5 Basic Bujo Accessories

You found the perfect journal to use as your bujo, so now what?

Now comes the fun part! For many stationery-loving bujo users, setting up their bujo is one of the things they look forward to the most.

It usually involves a fair amount of planning and time to work on the designs. Naturally, it will also require materials and accessories. Here are some of the basics.

5 Basic Bujo Accessories

1. Pens

Your pens will make all the difference! A good pen can elevate your journaling experience and a bad pen can dissuade you from the habit altogether.

You’ll be using these to write, doodle or draw, so if you must splurge on something (other than a good quality journal), our vote would be to splurge on pens!

Get pens in basic colors as well as a set in assorted colors just to liven things up. But a word of caution about the ink, make sure it won’t bleed through the pages. If your journal has thick and great quality pages this won’t be an issue. You will be free to use any pen of your choosing.

2. Washi Tapes

Washi tapes or Japanese masking tapes made of rice paper are decorative tapes that come in different colors, designs, sizes and opacity. They have a multitude of uses.

They come in pretty handy when you want to do some scrapbook-inspired spreads, create frames, margins or tables, or if you need to make tabs and dividers to mark the different parts of your journal.

3. Highlighters

Highlighters seem to be a favorite accessory among bujo users. Unlike most coloring pens, a good quality highlighter will not bleed through the page. You can go crazy with colors and designs without rendering the back page unusable.

You will also have a wide selection when it comes to colors. Choose from the basic fluorescent highlighter shades or the more subtle pastel shades, which a lot of people prefer. Soft pastels are a lot less jarring to look at!

Regardless of color, choose a highlighter with a smooth flow of ink so it doesn’t pool on the page and leave unsightly marks.

4. Ruler and Stencils

Bullet journals have untemplated pages. That’s the beauty of it. You get to design it based on your needs. That’s also why many creative people prefer it over regular planners, which can feel restrictive.

But creating monthly or weekly spreads takes time and no short amount of skill. Fortunately, there are many inexpensive rulers and stencils made specifically for bullet journaling that can help.

If you don’t feel confident enough to freehand design your spreads, rulers and stencils will offer a measure of guidance while still allowing you to be as creative as you want to be and to design your bullet journal spreads your way.

5. Whiteout

Mistakes are bound to happen when you’re writing or designing. Scratched-out words are an eyesore, but it would be a shame to tear out a page every time you make an error.

Our advice is to always have a whiteout handy! It will keep your pages looking neat and pleasant.

Choose a correction tape that applies dry rather than a correction liquid that will require some drying time so you can work unimpeded.

If the thought of decorating your spreads gets you excited, then go for it. We are all for whatever helps strengthen your bujo habit and make the experience more enjoyable and edifying for you.

It’s tempting, but try not to splurge and buy everything all at once. You can build your collection as you go along. That way, you don’t overspend and you can be more thoughtful about your purchases.

Consider also the level of effort and artistry you want to devote to your bullet journal. If you’re perfectly happy with just a journal and a solid pen that does the job, then there is no good reason to buy things you won’t be using.

Bujo your way and have fun while at it.

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