How to Create a Bullet Journal for Blogging: Part Two

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In my previous post I gave hints and tips about starting a Bullet Journal for bloggers, with advice about materials that can be used.

This post is about setting up pages – or SPREADS as they are known in the Bullet Journal community.

Before I even started, I worked out what I needed to help with my blogging activities each month.

A monthly overview (1 page)
A weekly calendar that would incorporate my To Do lists (4-5 pages)
Blog post ideas and earnings (1 page)
A daily checklist with a list of blogging tasks and stat tracker for the month that would incorporate clients social media trackers too (1 page)

I also wanted to include

An overview of the year – this is called a FUTURE LOG (1 page)
A blog and social media stat tracker overview for the year (1 page)
A yearly earnings tracker (1 page)
Social Media sharing days (1 page)

Tips Before Starting a Spread

  • Do some research first! Watch tutorials and check out instagram images for inspiration.
  • Map everything out first (if you’re like me, I wanted the whole year to fit into one journal). I made a pencil note on each page what sort of content will be featured to make sure I had enough space.
  • Draw and write things out in pencil first, and DOUBLE-CHECK before you go over it in pen.

Future Log

A future log is an overview of the year. It keeps a record of all of the events for the year in one space, making it easy to see at-a-glance anything important that is coming up. I decided to put my future log on one page and created a calendar for each month with a space underneath to write birthdays and events.

This is in basic format – I may add in colour and decoration later on.

Future logs don’t have to be put just on one page though – check out this idea from study.nary

Contents Page and Key

It’s advised that you create a contents page at the front so you can keep an idea of where everything is. Some find it useful, others don’t. I decided to create one as this is my first Bullet Journal, and in my next I will evaluate whether it is necessary or not.

After the contents page, some also choose to write a key to use within their journals. Some are quite complicated in my opinion, so I use a simple system: I colour a square in if I complete it, I keep it blank if I haven’t. As this journal is solely for blogging I don’t need to colour code according to category, but I have seen some use different shapes and colours to represent different aspects of their lives.

Monthly Overview

I find it easier to follow things in a linear fashion – traditional calendar layouts don’t work as well for me – so for my monthly overview I drew lines in pencil, added the dates and then added the days for each date next to it. At the bottom I created a space for notes. It’s simple, it’s basic and it looks like a list, which I love.

However, many choose to do the monthly overview in the form of a calendar-style grid and include notes, events, goals etc around it. Here’s two ideas from giulsjournal and Leah Kim that are simple and well laid out.

Weekly Spreads

I wanted to do one page per week, which would give me enough space to write down daily tasks (my To Do lists) that aren’t part of my daily checklist. I also decided to cut about a centimetre off the edge of the page so it would feel separated from the other pages in that month. The design of the weekly plan is entirely up to you and I have included two examples below to demonstrate how I have changed it up from month to month, altering the writing and layout style.

However, there are lots of different ways of setting you pages out – your week can go over two pages, or the page can be used in a vertical way. Check out these ideas from the extremely talented AmandaRachDoodles

Daily Checklist

This was the most important spread for me – I have been following the same daily checklist for the last two years. I have a list of tasks to complete or schedule, and I use it to track what I have done with my own blog and social media and (as I am a Social Media Manager for Twitter and Pinterest), what I have done for my clients social media accounts that day. I followed exactly the same layout that I have always used and drew a grid, with the intention being to colour in the squares as I have completed each task, and then rub out the pencil lines later. On the same page I have included my monthly stats tracker in an easy format so I can record the growth (hopefully) of my blog and social media accounts, and have included space to record the amount of referrals I receive from each area. At the bottom I have included space to include any clients social media account trackers too. At the minute a large percentage has been left blank because 1/ I don’t know what clients I will have then, and 2/ I wouldn’t want to include their names if I did.

Blog Ideas and Earnings

I am always jotting down notes about potential blog post ideas or something to try, so I have saved a space for this in each month. On the same page, I have also included a space for my earnings. All of the lines have been done in pencil so I can rub them out afterwards and add in further decoration should I wish to.

I have decided to stick to this format – again, I like a linear format, but I have seen this sort of idea done in grid form too. At the front of the Bullet Journal I have also created a yearly overview of earnings, separated out by month.

Title Pages

Some choose to separate each month out with a title page, and as I have little artistic talent I try to keep them as simple as possible. Some add in a calendar view, others choose to leave it blank. These are two examples of the title pages that I have created, inspired by numerous YouTube tutorials that I have watched (I will add in useful links when I find them again):

I really liked this design from wikas-view for her September spreads – I think including a quote and goals with it is a nice touch…

To separate the months out, I have started to add washi tape (yay – and excuse to use washi tape) over the edge of my title pages, almost acting as dividers.

 

This the very basic set up for a Bullet Journal for blogging. There are individual pages that can be added in at later dates, but these ideas allow me to track everything that I need to in my blogging adventures…

Gained some ideas? What would you include in a Bullet Journal?

