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Any type of notebook can be used to keep a bullet journal. It’s a style or method of tracking tasks and notes, so it’s easily adapted to any notebook. Prefer a lined journal? A cheap, pocket-sized scratch pad? A blank, unlined book? No problem! That being said, I find that the best notebooks for bullet journaling for me are the Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid notebooks and the Archer and Olive dot grid notebooks.
Why I like dot grid notebooks
I prefer working in dot grid notebooks. They provide more structure than a blank page but aren’t as rigid as a lined notebook. I love the way I can write neatly in a straight line using the dots as a guide. However, the dots fade into the background if I make a sketch.
Leuchtturm 1917 bullet journals
For my business tracking activities, I prefer Leuchtturm 1917 journals. They are available at Barnes and Noble, but I usually just order them from Amazon.
These are my messy bullet journals. I usually write in pencil and don’t worry about keeping things tidy. The point is to record my daily tasks and track metrics for my blogs – not win any art contests.
Pro tip: I put the label on the back and not the spine. Mine never actually stay on a shelf, so this way is easier to see what’s what.
Archer and Olive bullet journals
If you prefer to write in ink or use fine liner markers, though, the Leuchtturm notebooks may not work for you. The paper is thin and ink and markers bleed through. This makes it hard to read if you use both sides of a page.
If that’s you, I suggest going with an Archer and Olive notebook. They have beautiful, heavy-weight paper that doesn’t bleed. It’s also bright white, in contrast with Leuchtturm’s ivory pages.
You can use Archer and Olive dot grid journals as a BuJo, but they are so pretty! They come with lovely foil stamps on the cover. I also love the cloth binding. Since my bullet journals stay messy, I use Leuchttum notebooks for my BuJo and use pencil to solve the bleed-through problem. I use Archer and Olive notebooks as mixed media art journals instead.
Want a peek at my messy bullet journal? Yes, I really did post it on the internet. Find it here. This is where I order Leuchtturm notebooks on Amazon.
Read my full review of Archer and Olive notebooks here! You can also use my link for 15% off.
I also love Silk and Sonder planners for keeping track of my personal life. They are easily adapted to the bullet journal method, plus they are gorgeous. Here’s my full review.
