Make Your Bullet Journal More Beautiful with These Three Tips

Use these three graphic design concepts to make your bullet journal the little slice of ✨artwork✨ you've been dreaming of. Ready to level up your bullet journal layouts? Let's do it!
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✨Video Chapters✨
0:00 Intro
2:16 Concept 1: Balance
9:01 Concept 2: Colour
16:28 Concept 3: Repetition
18:59 Summary
✨Music✨
Snouble Trouble by Daniel Fridell, Sven Lyndvall - www.epidemicsound.com/track/4...
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[@amypoole30]

Jashii Corren mentioned you and i wanted to come over and say Hi! I already was a subscriber but, had not took the time to really watch your videos. Now, I am binge watching lol! You have a beautiful approach to decorating bujos. I have been looking to bring my planner bujo decor up a notch and you have fabulous ideas. Great video!

[@ErinSmith]

Aww thank you for watching! 🥰 I’m so excited you’re here!

[@joanevelazquez319]

That March PET tape would look great with a beige or brown paper. Even a peachy color.

[@mbo205]

Thank you for the tips. I might disagree with tip no. 3: some people (not me 😂) get bored with the same decoration over and over again. And most of the time my layouts "evolve" with every layout I put together. It's the creative process I enjoy the most 😉

[@ErinSmith]

All rules are made to be broken 😉

[@nicki3154]

Thanks for the video. :) What I sometimes find difficult is overlapping materials. So that it doesn't feel like it is too much or not enough.

[@ErinSmith]

I struggle with this a bit too! I think if each sticker or paper etc is only touching two other things, it seems to hit the collage sweet spot for me - but that will vary with different people’s taste! And it only applies to small things! Larger pieces can be layered over lots of small ones without it feeling too hectic!

[@art.by.lurinda]

Love your tips and advice on bullet journaling, and especially on the seasons! I'm so happy we have Southern Hemisphere bullet journalers... I live in South Africa and appreciate all Southern hemisphere creators. Sometimes we're just being left out by the rest of the world. Never stop creating your beautiful work, Erin!

[@niccime2278]

When you mentioned the bird would not look so nice on top (instead of the square) I was like: NOOO, of course NOT, it would fly out of the journal *eek* (and yes, I was indeed confused about the autumn theme in April 😂)

[@ErinSmith]

That’s also a legitimate design concept! People or creatures leaving the frame feels uncomfortable, unless you’re telling a deliberate story with them!

[@johannamoyahinojosa]

Thank you so much for the tips, they are fantastic! I'm just starting at journaling and I was kinda thinking that the most important thing in decoring the pages is balance, because if the pages are "too charged" it may bring a sort of "messiness" at the moment of writing or trying to keep an order (that what's the true intention of journaling). Greetings from Chile! Xoxo💖💖💖

[@nelesnotes]

So well structured and explained! 😊👍 Can see your photography influence there, talking about design etc. 😉✨

[@ErinSmith]

😂 my composition nerd is showing haha - thank you so much Nele! 🥰

[@akane-chaan]

I did have some troubles being consistent on my dailies and I could feel my creativity drain and I should have left it and come back to do the rest, but I was like no I need to get this done in time. You can tell I got tired at the end, and I wanna re-do it but also not so I can keep that in mind, the journey is part of the process! Your video helped me realize it even more. Thanks for sharing

[@ErinSmith]

I know that feeling haha - when you’re just ready to stop setting up! I usually do it over two days lately!

[@ericainacio1606]

Great ideas, love the break down!

[@bunnyandbujo]

the concept of visual weight was a very helpful tip!

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad I could help! 🥰

[@Weissklangi]

I love this advice so much! Watched this video in the past weeks, then used a random picker, to choose 3 colors of the month and 3 themes from my sticker collections. This way I will combine new creations and not my typically colors and stickers. It's been working so far, for 3 months.

[@ErinSmith]

That’s amazing Irina! 😍 working through your stash and getting out of your comfort zone - what a great idea!

[@chrysakary287]

Thank you for the tips! The way you explained each concept is very helpful. Great job!

