We are always busy with tons and tons of different things. In the computer era, we normally tend to reach out for help from the digital world to get things organized.
However, despite the various organization apps in smartphones today, the internet limelight has shown on an interesting non-digital, old-school method of organizing – the Bullet Journal.
Many bullet journalists have created many ways of improvised planning. Go ahead and search #bulletjournal and see for yourself.
It may not seem obvious, but bullet journaling is a great way to hone your cognitive and creative skills, while organizing your plans, things to do, and all sorts of tasks. Read on to know more about bullet journaling and the best pens for bullet journals.
Table of Contents
What Is a Bullet Journal? Why Do You Need Specific Pens for Bullet Journaling?
Simply put, a bullet journal can be any blank page notebook that you turn into an amazing productivity tool. You decide what varieties of planning schemes you can create using different types of bullets – hence the name “bullet journal”.
You can create a calendar, a to-do list, a diary, a notepad, and even a habit tracker: all in one place. It might seem tedious but really is very simple to do.
How does it work?
The idea is that you take down quick notes and organize them the way you want by using specific symbols. You write these symbols over the bullets with corresponding tasks or notes.
- “x” means done;
- “<” means scheduled;
- “>” means migrated to another time;
- “-” means short notes or reminders;
- “o” means big events or very important items.
You can always improvise according to your creativity and for different types of recording like daily or monthly tracking of something, or for personal errands or home groceries; the list goes on.
What are the basic parts?
- Index – Just like in books, a bullet journal index lists important topics with their corresponding page numbers. You don’t have to include everything here; just the important stuff you want to get a hold off at first glance. You can put an entry for “Travel” or specific entries like “Singapore 2017.” Each page of a bullet journal should have a page number.
- Future logs – It is basically a year-long calendar of 4 or 5 pages where you write down very important events. It will give you a great glimpse of what to come in the whole year.
- Monthly logs –It is where you write quick to-do lists or reminders for the whole month. Simply note the name of the month and then the list(s) of tasks or notes.
- Daily logs – On the other hand, this part lists reminders, tasks, or simply life events of the day like “First time to eat a zapiekanki.” It should consist of the date and logs.
- Collection pages – These are entries without dates. This can be a list of interesting things you want to do: books to read, TV series to watch, foods to try, and countries to travel to. You simply put a blank square for every item in the list and shade whenever you have completed it. It is so much fun to see how many you have accomplished.
Bullet Journal Pens: If you want to make bullet journaling less messy and a lot more fun, a good quality pen goes a long way. With a nice pen in hand, rapid jotting is a whole lot easier and effortless.
When the pen glides smoothly across the paper, you tend to have that carefree mind and pen momentum. You collect your thoughts far more easily and in a more organized manner.
There are a number of pen types to choose from,
- everyday ball-point pens,
- fine-tip pens,
- brush-tip pens,
- gel pens,
- colorful markers and so on.
Brightly colored pens will surely give your bullet journals a playful boost. Choosing the right bullet journaling pen basically, depends on how it feels in your hands and how it glides on your paper for an easy delightful writing experience.
Best Pens For Bullet Journal – Compare Top Brands in 2022
A great bullet journal is not complete without a reliable pen. To get you started, here’s a list of the best pens for bullet journals.
01. Huhuhero Fineliner Color Pen Set
This pen is perfect for those artsy hands in making a more creative feel to your bullet journal. This fiber-tipped pen produces fine lines for you to draw and write with precision. Enjoy doodling, mapping, and coloring of your bullet journal with its variety of vibrant water-based colors.
You are sure to make your imagination come alive by constantly scribbling out those ideas without worrying on any ink bleeding or smudging. Plus, its easy-grip design puts no pressure in your hands so you can enjoy more hours of fun.
Features at a glance
- 10 vibrant water-based colors, which are perfect for drawing lines and details
- 0.38 mm high-quality fine point for easy lining and coloring even tiny patterns
- Safe acid-free/non-toxic ink without any bleeding/smudging
- Comfortable grip design
- A versatile tool for note-taking, scrapbooking, mind mapping, and other arts and crafts projects
If you want to keep your notes neat and pretty, then Huhuhero Fineliner Color Pen Set fiber-tip colors are perfect for you.
02. RosyLife Fineliner Color Pen Set
If you are a beginner in bullet journaling, this pen set will be great for you. It is very affordable and provides lovely bright colors in 10 shades. It dries quickly so you will end up with smooth and crisp strokes without those bothersome smudging.
The pens are durable and the caps are easy to take out. It is also a perfect gift idea for creative kids with its neat packaging and non-toxic acid-free materials.
