Bullet Journaling (Part 2)

Happy Wednesday, everyone! So last week, I wrote a post about what a bullet journal (bujo) is. If you missed out on that post, you can find it here. This week, I am going to share with you how I am using my bullet journal/creative planner to keep my life more organized.

My Introduction to Bullet Journaling
Before I do that though, I want to walk you through my process of choosing how to get started and dive right in. As I said in my last post, I really didn't know much about bullet journals until I happened upon them while searching up creative lettering in Pinterest. As I came across pin, after pin, after pin of fabulous ideas, I really wanted to give it a tiny little try.

Well, I just so happened to come across one of my kids' drawing pads on the kitchen table and I was feeling very fatigued (and quite frankly, also trying to avoid working on the mountains of laundry I had to do). So I slid the drawing pad over and began to sketch. I started out very simply...writing words in fancy fonts with borders around the page and a few doodle elements. I had to keep my Pinterest app open on my phone so that I could search up ideas. Here are my first few doodles:

And here is the sketch that unmasks the truth:

Instead of doing the laundry, I just drew it! Hahaha!

After a few simpler sketches, I decided to try something a tad more challenging and intricate, so this is what I drew:

As you can see, my sketches and ideas became more complex...and that is mostly because I kept coming across more bullet journal tips and ideas.  At this point, I knew I wanted to try out bullet journaling.  I loved the whole idea of it! 

Finding the Right Bullet Journal or Planner
In what little spare time I had, I started searching for the right type of journal that would work best for me. I read other bloggers' reviews and recommendations.  Here are some of the most highly recommended journals:




After reading what experienced bullet journalists liked using, I checked out reviews on Amazon and craft store sites, and finally, I headed to the stores to look at what they had to offer.  At each store, I found different types of journals and planners.  I had to really think it through and consider it an investment (they ain't cheap!).  I began to develop a list of criteria in my head for what I wanted to be able to do in my journal/planner and this is what I had decided it needed to have:

• Visually attractive...if I'm going to be using it all day, every day, I certainly want to enjoy the experience! :)
• Blank pages for creating collections (like lists...bucket lists, book lists, movie lists, etc.), journaling, and sketching.
• A pen/pencil holder.
• A monthly calendar already made and printed out for an at-a-glance look at the month's appointments and events. I am a fan of making life easier for myself and although I simply adore what other people are able to create graphically, I would prefer to not have to recreate the wheel (or calendar) each month.  I think many other busy moms are in the same situation... trying to take extra time out frequently to draw calendars is just something I am not willing to invest the time in. Besides, I think this is one of the things that felt overwhelming to me about creating a bullet journal...it's labor intensive, so I took it off my to-do list and found a pre-printed calendar where all I had to do was fill the dates in.
• A weekly calendar...again, pre-printed.
• A notepad to take notes on whenever I need to...especially for handling all of the tasks involved in caring for Miracle Man...phone calls to doctors, questions to ask any of the professionals involved in his growth, education, and care.
• Pockets for storing receipts, papers, supplies for my journaling
• Rings and a hole puncher...this was particularly important to me because I wanted to be able to create my own bullet journal printables and be able to put them into the journal easily. I also wanted to be able to hole punch any piece of paper that I wanted to keep track of and put that in my binder.  It was important to me to be able to move papers around, as well.
• Large enough to keep tons of notes!!!  I wanted to be able to put all of my to-do lists, shopping lists, schedules, calendars, all in one place.
• Meal planner--I have only used this a couple of times so far, but I do intend to use it more frequently as I get into more of a habit of tracking everything!
• Inserts for putting pictures in.
• Dividers so I didn't have to make my own for all categories

It took a few weeks to finally track down the perfect journal/planner.  And, really, it wasn't perfect as-is. But I am super happy with my choice. I did have to purchase additional supplies in order to customize the planner to my specifications, but I finally feel like it has everything I need. 

Here is the planner I purchased and the hole puncher that goes with it:

So, in the end, I had decided to go with more of a planner type of style, but I still wanted to incorporate the bullet journal ideas like the collections and lists, as well as the creative aspects.




How I Set Up My Journal
I consider my journal to be a hybrid journal because it's not set up exactly like a bullet journal, but it's definitely more than a planner. Many of the features that came with the planner are typical of the ones found in the creative planners you can purchase on the market.  I will show you some of the cool ones below, as well as some of the features I added to my planner to make it better suit my needs. So without further ado, here is how I set it up.

Keep in mind, that I only recently started this process, so I'm really a newbie and have a ways to go before I am utilizing more of the possibilities.

