My new bullet journal – a grid notebook

I’m on my third bullet journal for the year, my sixth overall.

For this year, I’ve had a lined one, a dot grid one and then I was undecided between another lined one (a pretty purple one) or a grid notebook.

I decided to go with the grid notebook because I wanted to try all the versions of notebook (last year I used lined paper for two of them and then a blank notebook) paper so I could see what worked best…for me.

And the verdict?

I’m loving this grid notebook.

  1. It’s a Fabriano A5 grid notebook – made in Italy. South Africans, I bought it at Exclusives for R23. Yes, you read that correctly. They come in gorgeous, bright colours for such a great price.
  2. They had a spiral bound version about twice the thickness (and double the price – I think R48?), but since this one is travelling in my handbag on a daily basis, I didn’t want the spirals to get messed up, and I definitely want to finish using it by the end of December.
  3. I’m using my Staedtler triplus fineliners and the only Schneider Topliner I own because the paper is a nice firm 80g/sm that can hold these fineliners.
  4. I think a combination of the pen plus the grid makes my handwriting look neater.
  5. Also, I love making little blocks of exactly one grid next to my to-do list items.

There is possibly only one thing that could be better, and that is to have a non-scuffable cover. I’ve wrapped it in plastic to protect it.

What should you consider in a bullet journal?

size – I love an A5 size, but I’ve seen people use smaller and bigger notebooks

thickness – I like to change mine all the time so I love the 80-page notebooks because they last about 3 months. If you want one for the entire year, go bigger

paper – choose your paper depending on the size of your handwriting, and whether you naturally write in a straight line or not. Is that even an issue for you? It is for me? (I have since discovered I’m not a fan of light dot grid notebooks; I may be convinced if there are ones with a darker dot that I can try)

pens – on the more Kraft-type paper (the slightly brown paper), a gel pen works beautifully because it “sinks” into the paper. On a whiter type of paper, like this one, I find the staedter fineliners work beautifully. Of course you can use any pen on any paper (there are no rules!) but I know that I prefer a certain look to my handwriting with a certain pen on a certain paper 🙂

Tell me how you decided on your bullet journal

PS If you’re South African, pick up one next time you’re at Exclusives and let me know which colour you chose 🙂

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Comments

  1. Wow, I can’t beleive that price. You really have knack/gift for finding beautiful new things. I am definitely be on the lookout for this one. I have to have some sort of line as I can’t write straight. I like a thicker paper so that the pen id not visible on the other side and for the same reason prefer Staedlter Triplus Fineliners over the the Stabilo point 88. I chose my bullet journal this year by the beautiful cover and the nice thick white pages.

    • I do have a special gift of finding pretty stationery at good prices!

      I wonder if I’ll ever use one notebook the whole year? I used one at work for more than a year and it was torturous towards the end – I get itchy to use something new.

  2. I use the Staedler pens too…only because I never redline drawings in red, but in colours, so that the person who has to read my comments, do not see a sea of redline, bringing back memories of school. I like a dot grid, but not like the one you showed previously, it has to be much finer, and it needs to be specifically 253 grey. I also like one notebook for a whole year (longer if it did not get too unwieldy).
    I like the fact that you gave everything a good try. Admirable that you have such reserves of tolerance.

    • LOL at my “reserves of tolerance” I feel that my tolerance levels are low, actually, but you’re correct in that I do like to give things a good bash.

      I need to look up that grey shade – I’m sure it’s possibly lighter that my dot grids.

  3. Love the square grid – it’s my fave. Love A5, it’s my absolute fave!!! You are totally winning here!!!

  4. I love hearing about your different notebooks. I’m still in a dot one and love it!

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