Beginner's guide

So you're getting into bullet journaling

Bullet journaling is one of the most satisfying hobbies to start — and one of the easiest to overcomplicate. You don't need Instagram-worthy spreads or hand-lettered headers on day one. You need a good notebook, a reliable pen, and the basic system. Here's what that actually looks like.

By Colin B. · Published May 23, 2026 · Last reviewed May 23, 2026

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

The 60-second version

If you only buy 3 things to start:

Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted Hardcover — The Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted: numbered pages, built-in TOC, two ribbon bookmarks — it's the BuJo notebook.
Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighters (10-pack) — Zebra Mildliner muted-tone highlighters — won't bleed through dotted paper, the BuJo color standard since 2016.
Pilot G2 Gel Pens 0.7mm (12-pack) — Pilot G2 gel pens write smoothly on almost every notebook and won't ghost through most paper weights.

Budget total

$30

Typical total

$75

You can start for $30 with a budget notebook and a Pilot G2. The setup most people land on — Leuchtturm, Mildliners, and a set of fineliners — runs around $70–80.

At a glance

Our top pick in each category

The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category. Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.

Category	Top pick	Price	Where to buy
Notebooks	Leuchtturm1917Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted Hardcover	$$	See on Amazon →
Pens	PilotPilot G2 Gel Pens 0.7mm (12-pack)	$	See on Amazon →
Highlighters	ZebraZebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighters (10-pack)	$$	See on Amazon →
Accessories	MTMT Masking Tape Washi Set (10 Light Colors)	$$	See on Amazon →

Before you buy anything

A few things worth knowing first

Don't try to copy what you see on Instagram or Pinterest. Those spreads are the result of two years of practice. Start with the three collections Ryder Carroll actually invented: an index, a future log, and a daily log. Master those before you add habit trackers, mood wheels, or weekly spreads.

The notebook matters more than anything else here. A cheap pen on good paper beats the best pen on bad paper. Leuchtturm1917's 80 gsm paper handles almost any pen without bleed-through; bad paper will frustrate you before the system has a chance to click.

Don't buy brush pens in week one. Tombow dual-tip pens are beautiful and genuinely useful — but brush lettering takes real practice to look right. Start with a fineliner for headers, get the system working, then add brush pens when you know you're staying.

The gear

What you actually need

Open dotted bullet journal with a handwritten weekly spread

Photo by That's Her Business on Unsplash

Notebooks

Your notebook is the whole system — get this right and everything else is secondary. The bullet journaling community has converged on A5 (slightly smaller than letter) as the ideal size: portable enough to carry daily, big enough for real spreads. For paper, you want at least 80 gsm to avoid ghosting and bleed-through. And for a true BuJo setup, dot grid beats ruled or blank — the subtle dots give you structure without cluttering the page.

Notebooks — what's the difference?

A few common shapes, each making a different trade.

Dotted

Subtle dot grid. Structure without visual noise. The BuJo default.

Grid visible: Faintly
Best for: Spreads, diagrams, mixed use
Standard?: Yes — most BuJo layouts assume dots

Best for Most beginners and anyone doing spreads with headers and doodles

Tradeoff Slightly harder to write straight long-form text vs. ruled

↓ See our pick

Ruled / Lined

Standard lines. Familiar, great for text-heavy pages.

Grid visible: Yes, prominent
Best for: Long-form writing, lists
Standard?: No — spreads lose the dot reference

Best for Journalers who write more than they plan — daily entries over spreads

Tradeoff Harder to make grids, trackers, and diagrams look clean

Blank / Grid

Full graph paper grid. Precise, but visually busy.

Grid visible: Fully
Best for: Technical drawings, precise tracking
Standard?: No — most prefer dotted

Best for Engineers or anyone who wants ruler-straight precision on every line

Tradeoff Grid lines compete with your handwriting — harder to read at a glance

Best starter

Leuchtturm1917

Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted Hardcover

This is the bullet journaling notebook. Pre-numbered pages and a built-in table of contents make the BuJo indexing system trivial to maintain. Two ribbon bookmarks let you keep your future log and daily log open simultaneously. The hardcover holds its shape in a bag; the 80 gsm paper handles almost any pen. It's not cheap, but it's exactly right.

