my bullet journal arsenal: pens, paper and random bits of paraphernalia

As much as I love that bullet journaling requires the bare minimum of materials (a notebook and pen is enough!), I'm someone who likes to have a few more things to make my 'bujo' that bit more neat and reflective of my personality. My bujo arsenal now looks as follows...

Paper

My first bujo was a Papier one, my 2021 one was a Leuchtturm and this year, I've opted for an Ottergami one (blog post in due course!). I like notebooks with paper decent enough for fountain pen and some wetter inks and these all offer me this feature. I also like a decent number of pages in my bujo and again, these all met that requirement. 

Fountain Pens! (Of course...!)

As most of you probably know by now, I like a fine nib and it's no exception when it comes to my bujo. If I'm at home, the pens I would most likely use are:

- Platinum 3776 Century Nice - top of the picture

- Kaweco Student 70s Soul (honestly, such an underrated pen!) - 3rd pen

And if I'm out and about:

- Platinum Procyon - 2nd pen

- Pilot Kakuno - 4th and 5th pens

There are a few others I use for other purposes (I have a journaling fountain pen and a 'One Line a Day' fountain pen too - one can never have too many!) but these are the ones that seem to work best on the notebooks I choose to be my bujo. My Sailor Pro Gear is seeing a fair bit of use in it at present too... Essentially, any fountain pen will do; as long as it is a fountain pen!

Fountain Pen Ink (a natural follow up!)

My brands of choice here are Diamine (affordable, great quality and come in a fantastic range of colours), Sailor and Pilot (not pictured). I have one of the massive bottles of Pilot blue-black ink which I use to top up my work pen; alternating it with a Diamine work appropriate offering. 

Coloured Pens

I feel like one cannot have a bujo arsenal without including Tombow brush pens and Staedtler fineliners. Tombow brush pens have replaced Zebra Mildliners as my highlighters of choice too. Both of these pens mentioned look great in my bujo - not too bright or garish and just the right amount of colour to add a bit of interest to the pages. 

Monotone Pens

Of course Muji have to make an appearance here - their gel pens are a staple and having been using them for the last 16 and a half years, they had to be included. The Unipin finaliser is also great for those doodles and setting up of pages. Highlighting anything written with the Unipin fineliner is great because the ink doesn't smudge. 

A white gel pen - of course. I alternate between this Uniball Signo and a Sakura one. Both have their merits and uses. 

And of course, the Zebra Mildliner. Included here for now while they still have ink in them. Once they're finished, I think Tombow brush pens will end up taking their place. 

Other Random Bits

Kraft paper adds a bit of texture to my pages and I like how white ink looks on it. I've also been experimenting with black paper too which I quite like. It adds a nice contrast to the white pages of my bujo. 

As someone who aims to have a minimalistic bullet journal, I feel that these tools lend themselves nicely to that goal. 

Do you have any essentials in your arsenal that are similar to mine? Or any that you think should be essential for everyone that I've missed out? 

using my bullet journal to record my running progress

In December 2020, I decided to start running regularly. Having been a keen sportswomen prior to that (regular netball, the odd game of squash, basketball, etc), I had a good basic level of fitness but for some reason, could never get into running and actually loathed it a bit!

However, lockdown changed things. Team sports were not allowed, meet ups were not allowed and most recreational grounds/gyms/fitness centres were closed. This meant I had to find my own way of exercise. I started out doing home workouts from Youtube but then decided that going out for a run might be the way forward.

Fast forward to now and I have to confess that I've well and truly caught the bug. I've gone from wanting to run 5k without stopping to now training for a half marathon and beyond. A fitness watch adorns my wrist whenever I am not at work and out for a run and I track every run and its stats. Although I used to take my netball very seriously and competitively, I've started becoming competitive with myself when it comes to my running. 

Every month, I track the days where I've done some exercise. I also wear a Myzone heart rate chest strap monitor which allows me to be competitive with myself each month; aiming to hit the Myzone set goal of 1300 MEPs (points for how long your heart rate stays in each of the various zones) and my own goal of 1500 MEPs. 

Each run is analysed on a basic level: how far I've run continuously, the average pace and how long it took me to complete that distance. Then each month, I add these figures up and also calculate an average. The other things I look at are cadence, training load and whether it was an effective workout - all statistics available on my fitness watch or its associated app. I'll be blogging about my watch in due course - long story short: I would highly recommend one if you like your stats and want to take your fitness to another level. 

My next step now, is to improve my speed and distance I can run. My watch will help with that but I'm also doing a lot of reading around running, diet, rest, strength training, etc. In short, I've become a bit obsessed and my friends and family are probably sick and tired of me talking about all the running I do! 

Are you a runner? If so, any tips or tricks you're able to share? I'm not fast at all but am very willing to train hard to speed up! 

what's in my bag #25: my work backpack by sweaty betty

The majority of my work days, I carry this Sweaty Betty quilted backpack. It's pretty functional and quite well built and considering that it's on the pricier end for a backpack, I would hope so! I also really like the two pockets at the side. On rainy days, one side is useful for an umbrella and the other side usually has a folded up tote bag. 

