Life gets pretty complex. It can sometimes feel like there are a million things we need or want to keep track of, or we risk forgetting entirely.
It makes sense, there’s a lot to keep track of. Appointments, birthdays, meetings, to-do lists, countless responsibilities, dreams, the very ins & outs of our lives—it’s no wonder staying organised can be such a challenge.
There are simply too many things to track in our heads, so we turn to other, more effective ways to keep track. Calendars, notepads, sticky notes, even scratchings on a wall.
But there is one method that has become increasingly popular in the last decade. I’m of course talking about dot journalling (also known as ‘Bullet Journalling’, or ‘Bujo’).
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know to start dot journalling, even as a complete beginner.
What is Dot Journalling?
Dot or bullet journalling is a way to keep track of your daily, monthly, and yearly life in a journal, using dots (or ‘bullets’) to quickly jot things down. People have been doing dot journalling for years, but it was recently refined by Ryder Carroll in 2013 into what is now known as the ‘Bullet Journal Method’; which many people now use as the foundation for their dot journalling.
Ryder Carroll’s bujo method uses a series of spreads, annotations, and ‘signifiers’ to organise your schedule, and declutter your mind. Dot journalling helps you focus on what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. It helps organise your thoughts, avoid distractions, and keeps you on track with your goals and values.
Where to Begin
Starting a dot journal can be scary. Unlike life planners, or digital calendars, the entire process from setting up spreads, marking down dates, and deciding what to include is entirely on YOU!
But that’s also where the magic lies. Using a dot journal means that you are in complete control of what you keep track of, what spreads you use and how they look, allowing you to create a system that is truly catered to your life. It’s your journal.
So, how do you go about starting your own dot journal from scratch?
The first step to dot journalling is to ask yourself “What is it that I want out of dot journalling?”.
Do you want to organise efficiently? To plan? To increase productivity? Or do you want to use it as a creative outlet? Take a moment to think about it.
Take your time. I’ll wait.
All done? Nice.
Don’t worry if you only have a vague idea of what you want from dot journalling. This is a learning process, and you’ll start to figure out what works for you as you go. Every lesson you learn can be taken into your next dot journal. You’ll be a pro in no time.
You can find inspiration from many amazing and talented artists on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook. I have added a few dot journal artists worth taking inspiration from to get you started towards the end of this blog.
Autumn Aldrich @autumnaldrich
Though these amazing examples of dot journalling can be inspiring, they can also be daunting. Try not to let yourself get overwhelmed, many of these dot journalists and artists have been refining their craft for a long time, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to make something visually stunning. Many dot journalists create minimal spreads that neatly capture everyday entries to help organise their lives, without all the extra flair.
Both approaches are equally valuable, and artistic expression should never be discouraged. But as a beginner, I encourage you to start with the basics, but if you want to get creative, you absolutely should!
First Things First – Mistakes WILL Happen
Before discussing what you’ll need to start dot journalling, it is important to remember that your dot journal doesn’t have to be perfect. Practising dot journalling isn’t something you sit down once or twice and finish. Dot journalling is something you do—a habit you build and maintain. When a mistake does occur (cause trust me, they will), you may want to simply strike them out, or get creative by turning them into part of your design—like adding stickers or notes to cover the error.
The beauty of dot journalling is that it’s a personal and evolving process, where imperfections add character. Embrace the imperfections, as they often lead to new ideas and insights you’d never expect.
Journalling Supplies – Part 1: The Essentials
Once you have an idea of what you’re looking to get out of dot journalling, it’s time to gather your bujo supplies.
The only things you need for dot journalling is a journal, and some kind of pen, pencil, or marker. But you can add whatever other supplies your heart desires! Highlighters, stickers, washi tape… you name it!
So what kind of journal should you get? Well, there are a few things you should take some time to consider.
When picking a journal, there are a few things you may want to take into consideration. You’ll need to consider size, page type, and paper thickness.
Journal Size
Here are some journal sizes you might consider. Think about the context you’ll be using your journal, such as at home vs. on the train.
- Pocket Size: Easy to carry, but limited space to work with.
