Hi there! Are you looking for a list of bullet journal supplies to get your journaling habit started? Look no further because this blog is all about that!
It was 5 years ago and I can still remember how lost I was when I first started my bullet journaling journey. I bought all this stuff I thought was “essential” for me to get started only to find out later that I barely used any of those I purchased. I wasted money on pens that I didn’t really like and need, and I was stuck with a pricey notebook I bought that I did not end up liking. It was a challenge but I learned from those mistakes.
That’s why I’m here making this blog so that you avoid those same mistakes I had and get you started on the right footing.
There are so many brands on the market and although they seem to have good quality bullet journal supplies, it’s still hard to distinguish which ones are worth buying especially when you are new to all of these.
Let me just first be clear that you do not need all of these. To start bullet journaling, you only really need a pen and a notebook. So it’s not really recommended you go buying all these stationeries at once (like I did).
Each one in the bullet journaling community has its own styles and favorite bullet journal supplies. So all of the things I will mention in this blog are the supplies I like and enjoy using. Let’s get started!
(Some links are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)
Table of Contents
Choosing The Right Bullet Journal
Essential Bullet Journal Supplies For Beginners
Advanced Bullet Journal Supplies
Choosing The Right Bullet Journal
Finding the perfect bullet journal for you is the hardest and most important part. There are many dotted journals available in the market and choosing the right one for you can be a little bit confusing and overwhelming. Here are some factors you’ll need to consider:
Good Paper Quality
The pages of your journal can’t be too thin. You need to look for a notebook with thick and smooth sheets so that your pens, markers, and highlighters won’t bleed through the next page making them unusable.
Paper Color
Every journal notebook has a different shade of paper. Some are more stark white and some are more yellowish. What you choose will depend on your preference, I prefer the white ones.
The Dot Grids
A bullet journal does not necessarily mean you have to get a dotted notebook. You can always choose lined, gridded, or blank notebooks. However, a dotted notebook is neater and more useful in my opinion. The dots are faint enough to not be a distraction and they act as guidelines are you write and draw.
The Cover
The cover of your journal should be sturdy and durable yet at the same time, attractive. There are hard and soft covers and there are so many designs and colors to choose from.
The Back Pocket
I like journals with a back pocket. It’s handy for storing loose papers, stickers, receipts, photos, and more.
Bookmark
Some journals come with a ribbon for bookmarking which can be helpful to help you save time flipping through the page you’re looking for. Some high-quality journals even come with two or more ribbons which is much better!
The Notebook Size
The most commonly used notebook size for bullet journaling is A5, although you can always use something bigger like a B5 or an A4 if that’s your preference.
Essential Bullet Journal Supplies For Beginners
Here are the most essential tools you need to start your bullet journaling habit. If this list overwhelms you, you can always slow down and take it at your own pace. As I’ve said, you don’t need every single thing to start, a notebook and a pen will suffice.
Bullet Journal Notebook
Getting a good journal is your first task. Based on experience, I recommend getting a regular notebook with nice paper to start with. A bullet journal costs more than a regular notebook and if you are just starting out, you might not be willing to shell out $20 for a journal that you might end up not using. So it’s better to start using a cheaper notebook and once you’ve gotten the hang of bullet journaling, then that’s the time to venture to look for the better notebooks designed for bullet journaling.
If you are ready to look for a good bullet journal, here are some of our recommendations:
- Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal
- Leuchtturm 1917 Dotted A5
- Scribble & Dot Dotted Bullet Journal
- Dingbats Dot Grid Notebook
- Moleskine Soft Cover Dot Grid Notebook
- Minimalism Art Dotted Journal
Pens & Pencils
After choosing your bullet journal notebook, you’ll have to choose the pens and pencils you’re going to use. What you use to write will highly affect how you use your bullet journal.
Some may think that a simple pen would suffice but having a high-quality pen that you actually like writing with can make the biggest difference. Bullet journaling is a hobby that will give you joy and a huge part of it is writing and scribbling down your thoughts and ideas. Hence, opting for a set of pens that are a joy to use is vital.
Here are some pens and pencils we recommend:
Read: The Best Pens for Journaling
Colored Pens
Personally, I don’t use colored pens often but I do have a couple of them in my collection when I want to be fancy and creative with my journaling. However, colored pens are very useful when you’re using your bullet journal in school for note-taking.
Here are some recommendations:
Read: 10 Of The Best Colored Pencils | The Best Gel Pens
Markers & Highlighters
Your bullet journal supplies depend on your journaling style. If you like getting creative and making your bullet journal colorful, you’ll definitely need markers and highlighters.
I love colors and making themes with different color schemes every month, so I have a bunch of markers and highlighters in my arsenal. I use them for headers, titles, borders, and doodles.
Here are some of my favorites:
Read: The Best Markers
Miscellaneous
Aside from different pens and markers, there are other things you might like to have for your bullet journal supplies. Here are some basic ones that are my absolute essentials:
- Ruler
- Washi Tapes
- Stickers
- Scissors
Advanced Bullet Journal Supplies
If you have been keeping a bullet journal for a while and you’re ready to level up your journaling game, these are the bullet journal supplies you might be interested to have.
Maybe you’ve had your bullet journal for a while already and you now know what your preferences are. Maybe right now, you are looking for upgrades. Here are some of our favorites.
Pens, Pencils, and Markers
Here are some wonderful pens, pencils, and markers that you might consider upgrading to.
- Pilot Dr. Grip Pencil
- Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen
- Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens
- Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
- Tombow Dual Brush Pen
- Zebra Mildliner Brush Pens
- Faber Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens
Watercolors
Some bullet journal veterans want to explore other mediums to use in their journals. Incorporating watercolors into your bullet journals is another way to amp up your journaling game. Personally, I loved using watercolors in my spreads because it adds to the texture. Just make sure that your notebook’s paper is thick enough to handle watercolors. A 100gsm thick paper can be enough.
Recommendations:
Read: The Best Watercolor Set for Beginners
Accessories
Here are more accessories for your advanced bullet journal supplies:
- Sticky Notes
- Paper Clips
- Stencils
- Stamps
- Tombow Mono Adhesive
- Stationery Storage Solutions
Final Thoughts
If you are still a beginner in the bullet journaling world, the vast choices you have available in front of you may be overwhelming and confusing. We hope that this article has somehow helped you out in picking the basic bullet journal supplies you need to kickstart your journaling adventure.
We’ll be posting more about bullet journaling in the coming weeks! We hoped you liked this blog post.
For more articles about drawing, painting, coloring, and journaling, please visit our blog!
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