• Home
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy and Disclosures
    • Contact
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Blog Archives
    • Search & Blog Categories
  • Get Inspired
    • Get Inspired
    • Inspiring Words & Quotes
    • My Muses – Favorites & Inspiration
    • Challenges
    • Product & Book Reviews
  • Get Creative
    • Get Creative
    • Start Handlettering
    • Handlettering Fun Styles
    • Tutorials & How-To
    • Creating Art – Watercolor, Painting & Drawing
  • Start Planning
    • Start Planning Here
    • Planner Spreads & Themes
    • Plan With Me Archives
    • Organization
    • Habits & Trackers
  • Find Your Happy
    • Find Your Happy
    • Random Holiday Archive
    • Journal Prompts & Ideas
    • Health Journey
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Lost password
      • My account
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • Orders
  • Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Etsy
    • Facebook

Chocolate Musings

Set your goals - make the plans - artfully create your life - live it beautifully. Grab the good chocolate and find your muse.

  • Home
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy and Disclosures
    • Contact
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Blog Archives
    • Search & Blog Categories
  • Get Inspired
    • Get Inspired
    • Inspiring Words & Quotes
    • My Muses – Favorites & Inspiration
    • Challenges
    • Product & Book Reviews
  • Get Creative
    • Get Creative
    • Start Handlettering
    • Handlettering Fun Styles
    • Tutorials & How-To
    • Creating Art – Watercolor, Painting & Drawing
  • Start Planning
    • Start Planning Here
    • Planner Spreads & Themes
    • Plan With Me Archives
    • Organization
    • Habits & Trackers
  • Find Your Happy
    • Find Your Happy
    • Random Holiday Archive
    • Journal Prompts & Ideas
    • Health Journey
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Lost password
      • My account
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • Orders
Home » New Year Bullet Journal Setup 2021

New Year Bullet Journal Setup 2021

January 7, 2021 Leave a Comment

New Year, New Bullet Journal Setup 2021

Here’s a sneak peek of how I’m setting up my unconventional* bullet journal starting with the new year. I’ll give you a hint: this bullet journal setup is almost a throwback to when I decided to use a collections notebook plus a planning notebook. That was back when I loved the Leuchtturm notebooks – so it’s been a while.

Even though I’ve moved on from off-white, thin, ghosting pages synonymous with the Leuchtturm notebooks to sheets with bright white and thicker pages, I still haven’t moved on from trying new things in my planner.

Notebooks with different page brightnesses comparison - Bullet Journal Dot Grid Notebooks | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bulletjouranling #notebooks

Related Posts:

  • Check out my Product Review category here
  • Find out the difference between notebook ghosting & bleeding
  • Plan With Me Archives
  • Begin Your Bullet Journal – Don’t Be Afraid to Start
  • End of Year Journal Questions 2020 – A Year in Review
  • Word of the Year Ideas

Table of contents

  • New Year, New Bullet Journal Setup 2021
    • Related Posts:
  • Starting a New Year in a New Notebook
    • The Quest for Planner Peace
    • Collections in a Separate Notebook
    • What Do I Keep in My Collections Notebook?
    • What About the All-Essential Planning Notebook?
    • How To Keep Track of Future Events? Why a Future Log is Essential
  • Techniques & Resources for Creating Individual Notebooks
  • Why Separate Notebooks for Each Month?
  • BuJo Themes for the Year (So Far)
  • Summary – New Year, New Bullet Journal Set Up
  • Planner Question:

Starting a New Year in a New Notebook

Starting a new year is always exciting. New planners and accessories line the shelves of stores. Pens and highlighters call out your name. It’s ok to admit that you like them. A new year sends all the good vibes of ambition and the flick of a pen inking in new goals.

I love starting a new year with a new bullet journal setup and I’m excited to tell you all about what my plans are for this year.

New year, new bullet journal setup for 2021 - Index Page Organization with Washi Tape | ChocolateMusings.com

The Quest for Planner Peace

Many people search for ‘planner peace’ trying to find the perfect layout to use forever and henceforth. I discovered that my version of “planner peace” means I can change everything and try something new.