Features at a glance
- 10 Bright colors in fine-point tip for smooth strokes
- Quick dry and smudge-proof
- Easy to use and durable
- Safe even for kids (non-toxic, acid-free, water-based materials)
Writing develops the created mind. Getting thoughts organized will be so much easier with the help of these bright-colored pens.
03. MyLifeUNIT Fineliner Color Pen Set
MyLifeUNIT Fineliner has long metal-clad tips so you can create very fine lines of 0.4 mm in width. Its metal-clad tip structure is very durable for use with rulers and templates without bending, making it perfect for doing graphics and other fine arts. It comes in 10 different colors of water-based ink so you can maximize your creative juices. This pen set is suitable both for beginners and for professionals doing architectural designs, comics, and animation.
Features at a glance
- 10 Vibrant colors
- 0.38 mm fine point
- Safe, quick-dry, acid-free ink with minimal bleeding
- Soft transparent vinyl bag packaging
MyLifeUNIT Fineliner offers versatility for beginner or professional styles of drawing. This is a great tool that can help you in color-coding your items and in experimenting on next-level drawings and linings in your bullet journals.
04. Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers
The Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers is a very versatile art tool that excites many novices in bullet journaling. Each pen has a brush tip at one end and a fine tip at the other end. The fine tip works like any other pen, whereas the brush tip offers a much more flexible function.
The brush tip allows you to create both thin and thick lines depending on how hard you press the pens. With the addition of a blender pen, which can soften and blends color together, you have more freedom in doing various types of coloring. These markers work best in papers with a smooth surface. If you are in for hard-core creative designing, then this marker set if perfect for you.
Features at a glance
- 2-in-1 Markers with the brush tip and fine tip for versatile functions
- 9 Vibrant colors and 1 blender pen for color mixing and watercolor effect
- Brush tip made of high-quality nylon fiber to achieve varied brush strokes according to applied pressure
- Fine tip gives precise lines
- Safe materials with self-clean tips: non-toxic, acid-free, odorless water-based ink without any bleeding
With much freedom in experimenting with colors and coloring techniques, the Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers is not your average marker. You are sure to challenge your creative brain in making your bullet journal much more alive.
05. Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens (20 Pack)
The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens have been a favorite for writing and drawing for a long long time. The highlight feature of this set is its dry safe capability. This means that even if you accidentally left the cap off the pen for days, it will still provide the same sharp and solid lines as if you just uncapped them. Very neat, right?
This has a nice set of colors to add a splash of life to your bullet journals. It comes with a handy flat case where you can safely store your pens and a built-in stand so you can easily see and access all colors.
Its triangular ergonomic grip makes you want to use it more often because it doesn’t hurt your hands even if you use it for long hours. This set is great for Moleskine bullet journals and should not be used on thin papers.
Features at a glance
- A thin 0.3-mm tip is rigid and provides consistent line width
- 20 Lovely colors to choose from
- Flat single-row molded case for safe storage
- Built-in stand for easy access
- Safe, acid-free ink
The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens are tried and tested veterans in the arts and crafts circles. Many users have expressed their love for this product and guarantee great output compared with other counterparts.
06. NIUTOP Fineliner Color Pen Set (Pack of 10)
If you need to put some life into your bullet journals but has a tight budget, then NIUTOP Fineliner Color Pen Set is the perfect fit for you. With fine detail coloring in mind, the 0.38 mm tip will surely give you that precise lines for intricate drawings and designs. It comes with 10 bright pigments that are true to their caps. The dry safe feature ensures that these colors will still look vibrant even if you forget to cap the pens in some instances.
Features at a glance
- 10 Vibrant hues
- Slim and easy grip design for comfort
- Versatile pens for bullet journaling, note taking, and book coloring for adults
- Top-quality, dry safe, water-based ink with minimal to no bleeding
- Fiber tips create intense water-based colors
With a lower price compared to other pen sets, you get to enjoy 10 beaming colors to keep your notes playfully organized. It even comes with a very convenient portable packaging for easy storage.
Frequently Asked Questions On Bullet Journaling Pens
Conclusion
Bullet Journaling is the hype today for organizing crazy little stuff to big important matters. You get to enjoy the satisfaction of writing on paper rather than doing repetitive typing on electronic devices, which is distracting because you tend to receive notifications on different apps.
In bullet journaling, you have more focus and less stress. We hope that this guide helped you in choosing the right materials for your bullet journal starter kit. Pump up those creative juices and get on board the BuJo craze.
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