What we like

Pre-numbered pages + built-in table of contents for easy indexing
Two ribbon bookmarks — keep future log and daily log open at once
80 gsm paper handles most pens without ghosting or bleed-through

What to know

Heavy fountain-pen inks can ghost slightly — lighter inks work fine
Slightly pricier than budget notebooks at the same size

See on Amazon →

Budget pick

Lemome

Lemome A5 Dotted Notebook

Under $20 and a genuinely solid entry point. The 120 gsm paper actually outperforms the Leuchtturm for wet pens — thicker stock means less ghosting. You'll need to number pages by hand and build your own index, but that's ten minutes of work and a good way to internalize the system before upgrading.

What we like

Under $20 — low-stakes way to test the BuJo system before committing
120 gsm paper outperforms Leuchtturm for wet pens and markers

What to know

No pre-numbered pages or built-in TOC — you add them yourself
Elastic pen loop can loosen after several months of daily use

See on Amazon →

Upgrade pick

Leuchtturm1917

Leuchtturm1917 Official Bullet Journal Edition 2

$$$

The BuJo-specific Leuchtturm — designed with the system's creator. Paper upgrades to 120 gsm (handles brush pens the standard version can't), and pre-printed pages cover the bullet key, index, and future log so first-day setup takes five minutes, not an hour. Same familiar format, just built for the job.

What we like

120 gsm paper handles brush pens that ghost through the standard Leuchtturm
Pre-printed bullet key, index, and future log — faster first-day setup
Designed with the original bullet journal creator — the official BuJo notebook

What to know

Pre-printed pages are opinionated — custom systems may not fit the layout
About $10 more than the standard Leuchtturm A5 Dotted

See on Amazon →

Photo by Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare on Unsplash

Pens

Most bullet journal pages are written in a single black pen. That pen matters. You want consistent ink flow, no skipping, and a line width that fits your handwriting — 0.5mm for small writers, 0.7mm for standard. Gel ink dries fast and stays on the page without smearing; ballpoint skips on dotted paper; fountain pens are great if you already have one but a terrible first purchase.

Best starter

Pilot

Pilot G2 Gel Pens 0.7mm (12-pack)

America's best-selling pen, and for good reason. The G2's gel ink writes smoothly on Leuchtturm paper without skipping, the refillable design means the grip lasts forever, and a 12-pack means you won't spend a week hunting for the one that hasn't run dry. Boring answer, correct answer.

What we like

Smooth gel ink — no skipping on dotted paper at normal writing speed
Available everywhere; refillable grip lasts for years
12-pack means you always have a spare when one runs dry

What to know

0.7mm feels wide if you write small — try the 0.5mm version instead
Ink can blob slightly on very glossy or coated paper surfaces

See on Amazon →

Upgrade pick

Muji

Muji Smooth Gel Ink Pen 0.5mm (10-pack)

The bullet journaling community's quiet favorite. The 0.5mm nib produces sharper, cleaner lines than the G2, and the minimal body doesn't add visual noise to your layouts. Very little ghosting on Leuchtturm pages. The one catch: refills require a Muji store or Muji's website — stock up when you buy.

What we like

0.5mm nib makes razor-clean lines in small headers and tight spreads
Minimal ghosting on 80 gsm Leuchtturm paper — nearly invisible reverse

What to know

Refills unavailable on Amazon — stock up at Muji stores directly
Can skip after sitting unused a few days — test on scrap paper first

See on Amazon →

Specialty pick

Staedtler

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner 0.3mm (20-pack)

For headers, section dividers, and simple diagrams, a fineliner beats a ballpoint every time. The 0.3mm tip stays precise even after months of use, the triangular grip fights hand fatigue during long planning sessions, and 20 colors means you have enough variety to color-code sections without going overboard.

What we like

0.3mm tip gives precise header lines and borders without bleeding
Triangular grip reduces hand fatigue on long planning sessions
20-color set provides enough variety to color-code sections at a glance

What to know

Cap must go back on — tip dries noticeably if left uncapped 10+ minutes
Water-based ink bleeds on cheap paper under 80 gsm

See on Amazon →

Photo by Jexo on Unsplash

Highlighters

The right highlighters transform a wall of bullet text into a scannable spread. The wrong ones bleed through and ruin the page. What you want: water-based ink, muted tones (saturated neon colors look like a child's planner), and a fine tip for small accent strokes alongside a broad tip for full-width highlight bars. Zebra Mildliners hit all three; they've been the BuJo community's standard since 2016 for good reason.

