What is a “Bullet Journal”?

You've probably heard about it in 2020: in fact, during confinement, it saved us from boredom, allowing everyone to express their creativity while relaxing. The bullet journal (which comes to us from the English bullet which means “ fleas ”, in the digital sense of the term, and journal which we will translate in a similar way), or “bujo” for connoisseurs, actually refers to a notebook of lists, a sort of diary, or planner, with various entries.

The principle is simple: start with a completely neutral notebook, and draw and illustrate everything yourself! It is therefore a personal organizational aid in the form of a diary, which everyone fills out according to their desires and needs. To put it simply, a bujo is the creative encounter between a diary and the art of scrapbooking. The only constant of this method is the creation and writing by hand , and, beyond the manufacturing, it is about giving free rein to your imagination !

📔 We can summarize bujo in just three words:
• 🗓 Organization : you can manage all your projects, appointments and activities simply, in a way that suits you 100%.
• ✏️ Flexibility : no restrictions, the bujo offers unlimited possibilities. You just have to decide!
• 🫧 Well-being : and yes! It is a real relaxation tool. We could talk about a method of personal development, but that would be somewhat restrictive. In any case, it's an activity that brings calm, it's a moment for yourself.

A little history 📜

It was Ryder Carroll, a New York designer, who invented this system in the 90s, because he suffered from attention disorders . Not finding any method that suited him, he decided to set up an organizational system of his own, and which accompanies him perfectly on a daily basis.

🧘🏻 Bujo and mental health : these two concepts have a very close link. As in the case of Ryder Carroll, doctors and psychologists encourage people with attention disorders, or chronic anxiety, to keep a bullet journal. It is a real art therapy tool: by expressing our creativity through methods such as collage, coloring, or even drawing, we release our psychological and emotional nuances, thus leaving room for pure relaxation.

“ You can’t exhaust your creativity: the more you use it, the more you have. ”
Maya Angelou

If you are interested in Ryder Carroll's story and want to learn more about his journey and methods, do not hesitate to consult his blog . In fact, he opened a site offering various tools to create his bujo. You will also find lots of tips and inspiration for your own bullet journal!

The basic tools to start your bujo ✏️

At Foglietto, we are fans of this method, because a flexible and creative method definitely speaks to us! When creativity combines with relaxation, that's when we are most effective and improve our productivity. By avoiding stress and erasing the restrictive limits of a ready-made diary, creating and maintaining your bujo daily really helps us to organize ourselves. But you must surely ask yourself: “ What tools should I start my bujo with? ” .

The answer is quite short: all you need is a notebook, notepad or something similar ! The trend is for the bullet journal to be made on dotted pages, and not with squares, lines or even blank pages. The point, simple and refined, provides a wide range of possibilities, while allowing you to measure your contours and drawings without complications.

The dot is, in a sense, familiar with neutrality: without attacking the eye, the dot page still offers a reference point and assistance for writing and drawing . Bullet journaling is traditionally done on white paper, also for reasons of neutrality, allowing you to subsequently add stickers and inks of all colors! But of course, this is only a suggestion: the more neutral you start, the more room you will leave for your creativity. However, nothing prevents you from starting with colored paper, and then remaining sober in the filling.

💡 The Bujo Foglietto : is it possible? Obviously ! We offer you everything you need to start your bullet journal. The ideal starter kit to get started would include:
• The Nota Bene : this is our fully detachable notepad with cover, which is also functional as a notebook. It will be the basis of your bujo. It is available in Puntini puntini (points), and is therefore perfect for developing a planner as tradition dictates! You will find it on our site , and at the Palazzo in Nantes, in all its colors.

You are now equipped with a base to express your creativity!

Additional tools to enhance your bujo (and make it unique!) ✨

So here you are equipped with your Nota Bene: now, how to decorate it to your liking? A multitude of choices are available to you! Whether you like colors, or sobriety, collages or play on textures, we will present some ideas to inspire you. You can already rummage through your drawers and cupboards looking for stickers, stencils, dried flowers, watercolors, etc. Go hunting for tools that will allow you to express your creativity and strengthen your imagination!

Don't forget to stock up on the essentials , such as pencils, a ruler and an eraser. For your lines, but also to give you time to draw your shapes and contours as you wish. It is true that some mental health specialists will tell you that keeping a bullet journal is an excellent way to work on your perfectionism: the more intuitive you are in your traits, the more beneficial it will be for you! So don't worry about making a mistake, having to erase, scratch or hide with a sticker. One rule: do not start again by tearing out your page. Accept your mistakes and embrace imperfections!

At Foglietto, you will find many pens and pencils , stickers , and other accessories to enhance your bujo.