      Inside of Journal

Inside of Front Cover...Has Pockets For Papers

The first thing I see when I open up my planner is this plastic divider. I had it laying around the house from my old DayRunner that I used to use in graduate school. The pre-punched holes didn't quite fit in my new planner, so I had to hole-punch it to get it to work. Then I glued on these sticky notes so that they would be right in my journal, ready to use at a moments notice. I like that they are the first thing I see when I open up my binder because I can highlight my most important to-do tasks and shopping lists and see them immediately each time I open up my bullet journal. I found the sticky notes at Michael's, and I love them! The little flags in varying shades of turquoise I use to highlight specific pages that I need to keep track of in my journal. They are a little bit flimsy for the purpose I am using them for, so I will have to find something else to use in their place. But aren't they just adorable?!

The planner came with the month dividers and spreads, as well as the weekly spreads.  Each of the monthly dividers is made of a clear plastic and decorated with a floral design. As you can see, I added some of my own tabs.  I found these at Wal-Mart, in the office supplies section.  I like that they are colorful and can stick right to the page that I want them to. Here is what they look like up close:

In hindsight, I wish I had taken more time to write on these tabs and make them look prettier.  I think I was just feeling so incredibly overwhelmed at the time about setting up the whole planner that I kind of rushed through it.  Regardless of how lackluster they look, they work and so for now, I will just leave them be.

This customizable page is the first page of each new month.  It came with the planner. I like having a space to plan my goals for the month and writing down a favorite quote.  It helps keep me focused and mindful/intentional throughout the month. 

Here is the monthly spread that comes with the planner.  I love not having to create a monthly spread each month because just filling in the dates, appointments, events, etc., and highlighting important moments with my stamps is time-consuming enough for this busy Momma! Speaking of the stamps, I do plan on creating a Key so that I can be consistent with the meanings of each stamp and color, but I haven't had the time to do that yet. 

I love the blank spaces around the month where I can write some notes about what needs to be done or remembered during the month. Since we are only at the beginning of this month, there isn't that much scheduled yet.  But there will be! By the end of the month, there won't hardly be any space left on these pages!!

Next come the weekly spreads.  Again, I have to add in the dates (which I don't really mind, because I actually like that these weekly spreads are so flexible because they are not dated).  I try to add my appointments in the monthly and weekly spreads immediately.  Sometimes, though, I do have to remember to sit down and sync all of the calendars just to make sure I don't forget anything.  This is where I typically write my most important to-do's for each day.  I love how much space I have to write everything down!

At the end of each month, there is a note page.  It's really not enough room for me to take all of the notes that I need to on a regular basis, so I ended up adding a whole Notes section.  Above, you saw that one of the tabs that I added was this Notes section.  I couldn't find a notepad that was pre-punched for this brand and size planner.  But, in the clearance section of Michaels, I did find a notepad that coordinates with my planner.  I had to rip off each of the pages individually and hole punch them to put them in the binder.  I'm not entirely pleased with the notepad in the end, though, because it isn't just a straight notepad.  Each page is different and some of the pages have round, oval, square, or rectangle shaped spaces that are pre-labeled. They're mostly made for journaling.  I may use some of the pages to journal, but at the moment, I am really focused on note-taking, so they don't really work for me.  However, it does give me a space to write! I will be on the lookout for a replacement that suits my needs better. I'm also creating printable bujo pages that I can fit in my planner and if I don't find a notepad that works, I will just print out the one that I made on my computer (after I buy more ink for my printer, that is!!!).

Do either of these Zentangle drawings look familiar?!  I posted the pic on the left in this post. And the one on the right I posted on Twitter a while back.  Side note:  The butterfly is the adopted symbol of fibromyalgia sufferers (like me). Anyway, I slid them into some sheet protectors I purchased for the planner to use as dividers for different sections.  It's kind of nice to see my artwork daily, instead of having it in the drawing notebook, tucked away somewhere. The package of sheet protectors came with different sheet set-ups so that you can use them to put in photos of different sizes, notecards, business cards, etc.  There were several of each type included.  These sheet protectors weren't made by the same company as my bujo, so they didn't have the proper holes punched in them.  But, they were the right size to fit in my planner, so I just hole punched them! 

The next part of my planner is filled with my own sections.  I have my general notes section, a section for Miracle Man (to keep track of anything I need to for his care), and my Collections section.  I created an Index (similar to the typical bujo Index) for the Collections to help me keep track of them.  Then I added the collections that I made prior to having a bujo.  Gotta love that hole-puncher!!!  I also tore off the remaining blank pages of my sketch book and hole-punched them to add here for more collections.  I LOVE this section!!!!  This is where I do more of my journaling and creating. Below you can see some of the ones I have done so far.