Best starter

Zebra

Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighters (10-pack)

The bullet journaling highlighter. Muted, desaturated tones that look tasteful instead of aggressive; two ends — a broad chisel for full lines, a fine bullet tip for small accents; water-based ink that won't bleed through Leuchtturm's 80 gsm paper. Buy the 10-pack first (warm set is most popular) and expand from there.

What we like

Muted tones look tasteful, not neon — the BuJo community standard since 2016
Two-ended: fine tip for accents, broad chisel for full highlight bars
Water-based ink won't bleed through Leuchtturm 80 gsm paper

What to know

Fine tip can fray if dragged across sticky washi tape edges
Colors appear slightly less saturated on cream-toned paper than white

See on Amazon →

Upgrade pick

Tombow

Tombow Dual Brush Pen Set (10-pack)

Once your spreads are running and you want to level up the look, Tombows open the door to brush lettering. The brush tip handles headers and title calligraphy; the fine tip does detail work; and two wet Tombows can be blended directly on the page for gradient effects. Real skill ceiling here — but a high ceiling worth climbing.

What we like

Brush tip unlocks real brush lettering for section headers and titles
Blendable on the page — two wet colors create gradients directly

What to know

Brush tip bleeds through Leuchtturm 80 gsm if strokes are heavy or slow
Brush lettering has a real learning curve — takes dedicated practice

See on Amazon →

Accessories

Three things genuinely improve a bullet journal experience beyond pens and paper: washi tape (repositionable, writable, adds structure to borders and section headers), page flag tabs (sticky tabs that stick out beyond the page edge for instant navigation), and a good eraser for pencil planning before inking. That's the whole list — everything else is clutter.

Best starter

MT Masking Tape Washi Set (10 Light Colors)

MT is the original washi tape brand — cleaner adhesive, crisper edges, and better color consistency than generic sets. A 10-roll set of thin washi strips gives you section dividers, borders, and decorative accents that are fully repositionable and writeable over. Start with the light color set for versatility.

What we like

Repositionable and writable — mark borders and sections without committing
MT's original adhesive peels cleanly without tearing the dotted page

What to know

Individual rolls narrower than spreads on social media typically show
MT brand costs more than generic washi of similar quality

See on Amazon →

Specialty pick

Post-it

Post-it Durable Tabs Index Flags

Even with Leuchtturm's numbered pages, jumping straight to your Future Log or a specific monthly spread takes a moment. These index tabs stick to the page fore-edge and extend just past the paper, so you can thumb to any section in one motion. Use 3–4 tabs max — more than that defeats the purpose.

What we like

Sticks to the fore-edge and extends past the page for one-second navigation
Available in multiple colors — easy to color-code major sections
Repositionable several times before adhesive weakens

What to know

Adhesive weakens after 3–4 repositionings — commit to placement early
Bulk pack is more than you'll use in one notebook — share with a friend

See on Amazon →

Budget pick

Staedtler

Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser

Pencil-first planning is the best way to try out a spread layout before committing in ink. The Mars Plastic erases completely without streaking, smearing, or leaving a ghosted outline behind. Under $3. Everyone needs one; almost nobody buys one until they've already ruined a page.

What we like

Erases completely without streaking — pencil planning before inking is easy
Under $3 and lasts years — cheapest upgrade to your whole setup

What to know

Only useful if you pencil-sketch spreads first — not everyone does
Crumbles slightly with heavy pressure — use light strokes

See on Amazon →

Going deeper

Your first month of bullet journaling

Most beginners either quit in week two — too many blank pages, too much pressure to make it look good — or never start because they're waiting for the perfect system. Here's what actually happens in your first month, week by week, and how to make the habit stick.

Read the guide →

Save your money

What you don't need yet

Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.