Contents (top left, clockwise): work ID and pass, a pair of socks (as I wear theatre clogs at work with scrubs on the days where I'm in theatre), pencil case (usually a fountain pen, a gel pen and a biro are its core contents), a one litre flask, my work notebook (a surgical mask enclosed within it of course), chocolate covered rice cakes, a rollerball of peppermint and lavender essential oils gifted to me by one of my seniors a few months;' ago and a tote bag. 

I feel like I've managed to really decrease how much I carry around in my bag which my back will be grateful for in years to come. 

My work bag often has my lunchbox in as well - I like to meal prep as the lunch options are not great at the hospital I work at. There's usually a fair few more snacks in my bag including a piece of fruit. If I'm on-call (which are usually 12.5 hour shifts), they are often hectic and I find myself craving something sweet or salty and definitely not good for me. As a result, I try and carry a healthy sweet and a healthy salty snack. 

Unfortunately, we don't get allocated a locker at work otherwise my socks and snacks could be stored at work.

bullet journal collections of mine

Collections are a core part of most bullet journals I've seen online and mine is no exception. Today, I'm going to talk through a few of mine, how they are used and why they are useful to me.  

Mood Tracker

Pretty self-explanatory! We've had a tough two years or so and a mood tracker has been good for me to reflect on what can affect my mood positively and negatively. This is so I can keep doing the stuff that makes me happy and minimise the stuff that makes me unhappy. It's also good to see if my bad and good days all come at the same time or if they are just here and there. 

As I've got older, I've figured out what things help my mood (for instance, sport, running, baking!) and what things do not (going to bed super late, not exercising and the early, dark nights in the winter). This helps me figure out an action plan to maximise the happiness-inducing activities to try and give my mood a boost. I find doing this right at the beginning of the week helps the most. 

The Worry Tree and a Master Packing List

The worry tree has been a core part of my bullet journal over the last two years and I'm not transferring it to my 2022 one. My mental health is much improved and as a previously self-confessed worrywart, I'm definitely a lot more laid back than I used to be.

A master packing list is useful as I often head away for a weekend at the last minute. I tend to pack the same things for each trip so this is useful. Later this year, I'll be doing on-calls at the hospital which will require an overnight stay, if not longer, so this list will be useful then too. 

Reading!

My reading has been terrible this last year and I don't know why. I think I've poured all of my effort into running and fitness and my concentration levels when it comes to reading have dropped off a lot. I'm hoping to rectify that in 2022 though...

My 100 goals for each year

Each year, I keep a list of 100 random things I want to do. They can be easy and instant or may take a bit more perseverance or effort. It's to keep me motivated as there's nothing better than checking something off a list! I've written one for 2022 already so hopefully I can achieve at least 60% of it. 

These are the core collections in my bullet journal from 2021 and it will be interesting to see how these evolve in 2022. I've left off my Animal Crossing ones (i.e. fossils, statues, paintings, fish, insects and sea creatures left to find for the museum!) as it's a little too nerdy...! 

What collections do you have that are essential to your bullet journal? 

christmas planning and card writing

As a huge lover of Christmas and festive tidings, every Christmas, I take great pleasure in ensuring a Christmas-appropriate ink is in situ in one of my fountain pens. Last year, it was De Atramentis Santa (which confusingly smells of chocolate) and this year, I've opted for a personal favourite within the collection: J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor. My full review of it from 2018 can be seen here. 

I also make a note of who needs a Christmas card as my worst nightmare is leaving someone out by accident. This allows me to spend one afternoon, sat in my lounge with the heating on and a lit candle, writing out Christmas cards ready to post out. I still can't let go of pen and paper which I know is terrible for the environment. However, growing up giving out Christmas cards every year at school, it's a tradition that I can envisage carrying on for decades in my household. 

Now the next question is, which ink to use for next year? Do I purchase a new one or see the festive qualities in one I already own? Guess we'll find out next year!

Do you do something similar with your inks at Christmas time? 

planning ahead with a bullet journal

The one thing about bullet journals that I struggle with is putting in important dates for the year after. Because I'm not buying a planner every October in preparation for the next calendar year, I knew a set-up within the current year's bullet journal was essential. 

So this is how I plan my year ahead. 

Each six months' get a double page spread of their own. This is to ensure there's plenty of space for important dates and also any other things I wanted to make a note of. 

To-dos for those specific months are noted, as are important dates where renewals may be coming up or appointments made in advance. I also make a note of upcoming blog posts and as you can see, there's a few coming up for next year! 

The other thing I like to do is make a note of things that need to be in a future future planner. For example, my passport renewal will be due in September 2031 - I'm still yet to work out whether this belongs on the first page of my bullet journal or in this future plan spread. Likewise with my mortgage! 

I'm still working through how this works for me and there's definitely room for improvement. However, this seems to work at present; allowing me to keep my planner neat and tidy whilst ensuring I still feel organised inside my head. 