After my personalized tabs, there are a few more tabs that came with the planner. There is a Family Life tab, where I can keep track of my family's activities, a Goals tab, where I can set goals and write up my plans for how to achieve those goals, and a Bucket List tab.  I love that these tabs are already created and set up with the lines and features that are very user-friendly. Here are some pics I took to give you an idea of what these tabs are like:

The last two sections I have in my planner so far are my fitness tracker (which I have to sheepishly admit that I haven't used just yet), and my meal tracker...with shopping list.  These are two tabs I really wanted in my planner, but which didn't come in the planner I purchased.  I could have created my own spreads by hand, but I think you can guess by now how I would feel about that!  I would rather put my creative time into super-fun collections! 

So anyway, I found these two trackers at Joann Fabric's, and like several of the other features I added, they weren't made by the same company as my planner. And as such, they did not have the correct holes. So, yup!  I hole-punched them!  I want to point out here, too, that many of these things that I added to my planner I had to purchase on the same day as when I got my planner so that I could match up the paper sizes. Of course, you could always just bring a set of measurements with you to the store if you didn't do it all in one day...but that would mean another trip to the store.   

     

Notice the blank pages?!?! I've gotta get my butt in gear!!

I have used this a few times, but not regularly yet.  Take a look below at my favorite feature of this section!!

Ohhhhh, yeah!!  That's right!  That is a scored and perforated tear-off-able shopping list!!  Yippeeee!!!  I heart it!! And did you happen to notice the pencil holder loop on the planner?!  Essential, in my opinion!!

Okay, so that's a wrap.  My planner/bujo is complete!  Well...almost!  I have some other ideas that I would like to add to it over time.  For the most part, though, I'm pretty pleased with it.  How'd I do as a newbie? Do any experienced bullet journalists/creative planners have any additional tips for me?

Yours in bujo obsession,

Marathon Momma

P.S.  My next post will be all about how I keep my fun supplies organized!!  It took me a few weeks to come up with the best system, but I've got it now!!   

Bullet Journaling

Bullet journals and planners are all the rage these days.  Just walk into any office supply, big box, or craft store and you are sure to find a journal or planner display somewhere. Of course, most people already know what a planner is, but I wanted to introduce those of you who aren't "in the know" to the bullet journal.  I recently found out about them while searching Pinterest for creative lettering ideas and the more I found out about them, the more excited I became (as you can tell from my Pinterest Board here).

One of my favorite things in the world is organizing things.  Ever since I can remember, I have had a fascination with Rubbermaid.  If I had been smart when I was 20, I would've bought stock in the company!  And planners are my fav, too!  I am a visual person, so I need things laid out for me in black and white.  I am also intensly passionate about stationery and school supplies...(it might have been one of the reasons why I went into teaching LOL).  The creative side of me is exploding lately, too. So the totally awesome thing about bullet journaling is that it combines ALL of these passions at once and soothes my inner Type A personality.

We live in an age where technology dominates our lives.  We have our iphones, tablets, fitbits, laptops, HDTV, smart homes, apps here, remotes there.  We are completely inundated with beeps and dings all around us.  Our lives are fast-paced and to some extent (especially when compared to generations before us), chaotic. With every day that passes, though, we learn about new features and apps on our smartphones to help us stay organized.  And they're great!  I use many of my apps to organize my life.  For instance, I couldn't live without my calendar and my notepad, or my many programmed alarms to give me reminders about places I need to be (don't forget to be home in time to get the kids off the bus), things I need to do (paperwork, paperwork, paperwork), and people I need to call (8 bazillion appointments to schedule this week).

At some point, though, remembering to look at my apps (and/or not just absent-mindedly clicking off the reminders) becomes challenging in the day-to-day hustle and bustle. It's kind of ridiculous, actually, that I have all of these strategies in place to help me remember something, but then I don't even pay attention to the reminder so that I can remember! And don't even get me started on the challenges of scheduling appointments on the phone while my calendar is...on the phone!  It can be tricky and awkward at times to have the doctor's office hold while I pull the phone away from my ear to check my calendar...and god forbid the appointment doesn't work and I have to check again! Aaargh!

So if you're like me and like to be organized, have a visual display of your life, and JUST NEED EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, then a bullet journal may appeal to you, too!

Essentially what it is, in it's most basic form, is a blank journal, where you can record your life using bulleted lists, an index, a key, and calendars.  Hence the name, bullet journal.  Beyond that, the sky's the limit! It is all up to you how much time and effort you wish to put into it.  You can make it creative and beautiful, or plain and simple.  You can write down your plans for the day or week, or you can do that and make honest-to-goodness real bucket lists.  You can use it as a journal where you write your hopes and dreams, log special events in your life, and work on your inner-self. There are so many things you can write about and track in your life...should you choose to.  That's the beauty of it.  It is completely up to you how detailed it is.  And it will all be in ONE LOCATION!

