One of my favorite aspects of bullet journaling is the flexibility. For the past few months, I haven’t used any sort of monthly calendar. In a traditional planner, that would have just been wasted space. But, I find myself too confined using only a weekly spread in my current bullet journal, so it’s time for me to give monthly planning another chance.  This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

This particular monthly spread isn’t technically new for me. It’s a revised version of one I used in December 2016. Back then, I found it confusing.  (Why did I use numbers instead of letters?!)  I made a few tweaks this time, though, and I think that will solve the problems I had.

Inspired by my Essential Oil Inventory, I color-coded the recurring tasks instead of lettering them, so it looks less cluttered. (I also may have wanted an excuse to use my Mildliners.)  I added a simplified habit tracker to one column rather than using a separate column for each habit, like I have done in the past. (Thanks Frankenlog for this idea!)

The result is a clean, minimalist monthly spread that I love. Hopefully, it serves its purpose, and I can finally find some “planner peace”.

{This post is not sponsored by any company or Amazon. It does contain affiliate links to Amazon. Purchases made through these links support The Practically Green Mom Blog. Please see my disclosure policy for my information.}

Now that you know the basics of bullet journaling, let’s talk about supplies! As I mentioned before, all you NEED to get started is a notebook and any old pen. But as your journal evolves, you may find that the basics don’t work for you anymore. Here’s how I make my bullet journal more functional for me. Maybe these tips will help you too! This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Many people just use one notebook for everything, mixing their calendars and collections together. When I started off bullet journaling, I did just that. One page would be a weekly spread, and on the next page, a packing list for an upcoming trip. As time went on, I found that to be too cluttered and it was difficult to find things I was looking for. (Though now you understand the importance of an index!)

My current bullet journal is in a travelers notebook with three inserts: one for my calendar, one for collections, and one for notes. I usually carry the notes insert in my purse, then transfer information to either the calendar or collections as necessary. It’s also a great place to do a first draft of new spreads before adding them to the “official” insert.

My pages are color coded using my favorite Paper Mate Flair pens to make important information stand out. The basic layout is in black or gray, and each family member has their own color for appointments/events. I also include my blog posts and related tasks on my weekly pages, so that gets its own color as well.

As time goes on, I could add more inserts to my notebook. I’ve actually been considering separating my yearly collections (books to read, blog calendar, gift ideas) from my long-term collections (home projects, goals, essential oil inventory). That’s what I love the most about using a bullet journal as opposed to a regular yearly planner…the possibilities are endless!

Looking for more info?

• Posts about bullet journals
• My favorite bullet journal supplies (and a few other things)

{This post is not sponsored by any company or Amazon. It does contain affiliate links to Amazon. Purchases made through these links support The Practically Green Mom Blog. Please see my disclosure policy for my information.}

Starting a new bullet journal can be a bit overwhelming. So, if you need some ideas for pages to start with, here’s the basic set-up of my bullet journal. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

If you have the official Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal, most of the pages will already be included, which may be helpful if you’re a bullet journal beginner!

Key

You can have symbols (indicators) for just about anything you want, but I’ve scaled mine down to just a few: appointments, tasks, holidays, and birthdays.

Index

An Index is like a table of contents. I don’t index my weekly calendars, just collection pages that I would like to refer back to later.

Future Log

There are several ways you can log future events in a bullet journal, but my favorite is the Calendex system. You can check out this video by Boho Berry for a more in-depth explanation of how it works.

Calendar Spread

You can do a monthly, weekly, or daily calendar, depending on your needs. Some people use all three! I’ve used different variations of these spreads on my bullet journal journey, and I’m sure it will change again in the future. At this point in my life, I’ve found that a one page weekly spread works best for me. You can see more examples of my various calendar experiments on my Instagram.

Looking for more info?

• Posts about bullet journals
• My favorite bullet journal supplies (and a few other things)

{This post is not sponsored by any company or Amazon. It does contain affiliate links to Amazon. Purchases made through these links support The Practically Green Mom Blog. Please see my disclosure policy for my information.}