September BULLET JOURNAL Plan With Me
Month-At-A-Glance
If you follow me on Instagram then you know I was struggling a bit to come up with a concept for September’s spreads, and it wasn’t until I found an old magazine in my bedroom that I started feeling inspired— so aside from the kraft paper, any images you see pasted into my journal come from that magazine. Which leads me to my “journaling tip of the month:” flip through old newspapers, magazines, or brochures to see if any colours, patterns, or words speak out to you… pasting these things into your journal is a great way to reuse paper materials while also adding something unique to your spreads.
Content Planner
Last month I created a spread to plan out my blog posts, and I loved it so much that I decided to create a “content brainstorm” spread for writing down ideas for blog posts, Youtube, Instagram and TikTok (yeah, that’s right, I’m hip with the kids and am on TikTok haha). I love that I added doodle touches to this spread….instead of using a ruler to make all the lines super precise, I free-handed them and let some of those “wonky line moments” happen and I think the imperfections suit the ripped out magazine paper quite well!
Self Care Ideas & Habit Trackers
I wanted to dedicate a spread to self-care because September is going to be a super busy month for me as I juggle YouTube and teaching, so this is a good reminder to schedule in “me time.” On the left page, I’m writing down some self-care ideas like, have a take-out night, 60 seconds of deep breathing, try making a new dessert, and do a digital declutter. On the right page I drew out three habit trackers for hydration, working out, and expressing gratitude.
Budget & Spending Log
Budgeting spreads and spending trackers are some of my most requested layouts! For this one, I used a kraft paper circle and a white gelly roll pen to visually plan out my spending goals for September. I typically focus my budgeting spreads on money to spend AFTER fixed expenses (like rent and bills) are taken care of, so my circle only has a spot for four categories: food, clothing, home, and other.
Each category has its own table for tracking what item and/or store I shopped at, whether I paid using credit or cash/debit, and how much was spent.
I also added a reminder at the bottom of the right page that says, “when you make a purchase, ask yourself: will my wallet forgive me?” It’s there because I think it’s funny addition to an otherwise serious spread, but it also serves as a good reminder to spend with intention.
Reading List & Weekly Spread
You all know by now how big of a reader I am, so I wanted to add a fall reading list with some titles that I’m looking forward to reading this season. To add some colour to the spread I decided to print out the covers of the books as opposed to just listing them out. I can’t wait for the new releases from Sophie Kinsella, Christina Lauren, and Jen DeLuca!
Next to that page I created a simple week-at-glance layout by drawing out a basic two column table for writing out a mini-to-do-list or any special appointments/events. Since I did so much pasting in the first couple of spreads, I wanted to balance it out with something a bit more back-to-the-basics.
BONUS SPREAD
This month’s bonus spread is a non-traditional weekly— instead of a designated planning space for each day of the week, there’s one spot for all the to-do items and events/appointments for the week! At the bottom of the spread is a small section to write down one good memory each day of the week.
I love this spread for two reasons. One: kraft paper (enough said). Two: I think it’s always fun to try out different things and although this spread is very unlike any of my previous weekly spreads, I think it still has the important ingredients that will make it functional!
Products Used…
Archer and olive dotted notebook: https://bit.ly/2Nb7FKK
*pink grid ruler: https://go.magik.ly/ml/s2ts/
*sakura pigma microb black pens: https://amzn.to/2Q3qQrb
*fabercastell Pitt artist black pens: https://go.magik.ly/ml/vb58/
*kraft paper cardstock value pack: https://go.magik.ly/ml/y08g/
*muji black gel pens: https://amzn.to/2va1m4
*gelly roll pens: https://amzn.to/2VrciFC
*glue tape: https://amzn.to/2E24m7K
*tombow dual brush pens: https://amzn.to/2WGwuU9
*Love your life by Sophia Kinsella: https://amzn.to/2FMkDyj
*In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren: https://amzn.to/3j3yM8B
*Well Played by Jen DeLuca: https://amzn.to/3l5qoal
*The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: https://amzn.to/2EllGVl
*Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb: https://amzn.to/2FOOkPr
*10% Happier by Dan Harris: https://amzn.to/34kNJis
Which spread was your favourite this month? What are your thoughts on the BONUS spread? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Looking for more bullet journal inspo for the upcoming school year, check out my updated STUDENT AND WORK BULLET JOURNAL SPREADS! Until next time, Xo. — C.
*affiliate links
