Question for the Bullet Journal users ...

[PinkTulip]

How do you keep track of your calendar? I love the idea of the bullet journal, but where do I write down the swim meet schedule in July? I refuse to keep things on my phone or electronically since the last time I updated my iphone, it wiped out my entire calendar. Also, the entire month on a two-page spread isn't enough room for each day to write the details of the high school registration in August or whatever else I need to write in.

 

I am picky about my planners and have ended up making my own for the past two years, but I love the idea of flipping the page and taking notes at a meeting or writing out my yard project goals. The one thing that is holding me back is the calendar aspect. I need more room than a 3x3" square for each day. My current planner has a two-page spread for each week, and that works well when I'm planning in advance, but it would be nice to have more room when I get to that week to write longer to-do lists or whatever. Does this make any sense? Thanks for helping a girl out!

[PrairieSong]

I made my own calendar in the beginning of my bullet journal. Mine is one month per page, but the beauty of the bullet journal is that it is flexible. Make your own calendar with big daily squares if you like. I write upcoming events like birthdays and doctor and dentist appointments on my calendar and save my to-do lists for my daily bullet journal entries. My daily entries are completely separate from my calendar. Sometimes for upcoming events, I will write on a sticky note and then enter that info on the appropriate day when it arrives.

[vonfirmath]

How do you keep track of your calendar? I love the idea of the bullet journal, but where do I write down the swim meet schedule in July? I refuse to keep things on my phone or electronically since the last time I updated my iphone, it wiped out my entire calendar. Also, the entire month on a two-page spread isn't enough room for each day to write the details of the high school registration in August or whatever else I need to write in.

 

I am picky about my planners and have ended up making my own for the past two years, but I love the idea of flipping the page and taking notes at a meeting or writing out my yard project goals. The one thing that is holding me back is the calendar aspect. I need more room than a 3x3" square for each day. My current planner has a two-page spread for each week, and that works well when I'm planning in advance, but it would be nice to have more room when I get to that week to write longer to-do lists or whatever. Does this make any sense? Thanks for helping a girl out!

 

1. I'd have a page for the swim meet schedule and add it to my index.

2. I'd put a page number on the high school registration date and then put all the details on that page.

[Word Nerd]

I use Google Calendar as my primary calendar, which is on multiple devices and is accessible to me online. I tape in a monthly calendar and have a page for writing down future dates in my bullet journal, but it's just for overall planning purposes.

[marbel]

1. I'd have a page for the swim meet schedule and add it to my index.

2. I'd put a page number on the high school registration date and then put all the details on that page.

 

This is what I was thinking but I couldn't say it so concisely!

 

My family also uses google calendar so all appointments and activities go there too. 

[Ripley]

At the front of my journal I have a four page spread for future events.  I draw two horizontal lines across each page, separating each page into three parts.  This nets me three months per page. I just add events as they come up, no rhyme or reason (meaning not in chronological order) one entry per line. I like it because it lets me plan at a glance. 

 

So say my July future events spread reads:

3 - court date

17 & 18 - baseball tournament

11 - mom's retirement party

 

At a quick glance I can see whether I'm available for the swim meet. I add the date of it on the line right under the last entry:

3 - court date

17 & 18 - baseball tournament

11 - mom's retirement party

6 - swim meet @ Westlake Natatorium

 

When July rolls around, I re-copy it all in chronological order.  I don't do a two-page monthly spread; I do two-page WEEKLY spreads so I have ample place to write.  Again, two horizontal lines with M-T-W on the left and TH-F-Sat/Sun on the right.

 

 

[Butter]

I have multiple pages for future planning and each are marked with a bit of Washi tape as kind of a bookmark.

 

I have two pages with holidays, birthdates, and other things that happen regularly (for example, my daughter has taught a twice a month creative writing class for kids at the same time the first and third Friday all school year so that is on those pages).

 

I have two pages with the taekwondo weekly schedule and color-coded stars marking when each of us goes (we have at least one person there 6 days a week so it didn't fit on the regularly scheduled pages).

 

I have two pages with 12 blocks, 6 on each page, for an entire year of months.  For things in the future I fill them in with the date/time in the appropriate block.

 

I have pages with months for more in-depth future planning.  I have found I need 2 months out at a time.  As the small month blocks get too full I add a month to that and transfer the information so it's easier to see.

 

On the 28th of each month I made a planning page for the next month.  I do the days list like explained in the Bullet Journal video for that.  I put the monthly to do's at the bottom of the page.  Because of how I use my BuJo I don't need a full page for that.

 

It sounds complicated written out, but it's very simple and works great for me.  I should do a blog post with pictures.  That would explain it better.

[Cascadia]

At the front of my journal I have a four page spread for future events.  I draw two horizontal lines across each page, separating each page into three parts.  This nets me three months per page. I just add events as they come up, no rhyme or reason (meaning not in chronological order) one entry per line. I like it because it lets me plan at a glance. 

 

So say my July future events spread reads:

3 - court date

17 & 18 - baseball tournament

11 - mom's retirement party

 

At a quick glance I can see whether I'm available for the swim meet. I add the date of it on the line right under the last entry:

3 - court date

17 & 18 - baseball tournament

11 - mom's retirement party

6 - swim meet @ Westlake Natatorium

 

When July rolls around, I re-copy it all in chronological order.  I don't do a two-page monthly spread; I do two-page WEEKLY spreads so I have ample place to write.  Again, two horizontal lines with M-T-W on the left and TH-F-Sat/Sun on the right.

 

Ripley, thanks for writing the details of your system.  I'm due to start a new bullet journal notebook soon, and I'm going to try to incorporate your idea into my next notebook.

[Plink]

I write stuff in my Bullet Journal, but I plan long term in my phone's calendar.  So, if I need to remind myself to enter a date in the calendar then I make a bullet item saying "enter swim meet 8/3 1:00 into calendar" in my journal, but if I have my phone handy I just enter it directly.  Then I look at my online calendar weekly and transfer each day's activities to my Bullet Journal  (the act of physically writing each even down helps me to feel on top of what I need to accomplish, even though I recognized that it is redundant.)  

 

I have a better description of how I do it here: http://www.libertyhillhouse.com/2014/12/27/homeschool-bullet-journal/

[Mimm]

I have a year at a glance spread. Any future events, birthdays, etc, get added to it. When I make my monthly calendar, I flip to the year at a glance spread and move everything from that month over to the month's calendar. It works for me because it keeps me looking at my year calendar and anticipating upcoming events and I review the entire month at the start of it.

[PinkTulip]

Thanks everyone - these are helpful. I think I'm going to get through the craziness of May and start a Bullet Journal in June.

[JeanM]

I use Google Calendar as my primary calendar, which is on multiple devices and is accessible to me online. I tape in a monthly calendar and have a page for writing down future dates in my bullet journal, but it's just for overall planning purposes.

 

:iagree:

 

This is what I do too. The google calendar is important because everyone in my family can view it, add events, etc. I love the paper bullet journal for my thoughts and plans, but google calendar keeps everyone informed.

[DragonFaerie]

I keep a regular calendar on Google, and each month, I'll print it off and glue it into my BuJo.  I don't need to plan weekly, so I just do my daily entries after that.  If I needed to do a weekly plan, I'd probably just use the few pages after the monthly and write out the week.  Divide a page into two or three sections and write out the weekly plan.  Then I'd use the pages after that for the details or whatever goes on that week.  Then I'd do another weekly spread when the next week rolls around.