Hey there! Whether you are reading this at the beginning, middle, or end of the year, bullet journaling is always a great way to keep yourself accountable and organized. I have been bullet-journaling since 2018, and in years past, I have never been able to keep up with the trackers and lists. But I walked into this year (more like I was shoved) with a plan. I want to take a moment and share my bullet journal layout and how it works to keep me organized and accountable.

Bullet Journal Page 1: welcome the new year with a clean slate and a cover page.

I decided to create a cover page this year, both to differentiate last year’s mess to this year’s pages, and also to mentally wipe away the disorganization, self-inflicted pressure, and perfectionism. I chose this design from the Pinterest post below because of how clean, simple, and refreshing it looked; it gave me the feeling that I could make this bullet journaling thing work for me.

Bullet Journal Page 2: making reading a priority

(I wish I could upload the photo, but that didn’t work so you can imagine).

2019 was a rough year with a lot of self-added pressures and high expectations, one of which was to read 50 books. I got to about 20 by mid-April before falling apart during school finals. Somehow Summer reading was not a thing, but whatever. This year, instead of setting a high goal (at least for me), I settled for two books per month. With school reading, it should be plenty of reading time. I also pre-chose many of the books with this tracker, helping me to get excited to read because I had to wait to finish my current book before moving on to the next adventure. I found the Pinterest photo below and chose it because it was something I could see myself finishing.

Bullet Journal Page 3: Must-see Movies

(Again, the photo failed).

Of course, I had to have my fun. Enter a movie list. I found this design from the Pinterest photo below, and I loved the vintage yet straightforward design along with how easy it was to scribble a movie or two without having to pull out a specific pen or marker.

Bullet Journal Page 4: money, money, money (income and spending tracker)

Because who doesn’t want to keep track of every expense ever? Haha. The income and spending trackers were the only ones I kept up with last year, so I decided why not bring back an old friend; however, I chose a new design to allow for more space; thus, more entries can be added. Thanks to last year’s entries, I was able to pinpoint exactly where I spend my money (mostly on food with friends and home décor). I was also able to create a spending plan for this year, which consists of a list of rules dictating what I can and can’t spend money on. Because let’s face it, big spending is coming up. I will need a car, college, and let’s not forget life in general, so why spend all that money on ice cream and IKEA décor? I could only find the spending log inspiration.

Bullet Journal Page 5: savings jar

I also created a savings tracker. Despite my lopsided mason jar design, it fits its purpose, plus, looks come second. I set my goal for $1,500 in 10 months, giving me time to make up for a slow month. I made the mistake of setting unrealistic expectations last year, and I would rather set my goal lower and make it than set it higher and be disappointed.

Bullet Journal page 6: January cover

To keep my months organized, I create a cover and create a tab for organization and easy access.

Bullet Journal Page 7: monthly trackers/layout

Some people, if not most people, have the magical ability to use weekly and daily formats. But, since I mainly use a planner for daily and weekly tasks, I settled for quick and easy habit trackers, which takes about 5 minutes every night. These trackers are probably my favorite part of my bullet journal because they are swift and effective. By putting my goals in front of me every day, I get into the habit of keeping them in my mind throughout the day, increasing my chances of completing those said goals and tasks. Every month I will do the same trackers, potentially adding one or two. But I am pretty happy with the number of trackers I keep up with, so I don’t think there will be any drastic changes. I know people also use fitness trackers, which I have used in the past, but seeing as I am armed with a Fitbit this year, I didn’t feel the need to be extra.

Here is my tracker inspiration for January 2020.

Bullet Journal Page 8: other inspiration and a word of warning.

Usually, during the stray 5 or 10 minutes, I have to turn my brain off, I will hop on Pinterest and scroll through the bullet journal inspiration, pinning cute and functional pages. Here is the problem, seeing those perfect photos of flawless trackers and pages can destroy your bullet journaling experience, but there is a way to keep your comparing to a low. I have to remind myself that this is just a bullet journal; these very talented artists have practiced for hours to perfect their craft. Plus, with time and practice, I could become better at the whole art and design thing. I merely do the best I can and have fun with it as I go. That is enough for me, and I hope it is enough for you, too. If you would like to read more about me and my mission, please read my “about me” post.

About Yours Truly

Until we meet again,

-Alycia