For all you type A people who love being organized you are gonna love this. About 6 months ago I stumbled across a bullet journal blog on Pinterest and it was a total game-changer for me. I'm a list person, just like my dad, I like to keep running to-do lists, things to buy lists, books to read lists, music to download lists... pretty much anything in life I turn into a list. I had been trying to use apps on my phone to help me keep track of things, but there is something about putting pen to paper that has always worked so much better for me. Cue the bullet journal being introduced to me and me falling in complete and total love of the system.

So what the heck is a bullet journal?! The bullet journal is 'an analog system' that "is a customizable and forgiving organization system." So what the heck does that mean? It's essentially a user-friendly way of keeping track of EVERYTHING in your life; to do lists, calendars, new projects, etc. It was created by Ryder Carroll and he has a fabulous website where you can learn all about the basics of the bullet journal.

I thought I would start using the system and let me tell you my journal has gone through many changes since then. Pinterest has so much stuff on bullet journals that it is insane. Honestly it's like a cult following, bujo (short for bullet journal) users have this online community that is insanely big and helpful when you are starting out. People have taken Ryder's original system and customized, dolled up and added so much to it, making the bullet journal more than just a way to stay organized but also a creative outlet. Personally I love Boho Berry's bullet journal stuff found on her website here.

I mostly use my bullet journal to plan and stay organized. I keep monthly pages and goals checklists as well as weekly spreads where I keep track of appointments for the day and a daily to-do list. I've changed a lot about my bullet journal since I've started but I have a few big tips for those of you starting out.

Get gridlined paper

This allows you to get so much more creative and do more with your bullet journal. I personally use a moleskin notebook. As you can see from April bujo page the gridlines help a lot if you want to do anything other than write across the page.

Remember the system is supposed to be flexible

Don't like the way something is working for you? Well you can change it the next day! That's the beauty of this system is it is so customizable and flexible it is insane. So much better than buying a planner from the store where you have to stick with exactly how it is printed for an entire year.

Get creative, be open to new ideas, but don't compare

I wasn't kidding when I said the bujo community is like a cult online. There is so many blogs and Instagram accounts dedicated to bullet journals, meaning there is plenty of inspiration online. But beware of bujo envy. As you can see from the picture of my bujo above, I don't have beautiful handwriting, I'm not insanely creative and I don't have tons of time to work on my bullet journal and that is okay. My bullet journal works for me and that is what matters.

Honestly I might be a little obsessed with my bullet journal but it has helped me stay organized better than any planner or app ever could. So for all you organization freaks out there like me, consider giving it a try!