The fact that I can switch from a page covered in watercolor to a page so minimal I could post using the hashtag #minimalistbulletjournal (and feel like I belong) is a testament to the variety I love in the bullet journal.

Though I love my Tumbitri Meri notebook, I decided to start the new year with a new bullet journal set up. I will likely buy another Tumbitri Meri notebook in the future – they have a lovely number of pages. And they stand up pretty well to the amount of watercolor, markers, and doodles I love to include in my bullet journal. If you’d like to read the review or watch the review video, check out this post.

Tuumbitri Meri Notebook Review Header Image

Tumbitri Meri Product Links:

  • A5 Dot Grid Notebooks (Red)
  • A5 Dot Grid Notebooks (Blue)
  • Tumbitri Meri Notebook Category on Amazon

Collections in a Separate Notebook

This year, I decided to keep all of my collections in a single notebook. That way, I could keep a yearly tracker for various items and not have to recreate it when I inevitably run out of space. If I’m keeping a collection notebook, why not try something entirely different for the pages serving as my second brain (aka planner)?

Don’t worry, I’ll explain what I did for my planning part of the notebook below.

A collection of collections in my bullet journal - list of collection spread ideas for my bujo | ChocolateMusings.com

What Do I Keep in My Collections Notebook?

Suppose you’ve never kept a collection notebook, oh my. You’re in for a treat. A collection is a page, spread, or multiple pages dedicated to a topic. If you plan a vacation, you might have a vacation planning spread filled with things to do, places to see, packing lists, etc.

So far in this new year’s bullet journal collection setup I have:

  • A page for inspiring quotes
  • More collection ideas
  • Goals & Goal Trackers
  • Unfinished projects
  • Home repairs
  • New Home Wish List (because we want to move to a new house soon).
  • Yearly Trackers (Like the 365-Day Project tracker)
  • Blog Post Ideas & other inspiration and brain-dump like pages for my blog.
  • Pen Test Pages & Other Reference Pages (such as flower reference books or Tombow Marker color reference chart)
  • Meal Planning
  • Local Deals & Events
  • Home Repair Collections Log in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Journal Page: End of the Year Goals Assessment - review your year and record what you accomplished and what you wished you could do better. | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Give yourself credit where credit is due - Journal Page in my bullet journal to recognize achievements both big and small. | ChocolateMusings.com
  • 365 Day Tracker - Yearly Tracker for Goals and Habits in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com

What About the All-Essential Planning Notebook?

For the planner part of my notebook, I created 12 books – one for each month of the year. Yes, you read that right, TWELVE different notebooks. You also read it right. I created them. I decided to piece together a book using watercolor paper.

12 Watercolor Notebooks - One for each month of the year - Bullet Journal Experiment | ChocolateMusings.com


How To Keep Track of Future Events? Why a Future Log is Essential

Separating each month into a different notebook introduced a new problem – how do I handle upcoming events for the year? Where do I keep a record of future month’s appointments. As it turns out, all I needed was a future log set up at the front of my collection notebook.

I keep the yearly log to record future events and calendar items. I then record all events in the respective month (after I’ve finished creating all the pages, of course). When it’ time to move on to the next month, I refer to the yearly log and more on. This new year’s bullet journal set up is no different than years past because I would create one month at a time.

This is why I include a future log no matter what type of bullet journal set up I have.

After the pen view of my Future Log - one of the essential pages in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com

Techniques & Resources for Creating Individual Notebooks

If you’re curious about the techniques I used, I found a Skillshare video on creating notebooks. If you sign up for the free trial at Skillshare, you can watch it for free. And then, I watched this lovely video on YouTube to learn additional sewing/binding techniques.

Using this bookbinding supply starter kit, I quickly got the hang of making the books, and I’m so happy to say that they are all sitting on my shelf waiting for each month. After creating several books, each one took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Blank watercolor bullet journal set up - supplies and new yearly setup | ChocolateMusings.com

Why Separate Notebooks for Each Month?

