The definitive guide to creating your bullet journal from scratch
by Ana Ferrón on Jun 12, 2025
The definitive guide to creating your bullet journal from scratch
Steps
What is a bullet journal?
If you're one of those who can't find their ideal planner or planner, let us tell you that this is probably the time to start using the Bullet Journal, also known by its abbreviation: BuJo.
Bullet journaling is a unique and personal organizational method. It's characterized primarily by the ability to adapt to the needs of the individual creating it. It offers endless possibilities for creating customized designs. To start your bullet journal, all you need is a blank notebook to start from scratch.
How to start a Bullet Journal?
To the question, "How do I start my bullet journal?" I'll tell you all you need is a pen and a blank notebook. Simple and practical, it's a great way to get started in the world of organization. The world of "bujo art" is very close to the "bujo" community, and you don't need to have all the creativity or materials.
The ideal thing about this system is that you get into the habit and include it in your daily routine, so that it becomes a moment of connection with yourself.
Therefore, it is recommended to start by writing down tasks and documenting your daily life without trying to cover the entire bullet journal world in one sitting.
Our favorites to start with
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What do you need to start a bullet journal?
Well, the easiest way is to start with a dotted notebook and a pen. But if you're one of those who loves all things colorful, go ahead! That's what YOUR bullet journal is for, and you can customize it as much as possible based on your tastes and needs.
We're going to tell you a little about the basics and key points of every bullet journal so you can keep in mind what's expected of these first pages and choose what resonates best with you.
- Index : And here's where the fun begins. On this page, we'll note down the sections of our bullet journal and which page they're located on so we can quickly locate them. This part could be optional if you prefer dividers that clearly and quickly show you where each section is located.
- Legend/Codes : In this section, we rely on the pure and classic theory of bullet journaling. It consists of a series of symbols that help us mark our tasks or notes in a way that makes it easy to identify what they are: task, note, or event.
And within these three sections there is a symbol that indicates which part of the process each one is in, for example:
If we have to do a specific task we will put a square .
As we progress in this task, this square can be modified:
- If you paint it halfway it means it is in progress
- Complete painting will be finished
- If you include an arrow pointing out, it means that we have postponed the task .
- If we have cancelled a task we will make a cross .
Events are the same as tasks but we will differentiate them by drawing a circle or a triangle.
The notes as a line .
Although the reality is that you can adapt and customize your own symbology to make it easier for you to recognize events.
- Future log. This involves dedicating a few pages where you can see at a glance what important tasks or events you have ahead of you during the year.
- Delivery times
- Releases
- Key dates…
The idea of this section is to prioritize and record detailed information and be able to organize, manage, and complete it in a timely manner, without having to spend months thinking about it and getting distracted.
What to write in your bullet journal?
Once you've created and customized your index and symbols, and created your future log, which you can fill out throughout the year as projects or tasks arise, let's talk about bullet journal calendars or bullet journal planners.
These sections are the most common globally for bujo lovers.
You can recreate monthly, weekly, and bullet journal calendars, and the same at the bullet journal level.
For example, there are monthly templates where each day has its own space to write down and have a close-up of the events of the entire month.
Similarly, a weekly planner is created, where we write down the projects and tasks we have for the entire week. It's ideal for managing and dividing tasks within a single week.
Finally, you can create your daily log, or you could also call it a daily record. This consists of writing down everything you have to do during the day. It's also valid to add a list of tasks for the day, or to make the daily log itself a "TO DO LIST."
How to make a creative Bullet Journal?
We must keep in mind that simply creating a bullet journal is already something creative. But if we want to delve deeper and delve into the fascinating world of colors, textures, and let our imaginations run wild, this may be your refuge.
This is where your desire to experiment and try new things comes into play. Choose what materials you want to use in your bullet journal and create inspirational pages that motivate you and decorate the calendars or sections you've decided to include.
Some materials that you will love
What type of notebook do you use for a Bullet Journal?
Below is a checklist for you to consider when choosing your bullet.
BUT, this is just a reference, you can always use what you have or what works best for you.
Dotted interior
"Standard" A5 size
Sheets of at least 120gr weight
Featured Bullet Journal Notebooks
Key trick to start your bullet journal
If you're determined to start your bullet journal, keep in mind that it's a task that requires a fair amount of time, composure, and dedication. Having references and inspiration, but not obsessing over it and letting yourself flow with the process, is crucial to enjoying creating your bujo.
And you, have you already started in the bullet journal world?
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