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad you found it helpful! 🥰

[@MomCN]

This is really helpful, Erin! Beautiful layouts! 🤩 Thank you from Chrisanne in Minnesota USA 💖

[@ErinSmith]

You’re very welcome Chrisanne! I hope it helps you! 💕

[@malinf6654]

Thank you. This was really useful and informative. Will try to have it in mind for my September setup.❤

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad you found it helpful Malin! 🥰

[@andrew4635]

Amazing video! Instant sub :) I’m in a printed planner now, but I’m excited to take these graphic design principles to add in some decor :) Thank you!

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad you found it helpful! 🥰🥰

[@RusKms]

Super helpful and easily explained. Thank you!

[@ErinSmith]

You’re very welcome! 🥰🥰

[@dawnmcmahon9344]

Thank you for some great ideas!!!

[@ErinSmith]

I hope you get some good use out of them Dawn! 🥰🥰

[@MzRite66]

Thank you so much!!!!! I am not sure why but these are a few guiding rules I alway use; of which I did not realize their value. Thank you!

[@ErinSmith]

You’ve got good instincts!!

[@PikaPika-nk6yu]

Omg Erin it's like you read my mind! I needed this today, thank you so much!

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad the timing worked out like that! 🥰🥰

[@racheljoyfairy]

Brilliant tips, Erin!

[@ErinSmith]

😘😘

[@hudsonkelly72]

Thank you for an awesome video! Your outfit and surrounding look great! I can tell you thought about the color palette :)

[@ErinSmith]

I’m a true summer in the seasonal colour analysis system so I definitely try to match my surroundings to my face! 🤣

[@hillarybigham5872]

Catching up on videos! Visual weight! 🤯 I never really had a word for why things didn’t look right! This was really helpful and validating. Learning has been a lot of fun!

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad it helped you Hillary! I find when you’re learning about something you have taught yourself, it’s always a lot of ‘ohh so THAT’S what this thing I had worked out for myself is called’ 😂 it’s a sign you have great visual instincts too!

[@hillarybigham5872]

@@ErinSmith now that I know all about it, I’ll know what I’m looking at and WHY it looks off! My poor brain won’t have to scramble so much trying to figure out what’s wrong! 😅

[@Haffina]

Great tips Erin!

[@ErinSmith]

Thanks Jen! 🥰🥰

[@UFOCrochet]

Thank you ❤

[@ErinSmith]

Thanks for watching! 🥰

[@TheWiseOne6775]

I change up my planner but I do it differently than you do. I do have a monthly page that has a calendar but it takes up the majority of the page due to my needing to write larger. I also use a larger journal than you do. I don't repeat throughout the journal. My colors will change from month to month, and the decorations will change as well. Sometimes I draw, and sometimes I use stickers, it just depends on my mood. I also add a lot of photographs in my journal and have one page per day. I literally use a different washi on every single page, because I have so many different washi that it will take me a decade to use all my washi and that's if I stop buying any new washi. :) Good ideas but just not the way I do it.

[@ErinSmith]

Love that you’ve got a system that works for you!

[@moonjournal1612]

amazing 🥺💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@ErinSmith]

🥰🥰

[@WandysSweets]

Love all your tips....do you have any videos on A6?

[@ErinSmith]

I don’t, I’m sorry, I have never used one!

[@marykruseski9550]

Wow! Those blue August pages are absolutely gorgeous!💙

[@ErinSmith]

Thank you so much! I have a video on those in case you’d like to see 😉

[@cathystinar124]

I really enjoy the design elements, I am needing a place in my weeks to practice my doodling, so that it's part of my month, so that I improve more. I'm thinking of using your 6 block page, and pick a part of the design elements, sich as a butterfly or something, and practice in like a box a week or more. Does that make sense? I'm needing to incorporate it, so I do it and not forget about it. (Work is nuts lately). My bujo is my creative place. 🙌

[@ErinSmith]

I think that’s a great idea Cathy! Doodling practice and slow-release weekly spread decorating at the same time 😍

[@veronicasalas2666]

New sub! Great video 😊👍

[@muskanmohammed8561]