- A4/US Letter: Lots of room for layouts, but bulky to carry around.
- A5 Size: The perfect balance—plenty of space and portable. The most popular choice.
I recommend going for A5 if you’re unsure. This size gives you plenty of room to work with while still being easy to take with you.
Page Layout
The page type you use will define how much guidance you’ll have.
- Dotted: Great for creating layouts with flexibility.
- Lined: Best for text-heavy journalling with minimal creative layouts.
- Blank: Total freedom, but can be tricky without guidance.
Dot journals are the go-to for dot journalling (shocker, right?). I recommend these since they provide a guide for ruling evenly-spaced lines and layouts.
Paper Thickness
‘GSM’, or ‘Grams per Square Meter’ is the measure of a papers thickness, which will greatly effect the way your paper feels. Higher GSM will feel more premium, and is much better at handling heavier inks and markers without bleeding through the page.
- Light (70-90 GSM): Cheap, and prone to bleed-through and tearing. Not ideal for creative journalling.
- Medium (90-120 GSM): Handles most pens, but heavier inks can still bleed through.
- High (120-160+ GSM): The best for dot journalling. Minimises bleed-through and ghosting.
In this case, the higher the GSM the better (without going beyond 160+ GSM, which is moving to card-stock territory). But remember that as GSM goes up, so does price.
Sarah Renae Clark’s Journals
If you’re looking for a high-quality journal that provides the perfect canvas for your dot journalling, I invite you to check out Sarah’s series of A5 dotted, and lined journals.
These thread-bound, lay-flat journals come in a variety of scratch-resistant covers, and are built with 160 pages of artist grade high GSM (120) paper. They have 2 ribbon bookmarks, and an elastic closure band to protect your pages from damage while dot journalling on the go.
You can check out them out here.
Journalling Supplies – Part 2: The Optionals
Though a journal and a pen is all you need to start dot journalling, there are many more supplies that you can add to your journalling toolkit that provide function, creativity, and fun.
Ruler
I highly recommend using a ruler of some kind, even if it’s just the spine of another book. You’ll use this to create layouts using straight lines, precise shapes and boxes. This will keep your layouts looking neat and tidy throughout your journal.
Stickers
Stickers add visual interest and personalisation to your journal, helping to organise information and highlight important tasks or events—and they’re fun!
Sarah offers a large range of sticker books and packs, as well as printable & digital stickers.
These stickers are great for dot journalling. Personally, I love the Summer Fun: Functional Sticker Book for it’s versatility. There are many functional stickers that have helpful keywords that can add visual clarity to a spread, such as stickers that say ‘DON’T FORGET’ and ‘IMPORTANT’.
Sarah has a whole bunch of functional colour-in stickers, and stickers that are straight-up fun, like plants and desserts. Take a look at the entire range here.
Coloured Pens, Markers, & Highlighters
Coloured pens, markers, and highlighters can add variety to your layouts, help with colour coding, or just make things more visually appealing. Using different colours can help categorise information quickly.
Stencils
Stencils are handy for creating consistent shapes and layouts (like boxes, banners, circles, etc.) without needing to freehand them.
Sticky Notes & Tabs
Sticky notes are great for temporary notes or reminders, and tabs can help mark important sections in your journal so you can flip to them easily. Did you know, you can even get transparent sticky notes that can be written on while still showing your work underneath?
Graphite or Greylead Pencil (and Sharpener!)
Using a pencil is great for planning. You can erase and re-draw your layouts as many times as you like before finalising them in pen. Remember to get a sharpener too—few things are more annoying than a dull pencil.
These are just a few optional supplies that you might bring to your dot journalling. They can enhance your experience and help you personalise your journal even further.
How to Dot Journal
Now we are finally ready to start setting up our dot journal! We’ll start with the pages that (almost) every dot journal needs.
These are the sections that I recommend you include in your Dot Journal:
- The Nameplate Page – Used to denote who the journal belongs to.
- The Index (Table of Contents) – Used to navigate the journal.
- The Future Log(s) – Used to plan events and tasks for future months.
- Monthly Logs – Used to organise individual months.
- Daily Logs – Used to organise individual days.
