Do you often find yourself staring at a blank notebook, unsure where to begin in your bullet journal set up? I know the feeling, I’ve been there too! If you’re stuck, and don’t want to put pen to paper for fear of messing up, follow my tips for using printable templates. You’ll have your bullet journal set up in no time.
Printable templates make bullet journal set up quick and easy
If you haven’t set up a bullet journal because you don’t know where to begin, I recommend starting with a printable template.
Adding a printable template to your notebook or planner instantly gives you a layout to work with. It can set the theme for the rest of your pages, provide spaces to capture important details, along with writing prompts to help you get started.
Using printables helps to reduce any fear of the blank page that may be holding you back!
To help you get started, I’ve put together a list of my five must-have printable templates for bullet journaling.
1: Bullet Journal Index
One of the first pages I recommend you set up in your bullet journal is an Index. An Index is useful for storing topics you write about and their corresponding page numbers.
Try printing an Index straight onto adhesive paper. Then simply trim your Index to size, remove the backing paper, and stick the pages to your notebook!
The Index featured above is my favourite. It’s particularly good for indexing collections that appear many times throughout your journal, as there is lots of room to store multiple page numbers.
Using a separate box for each topic helps keep your index neat and tidy. Plus, it’s easier to see topics and page numbers at a glance.
2: Calendars and Page Tabs
One of the most useful printables to add to your bullet journal is a calendar. Choose a year-at-a-glance calendar to highlight important dates such as holidays, medical appointments or school terms. Keep this in the front of your journal.
Mini Calendars
Add a mini-sized calendar to any page in your journal where you need to see dates at a glance. Mini calendars are particularly useful when added to a monthly cover page.
Try a mini calendar that includes a page tab, so you can easily flip to each monthly section in your journal.
Blank Monthly Calendar
Drawing a monthly calendar in your bullet journal every month can be time consuming. A printable monthly calendar template helps to make the process quick and easy.
The printable Monthly Calendar shown above can be used as a template and traced into your notebook, saving time. Or, simply stick the print-out straight onto your page. If you’re using a ring bound planner, punch holes in the printed pages and insert them into your planner.
Use headings, colour and decoration to customise the blank monthly calendar with your personal style!
3: Future Log
A Future Log template is another useful printable that will simplify your bullet journal set up. Try a printable with blank mini calendars that you can fill in no matter what month you start your journal.
Mini calendars add functionality to your bullet journal future log. Use them to check upcoming dates, mark school terms and plan ahead more efficiently.
Download a free printable future log from my Planner Lovers Resource Library.
Start your bullet journal set up NOW!
Adding a calendar and a future log to your notebook, or planner, means you are ready to start planning ahead. It’s a great way to get started if you’ve previously been unsure where to begin.
4: All-in-one, or mini, Habit Tracker
A monthly all-in-one habit tracker is a simple way to get started with habit tracking in your journal. List out all of the habits or tasks that you want to establish. Check off a box every day that you complete that habit.
Using coloured pens to fill in your habit tracker makes it super easy to see everything at a glance and review your progress. Remember to celebrate little wins as you go!
If you find yourself forgetting to fill in your tracker in the beginning, don’t worry. It takes time to develop the habit! Just pick it up again where you left off. When you have successfully established a habit, remove it from your tracker and choose a new habit for the following month.
Mini Habit Tracker
If keeping track of a whole page of new habits feels overwhelming, try a mini habit tracker.
Add a mini-sized tracker to any page of your journal and keep track of one habit at a time.
From my shop, you can download a whole page of mini habit trackers to print and cut into individual trackers. I love to use a Xyron Sticker Maker to turn them into easy-to-use stickers!
5: Daily Log
The daily log is the heart of the bullet journal. It’s where everything important, to you, comes together in a single space. A daily log can be as simple, or as detailed, as you like.
While a simple list for daily logging will suffice, many people want to create something more personalised. If you’re stuck for ideas, a printable daily log template can help you experiment. Start by filling in daily the sections on the template, and then change things up as you discover what works for you.
Download tons of printable templates, to help you set up your bullet journal with ease, from my free Planner Lovers Resource Library.
Happy planning x
