This post contains affiliate links which help to maintain this blog.
A notebook is a notebook, isn’t it? They’re all the same. They contain paper and you can write in them. Well, it turns out that even in the world of notebooks, there’s a hierarchy! I was looking at the Instagram feeds of the members of the #planwithmechallenge and seeing all the positive praise for Leuchtturm 1917 journals whilst in bed suffering from a stomach bug that I ‘accidently’ bought a beautiful emerald dot grid version online (US,UK). Ooops! Sometimes you just have to treat yourself.
I’d been thinking for a long time, pretty much from the end of my first month using the bullet journal format, what I would want in terms of layouts in my new journal. I’d already moved some collections into my ‘permanent collections bujo‘ so I made a list in the back of my old bujo of the pages I needed and used some trusty Post-it note flags so that I could shift around the order before I committed anything to paper.
Some users of bullet journals have spoken of their nervousness when making the first mark in their Leuchtturm and I’d thought ‘how silly’, but it turns out that they were right!
The beauty of the Leuchtturm is that it has pre-numbered pages and a pre-printed index at the front. This saved me an evening of numbering pages!
The legend hasn’t changed much from my previous journal, but I’ve added a couple of letter codes that I was using but didn’t have listed in the previous incarnation. I’m no longer using washi tabs to show pages for my blog, new months or collections. I’ve decided to use colour to denote collections (bright blue) and the months are going to have headers in the same colour that I used to create the monthly overview at the beginning of the journal.
I’ve drawn out monthly overviews from March through to August at the end of this academic year. On the left hand side I list the tasks that I know about in advance and at the bottom of the columns are the habits that I want to track during the coming month. I’m hoping that this journal, as it has more pages than my Daycraft which lasted for 4 months, will last me through to the end of the summer term in July. If I need to add a future planner for the Autumn term I will add this to the back of the journal rather than in the middle of the dailies so that it is easier to find. You can see how I’ve transferred the use of green pen to denote all of the pages for March here.
I based my goals on the headings used by Boho Berry and @breeeberry in their Level 10 life spreads. I’ve altered a couple to fit my lifestyle and have chosen not to use the colour scale to show progress as I prefer to have a box to colour when I complete a goal.
This spread is to track my progress in a challenge that Ruby Wren shared on her blog. She is aiming to run a mile for every day of the year. I thought this was a pretty good challenge so I’m joining in. Not had the greatest of starts, but I always run more in the summer!
Do you use a Leuchtturm 1917 as your bullet journal? Are they the best or can you recommend another contender for the crown?
Keeps Me Out Of Mischief! 
I do use a Leuchtturm, but I use an Acid Yellow (my description) with squares. The choice of colour means it’s hard to lose 😉 The squares fit better with my needs, however, the quality of the paper is the best – it’s difficult to find an equal!
LikeLike
I do find that I get a bit of ghosting in the Leuchtturm but I think it’s because I press quite hard when I write. Thanks for visiting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I mostly use pencil – that probably helps too.
LikeLike
I used to as well, but that was just as bad! I was told as a child that I didn’t write with enough pressure, I think I’ve now gone too far the other way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL You have very neat writing, though.
LikeLike
Thanks, again that’s a result of being a scruffy writer at school!
LikeLike
I’m looking at the photo of your monthly overview and getting all sorts of ideas. Even though my forward planning is taken care of in my pocket planner, I can see how I could implement certain things into a notebook should I ever decide to move away from it. Your bullet journal is beautiful and functional
LikeLike
I’m glad you’re inspired! Thanks for stopping by.
LikeLike
I haven’t migrated to a Leuchtturm 1917 yet, but I’m oh so tempted all the time! I am using a random notebook that I had already, but the paper quality isn’t very good, so I can’t use the pens that I want to use because they bleed through… However, there are so many pages left in it, that I cannot justify the purchase of a new notebook quite yet… When this one runs out, I am so buying myself a Leuchtturm. It seems to be the favourite for bujo junkies.
LikeLike
I did exactly the same!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I use a plain ol’ cheap’o composition notebook. I am just learning about bullet journaling, so I started in a half used up one, and will finish it next week…just in time to start April fresh in a new one! I’ve already started setting up the new one (also a lined composition notebook), I just cannot justify spending more than $3 on a notebook, but I’m a bit on the cheap side, lol.
I’ve been journaling and doodling in a composition notebook for a few years now…adding the things I’m learning about bullet journaling to make it function is a win/win for me. I have tried a million planners and never found one that works for me…until bullet journal..or what I guess is better described as altered bujo!
Going to look at some more of your examples…I love your style!
LikeLike
I started in a notebook I had lying around the house. It served me well. The Leuchtturm was a bit of a treat when I was ill just before Christmas, I did feel a little guilty about how much it cost, but I think it’s going to last me a fairly long time, so I need it to last. I really feel like I’ve found a system that works for me, I can’t see myself going back to a normal diary.
Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just started Bullet Journaling a few weeks ago in a composition book. I have ordered and received a Leuchtturm since then and love my Leuchtturm. I noticed that the pens you use make a big difference. I don’t really like using my gel pens in my journal because I tend to smear my writing. It takes too long for the ink from gel pens to dry.
I purchased this set of pens from amazon and I love them. https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Assorted-Colors-Triplus-Fineliner/dp/B00VY9U9W0/ref=lp_2601211011_1_3?srs=2601211011&ie=UTF8&qid=1468715845&sr=8-3
They do not smear as much. I usually couple these pens with some colored pencils that I have.
LikeLiked by 1 person