Washi tape for many in the planner community is a bullet journal essential. It is used to create beautiful, yet productive bullet journal spreads that are going to keep you organised. When it comes to bullet journaling washi tape is the easiest ways to add colour and make designs come alive, perfect if you want to bullet journal when you cannot draw.
What is washi tape?
Washi tape is a tape that is used for decorative and practical purposes. The word ‘washi’ is Japanese and it means a type of thin paper. Washi tape is a versatile material as it is thin paper, but also sticky like tape. There are so many designs and colours to choose from!
I have managed to collect some really beautiful washi tapes, yet I am always happy to purchase more! Yes, I am that stationery addict. I have managed to create great bujo trackers and other bujo layouts using washi tape hacks. If you are new to bullet journaling or washi tapes, all you need to know is that they are relatively inexpensive, but can add something special to your journal. So, what can you do with washi tape I hear you say? I have created a list of 20 ways that you can use washi tape in your bullet journal.
1. Colour Code With Washi Tape
Create a colourful side index for your bullet journal or your planner by decorating the edges of a certain page with washi tape. This can help you to save time.
2. Create A Mood Tracker
Usually mood trackers have doodles and colours to track your feelings, but why not use washi tape instead? Use different swatches for different feelings/moods.
3. Cover Up Mistakes
We have all been there; mistakes can be upsetting for some especially when you have just started a new journal. I have just started Dingbats Notebook and I was so nervous to start in it. You can use washi tape to cover up mistakes in a bujo layout. It adds something that the page design was missing – some colour or a fun design!
4. Use It As Tape
You can use your washi tape to add photographs, notes, crafts and other things into your bullet journal. It can make your bullet journal more personal or unique.
5. Use It For Sticky Notes
Instead of buying sticky notes, you can make your own DIY sticky notes with washi tape and paper.
6. Banners And Headers
If you are not good with lettering, or do not feel inspired to draw your headers or banners, use washi tape and write your headers over the top in your planner or on your bullet journal pages.
7. Create A Washi Tape Journal Swatch
Once you start collecting your favourite washi tapes, it is a good idea to create a washi tape swatch index or layout. You can then update your swatch and move them around to add your favourites. It is super easy as washi tape is removable. When you are designing your theme, it can make it a lot quicker to find a design that will compliment your theme.
8. Decorate Your Planner Or Journal
You can make your layouts look pretty even if you aren’t artistic or cannot draw.
9. Make A Theme For The Month
Have a washi theme for the month with a beautiful journal layout. It helps to set the mood for the month.
10. Make Stickers
Why buy stickers when you can make your own? You can make personalised stickers with your washi tape to help keep your planner or bullet journal organised.
Photo by Shifa Sarguru on Unsplash
11. Create A Divider On One Page
One way to create dividers in a bullet journal page is to doodle them. Another way is to simply use your washi tapes.
12. Use It As A Checklist
Make check boxes so much easier by simply using washi tapes that have simple, yet repetitive designs. That can represent a to-do list for your tasks.
13. Design Your Weekly Layouts
Weekly layouts are one of the must-haves in a bullet journal if you want to have an organised week. Designs may not be necessary in preparing a weekly spread, but it doesn’t hurt to put colour in your bujo.
14. Make Health Trackers
Just like mood trackers, you can use washi tapes in your health trackers too. Let the colour inspire you to reach your health goals.
15. Mark Special Pages
Do you need to highlight a special page? You can layer the corner with a couple of washi tapes and you can find that page easily.
16. Create Paper Clip Flags
Another way to mark the most important or special pages in your bullet journal is to use paper clip flags. Cut your washi tape in a flag format, and then wrap one side of the paper clip with it. It not only helps you to easily locate because you can label them, but it also adds colour and organisation.
17. Create A Vision Board
Making a vision board can help create inspiration and motivation. To pin the pictures, use your washi tape to put them in your planner and journal.
18. Use It As Fillers
Sometimes you don’t know what to write in your bullet journal. Fill in the empty spaces on the bujo layouts with washi tape.
19. Decorate Your Planner Cover
You can use washi tape not only to decorate your bullet journal, but also the cover page. Yes, it may take a lot of tape, but it will make it look so pretty.
20. Add A DIY Envelope
Are you looking for some secret storage in your bujo? Try creating an envelope and adding it to your bullet journal with washi tape. For DIY envelopes, you should use scrapbooking paper to add texture to your pages. These can be great for keeping mementoes.
These are just 20 ways you can use your gorgeous washi tapes in your bullet journal, but there are so many other ways you can use your decorative tapes to create beautiful designs and make your bujo unique to you. There is no right or wrong way to use your washi tape – you do you!
