Hi everyone, it’s Delphine (@delphinesjournal) from the Archer And Olive (@archerandolive) ambassador team. The beginning of the year is usually synonymous with creating new goals, and sometimes we can get quite… ambitious. Creating extensive themes, paintings or doodles can take up a lot of time and might discourage you to continue to journal. In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at ways to simplify your bullet journal in order for you to keep up with this habit!

Supplies: 

• Archer And Olive Notebook 
• Stamps
• Stickers 
• Washi tape
• Paper cutter
• Corner rounder

Remember to use my code DELPHINE10 for 10% off your purchase at Archer And Olive!

Option 1. How to create simpler themes

Doodling or painting in your journal may be fun and very pretty, but it usually takes a lot of time to draft and then execute your vision. Let me show you different ways to simplify your monthly themes. Oh and before I forget, all titles were written using the Calliograph pens!

1.1 Use Stamps

Getting a stamp set is a very effective way to set up a quick and cohesive theme. You can play with different designs in the set or play with ink colors to add dimension and interest to your monthly pages. In the picture below, I’ve used the acrylic stamps and ink pad from the December Subscription Box and I think the end result is so cozy. 

1.2 Use Stickers

Getting a few sticker sheets around the same theme is an effective way to build a cohesive theme without taking too much time. You can go either the simplistic route with a sticker and a header if you’re in a rush…

… or do a little collage with different paper scraps, washi tape and a miniature calendar. I personally love to go the collage route, but that’s totally up to you! 

1.3 Use a Printable 

Have you ever thought of gluing a printable in your notebook or tracing the image of a printable? It will cut down the drafting of your theme, or even the creation process altogether, which is very useful when you don’t have the time to experiment or you’re in a creative rut. Take a look at the printable I created and feel free to use it as your next cover page! 

Option 2. Create waterfall tabs for your weekly spreads 

I kind of forbid myself from using waterfall tabs every single month… they’re such a time saver and in my opinion, they look great! You can make them any size you want, but I personally like it when both background pages still show. They can be embellished with stickers, stamps or washi tapes depending on what you chose to do for your monthly theme, and you’ll only have to draw daily boxes each week. 

Bonus tips: Decorative washi tape can be added to the edge of the pages, or you can leave them blank, depending on your preference. I also highly suggest cutting the corners of your pages to match with the rest of your journal.

Option 3. Change your notebook format

The final option I wanted to explore was the actual format of your notebook. Using a traveler’s notebook, which is smaller than an A5, could ensure you spend less time planning and more time enjoying the use of your journal.

Or how about a planner? I view Archer and Olive’s planner almost as a hybrid between a yearly planner and a bullet journal. There are still blank dotted pages to ensure you still have space for creativity, but cover pages and weekly layouts are already made for you. You can color them however you want or revamp the cover page entirely with a collage on top of the pre-existing design. I highly encourage you to look into the planner, it could be the answer you’re looking for!

Video

If you’re more of a visual person, take a look at the YouTube video below, where I show you how I created the options mentioned in this blog. 

Let us know your favourite ways of simplifying your bullet journal spreads by tagging @archerandolive, @archerandolive.community, #AOShare and #archerandolive! You can also read this blog for more simple cover page ideas!