Alright, it’s not exactly a new year, but it is a new academic year! Like any bullet journaling fiend, I like to find any excuse to get a new notebook, and I think this is a pretty good excuse. I work in Higher Education, so basically run on the academic clock; it also helps that I am starting my Masters later this month so will be living, breathing, and eating University life. And my previous bullet journal is full. That helps too.
So, with the new academic year, the turn of the season, and the start of September here, I’ve picked up a new bujo, and have made a start. I’ve got yearly pages, goals, lists, and monthly spreads all complete and I’m ready to show you how I like to start a new bullet journal.
First up, here is the new bujo!
It’s a Leuchtturm1917 in A5 dotted, which I have never used before. The cover colour is gorgeous and makes me think of autumn, which probably was the spur behind buying it. Normally, I use a Rhodia Webnote, and I am slightly sad I didn’t pick up another one, as the Leuchtturm’s pages are much thinner which allows for some ghosting and pen bleeding. Oh well, you live and you learn!
To start off my lovely autumn coloured bujo, I have my calendar pages.
As this bujo is for the last part of 2019, I am only including September, October, November, and December. These pages are great for a quick glance when making plans or remembering events. I’ve also put in a little section for 2020 if any big events come up; that way, I won’t double book myself!
Following on, I have my goals for the rest of 2019.
These goals are mainly things I’d like to do before the year is out, or work into my daily routine. It’s good to have them down in once place, because as soon as I open my bujo they are there, staring at me in gorgeous pastel tones, saying ‘BETTER YOURSELF GURL’.
From then, I move to my lists for the year (oh, I love me a good list). First up, I have my blog ideas spread! Although I do plan and write online, I needed a page where I could just scrawl down any ideas I had on the go.
This is my wardrobe spread, which came from the idea of a capsule wardrobe. Now, I have tried to make a capsule wardrobe, and it just doesn’t work for me right now (I love all of my band t-shirts equally, and need multiple pairs of trousers to deal with lactose bloating Rosie and normal Rosie).
However, tracking what I have and regularly wear is great for two reasons; firstly, I want to start outfit planning more, so knowing what I have in front of me will be a lifesaver; and secondly, seeing what I don’t wear means I can donate it and clear lots of space in my bedroom!
Then, I have one of my favourite spreads; meal ideas.
I adore cooking, I look forward to making dinner every day, so of course I had to dedicate some of my bullet journal to it. I’ve noted down all of my favourite recipes, and put them into four different sections; hearty food; pasta and noodles; soups, stews, and rice; and breakfast! I can just gauge what I’m feeling, have a look at the list, and go go go.
I’m a grown up now. Well, a grown up of sorts. I pay taxes and my pension, so it makes sense I have some grown up spreads, not just ones about food and books and coloured pens.
This double spread is split into ‘chores’ and ‘savings’. The chores page reminds me of what needs to be done in daily, weekly, fortnightly, and monthly increments. The savings page allows me to track how my saving is going for a certain focus; for this bujo, my focus is on my Florida trip!
The next pages on this double spread doesn’t really have anything in common, but let’s roll with it.
Up first, I have a packing page. Because of all my allergies, illnesses, and necessities, I have a strict set of things I have to pack if I go anywhere for more than one night. Instead of writing it down every time I travel, and end up forgetting little bits, I’ve made a basic list I can refer back to when I need to. The second page was created thanks to the numerous existential crises you have as you get into your mid-twenties. This is my 30 Before 30 list; not surprisingly, its 30 things I would like to do before I turn thirty.
Up next, we have another double spread, and another favourite – books I’ve read and films I’ve seen!
I blimmin’ love both of these things, plus I’m doing a Masters in Literature so it goes without saying. The process is simple; read a book or watch a film, write it down so you don’t forget it, and give it a little star rating. That way, I’ll know if I want to read it or see it again, or if I need to throw said book or DVD out of the window.
Speaking of books, this spread is about my Masters.
I am only doing one module this year (perks of doing it part-time), so I have one reading list. By keeping this in my bujo, I’ll always know what I need to read for each week, and it’ll help me keep on top of it (at least, that’s what I’m hoping!).
Now, we come to the monthly pages. I love my monthly spread, because I have everything I need to navigate the month right there in front of me.
These monthly spreads never follow a set theme, so they are always different. The only things that stay the same in each monthly spread is the vertical calendar and goals list.
After the monthly spread, I have what is always my most aesthetically pleasing set of pages; my habit and mood trackers.
Ohhhh I love them. I dot the box of the habit tracker when it’s complete, and I colour code the plant to reflect my mood. I spend hours making these, purely because I love the look of them when they are complete. Well, and they help me pick up new habits and track my mood and make sure I take my medication on time. That too. In the same vein as my habit and mood trackers, I also have a sleep tracker, and gratitude log. Personally, I think it’s important to track all of these things so I can see how they interact; I can see if my anxiety changes anything, or exercise, or the amount of sleep I’m getting.
Finally, we have the weekly spread. These are the pages I use the most each week; I keep it open on my desk both at work and at home.
This week, I’ve gone for a little leafy theme; some weeks I might go all out with colours, or sketches, or print outs; other weeks, its black and white minimalist. The aesthetic simply depends on what’s going on during the week, what season it is, and how I’m feeling. I enjoy having a to do list and dinner plan amongst the week, but I’ve also added a little section on yoga. I’m trying to get into yoga, so having a step by step routine in my bujo means it’s always nearby, and I don’t have to trawl through the internet for a tutorial.
So, there’s my brand new bujo for a brand new year! To any of you bujo-ers out there, what other pages and spreads do you like to add? And to you bujo newbies, do you have anything you want to see or know more about?
Rosie x
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