Want to test the waters with bullet journals but you don’t want to use it as a planner? In this post you will find over 15 bullet journal ideas that aren’t planners!

I absolutely love my bullet journal. It is how I stay organized and productive, by using it as a planner and a place to store all of my lists and ideas. However, I know that the “traditional” way of using a bullet journal (which is as a planner), is not for everybody, and that’s okay. I have talked to people that love the idea of a bullet journal, however, they know that they won’t be able to stay on top of the weekly and monthly spreads if they used it as a planner.
I completely understand this, as it does take time and commitment to create a spread for every week (but it is totally doable!). But for those who want to experiment with bullet journaling, I have compiled a list of bullet journal ideas that aren’t planners! These are causal ways to try bullet journaling without the pressure of staying on top of the spreads.

Habit Tracker
Use a bullet journal to keep track of a current habit or a habit that you would like to implement. Tracking your progress can be really encouraging and motivating!
- Mood
- Water intake
- Habit
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Screen time
- Self care
Activities
Use a bullet journal to keep track of your things you make and activities you do. Below are some ideas:
- Handmade items (knit/crochet, sewing, paintings, etc.)
- Recipes
- Books
- Movie/TV shows
Goals
Are you looking for a way to keep track of your goals and to make sure you achieve them? Right down weekly/monthly/yearly goals and create action plans for them. It is so rewarding when you are able to check off a goal!

Bucket Lists
I love bucket lists! While I love having those “in my life time” bucket list ideas (ex: going to London), I equally love creating bucket lists for the seasons and months (ex: watching White Christmas in December). A bullet journal is a great way to write down all of the things you want to do in life and keep track of all the things you do!
Memories
Do you remember scrapbooks? I feel like bullet journals are the new scrapbooks. Bullet journals are a great way to write down memories. I love the idea of sitting down at the end of each month put some favorite pictures and memories from the previous month. These bullet journals would be such a precious keepsake!
Additional Ideas
Below are some additional and random ideas for your bullet journal!
- Assignments
- Wish list
- Budget
- Schedules (cleaning, working, exercising)
- Brain dump
- Gratitude list

I hope this blog post inspires you to start a bullet journal in some capacity! My intention with this post is to show you that a bullet journal doesn’t have to be a time consuming task that you need to stay on top of weekly. Be sure to check out my bullet journal Pinterest board for more inspiration!
If you have anymore bullet journal ideas, let me know in the comments below!
xo Grace
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