Read on to learn about each section in-depth.
Nameplate Page
Some journals come with a nameplate page, while others don’t. If yours does, woohoo! Go ahead and fill in your name and you’re ready to go. If not, don’t worry, this is your chance to customise your first page!
Here’s some ideas on how to setup your first nameplate page:
Add a Title—at the top, write “Nameplate” or “This Journal Belongs to” to clearly indicate the page’s purpose.
Write Your Name—in the center of the page, write your full name. You could use a bold font or decorative lettering for emphasis.
Include the Date—beneath your name, consider adding the date you started the journal. This can help you remember when you began your journaling journey, and can help you organise your journals later.
Personal Touches—feel free to add some personal touches! Include a favourite quote, a small drawing, or any other detail that makes the page uniquely yours.
Decorate (Optional)—You may want to use washi tape, stickers, or drawings to enhance the visual appeal of your nameplate page. Or you may want to keep it clean and simple. It’s up to you!
Index
The next page in your journal should be the index. An index (or ‘Table of Contents’) is the directory you’ll use to find everything in your journal. You will constantly be updating it with new page numbers as you add new pages and sections to your journal.
Making an index page is easy. Simply write ‘index’ at the top of your first page or pages. As you fill out the rest of your journal, write the topic, and note the page number(s) next to it.
Speaking of page numbers, make sure you start noting these into your journal, if they aren’t included already! You probably want them on the outer corners of your journal so you can see them easily as you flip through.
It’s worth noting—It’s quite common for new dot journalists to add more pages to the index than they need. As they become more experienced, the index tends to become shorter and shorter. Don’t worry if you waste pages, remember, mistakes will happen and that’s okay!
Future Log
I’ve been looking forward to this (get it? looking forward?? future log… no?).
The Future Log is a key component of your dot journalling system, allowing you to plan and track date-specific activities, tasks, and events.
A simple, elegant way to set up your future log is to rule 4 horizontal lines equally spaced apart to create 6 sections across a spread, then mark each section with the upcoming months. (Remember to note the future log page(s) in your index so you can easily navigate to it later.)
A future log is where you jot down activities, tasks, and events for upcoming months that you haven’t made a monthly log for yet. Once these months arrive, you can move your notes from the future log into your monthly log. This is known as ‘migration’ – moving your notes from one section to another.
The main choice for your future log is how many months in advance you’d like to include. This can depend on 2 factors: how far in advance you know events/tasks/plans are happening; and, how long you think your journal will last. But don’t worry, you can add another future log anywhere in your journal.
Most dot journalists find their journals last them 6 months to a year, but this depends on how much you’re putting into your journal, and how big the journal is. It isn’t unheard of for some dot journalists to go through a journal every 3 months. Remember, it’s not a competition.
Monthly Log
Now it’s time to setup your monthly log. Start with the first month you’ll be using the journal (it doesn’t have to be January—don’t fall for this trap!)
The monthly log has a range of different layouts that you can use. One basic design is to simply number out the days of the month vertically down the left side of your left page, with an initial indicating the days of the week (M, T, W, etc).
On the right side of the spread, you can add a ‘monthly task list’ which is a timeline where you can add date specific entries. These can be future plans, or reflections on things that happened this month.
Remember to number these pages and mark down the month in your index. You can add either the page range for the month, or the individual pages. I like to add the page range, leaving the second number blank until the month is over so I don’t feel limited to the range I set at the start of the month. Once the month ends, I will return to the index to finalise that month’s page range.
Putting the ‘Bullet’ in Bullet Journalling
At this stage, your dot journal will start filling with entries. Many entries will follow a dot or other type of bullet. Because of this, it can be helpful to use different styles of bullets to denote various kinds of entries.
There are 3 essential bullet styles. These are:
- A ‘dot’ (.) which indicates a task
- A circle (o) which indicates an event
- A dash (-) which indicates a note
When you have completed a task or event, or a note is no longer relevant, simply place a cross (x) over the dot, circle, or dash to indicate it is complete.
Inevitably, you will need to migrate an entry from one section to another. You may not have completed a task in a given week, and need to move it forward; or plans get pushed to later in the year, and need to be migrated back to the future log.