One of the essentials of scrapbooking is (and will remain) Masking Tape . With a palette of incredible colors and patterns, with premium rice paper, you can embellish your pages without limit. Whether it is to outline your calendar, attach foglietti , or even just decorate your page, Masking Tape is a great alternative, available at Foglietto. Small bonus: you can easily reposition it!

To make good bujo equipment, you need tools that you like, that you enjoy handling, that bring comfort to your heart. This is also the time to try techniques that you have never dared to use before. Play with colors and textures, and voila: you will have a bullet journal that suits you !

💡 The foglietti : the best ally to avoid tearing out pages from your Nota Bene, or to simply make a few additions that don't deserve a whole page. For example, a to-do list, important appointments, birthdays not to be missed, etc... With several colors and patterns to choose from, create your color codes and decorate your bujo to your liking.

Uses of bujo: from “planner” to “mood tracker”! ⭐️

It is mainly an organizational use, whether for health reasons, professional reasons, or simply to relax and give way to one's imagination. In the same way that some people do puzzles or paint by numbers in order to escape reality for a moment and relax alone, doing your bullet journal and keeping it daily has calming properties.

By creating a 100% personalized organization system, ordering your daily life immediately seems simpler, more intuitive. This is something that we like to highlight at Foglietto: having color codes, stickers and stickers, patterns that speak to us improve productivity, but also generate a form of calm. Holding a bujo means putting your brain on paper and lightening the mental load.

Beyond a simple calendar, an agenda and to-do lists, you can really create a dynamic of “good habits” , such as managing your budget, or monitoring hydration, implementing an exercise program, and so on. It is a very personal tool that adapts to our needs.

💡 Foglietto ideas: our sheets allow you to have different mediums (colors and patterns) in order to clarify your ideas, your needs, your projects.
• Thus, a Regola foglietto turns into a small gauge, whether to monitor your objectives to be achieved within a limited time, or to set a budget and save money.
• Or, the To-do foglietti for all the things to do, not to forget,

Facing your limits: eliminating doubt ⚡️

We are going to answer some questions you might ask yourself before you decide to hold a bujo. Because in fact, doubt can set in and will prevent you from getting started. We hope to reassure you and allow you to help you express your creativity with complete peace of mind! 🥰

• “ If I don’t know how to draw, is bujo for me? ” . Of course ! You should not let your shortcomings in the field of illustration be a barrier to creating a bullet journal. You don't need to be a great designer to translate your imagination onto the pages of your bujo. The most important thing is the benefits that this activity gives you, and not the search for a form of “perfect quality” , because in all cases it is necessary that you feel in total creative freedom, without restriction. So have fun and let go! 🫧

• Which leads us to a similar question: “ I’m a perfectionist, so I’m not sure that bullet journaling is a suitable option .” On the contrary, it can even be an artistic solution to appease one's perfectionism which, for most people, can be tiring on a daily basis. Bordering on fault and quality, it can sometimes restrict everyone's creativity by preventing them from letting go and trying new things. The bullet journal is thus a very good support for working on perfectionism, learning to accept your mistakes , I am thinking, for example, of a slightly crooked line, a crossed out word, or a poorly positioned sticker. Let's be gentle with ourselves, and allow ourselves a little leeway by prioritizing our creativity over our need for perfection.

• “ Can I start in the middle of the year or month ?” . A slightly more practical question, with a very simple answer: you do it your way! No rules, no obligations, you are the master of this choice. Whether a bujo begins in January or June, the objective will be the same: to help organize your daily life, or to relax through an artistic activity. You shouldn't think too much and stick to an intuitive perspective: do as you feel. 🌸

💡 To summarize, doubt should not be a blockage to the creation of your bujo. This is an activity that adapts to your desires and needs, it is in no way the opposite. So let yourself be carried away by the flow of your imagination and enjoy this moment that you are giving yourself, just for you. 💜

Everything you need to make your bujo: now you have to get started! 💫

Let's now conclude on the best way to start your bullet journal, whatever the intended use (as a professional planner, or as an art therapy tool)! It's very simple, and in a few steps you will have all the basics:

• Grab your favorite Nota Bene ;
• Equip yourself with your foglietti (a variety of colors and patterns to vary the pleasures);
• Choose other visual tools that speak to you: Masking Tapes, highlighters and colored pencils, Indian inks and stickers - no limits, use as many as you want!
• Think about the kind of pages you would like to have in your bujo: an annual, monthly or weekly calendar, an emotion tracker, or even a hydration program, a list of books read or films seen, etc.
• Define your illustrations, outlines, themes and colors for your pages;
• You're off for the creative adventure of bujo!

Take advantage of the virtues of the bullet journal, and share your creations with us on Instagram . 💌