paper, 15 Fineliner Pens, 8 Sticker Sheets, 3 Stencil Sheets, 6 Washi Tapes & Creative Guide

 

Should I make the index first?

NO!

That’s a hard no! At least for this type of bullet journal.

I outlined what I wanted to put in my bullet journal in a Word Document. However, once I got started making the lists and writing them in the journal they ended up taking up more pages than I originally intended.

I thought that my National Parks list would take up one spread, but I was so wrong. It ended up being 2.5 spreads (5 pages), plus the blank pages that I left in between the spreads for pictures.

Don’t write page numbers in your index until you are completely finished with that layout.

Index for a bullet journal.
(This bullet journal index is neat as a pin!)

Where do I start? Where do I end?

There is no definite answer to these questions. It all depends on you and what you want to put in your journal.

My bucket list bullet journal is unlike any that I’ve seen online. It’s not a schedule, a to-do list, or even a big ‘life bucket list’. It’s more like a travel bucket list, based on where I’m living at the time.

This bullet journal is inspirational and makes me want to get out of the house and explore. Even if it’s just looking around the military town I’m living in. And that’s what I want it to be.

Bullet It!: A Notebook for Planning Your Days, Chronicling Your Life, and Creating BeautyBullet It!: A Notebook for Planning Your Days, Chronicling Your Life, and Creating BeautyBullet It!: A Notebook for Planning Your Days, Chronicling Your Life, and Creating BeautyBullet It! Lists for Living: A Notebook for Charting Your Tasks, Hopes, and DreamsBullet It! Lists for Living: A Notebook for Charting Your Tasks, Hopes, and DreamsBullet It! Lists for Living: A Notebook for Charting Your Tasks, Hopes, and Dreams

 

2 thoughts on “How to Start a Bucket List Bullet Journal

    1. Start by writing down things that you’ve always wanted to see and places that you’ve always wanted to visit. You can look at Instagram and Pinterest for ideas if you get stuck.

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