Do you use washi tape in your planner or bullet journal? What for? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Great ideas! I use to have so many that I was using to make borders in my bullet journal, gave them all to my sisters now though! 🙊
Thank you for reading and commenting.
You’ve shared some great ideas lovely! I don’t have a bullet journal myself but it’s something I’m wanting to do and I’ll defiantly be making boarders with these. Thank you so much for sharing Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
I love finding ways to track my health in a healthy and positive way, and I love these bullet journal recommendations x
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While I myself don’t have a bullet journal, I love seeing other bujo spreads and how people get creative with different textures and concepts. Using washi tape seems like an excellent idea. It’s a seriously beneficial item to have in the house too (I use it constantly for all sorts of random things)!
It has so many uses which I shared in a previous post. Thank you for reading and commenting.
What a great list! I usually only use Washi tape either for decorative purposes or to attach something to one of the pages in my Bujo. I’m going to use them for some of these other ways. Great post xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
That’s awesome you have found some other uses for it in your bujo! Thank you for reading and commenting. Xx
I love washi tape. This is a great list, I’ve been using it mostly to decorate or to attach something to the page like an envelope. Great post xo
That’s great! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love using washi tape! This is such a great list of ideas for other ways to use it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
I love the idea of using washi tape to add a little envelope to one’s journal, but I am also a real organizer so using colorful tapes to make headers or section lists appeals to me too. 🙂
They are both great ways to use washi tape. Thank you for sharing.
Despite not actively journaling I have so much washi tape! I even have serial killer tape and Invader Zim tape. Neither of which have ever left the packet!
Serial killer tape, what does that have on it?
Great ideas, I started writing goals on journals. Perfect time for these to help me to decorate it and make it better.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
This is the first I have heard of washi tape. Thanks for teaching me something new in the world of journaling.
Many Blessings
Lisa
I absolutely love washi tape and have a collection of it that I barely use so this gave me some great ideas — thanks!
Oh I love this – I love my washi tape collection to pieces! As a huge perfectionist I love using it to cover up my mistakes, and washi tape paper clips sound like so much fun, I’m definitely going to try them! Thanks for sharing x
Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I love washi tape! I use it for a lot of these things! It’s really fun/pretty to use in my Bible study. The pop of color makes the pages more vibrant!
That’s great you find things that work for you.
Great ideas. Thank you for sharing!
i had never heard of washi tape before. thanks for the informative read. i love how creative you get with your journaling. very inspiring.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love seeing creatives like this on journals but never had them. It’s always cute to see, thanks for the suggestions
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I love using Washi Tape, although I just use it to tape my calendar pages.Great ideas!
It has so many uses! Thank you for reading and commenting!
I have so much washi tape and never enough uses for it, so this post is perfect! I love the idea of using it for a mood tracker or a habit tracker, that would look so cute! Thank you so much for all the suggestions!
You should check out another blog post I have where I shared 25 uses for washi tape, other than in your journal. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I definitely will! Thank you so much for the recommendation!
We have a whole drawer full of washi tapes, somehow we ended up collecting so many through the years it’s crazy! So thanks to you we now know what to do with all of them, so many great ideas here Lauren x
I’ve never heard of Washi tape but this sounds like a great idea! I have recently gotten into bullet journaling so I will definitely try it out. Thank you so much for sharing!
It is really inexpensive and can get so many different designs! Enjoy your bullet journal. Thank you for reading and commenting.
This sounds like such a great idea! Thank you for sharing 🙂
xo Olivia | http://www.oliviaandbeauty.com
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love these ideas so much! Washi tape is one of my favourite stationary items – I like using it for sealing letters too x
Washi tape has so many uses. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I also love using washi tapes and stickers as my journal decorations. It motivates me write in my journal a lot.
That’s great! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Great post! I love my bullet journal and this has given me some fab ideas.
Rachael xx
That’s great! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Washi tape is one of my favorite things to use. These are all great ideas! I haven’t used it for much other than to color code things, lol. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I have so much washi tape, and now I know what I can do with it! I have previously used washi tape to create a cute design on the front of a card. It is so versatile, isn’t it?!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
I shared another blog post with 25 uses of washi tape and it is not just for bullet journaling. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Oeh such a great idea to create borders and mood trackers with them, I’ve never thought of that! I’m not the best at doodling so this might become my new favorite hack!
Thank you for reading and commenting. Using washi tape is a great way to add colour and design if you aren’t good at drawing.
I love to use Washi tape especially to make notes, for decorations and using it flag pages! I’ve never thought of using it to cover mistakes and I’m definitely going to give that a try in the future.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Enjoy experimenting with your washi tapes.
Love this post! I have so much washi tape don’t think I’ll ever need to buy any again😂!
You can never have enough ha ha! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I never know how to properly use it so these are ideas were pretty helpful! Thank you x
Thank you for reading and commenting. X