A ring-bound or disc-bound planner — The flexibility sounds appealing in theory. In practice, the setup overhead means most people stop using it. A bound notebook builds the daily habit faster.
Stencil kits — Rulers for borders, yes. Stencils for icons and decorative shapes, no — they slow down every entry and get abandoned within a month.
A Hobonichi in year one — Beautiful notebook, dated pages, and thin paper that hates markers. Graduate to it once you know your system is sticky — not before.
Brush pens in week one — Tombow brush pens are genuinely worth owning, but brush lettering is a skill that takes real practice. Buy them after month two, not day one.
A course or workbook — The official BulletJournal.com guide is free and covers everything. Save your money.

First week

Your first seven days

A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.

Read the original Bullet Journal method (15 minutes). · Learn
- BulletJournal.com · Ryder Carroll's official guide — start here, not YouTube
Order a Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted Hardcover so it arrives this week. · Buy
- Jump to our pick: Leuchtturm1917 A5 Dotted Hardcover
Set up three core collections on day one: Index (pages 1–2), Future Log (pages 3–6), and a Daily Log starting today. · Action
Make your first Daily Log entry: write today's date as a header, then list three tasks and one event as bullets. · Action
The next morning, migrate: go through yesterday's list, cross off completed tasks, migrate unfinished ones forward. This is the system. · Action
At the end of the week, buy Mildliner highlighters — only after the system is working in plain black ink first. · Buy
- Jump to our pick: Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighters (10-pack)

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need a dotted notebook, or will ruled or blank work?

Dotted is strongly recommended. The subtle dot grid gives you alignment guides for headers and borders without cluttering the page — most BuJo spread layouts are designed around dot grids. Ruled works if you write heavy long-form text; blank is really only for artists. Start dotted.

What's the difference between a bullet journal and a regular journal?

A regular journal is prose — you write about your day. A bullet journal is a system for tasks, events, and notes using rapid-logging shorthand (bullets = tasks, dashes = notes, circles = events). The BuJo method is about capturing everything fast and migrating what matters. Most people mix some reflective writing in too, but the structure is task-and-event-first.

What if I miss a few days — or a whole week?

Skip it. Do not try to fill in blank days retroactively. Open to today's date, create a new Daily Log, and start fresh. The bullet journal system is explicitly designed for this — migration means you carry forward what still matters and let the rest go. Missing days is normal and not a failure.

Do I need to be artistic to bullet journal?

No. The original BuJo system is entirely text-based — bullets, headers, and page numbers. The artistic spreads you see online are a creative extension, not a requirement. Many experienced bullet journalers keep it completely minimal. Start with function; add decoration only if it genuinely appeals to you.

Is a Leuchtturm worth the price vs. a cheaper notebook?

Yes, for your second notebook. For your very first, a budget dotted notebook (like the Lemome) is a smart way to test whether the system sticks before spending $25 on a Leuchtturm. If you're still journaling after 60 days, upgrade and don't look back.

What size notebook should I use?

A5 (roughly 5.5" × 8.5") is the standard for good reason — big enough for real spreads, small enough to carry daily. A6 is too small for most trackers and layouts. B5 is fine if you write large. Avoid letter/A4 for a daily carry; it's too big and won't fit in most bags.

Going further

Where to next

Related hobbies

Browse by category

Authoritative sources

BulletJournal.com — Ryder Carroll's official site. The original system, FAQs, and the full method explained. Bookmark the FAQ page — it's the most useful single page on the internet for BuJo beginners.
r/bulletjournal — Active subreddit for sharing spreads and asking questions. The pinned beginner guide is worth reading. Avoid the 'which notebook should I buy' threads — they go in circles.
The Bullet Journal Method (book) — Ryder Carroll's full-length book. More philosophy than system — valuable once you have the basics and want to understand the why. Not required reading before you start.
Amanda Rach Lee (YouTube) — The most beginner-friendly BuJo YouTube channel. Practical setup guides, realistic spreads, and an honest take on what the system actually looks like in daily use.
Boho Berry (YouTube/blog) — Kara Benz's channel is where most people first see BuJo done beautifully. More aspirational than instructional — watch for inspiration once you have the basics.
r/Stationery — For when you've caught the pen-and-paper rabbit hole and want to explore further. Ink reviews, paper comparisons, and notebook deep-dives. A gateway drug.

a notebook and a cup of coffee on a desk

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