Do you see a bullet journal as a homemaking tool? After many years, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is, and for me, it’s essential. I’ll explain.
First and foremost, [a homemaker] must learn to systemize her work. Method and management do wonders toward saving time and money. Some housewives are always in a hurry and their work is never done, while others with twice as much to do never seem flurried, and have time for writing, sewing, and reading. The secret of the success of the latter class lies in that one golden word–Method.
-1896
Planning Systems
Method isn’t something that just magically falls into place. Many times, it takes trial and tweaking to find the very best method to organize homemaking.
Once upon a time, I put together a homemaking 3-ring binder and it’s truly useful for specific tasks. My Christmas card address list, my master pantry list, and any printed pages that I wanted to hold on to, for a few items. It’s nice to have a place to put papers that I’ve printed–just add some holes and pop it in. However, it’s bulky awkwardness doesn’t make it a good daily planner.
For years I made daily to-do lists in a spiral college-ruled notebook–it’s inexpensive and adequate, but it has its limitations. I can say from personal experience that it doesn’t hold up well under long-term use.
Then there are those planner “systems.” However, they’re expensive and can become a hobby in itself. Much of the work is done for you, leaving you to buy inserts and sticker packets. The thought of having to buy extras is anything but simplifying.
But also, the planners are someone else’s idea of what’s important. It could be lacking things you need or leave you with features you’ll never use.
Why the bullet journal is the best
The bullet journal is the best of all worlds. It combines the flexibility of a homemaking reference binder with the daily lists notebook. My bullet journal is the size of a small book that fits just about anywhere, unlike my three-ring binder or a spiral notebook. The dot grid means you can customize every page, whether for a calendar, a list, a drawing, a chart or even a diary.
You can add pages and lists as you need them because you’re not confined to preset pages. One page can be a weekly planner. The next can be a shopping list, followed by a page of random thoughts or a recipe you want to try.
Important bullet journal pages for the homemaker
If you’re anything like me, your brain is one of the most useless places to store information if you should want to recall it someday. So, the more information you have written down, the less you have to try to remember. Here are some of my favorite, most frequently used pages:
Annual Calendar–below each month of the year is enough space to write in birthdays, vacation dates, and those appointments scheduled months in advance.
Books Read–Record the name of the book and author of every book you read this year. Not only is it nice to see the books you’ve finished, but it will motivate you when you watch your progress. Plus, you’re able to refer back to the list.
Packing–Do you travel? Camping? Day trips? Cross-country flights? Each of these trips require different supplies, so compiling a list for each means a smoother and quicker packing time. (Theoretically. One must remember to consult aforementioned lists before haphazardly tossing things in backpacks and dashing out the door. Note to self.) Make a list of foods that are handy for snacking in an airport or on a road trip as well as good travel menus. It’s always easy to forget between trips.
Menus–Dedicate a few pages to a master list of menus and meal ideas. Use different headings, like “Chicken” or “Soups” to make it easy to organize and find them. It’s usually not the time to cook that’s the problem, it’s the figuring out what to make. When you try a new recipe, jot the website or cookbook page number next to it so you can find it again. What a concept.
Cleaning Schedule— It’s easy to look over a room, vacuum, dust, and tidy and call it done for the week. A specific list of chores for each room helps you to remember the finer points, like dust the ceiling fan, rotate the canned goods in the pantry, or clean under the refrigerator. You can also schedule household maintenance tasks, like replacing filters.
But wait, there’s more!
Here are some other pages that are helpful, just to name a few:
- freezer and pantry inventory
- recurring subscriptions
- habit trackers
- gift idea lists and purchases
- project goals and trackers
You’ll come up with your own must-have pages.
The Life Changing Bullet Journal
2024 is my sixth year of bullet journaling. Some years I have been more faithful than others about using it daily. I can say with absolute certainty that those weeks that I take even just 10 minutes to create a basic weekly chart, jot in a few reminders, and pencil in some menu suggestions brings more focus to my week. I don’t throw phrases like “life changing” around in a willy-nilly way, but it’s definitely been a career-changing addition to my homemaking.
I’ve tried different journals over the years, but this year’s is my favorite. The paper is nice and thick, the binding is solid with two attached ribbon bookmarks, and it’s just lovely all around.
Another bullet journal advantage
It’s not necessary to start a bullet journal on January 1st! You can start it anytime and continue until the book is filled. Maybe you’ll fill yours in 9 months, or it could take over a year. I started my first one in October. I often putter through the annual page setup all through the month of January and into February so there isn’t any pressure to be finished by January.
This year, I’ll be posting my weekly bullet journal spreads on my brand-new Instagram page. Click here to follow them!