These are some great and amazingly helpful tips thank you so much it will be great help. But you like if you watch a million Erin Smith videos and her style matches your style perfectly then when it comes to the nice visuals on the journal it all just kind of ties in together and it good ! like it does look good you know it just happens naturally and totally not because you watch a million Erin Smith videos and unknowingly take her methods into your brain functioning but it works well non the less lol🤣🤣. Also thanks for the advice on my last comment on your reading journal video I appreciate it. and about my cat her name is Dora and she's 2 years old and yes she is named after Dora the explorer as she was my favorite cartoon growing up to the point where I would say my name is Dora when its not lol🤦🏻‍♀. So when we first got her she was scared but then started exploring and then playing so my mom said why don't we name her Dora and so now that's her name and let me say its just perfect for her personality lol😅😅. Also Love the new haircut and idk if you just cut it or was it there before but it does look new so I'm assuming you just cut it😅😅 and it looks amazing I really like it and even I cut my own curtain bangs so this just works out perfectly😁😁 . hope you have a great week Erin love you😘😘🥰🥰

[@ErinSmith]

Aww please give Dora a cuddle from me! 🥰🥰

[@laurenvandiermen]

I just discovered and I'm loving your videos - favourite! I'm trying to create a GTD Bujo 2024 planner - So I am use digital for calendar, tasks, projects. and other stuff on paper so I'm trying to figure out my own flavour. would you consider doing a GTD bujo session :D :D :D and then I'm trying to find where you create dividers (using washi tape etc) to have it section specific, and do you do an index page somewhere. please link for me to watch next :D

[@ErinSmith]

I had to Google GTD so I’d have to do a lot more research before I could talk about it with any kind of conviction! I actually don’t use an index in my journal - I did in the past, and in some of my earliest journals I’d line the page edge with washi for the first day of each month, but I find I don’t often need that as a reference so I stopped 😅

[@tomaszbogucki1582]

Greetings from Poland.

[@ErinSmith]

Greetings right back from Australia!

[@ReginaWorld23]

Hi, I'm new here. Can you do a tutorial on bullet journals for beginners?

[@ErinSmith]

I have a few videos you might find helpful in my Bullet Journal 101 playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLR7EZ59a6jNmyOLeo6BK_50BKtsv7q3sH&si=how9avZJF0FQlXgF But for a proper beginner bujo education I recommend checking out @JashiiCorrin’s channel! 🥰

[@FrostKitty]

Erin, do you have a video on the spacing you use for your monthly calendar?

[@ErinSmith]

It’s always part of the overall monthly plan with me video - but it’s a little bit different each month, so there’s no dedicated video for it.

[@FrostKitty]

@@ErinSmith joining and binge watching! August was just gorgeous and your breakdown on color / balance is brilliant.

[@suzyhobbs2327]

I love your July color story. Where do you find the stickers?

[@ErinSmith]

There are links to all of them in my July video, which is linked in the description 🥰 they’re from a whole range of places but the Washi Tape Shop is always a great place to start!

[@TessaOswin]

I have quite large write so smaller boxes in a calendar don’t work the smallest I’ve gone is 5 by 5 when I did a design when I was feeling design was more important to function and the calendar was a bit of a fight to use.

[@ErinSmith]

There’s nothing wrong with bigger boxes, I love that! Do you favour bigger notebooks too then Tessa? If you’re craving that negative space a B5 notebook could help you get it!

[@joannedj1]

We need to make them attractive because, let’s face it, bullet lists and boxes would look a bit boring if you didn’t jazz up the area around them! Also, as I have said previously, if my spreads were too samey, there would be more risk of me writing stuff on the wrong page! I genuinely have to make each weekly spread different. Same theme but different layouts. 1:20

[@ErinSmith]

We can’t help it that we like pretty things 🥰

[@loritownsend3830]

I'm wondering how you attach your papers to the page?

[@ErinSmith]

Usually glue tape! 🥰

[@ireneroland3070]

Where do you buy your stickers from ?

[@ErinSmith]

I’m always trying new places - you can check out my haul videos if you like 🥰

[@user-vk5ye3or4g]

Remarkable intentions journal. 1. Balance 2. Colour palette 3. Repetition Haul your guidance for Wellspring. I prefer to employ junk though. Additional sentimental. 🖌️

[@natalieparish3005]

I don't think this video is for me. I'm pretty new to all of this, but my decorations are NOT balanced and I change it from day to day (I have a proper diary as well in my journal)

[@ErinSmith]

That’s totally fair!