I figure each book will be a study on different techniques and themes. Of course, in watercolor. And I’m looking forward to it.

Additionally, I’ve even left pages at the end of the book for additional doodles and creative perusing. I find that when I lay down a blank sheet of watercolor paper with the intent to create a masterpiece, I freeze. But give me a bullet journal (in whatever form), and that all changes for some reason. I figure that if I mess up, I can just turn the page.

I hope that when you’re setting up a new bullet journal for the new year (or whenever you start a new notebook), you give yourself the grace to turn the page. Life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning and doing.

When writing this post, it’s not even January yet, and I have half the year sketched out just waiting for the paint. I have to say that I’m looking forward to every one of them. The kicker is that I’ve created them out of order based on what inspires me. (Shhhhhh! Don’t tell the planner police.)

P.S. If you’re looking for tips on how to start your bullet journal for the new year (or middle of the year) check out these posts:

How to start your bullet journal, the essential pages & ideas you need to curb the fear of starting | ChocolateMusings.com - Bullet Journaling and Creative Processes

BuJo Themes for the Year (So Far)

Here are the themes I started for the year (so far). I have to tell you, and I didn’t think that I would like to skip around to different months. But I like the flexibility.

  • January – Snowglobe Traveling
  • February – Florals Around Boxes
  • March – Birds & Feathers
  • April – Tasty Sweets and Treats
  • May – Loose Watercolor Roses (incredibly the first time I’ve ever done these, and now I’m hooked)
  • Here’s the Skillshare video I watched that made it look so accessible
  • June – Garden/Forest + Gnomes
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December
  • New Year, New Bullet Journal Setup Travel Snowglobe bullet journal theme - in handmade watercolor notebooks | ChocolateMusings.com
  • January Monthly Page - Snowglobe bullet journal monthly theme | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Week 1 - Travel Snowglobe Bullet Journal Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

Summary – New Year, New Bullet Journal Set Up

I’m so excited to try out this new method for my bullet journal set up this year and look forward to painting, doodling, and filling up each page. Maybe this year, I won’t have my inspiration leave for months at a time. Like it did in 2020.

Who knows if I’ll do the same thing for next year? I don’t. Right now, I’m thrilled with my new year’s bullet journal set up, unconventional* as it may be. But unconventional never held me back anyway.

Planner Question:

Do you do anything unconventional* in your bullet journal?

* The term and therefore judgment of an ‘unconventional bullet journal’ is for fuddy-duddies who don’t like to experiment and be a unique person. I use the term simply to convey an uncommonly used technique

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Sign Up for the Chocolate Musings Newsletter

 Hey! I’m glad you’re here. If you like this content, you’ll love my newsletter.


Let me give you a little treat. Sign up for my newsletter and get access to the tips, tricks, info & freebies I send out in my newsletter. 


Plus get exclusive coupon codes to the Chocolate Musings Shop.

We use Sendinblue as our marketing platform. By Clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provided will be transferred to Sendinblue for processing in accordance with their terms of use

Find More Inspiration and Follow Chocolate Musings on Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram!

Follow Me on Pinterest

  • One of my favorite ways to disguise my brain dump page is to call it by a different name. I called this one “Blooming Thoughts,” highlighted by a faux calligraphy title and mason jar with carnations.
  • February Challenge is here!⁠ Please join me! You can letter this words or create them in any way! Doodle, paint, letter a whole sentence, let those creative juices flow!⁠ The goal is to be creative everyday!⁠ ⁠ Share with your friends and followers and remember to tag me @chocolatemusingscreates and use #FindYourCreativeMuse. Blog post below⁠ ⁠ https://chocolatemusings.com/creative-challenge-flower-names/
  • Doodle page! Don't have time to make a whole page? Make a doodle page and do just a little each day! Need ideas? Check out my garden flower words challenge!
  • This month’s creative challenge is all about flower names! Use these everyday floral names to expand your creativity throughout this month. Check out the challenge list below, and if you’re having trouble with creative ideas, keep reading. I have lots of ideas to share. Handlettering these words is fun if that’s what you always do. […] The post Creative Challenge: Flower Names appeared first on Chocolate Musings.
  • If you have always wanted to try calligraphy (or handlettering or modern calligraphy) give my basic strokes workbook a try! (link in bio or story)
  • Sometimes you need a guide to start up those creative juices! Give this cute mushroom a try!
ChocolateMusings