When this happens, mark the entry with a left or right arrow (‘<’ or ‘>’) to indicate which direction the entry has migrated. You’d be surprised how useful this can become once your journal starts filling up. If you find a task isn’t worth your time, and shouldn’t be migrated, just strike it out.
Managing your entries in this style is known as ‘rapid logging’. It allows you to quickly understand your notes at a glance without wasting mental energy trying to figure out what each entry means.
Signifiers
You can also take rapid journalling a step further using ‘signifiers’ (also known as ‘icons’, or ‘symbols’).
Signifiers add extra meaning to your entries. For instance: you can add a star (*) to an entry to indicate that it is a priority, or an exclamation point (!) to indicate a high-priority.
The signifiers you use are up to you. You could use a heart (♡) for memories, or meaningful things; or a triangle (△) for appointments, or places you need to go. As long as your signifiers are consistent and work for you, they’re perfect!
If you decide to use signifiers, you may want to dedicate a page in your dot journal to a ‘key’. This is a page where you list each of your signifiers, and what they mean, so you can return to them later in case you forget. (Pro tip! Create your key on the left side of your dot journal. This way, if you ever have to flip back to it, it’ll be on the correct side of the journal to easily see.)
Daily Log
The daily log allows you to log short sentences under the days date. Entries such as tasks, appointments, reminders, or notes can be made in dotted points under the days date. On the next day, simply repeat the process.
I encourage you to avoid pre-filling dates ahead of time. This allows you to include as much detail as you like under a given day, without worrying about running out of space, or wasting space on ‘uneventful’ days.
Return to your daily log each day until the month is over, then create another monthly log, rinse, and repeat. Look at you! You’re dot journalling!
Typically the daily logs aren’t added to the index, since they follows immediately after the corresponding monthly log. Writing each individual day into the index would have your index running out of space in no time. You want to keep it neat and tidy for easier navigation!
Those are the Essentials – but there’s more!
Now that you’ve got the basics, you have everything you need to begin dot journalling like a pro!
… That being said, you might want a little more out of your dot journalling. Continue reading to learn about some optional sections, and get some tips & tricks that can take your dot journalling game to the next level.
Extras
Weekly Log
You might be surprised to see the weekly log down here in the ‘lowly’ extras area.
Though some might find a weekly log to be just as essential as the future, or daily log, many dot journalists don’t include it. Instead, many find that their daily logs provide enough function that the weekly log becomes unnecessary. Often dot journalists find weekly logs take up too much space for the function they provide, or can take too long to create when using more intricate designs.
This may work for many, but depending on your needs and preferences, you may want to use a weekly log, rather than a daily log, or if you’re feeling spicy, include both!
A weekly log is usually setup over a single spread, with a reflections log for the previous week on the left, and a task list page for the current week on the right.
This is a very basic (yet effective) way to setup a weekly log. But there are limitless ways to set one up. Go into any shop that sells planners and you’ll find weekly log designs as varied as there are planners. You could even do this to find inspiration, and tinker with what works for you.
Collections
‘Collections’ is a catch-all term for any section you’d like to include that doesn’t fall under any of the previously discussed sections.
These can include sections like:
- cover pages for each month
- gratitude logs
- habit trackers
- mood trackers
- finance logs
- wishlists
- meal trackers/planners
- reading lists
- fitness trackers
- cleaning schedules
- And much, much more.
This is the part of dot journaling where you can deeply personalise it. You can add any kind of section that fits into your life and your world. This ‘personal’ touch is what draws a lot of dot journalists to dot journalling in the first place, since no traditional planner could ever cover every aspect of your unique life.
Personally, I have a ‘Movies & TV’ menu where I list what I’m interested in watching, and where I’m up to in a given show. I also like to write mini-reviews to express my thoughts.
What kinds of collections would you include? Let me know in the comment below. You might even help someone find some inspiration!
Tips and Tricks
Threading
Threading is a neat little technique that can make navigating your journal even easier.
To start threading, put the current page number on any page, but leave some space next to it. Next to the page number write the next relevant page number for that section in brackets.
