Bullet journaling is one of the most popular methods of keeping track your daily activities. If you’re tired of feeling cluttered and overwhelmed by your to-do list, then there might not be a better option. However, there’s a whole lot of worry about what types of journals can be used, how they work, and so on.
A bullet journal can have lines. The point of a bullet journal is to have goals, and tasks assigned to bullets. Make a dot on each line and you’ll be able to use a lined page as a bullet journal. The only downside is that it doesn’t look as neat, but that might not be an issue for you.
Throughout this article, you’ll also learn the following info about using lined bullet journals:
- The pros and cons of making your own bullets
- The top lined bullet journals on the market
- How you can get the most out of your lined bullet journal
Should Your Bullet Journal Be Lined?
Bullet journaling is all about organizing your thoughts to make your day easier. You can bullet journal for every day, week, month, or year. Most people use dotted bullet journals so they can start writing right away, but you don’t need bullets to bullet journal properly.
As explained by Perfectly Penned, the person who created the idea behind bullet journaling didn’t specify the need for pre-marked bullet points. As long as you can make them yourself, you’ll be good to go.
That being said, there are advantages and disadvantages worth mentioning. Let’s run through all of them below.
Pros of Lined Bullet Journals
- You can decide where the bullets go, how many there are, and so on. If you’re not controlled by the limits of pre-made bullet points, you’ll be able to decide the order of everything. No more sticking to the same points every day, nor will you have to worry about taking up too much space.
- You’ll be able to decide how much space you need for each bullet point. Along those lines, you’ll enjoy the fact that you won’t be forced to fit all of your ideas in a small space. Most bullet journals are made with more than enough space, but it’s still convenient to be able to decide everything on your own.
- There are far more lined journals than there are bullet journals on the market. If you’re trying to get your hands on a journal as soon as possible, then lined journals are more readily available. Whether you’re searching at a store or online, there’s no doubt that lined journals and notebooks are more common.
Cons of Lined Bullet Journals
- Creating your own bullet points in a lined journal can look sloppy. Although it’s convenient to make your own bullet points, it can look poorly. If you’re not an artist or slightly better than average with a pen, you might find yourself disliking the appearance. In a pinch, it’ll work just fine, though.
- You’ll end up using more space in a lined journal than you would with a bullet journal. While bullet journals are designed to have short notes, lined journals don’t have the same limitations. It’s freeing, but at the same time, it means you’ll use more lines than you would if you had pre-made bullet points.
Getting the Most Out of a Lined Journal
You’ve seen the pros and cons, but if you’re stuck with a lined journal, you can still have an efficiently-designed bullet journal. There are a few recommendations that you should follow, including those that will teach you how to keep it clear and concise.
Without further ado, here’s how you can use a lined journal as a bullet journal:
- Start by deciding how you’ll separate the days. Some people prefer to make seven squares on one page; One for each day of the week. Others use half of a page per day, and so on. If you’re incredibly busy, you might find it useful to follow the seven square rule since it’ll show you what you need to get done quickly.
- Make a bullet point per task, ensuring that the most important tasks are at the top of the list. The goal is to work from top to bottom, checking off the tasks that you complete. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do them in order, but having the must-do tasks at the top will make them a higher priority when you read the list.
- Consider highlighting each line that you complete, or crossing it off with a pen. You’ll need a way to know when you’ve completed a task so you don’t get everything cluttered. Remember that you’re trying to clear your mind and reduce clutter, not add more to it!
As you can see, it’s not too difficult to use lined journals as a bullet journal if you want to. It’ll take a little bit of prep work to get your journal looking like traditional bullet journals, but you’ll be able to achieve the same purpose in no time.
Are you looking for the best lined bullet journals for you? Read on.
Best Lined Bullet Journals
PAIPUR Premium Bullet Journal*
The PAIPUR Premium Bullet Journal is a top choice for those who want a notebook that comes with lined and bulleted pages. One side of the journal is covered with traditional lines, whereas the other side has bullet points.
These journals come in quite a few colors, including light blue, dark blue, orange, and red. They all have a binding that prevents it from opening, allowing you to protect the pages. Each journal measures in at 9.75 inches x 7.5 inches, so they’re perfect for schoolwork and daily journaling.
Hard Cover Notebook Journal by Minimalism Art Store*
The Minimalism Art Store has a plethora of notebooks worth checking out, but the Hard Cover Notebook Journal is one of their best. It comes with three different page styles:
- A set of pages with squares for drawing, note-taking, and bullet journaling.
- Several lined pages for studying and the aforementioned bullet journaling technique.
- Bullet point pages for traditional bullet journaling.
You can choose between small and extra-small notebooks, allowing for the perfect size for your bag. Both sizes come in a wide variety of colors, including pink, black, brown, blue, and many more.
Paperage Lined Journal Notebook*
Last but not least, the Paperage Lined Journal Notebook has 7mm wide rule lines, allowing you plenty of space to write down your tasks. Much like the first notebook, it has a binding that keeps itself closed when you’re not writing in it.
All 160 pages lay flat, so there’s no need to worry about them popping up or folding while you’re writing. Furthermore, there’s a sleeve and a built-in bookmark to keep them organized throughout the day. Enjoy these notebooks in yellow, green, burgundy, navy, and a handful of other colors.
Conclusion
Bullet journals don’t have to have bullet points, lines, or anything else for them to work properly. As long as you’re able to keep your thoughts and ideas organized, you can use any notebook in the world for bullet journaling.
Here’s a quick recap of the post:
- You can make bullet points in a lined notebook for bullet journaling.
- There are plenty of high-quality notebooks with lines for a budget-friendly price.
- Separate each line as its own task, and block off each day for an organized layout.
- Do your best to keep your lined journal from looking sloppy with to many bullet points.