Find me on YouTube

Chocolate Musings by Tricia Murdock

Chocolate Musings by Tricia Murdock
YouTube Video UCefWa0NWVt5a_q9LWofOWhw_yIQ4ggBQBsg From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Ideas and Plants - Loose floral wreaths
Lots of spring-inspired doodles with pastel colors. I changed it up this month with horizontal weekly layouts.


____________________

Brain Dump Names: https://chocolatemusings.com/different-names-brain-dump/

Social Links - Let's be Friends!
Website: http://ChocolateMusings.com
Shop: https://chocolatemusings.com/shop/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateMusings
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/chocolatemusingscreates
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMusings/

____________________


Products I Used: 
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://amzn.to/3Ip8xbD
Princeton Velvetouch Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/42IVnPQ
Archer & Olive A5 Dot Grid Notebook: https://archerandolive.refr.cc/triciam
Helix Circle Maker Tool: https://amzn.to/49kx5xY
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/42MogKR



Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
Scissor Arm Mic Stand https://amzn.to/2CcGgm0






Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Sneak Peek
00:33 Welcome Page
01:26 Monthly Calendar
02:42 Brain Dump
03:34 Weeklies
05:35 Journal
06:17 Habit Tracker
06:55 Flip Through
From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Ideas and Plants - Loose floral wreaths
Lots of spring-inspired doodles with pastel colors. I changed it up this month with horizontal weekly layouts.


____________________

Brain Dump Names: https://chocolatemusings.com/different-names-brain-dump/

Social Links - Let's be Friends!
Website: http://ChocolateMusings.com
Shop: https://chocolatemusings.com/shop/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateMusings
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/chocolatemusingscreates
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMusings/

____________________


Products I Used: 
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://amzn.to/3Ip8xbD
Princeton Velvetouch Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/42IVnPQ
Archer & Olive A5 Dot Grid Notebook: https://archerandolive.refr.cc/triciam
Helix Circle Maker Tool: https://amzn.to/49kx5xY
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/42MogKR



Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
Scissor Arm Mic Stand https://amzn.to/2CcGgm0






Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Sneak Peek
00:33 Welcome Page
01:26 Monthly Calendar
02:42 Brain Dump
03:34 Weeklies
05:35 Journal
06:17 Habit Tracker
06:55 Flip Through
From the Archives: Fun & Whimsical Bullet Journal Set Up - Experimenting with Watercolor Leaves in my Bullet Journal. Featuring 2-to-a-spread weeklies and a loosely painted watercolor theme - I hope this planning session inspires you to paint or to try something new.


00:00 Introduction
00:15 Welcome Page Wreath
01:41 Monthly Calendar Page
03:04 Habit Tracker & Monthly To Do Pages
05:47 Gratitude + Week 1
06:35 Weeklies
06:52 Brain Dump
07:15 Journal
07:42 Whoops! Adding a Page
09:06 Final Flip Through


____________________

Social Links - Let's be Friends!
Website: http://ChocolateMusings.com
Shop: https://chocolatemusings.com/shop/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateMusings
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/chocolatemusingscreates
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMusings/

____________________


Products I Used: 
Daniel Smith Watercolor: https://amzn.to/3Ip8xbD
Princeton Velvetouch Paint Brushes: https://amzn.to/42IVnPQ
Archer & Olive A5 Dot Grid Notebook: https://archerandolive.refr.cc/triciam
Helix Circle Maker Tool: https://amzn.to/49kx5xY
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: https://amzn.to/42MogKR



Video Set-Up:

Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing). They're amazing https://amzn.to/2shdb4j
Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera https://amzn.to/3yt2lb4
Blue Yeti - USB Microphone https://amzn.to/2SNwb6a
Scissor Arm Mic Stand https://amzn.to/2CcGgm0