So, if your mood trackers are on page 5, 10, and 15. Page 5 will say ‘5 (10)’ and page 10 will say ‘10 (15)’. This way you can easily jump pages, while staying within one section or collection.
Breaking the Spine of Your Notebook
If you’re planning to be using your dot journal a lot, it can be a good idea to break in the spine early, so that it lays flat and doesn’t get annoying. I know, I know… breaking the spine on any book can be scary. But, it’s worth it in this circumstance.
Here’s a tried-and-true method that’ll break your heart… I mean, break in your spine without damaging the journal:
- Start by taking 10 pages from the back of the notebook and press them down firmly, while holding the rest of the book vertically.
- Next, take 10 pages from the front and press them down firmly.
- Continue alternating between the back and front, pressing down 10 pages at a time.
- Repeat until you reach the middle of the notebook and have pressed down all the pages.
This method evenly loosens the spine, making the notebook lay nice and flat, without making the spine look worn.
Embellishments, and Arty Spreads
It can be great fun to doll up a page with all kinds of washi tape, fancy calligraphy, stickers, drawings, and other amazing works of art.
You may even choose a particular theme for each month. Maybe January is a ‘planes’ month, with lots of aeroplanes and helicopters flying around your lettering, and maybe October is a ‘desserts’ month, with donuts instead of ‘O’s. These can be great to foster your creativity, since you’ll be changing up your style month to month.
However, embellishments and artsy spreads can be hard to keep up over the course of an entire journal. It’s a good idea to set realistic standards for what you can maintain.
It’s also okay for the level of embellishment across the journal to be inconsistent. Just because your third month is a ‘no-thrills’ entry, doesn’t mean the amazing first months cover art is any less special.
Be careful not to get discouraged when seeing those amazing spreads on Pinterest or Instagram. They can just as easily deter you, as they can inspire you. Remember, it’s all about mindset.
Dot Journalling Artist to Follow for Inspiration
With that in mind, here are some Dot Journallists that I like. Each has something unique to offer, and can give you some inspiration to get started.
Mark Figueiredo
If you’re more interested in the minimalist side of things, Mark Figueiredo focuses on creating minimalist dot journalling spreads. He also reviews notebooks, pens and stationary. Check out his YouTube channel, ‘Mark Your Pages’ for some minimalist inspiration.
Torryn Marie
If you’re looking for an artistic flair, Torryn Marie is an independent artist based in Western Australia who loves creating beautiful dot journal spreads. Her Artistic Bullet Journal series on YT, focuses on creating amazing spreads with a theme for every month.
Those are all the tips, tricks, and recommendations I have for you. But, before you go, I’d like to leave you with some final thoughts.
If you’re just starting as a complete beginner, ask yourself these questions:
- “What do I want out of my dot journal?”
- “What am I expecting to get out of this?”
- “Am I more interested in the creative side of dot journalling, or am I looking for something highly structured and catered towards planning, or both?”
- “How much time do I have, or want, to dedicate to dot journalling?”
The answers to these questions will help shape your journal into something that will add value to your life, and become something special.
Even if you are a beginner, it’s a good idea to not restrict yourself to only one style of dot journalling. Try lots of things! Experiment—see what works and what doesn’t. See which parts you like, and which parts you don’t. Take some inspiration from people off the internet, and mould it into your personal style and preferences. Adjust and change things to see what works for your lifestyle, and don’t be afraid to abandon things that aren’t working.
Find a system that works for you. Make sure you cater your dot journal to your own life, and your own process, and implement that into your dot journal.
Remember that you’re going to make mistakes and that’s okay. Especially if you’re using a dot journal over the course of an entire year or longer. Whether those are misspelled words that you’ll need to strikeout and write again, or a line that isn’t straight. This is okay, and can give your dot journal character. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Every dot journal is unique, blemishes and all. That’s what makes them special.
And finally, remember that dot journaling may not be for you. Sometimes people’s lifestyles just don’t align with a dot journal, and a dated planner may be more suitable to your particular needs. Be introspective and try to find what suits your lifestyle the best.
Thank you so much for reading, and enjoy your dot journalling journey!
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