Bullet journals are a popular form of planning and journaling, the community is continuously growing. Bullet journals can be a great form of planning but can also be a creative outlet for many.
Whether you use your bullet journal pages for planning your life, being creative or both, it can be fun to fill your empty bullet journal pages with fun and fulfilling ideas.
What is a bullet journal?
A bullet journal (also known as a bujo) is a method of planning developed by Ryder Carroll using the bullet point system. As you have probably seen on social media, the planning style has developed and many people like to create pretty designs. It is not essential, so do not let that put you off.
Depending on how you use your bullet journal, you may find you have an odd empty page or you’ve allocated pages to be creative but not sure what to do on them, this post will hopefully give you some creative ideas to try. Why not try these creative ideas in your bullet journal:
1. Washi tape swatches
If you don’t know what washing tape is, it is tape that can come in different sizes, colours and designs that you can use for so many things. It is most popularly know within the bullet journal community for decorating notebook pages.
Washi tape is a great bullet journal essential to help add colour, depth and design to any bullet journal spread.
If you have a big collection of wash tape, creating a swatch of all your toes can act as a visual catalogue. It will enable you to find the right colour or design for each of your spreads.
Washi tape can be so helpful for more than just decorating your bullet journal spreads, check out these other ways you can use your washi tape collection.
2. Brush lettering practise
Calligraphy and brush lettering can be a great form of lettering for titles and subheadings in your bullet journal spreads.
I have recently started practising myself brush lettering, I love how elegant it makes planner and journal spreads look. I have some Tombow Dual brush pens that I can try and explore with.
You can use your empty pages to practise your lettering and title design ideas for your next weekly or monthly spreads.
3. Create a gratitude list
Showing growth attitude is so important for your physical and mental health. It allows you to reflect on the positive aspects of your day/your life. This can be a powerful form of self-care. Journaling what you are grateful for that day, week, month or in general. It is also a great spread to look back on as a reminder and make you smile and feel positive on a bad day. Learn how you can create a gratitude journal and get started.
There are so many benefits to practising gratitude regularly and some including:
- Can improve your mood
- Gives you better sleep
- Decreases feelings of anxiety and depression
- Allows you to sleep better
Photo from Freepik
4. Creative memory pages
At the end of each monthly spread you can create a memory page. There are no rules on what you should or shouldn’t have on it. You can include photos, doodles, writing and scrapbooking style supplies to make your memory page.
I like to create pages like this because it is a creative way to capture your favourite moments each month. I use my HP sprocket to print out my favourite photos and stick the photos in my bullet journal. Again, these are lovely spreads to reflect back on especially when you are having a bad day or going through a tough time.
5. Drawings and doodles
One way to get your creative juices flowing is to practise your drawings and doodles. By practising different drawings and doodles you can get better at creating fun bullet journal designs.
You can use a page in your journal or any free space on any spread. If you find yourself behind on keeping up with your bullet journal and you have boxes free, try out different doodles and patterns you could use in the future.
Not only can you practise doodles and drawings but you can try designing boxes, titles and borders that you can you use in different bullet journal themes. Sometimes just adding a title box, border or separate boxes for subheadings can make a spread look so much more creative.
Benefits of being more creative
I am by no means an artist but I do love to doodle little drawings, patterns and borders. It gives me that creative outlet and it is so relaxing. It gives you so many benefits including:
- Relieving stress
- Reducing anxiety and depression
- Improves your self-esteem and self-awareness
- Helps you to relax
- Gives you an outlet for self-expression
- You can become a better problem solver
There are so many other creative ways that you can fill your bullet journal pages apart from the ones I have listed above. If you are looking for more creative ways to fill your empty notebook pages, check out the list below:
- Favourite quotes list
- Compliment jar page
- Birthday time capsule
- An ‘about me’ page
- A goals page
- Affirmations log
- A day in the life with just photos
- Favourite photos you have taken each week/month
- Tv, movie or book reviews/trackers/favourites
What ways do you like to fill your bullet journal pages? Have you tried any of these examples? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Brilliant! Sometimes I use colorful cutouts from magazines to cover some of my blank pages.
That’s another good idea!
I need more wasi tape… haven’t been happy with the selection. May have to order online!!!
Yeah there are plenty of places online that sell it. Happy shopping!
Great ideas! 😊
This is another reminder for me to actually start using a bullet journal.
I keep saying I will but never get around to it.
Love Lozza xo
It is good fun as well as a great way to be organised. You should definitely give it a go xx
I love this! I would love to bullet journal but wasn’t sure how to fill the pages. These ideas are brilliant!!
Thank you! I hope you have fun with your bullet journal if you decide too take it up x
These are some great ways to fill up extra space in your journal! I am always looking for ways to fill in half pages and such.
Thank you for reading and commenting! I’m glad you like some of these ideas!
