At its core, the Bullet Journal System is a simple and customizable way of diary-keeping and planning. Despite this, most are attracted to this system because they enjoy viewing online pictures of beautiful spreads. Yet, they are soon discouraged by their lack of artistic ability and limited imagination, even though there are tons of easy ways to decorate the pages of a bullet journal.

If the issue is empty space, use stickers and washi tape. Stickers are cute and fun, making them the perfect candidate for bullet journal decorations! Depending on the stickers, creating anything from a space filler to a small scene is possible. Grouping various patterns of tape together to create small collages is another quick way to add character to a spread.

A great way to make something pop is to put it on a sticky note. However, sticky notes are typically quite plain. To make them more visually appealing, draw in frames or push pins to give the illusion of hanging, or draw drop shadows to add depth.

These extra supplies can be quite costly, but with the Internet and a printer, this is no problem. Simply search for desired pictures and designs, print them, cut them out, and paste them into a spread.

Sometimes pasting things to paper is too much of a hassle, so doodles are the best option for decoration. Doodling only requires minimal skill, and different sketches will produce different moods and give variety. Examples of effortless doodles include plants, arrows, and paper. Adding shadows and other flourishes will make these drawings stand out and give depth to the page. Bloggers on Tumblr, like @studypetals and @studywithinspo have tons of posts that you can reference when you feel uninspired!

If a spread just seems like it needs a little extra touch, adding fancy headers is the way to go. By drawing an arrow through a word or writing in a different font, definition and character can be instantly added to a spread. Couple different fonts together for some diversity, or combine similar fonts for a more consistent vibe. These techniques can also be applied to any quotes or poems that you may wish to add into your spreads.

Using these tips, decorating your bullet journal should be a piece of tape. Remember that nothing has to be perfect, and that the point of bullet journaling is to find a planning method that best suits you, so always have fun!

Graphic courtesy by KALI TAM