Bullet journaling isn’t just for students or young professionals; it’s a versatile system that can benefit anyone, at any stage of life. Whether you’re a busy professional, a parent, or a student, the Bullet Journal (Bujo for short) offers a mindful way to organize your thoughts, schedules, and tasks while staying connected to your goals and values.
The Bullet Journal method is more than just a way to track your day; it’s a mindfulness practice that works like a productivity system. As its founder, Ryder Carroll explains, Bujo can help you track everything from schedules and reminders to to-do lists, tasks, and brainstorming sessions.
Carroll divides the system into two parts: the System and the Practice. The System helps you focus on what tasks you need to complete, providing tools to capture and organize your thoughts. The Practice helps you focus on why you’re doing what you’re doing, creating rituals that reduce distractions and keep your actions aligned with your values.
With the year coming to an end, bullet journaling is a perfect way to organize your thoughts and plans for the upcoming year, making it easier to stay focused and productive.
The Best Tools for Bullet Journaling
Having the right stationery can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your bullet journal both functional and enjoyable. The right pen, notebook, or accessory doesn’t just make writing smoother; it helps your organizational system run more effectively, letting you focus on tracking tasks, reflecting on your goals, and creating layouts that inspire you.
Whether you’re jotting down daily to-dos, mapping out long-term plans, or adding creative touches to your spreads, the right tools can turn your bullet journaling practice into a seamless, satisfying routine. In this section, we’ll share some of our favorite pens, notebooks, and accessories from Shibuya Stationery that are perfect for every kind of bullet journaler.
1. Graph or Dot-Grid Notebooks: The Foundation of Effective Bullet Journaling
A good notebook is the cornerstone of any bullet journaling system. Graph or dot-grid notebooks provide structure for layouts, trackers, and habit logs while giving you freedom to be creative.
Why they’re a great choice:
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Dots or squares guide layouts without restricting creativity
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Flexible pages for writing, sketching, and planning
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High-quality paper prevents bleed-through and ghosting
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Bindings that open flat for easy writing across spreads
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Convenient sizes like A5 for portability and usability
Recommended Notebooks:
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Tsubame Section Notebook (A5 & B5) – Graph
Fountain pen-friendly ivory paper with 5mm squares, perfect for structured notes. Thread binding and a durable cover make it ideal for everyday use. -
Square Note (140 x 140mm & 170 x 170mm)
Compact notebooks with 5mm graph layout and cream colored paper. Great for precise journaling, note-taking, or even sketching. -
Spring Note A5 – Section Graph
5mm graph layout on high-quality paper. Portable and durable double-ring binding, ideal for sketches, graphs, or organized note-taking. -
Tsubame Fools Cream Section – Graph (A5 & B5)
Larger grid pages with premium ivory paper, perfect for detailed notes, planning, and fountain-pen-friendly writing.
2. A Reliable Pen: Smooth Writing for Seamless Journaling
The right pen can make your bullet journaling experience effortless and enjoyable. We recommend our most reliable and well-loved pens, designed for precision, smooth ink flow, and minimal smudging, so your layouts, trackers, and notes always look clean and professional.
Recommended Pens:
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Uni-ball ZENTO Flow Model Gel Pen
Ultra-smooth gel ink with 0.3mm and 0.5mm tips for crisp lines. Anodized aluminum grip and elegant Hematite barrel for comfortable, stylish writing experience.
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Uni-ball ZENTO Signature Model Gel Pen
Ultra-fine 0.38mm and 0.5mm rollerball tip with fast-drying ink. Solid metal body, magnetic cap, and long elastomer grip for balanced, precise writing.
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OHTO CR01 Ceramic Rollerball Pen
Smooth ceramic tip with non-dry refill for expressive writing. A matte finish with a subtle camouflage design adds personality and craftsmanship.
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SARASA Grand 0.5
Smooth-flowing ink in a matte-coated brass body. Sleek and professional, available in 11 colors for versatile journaling styles.
3. Adding Color: Organize and Personalize Your Journal
Color is more than decoration; it’s a powerful tool for organizing your bullet journal. The Bujo community loves brush pens as an alternative to highlighters, as they allow for creating varied line thickness, adding emphasis, or even incorporating small illustrations. Of course, traditional highlighters remain essential for marking and quick visual cues.
Recommended Brush Pens & Highlighters:
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Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen – Basic 12-Color Set
Flexible brush tip + fine point for bold strokes and detailed lines. Ideal for lettering, illustration, and adding creative flair. Also available in Portrait and Pastel color sets. A favorite choice in the bullet journaling community.
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ZIG Fudebiyori Brush Pen – 12-Color Set
Semi-flexible brush tip with smooth water-based ink. Perfect for lettering, sketching, and dynamic bullet journal designs.
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ZIG Brush High-Lite Quick C+ Highlighters – 5-Color Set (C+5V)
Brush-pen style highlighter for precise marking, underlining, and writing. Flexible tip lets you highlight and annotate seamlessly.
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Zebra Mildliner – 5-Color Set
Dual-sided with chisel and fine tips for versatile highlighting and detailed work. Great for color-coding and structured layouts. A well loved highlighter among bullet journalers.
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Clickbright Highlighter – 6-Color Set
Click-type design with a half-line tip for precise highlighting. Moist Keep Ink prevents drying, making it convenient for on-the-go journaling.
Start Your Bullet Journaling Journey Today
Bullet journaling is more than just a planner; it’s a mindful way to organize your thoughts, track your goals, and bring clarity to your everyday life. No matter your age or lifestyle, anyone can benefit from the focus, creativity, and reflection that a Bullet Journal provides.
To make the most of this practice, having the right tools is essential. A quality notebook, reliable pens, and thoughtful color accents can transform your journaling from a simple record-keeping habit into a seamless, enjoyable, and highly effective system. The right stationery not only enhances the writing experience but also inspires creativity, keeps your spreads organized, and helps you stay consistent.
With 2025 coming to an end, there’s no better time to adopt a new organizational system for the new year. Give bullet journaling a try, you may just discover the method that finally works for you.