Absolutely loved this post, what a great way of making use of the back end of a journal, plus I think it’s important because sometimes there isn’t necessarily emotional space to write anything so it’s useful in that sense 🙂
Thank you so much. Can you send me your blog so I can have a read x
I love all of these ideas to populate into a bullet journal. Your calligraphy is so cute. YESSS on starting a gratitude list – this comes in handy when you are feeling a bit down, there are things to look forward to and appreciate :).
Nancy ♥
Thank you so much. I am trying my hardest but still need more practice. Yes definitely. Xx
I’m going to order some tape it’s stunning.
Definitely should
Thanks for these ideas Lauren! I need to fill up my bullet journal for sure – I think I defo need lettering practice and header designs practice!
Great post
-Lena
http://www.lenasnotebook.co.uk
x
That would be good fun, be good to see your lettering practice xx
Ahh, this makes it look so bright and colourful, I love it. There’s some great suggestions here.
Thank you so my h
That’s great! It’s so much fun isn’t it! Thank you for sharing! Xx
I love your doodles! I need to get back into practising my art skills, so would love to give that idea a go … every time I stop by I’m always inspired to try something new with my journal 🙂 xx
Thank you so much! Aww that’s really sweet of you to say! Thank you for reading and commenting! Xx
Such great ideas! I love to doodle and end up doodling around my notes and making it look messy, so a dedicated page would be great. I like the idea of writing down what you’re grateful for too, it helps you to bring some positivity into your everyday life! I like using pages to test out my pens too so I know what shade they are or whether they still work!x
Thank you for reading and commenting. Pen swatches are a great way to use empty pages too. X
Aww tag me in pictures if you do, I would love to see. Thank you for reading Lisa xx
I look forward to seeing any content on your bullet journal if you decides to share it. Thank you for reading and commenting x
Mine isn’t great, but I am still trying to get there. Aww thank you so much! Thank you for reading and commenting! Xx
I love this post! I have started a planbet/journal over the last 3 weeks and I really enjoy it! I’m going to keep these tips in mind.
That’s awesome! I hope you try some! Thank you for reading and commenting
I hate wasting paper; something about it drives me crazy to the point I use scraps for notes! So, I love your ideas on how to not waste those lovely, empty pages and fill them with something original and beautiful. My favorite pastime is doodling!
Thank you for sharing, reading and commenting! I hope you get to use the ideas!
I am sure I will; all good things take time!
Definitely!!
I like the idea of brush lettering along with doodling. Of course, I would like to add washi tape designs too in the bullet journal.
Thank you! I love being creative. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Beautiful! You’re very creative. I enjoy doodling while watching TV or during a training event/lecture. Its meant to help you remember better! I adore washi tape too and always keep a gratitude journal, but I use an app. Great post 👍
Aww thank you! Oh really what app do you use? Xx
Its called Gratitude Journal. Free and super easy to use. It has a red heart logo ❤
Brilliant. Thank you ❤️
Look at all of your pretty pages! I am jealous of your creativity and skill. Especially with your lettering! It’s incredible.
I’d love a doodle page, but I’m crap at doodling haha. Yours looks amazing.
Cora | http://teapartyprincess.co.uk/
You are so kind, thank you! I am rubbish too, but I do it anyway haha x
Nice! I haven’t been consistent lately. I just use it for writing and some doodles. =)
I enjoy all your creative ideas for enhancing our journals!
Thank you!
Ooh you’ve got some great suggestions here! I don’t currently use a bullet journal but I’d love to start one. I think memory spreads are such a lovely idea and I’d love to learn how to do brush lettering! Thank you so much for sharing x
You should give it a go, it is really therapeutic.
These are great creative ideas! I like the idea of including memory pages, and a gratitude list is always nice!
Thank you for reading and commenting. I love having these kind of pages x
I love the idea of bullet journals. I have one, but because of the lack of time, I’ve just never had a chance to use it properly.
Love this! Especially the benefits of doodling and being creative. I also use bullets for gratitude lists it’s such a nice use of space and also journaling things to be grateful for so you can look back on them later. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Love these ideas Lauren! I used to put anything and everything in my bullet journal, but haven’t managed to find the time recently. Might do a washi tape swatch as I’m deciding September’s theme x
That’s awesome!
I love all of these ideas! I don’t have a bullet journal, but I have always wanted to start one! I need to finally get around to it! Thank you for sharing all of this!
https://melissakacar.com
I love making gratitude and memory pages. They’re not very creative though, so maybe it’s time to spruce it up and make them funner! Great post xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
I’ve actually started keeping a bullet journal full of quotes and doodles that I love, some of which aren’t even mine!
I don’t have a bullet journal but I use washi tape for other things. I’ve never thought of making a swatch page but it’s such a good idea for finding the ideal tape. Thanks for sharing!