Contains affiliate links - if you use them, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you.
Load More... Subscribe

Interact on Instagram

ChocolateMusings - Tricia

chocolatemusingscreates

Here's another #minimal #weeklylayout idea - use t Here's another #minimal #weeklylayout idea - use these cute day-of-the-week stickers, add the dates, and VIOLA! Your weekly setup is d.o.n.e.⁠ ✔️⁠
⁠
If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the creativity and additions to your planner or bullet journal, take a breath.😮‍💨 Use a minimal approach to your planner - it's ok if it needs to be ONLY functional.⁠
⁠
⁠
Check out the link in my profile to these stickers. I also sell timeline strips if you hate writing the numbers over and over again. ⁠
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1373695869/⁠
⁠
#minimalplanning⁠ #planner #bulletjournal #bujo #bulletjournalinspiration #bujoinspo #journal #journaling #bulletjournalstickers #bujostickers #etsy #smallbusiness⁠
#minimalplanner⁠ #simpleplanning #simplebulletjournal #bulletjournalcollections #bulletjournalingcommunity #bulletjournaltracker #bulletjournallayout #bulletjournaldailylog #bulletjournalph #bulletjournallife #bulletjournalsystem⁠
⁠
⁠
Looking back at this February calendar page 📅 S Looking back at this February calendar page 📅 Sometimes simple is best!
Here's an easy-peasy heart layout. Add some paint Here's an easy-peasy heart layout. Add some paint splatters for extra color and fun!⁠
⁠
🥰🥰🥰🥰 ❤️ 💗 💖 💘 💝 💟
I can never spell this one right. 🤦‍♀️😆⁠
⁠
Music: Walk⁠
Musician: @iksonmusic
What is your "Go to" word for lettering? Many peop What is your "Go to" word for lettering? Many people write "hi" or "hello". Love is the word I choose! 💗💖💗💗💖

#valentines
#valentinesday 
#love
#lettering
#moderncalligraphy
#procreatelettering
#calligraphylettering
#calligraphylettering 
#lovequotes 
#lovewins
Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate here are some Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate here are some lovely strawberries and a pun 😅
Follow on Instagram

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Organized & Start Planning, Plan With Me Tagged: bujo, Bullet Journal, monthly setup, plan with me, planner set up, setup

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me


Hi! I'm Tricia, the creative behind ChocolateMusings.com, I know how it feels to lose your inner muse. After years of darkness (which I call the dark ages of my life), I found my inner muse hiding in the forgotten corners of my soul, I vowed never to lose sight of her again.

Bullet journaling helped reignite the passion for art and living life again while organizing my days. I also discovered modern calligraphy and watercolor. Since then, my use of the bullet journal system has evlolved and I call it 'creative planning'. Here on the blog, I show you how to use your planner to ignite your inner muse and explore creativity and art while staying beautifully organized and living a joyful life.

I invite you to grab some good chocolate and dive into my musings. Let’s ignite your inner muse.

Read more on the about me page. You can also find my policies and disclosures here.

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Etsy
  • Facebook

Cart

Browse Products

  • Declutter My Life Tracker A4/Letter Declutter My Life Tracker A4/Letter $2.00
  • Learn to Handletter with Large Markers - Lowercase letter practice book | ChocolateMusings.com #handlettering #moderncalligraphy #lowercase Workbook #2 Lowercase Alphabet (Miniscule) Modern Calligraphy Workbook for Large Markers $15.00 Original price was: $15.00.$12.00Current price is: $12.00.
  • Cactus & Succulents Planner Stickers Color or leave Black & White | ChocolateMusings.com #plannerstickers #cactus #succulents Succulents & Cacti Planner Sticker Sheets $5.25
  • Greatness quote - William Shakespeare quotes for your planner | ChocolateMusings.com #betrue #quotes #motivational Be Not Afraid of Greatness $10.00

Search ChocolateMusings.com

Categories

What Do You Want to Do Today?


 

Theme Design By Studio Mommy · Copyright © 2025

Copyright © 2025 · Exquisite Damask Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...