There is a certain way that you set up your journal initially that helps you keep it all organized.  The person who created this idea and system is Ryder Carroll.  You can find out more about him and the bullet journal system here.  But, if you take a few minutes (it's seriously only 4) to watch this video, you will understand the bullet journal a little better.

Isn't that amazing?! I mean, it's so simple, yet incredibly helpful! Or does it seem confusing to you?  That video shows the most basic setup...and it starts to make more sense as you begin to use it.  But basically, you use the Index to keep track of what content you have on each page, which is also a great tool for finding information that you may need again later on, after you're long past that page in your journal.  Plus, having an Index let's you add bullet journal pages about ANYTHING on your next blank page...it doesn't have to be in a specific order because you just index it.

But wait! There's more! (Sorry, just having a '90s flashback of infomercials there). While it is fabulous to have all of the things you need to take care of in one journal, I also really like the Collections.  That's where you can have a lot of fun.  This part of the bullet journal or BuJo, as it is often called, is the creative part!  You can make visually attractive lists of things like books you'd like to read, movies you'd like to watch, family birthdays (so you don't forget), your health goals and the plan you have to achieve them, places you'd like to visit, playgrounds to bring the kids to...the possibilities are endless!

And the creativity doesn't stop there. To begin with, you start by choosing a beautiful journal or planner, and then you add your own creative elements along the way.  You can sketch or draw (even simple icons like hearts and stars for those of you like me who cannot draw), write with fancy lettering, use colored markers, pens and pencils, and/or add stickers, stamps, you name it!  The DIY ideas are plentiful out there on the internet...(shameless plug...don't forget to check out my Pinterest board for some ideas), and the factory-made embellishments can be found in many different brick and mortar stores and web stores. Personally, I am using a little bit of both the DIY and factory-made embellishments. Yikes!  It's all just soooo exciting!!!! Here are a few of the items I use to embellish my bullet journal:

Well, that's it in a nutshell.  I hope you found it as intriguing as I did.  In my next post, I will be discussing more about how I am using the bullet journal system to meet my family's and my needs.  So click the link to follow my blog if you don't want to miss out! And don't forget to leave your comments or questions below...(tell me if you think this system is something you're interested in)!  Thanks for following!

Excitedly yours,
Marathon Momma

Slow Down

This.  This song by Nichole Nordeman, along with it's video, has all.the.feels.  I couldn't stop crying while I was watching it.  It's so difficult when you are in the thick of it, to s l o w down and really absorb the life teeming around you, isn't it? But what a beautiful, albeit melancholy, reminder for all of us parents.

When you first have a child, all of your family, friends, coworkers...they all tell you not to wish it away.  To savor every moment. To love your children's smallness.  Because we all know that children grow up too fast, and before you know it, they're grown and out the door, leaving you in your nest with only the countless photographs, videos, memorabilia to comfort you with such an incredible emptiness.

As the children screech and scream through your life, wanting and needing so much from you, you may often find yourself wanting and needing a break.  From them.  But not really from them...(well, okay, maybe sometimes), but mostly from the ChAoS of raising little ones.  You need your "me time" to process the cacophony, and regroup to better handle their urgent requests of "Mooooooommm!!  I NEED a drink NOW!!", the bickering, the running through the house while they shoot each other with Nerf guns, which inevitably turns into more bickering. You need to withdraw from the noise...just.to.hear.yourself.think.  Or go to the bathroom...ALONE...for crying out loud!

But you don't need a break from loving them.  And that's what speaks to me in this sweet, sweet song.  Because even though it's a crazy time of your life, and you may need to have some space from it all every now and then, you still love and cherish those little kiddles in your life. You wish to be able to cuddle them up and shower them with kisses forever.  But these moments are fleeting, and if you don't stop to smell the poopy diapers (eeewwwww, gross!), the dandelion heads that have been popped off and lovingly handed to you, the squiggly, wiggly worms with them, you could miss out on so much. So perhaps we should put down our brooms, leave the dirty dishes in the sink, pile the laundry on the couch (hopefully it's at least clean), turn off our social media notifications, and stash our iPhones away.

We need to be present and mindful, absorb every possible second, every possible snuggle, every possible smell we have with them...even when we are tired and our feet are aching from mopping the floors twice because it was raining all day, and well, boys...and mud. Because there are no do-overs when it comes to children growing up. Today, they are the youngest they will ever be again. And tomorrow is never promised. So hold on tight through this bumpy ride and give them all the conscious energy you can. Because today...Today is tomorrow's memory.

Chaotically yours,

MM

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