Check out Part 3: Banners, Headers and Decoration!

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog, and don’t forget to follow my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/suzie81speaks, my Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/suzie81speaks and my Instagram page http://www.instagram.com/suzie81speaks

112 thoughts on “How to Create a Bullet Journal for Blogging: Part Two”

  1. Pingback: How to Create a Bullet Journal for Blogging: Part One | Suzie Speaks

  3. Ooooh, this is looking so pretty, Suzie. I LOVE it. I was thinking about putting all my uni timetables and lectures in as well as my blogging stuff.
    The problem I have is that I REALLY can’t draw to save my life. I have got all the pens, I have ordered the journal (Your fault I am afraid), I have yet to get the washi tape, but I am on my way!
    I am loving the designs that you have drawn on your journal, I thought you were not very artistic?!!! 🙂

  4. I’m so jealous. For someone who says they have little artistic talent, what you have done looks amazing! I like to your clean lines. Empty spaces in journals make me excited. It’s like a blank canvas. I just never have enough thoughts to fill mine lol

  5. Like Ritu and the Eejit said above, I love what you’ve done with your bullet journal, but I am lacking in the time, artistic ability and patience to create one. I’ve started very– and I mean VERY– basic attempts at bullet journaling in the past, and both sort of fell to the way side. Maybe the third time will be the charm if I give it a go again!

  6. You mean you don’t just open up your laptop and start typing and just make it up as you go along like I do? Goodness, no one told me I was supposed to be planning out my blog. Oooops! 🙂

  11. I love this idea but I fear there’s not enough time in my day to create this (although I do have a long flight to Canada coming up…). However any excuse to buy a new pretty notebook (did someone mention a blogger meet up at Paperchase) and I’m in love with that tape!!

    Maybe this is something you could market? There’s obviously a gap and I would definitely pay someone to come up with a blank one for me!

  13. Your journal is beautiful, mine is rather dower in comparison but I really should get started on one purely for social media/ blogging. There’s some great tips here. thanks

  15. I have a loose leaf notebook with calendars and blog ideas along with my posting schedule. Pretty crude version of your lovely bullet journal, Suzie. Now I have to google Washi tape since I’ve never heard of it!

  18. Great idea. I started a bullet journal last September for life in general. Not as intricate as yours but I have to say it has kept me on track. Especially over weekly items – if the boxes are not checked do it. Plus a place to jot down ideas. Should put more structure to it. Thanks for the ideas.

  22. Hmm, I would love to try this. It’s much nicer than my usual scribbling notes on the backs of envelopes. Although I would probably end up spending far more time doodling the designs than getting on with the things to do!

  24. Great information, I had a planner but it fell by the wayside and I’m being a bit more flexible with my posting at the moment as I don’t want to put pressure on myself. This looks like a great system though!

  28. Brilliant thank you soooo much, this is just what i need to get myself more organised and in control!!

  30. Pingback: On Bullet Journals and Blogs. – Ordinary Travels

  32. Pingback: How to Create a Bullet Journal for Blogging: Part Three | Suzie Speaks

  35. I love the BuJo! I started using mine a couple years ago, initially as a very simple health tracker after my ME/CFS diagnosis. Memory loss is an issue, so it helped to keep on top of things.

    It’s since evolved and last year became more arty and more about keeping track of my activity levels as my health improved as well as my blog and social media schedule and stats.

    Yours looks lovely! I need to order my new one, I’m a bit late this year…

  37. Such a lovely spread on each page. I love how you managed to capture all the key activities and styles in one book. I am currently using a blank book for my blogging work and have created sections, but now I am inspired to try bullet journalling 🙂

  38. For someone that can be extremely organised in most of life I am terribly unorganised with my blog. This has inspired me to try harder, but I’m not sure how long it will last!

  40. Wish I had the artistic skills and patience to create something like this. Business idea – could you charge to make these for others? Do people offer this? And perhaps charge more for personalising?

  43. OMG, SHOOT me! I just don’t have time to make such a beautiful bullet journal. I use a modified version that looks nothing like this beautiful spread, but works fine for me.

  45. I have a semi-bujo going. I’ve tried the future log but don’t look at it. I do like my monthly spread thought and my daily. No weekly for me. I’ve started a new one though, to track where my blog traffic is coming from. Guess who inspired me to look at that?

  46. After reading Elena’s Blog on various Bullet Journal layouts I was inspired, and made my way to the store to purchase my own bullet journal. But then I was overwhelmed with what exactly did I want to do with it. LOVE these! So excited to incorporate them into my bloggy planning routine.

  47. Pingback: A Possible Niche- Best Pal | fancypaper

  48. I love this! Your spreads are so great. I’ve been trying to improve my bullet journal stuff too. It’s amazing how much better you get when you work at it! 🙂 My bullet journal is what I mainly use to organize all my blog stuff too!

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