Bullet Journal Gift Wish List

Beginner Bullet Journal Gift Pack

• Dot Journaling Book by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
• Notebook or journal
• Ruler and stencils
• Writing pens and fineliners
• Highlighters and markers
• Washi Tape
• Pen Case

Dot Journaling Book

I love what Rachel Wilkerson Miller has done with this book called Dot Journaling. She talks about the original Bullet Journal system developed by Ryder Carroll and compares it to how she’s adapted that system to her own life and how the bullet journaling community has expanded on Ryder’s system and created a more artistic style of planner system.  There’s a bit of controversy around this publication and many (who haven’t read the book) claim it’s copyright infringement. Having read the book, I can say with confidence that Rachel actually HONORS the original system, but her book expands on it in a practical and down-to-earth type of way. This book is an excellent resource for the beginner bullet journalist – or even us seasoned bujo nerds too. I love that she shows several real-life examples of how a single type of project page can be created in a number of different ways and still be effective.

Notebook or journal

Most new bullet journalists need a new journal. You could go with a ring binder, discbound system, traveler’s notebook, or a hardbound book. For the beginner, let’s keep it simple and go with a single hardbound journal. I’m using the Tekukor Dot Grid A5 Notebook, but there are lots of journals to choose from. Some of my favorites after doing the Mega A5 Bullet Journal Notebook review include Pentalic, Lemome, Uberworks, and Scribbles That Matter. Oooo… how awesome would a gift pack be if you had a Scribbles That Matter in their favorite color? You could totally color coordinate with the pens and washi tape you chose for them too.

Ruler and Stencils

You need a good ruler if you plan to draw out monthly or weekly spreads in your bullet journal. Some people swear by a clear ruler so you can see through to the dot grid on the page, but I personally prefer my 3-ruler set that includes 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch rulers that are narrower than normal and have a handy metric-to-inches conversion chart on the back. A great starter pack of stencils is this 20-piece bullet journal stencil kit on Amazon. I have this pack and it’s great because of all the different shapes and pictures available. These are made of heavy plastic and work best if you use a bit of washi tape to hold down the edges while you draw your shape.

Writing pens and fineliners

You already know how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica .4mm gel ballpoint pens. You can’t go wrong with getting the full 12-color set or even the 5-pack black set. But there are lots of really great gel ink pens available. I’ve tested the Pilot Juice and Zebra Sarasa and Unibal Signo pens and love them all (full reviews of these coming soon!). I also use my Sharpie Pen in fine tip black a lot and it works great for drawing lines on layouts in my bullet journal (yes, I buy them by the dozen on Amazon because they’re cheaper that way, rather than buying at a local store). They don’t bleed or ghost through pages and the felt tip lasts a long time – unlike some artist felt tips that tend to wear down after a couple months of heavy use. And now that Sharpie has come out with their full line of Sharpie Art Pen in 24 colors, they are a serious contender in the art pen market.

Highlighters and Markers

You know I love my highlighters and that I’m super picky about which ones I use. If you missed the full Review of Pastel Highlighters, head over and check it out. My top picks are still the Pilot Frixon Erasable Pastel Highlighter and the Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighter.  If you want to skip the highlighters and go straight for some markers instead, I recommend you check out the Tombow Twin Tip markers. As the name implies, these have two ends – a bullet tip and a fineliner tip. I have already ordered these and as soon as I get them in my hot little hands, I’ll publish a review for you – but a lot of people swear these are the bee’s knees!

Washi Tape

You don’t NEED washi tape for bullet journaling. But c’mon. It’s so pretty that you just want to own all the washi tape!! So why not get a beginner bullet journalist started on the road to addiction when it comes to all the pretty washi tape options. Start them out small so they don’t go overboard. Just pick a starter pack for now. Maybe start them out with a Set of 12 Washi Tape in a color to coordinate with the journal you’re choosing. I mean, that’s a sane amount, right? You definitely wouldn’t want to go crazy and buy a Set of 50 Glitter Washi Tape. They might explode with washi tape excitement. Be careful! Choose wisely.

Pen Carrying Case

Whew! With all these new pens, rulers, and washi tape, you’ll need to have something to carry it all in. I have a couple different pen cases that I love. This BUBM Pink Cosmetic Bag is the perfect size for a bunch of pens, some washi tape and a small tape roller (I like the Duck Brand Tape Rollers). But it can get pretty bulky if you need to carry it around with you all the time. I also have a pen case like this one – Zippered Pen Case – mine is lime green and it works great when I don’t need many supplies. My go-to pencil case isn’t a pencil case at all. It’s actually designed to hold photographs. This hard plastic 5-inch x 7-inch flat plastic case is exactly the size I need for a couple rolls of washi tape, some pens and markers and a small pair of scissors – plus you can get these cases super cheap at your local craft stores like Michaels or Joann’s.