Do you do your future planning another way? I'm always on the hunt for a better and more logical way! 

midori A5 cover to cover notebook

Midori are a brand synonymous with quality stationery products. I was looking for a notebook with about 300 pages which can lay flat and be bashed around day-to-day. This one fit the bill. One of my friends used the thinner one at work earlier this year and I was impressed with how well the paper took fountain pen ink! It was then that I knew this thicker version at 365 pages would need to be added to my notebook collection. The only issue is when it'll get used given my current extensive stash! 

I also bought the plastic cover for it to try and protect it a bit more. At work, things have to be wiped clean easily (hence the plastic cover) and will undoubtedly see a lot of wear and tear.

The design is simplistic - a cream card cover and cream coloured plain paper. I prefer dotted or plain paper in my work notebooks as it allows me to draw diagrams and note my thoughts down in a haphazard manner, ready for me to organise later. As a surgical trainee, diagrams are helpful to revise anatomy and the plain paper allows me to sketch things I've learnt from operations, clinic or in other scenarios. 

The spine has a stitched design which I personally like. It's always good to see the composition of a notebook and this one actually feels quite sturdy despite its minimalistic design. 

Each corner can be torn off if you'd like. The intended use for this notebook is as a day-per-page planner which is why the corners are perforated like this and also why it has 365 pages. 

In terms of how the paper performs with various types of ink... well, below is the evidence and all I'll say is that it seems to take fountain, gel, fineliner and highlighter very well with little to no show through at all. 

Overall, Midori goods are affordable but of a decent quality, look great and extremely functional. I'm excited to crack this notebook out in the next few months' or so (at least, that's the plan!). Let's see how that pans out! Sit tight for an update if that becomes a reality. 

katie leamon lay flat 300 page notebooks

Between August 2019 - August 2020, I managed to use all 300 pages of a Katie Leamon lay flat notebook. You can see my initial post about it here and how it ended up here. Later on in this post, you'll see it even more battered than before. 

Since then, I've added another three to my collection and they all complement each other nicely in design. 

Ultimately, I think they are destined to be work notebooks due to the sheer number of blank pages which lend themselves nicely to drawings, random scribbles and just anything else I fancy jotting down. 

What I particularly like is how battered they can look after a lot of use. I'm someone who likes to see a sign of wear and tear as it shows that the item has been well used. I really like how the paper is ridiculously fountain pen-friendly (always a bonus) and has barely any showthrough at all. 

Honestly, I think these notebooks are underrated. They are a little pricey at £24.95 for the Heirloom ones (the floral ones) and £21.95 for the plain ones but for the sheer number of pages and its immediate ability to lay flat from day one, they are completely worth it to me. It'll take me a while to get through these three before I need to buy anymore though...

keeping my bullet journal minimalistic

Some bullet journals that are shared online are so artistic, I can only envy their owners. Given time is a major constraint for me (along with artistic skills), my bullet journal remains as minimalistic as possible. This post is to show examples of this...! 

Minimalistic doesn't have to mean boring though I do seem to have a style. I've noticed that I need to make the separation of each day obvious so I do this by making the date larger in size compared to the day next to it. 

The other thing I like to do is have solid black boxes so that I can use a white gel pen to make it pop. This can be seen below. I also clearly separated each day with a solid fine line. 

Occasionally, I'll throw in some colour and a little bit of artistic flair (or lack thereof). 

I find craft paper pretty good at adding something extra to my spreads. 

And instead of using a black fine line, I've used a colour line to emphasise a title here instead. 

More examples of my weekly spreads which are as minimalistic as possible. 

Ultimately, I've realised that I like clean lines and minimalism in my bullet journal. That said, I still try and add some minimalistic decor to it with filled in boxes, craft paper, occasional uses of colour (via Tombow brush pens). However, all I've got to offer is a pretty boring looking bullet journal but it functions excellently for me and that's what matters. (Can I get a cry laughing emoji?)

work notebooks: staying analogue when everyone is going digital...

The last two hospitals I've worked at have had electronic systems for documenting and prescribing. As someone who loves pen and paper, this has been particularly tough on the soul! My way to combat this is to use a notebook for work-related things. This can range from audit work to jobs generated from clinics and conditions to read up on/things to revise. 

My two current notebooks of choice are one I received as a gift from my year out of training (it has a leather cover so makes me feel very posh!) and a Leuchtturm 1917. The Leuchtturm is great because of the elastic and means I can put little bits and bobs in the pocket at the back too. 

As my training specialty is changing curriculum shortly, I wanted to note down what this meant for any revision I was planning for the future. This can be seen below... 

Below is an example of something I looked up after encountering it in clinic. I used the glorious Cult Pens x Diamine Robert ink for it which made learning much more fun with its purple colour and green sheen. 

With the hours that I do coupled with the intensity of workload, putting pen to paper gives me a few moments of calm during the day. It also means I'm less likely to forget things. Clogging my phone with little bits and pieces is all well and good but I dread to think what would happen if my device were to break or run out of battery at a crucial moment. 

Work notebooks are interesting to look back at because it's a snapshot of what I was up to at that time. I'll be writing about one from a few years' ago at some point and that notebook looks properly battered and well-used. Flicking through it brought back many memories of that year and allowed me to see the evolution of my handwriting which is something that I would not get if I were to make notes on my phone.