Bullet Journal Weekly Spreads: Expectation Vs. Reality
At this point in time bullet journaling is the new craze. More and more people are abandoning their planners for plain notebooks and pretty pens.
I am one of those people.
So far, it has been one of the best decisions I have made in a while. I love my bullet journal! It is full of my sweat, tears, and hard stinkin’ work. I’m going to be blunt, they are not easy to maintain, but they are worth it.
Bullet journals are amazing because it isYOURS. You can make it anything you want it to be. There are no guidelines or rules to follow, just your own imagination.
One of the main aspects of my bullet journal is my weekly spreads, and as a beginner, I quickly noticed something.
When you first start a bullet journal (unless you are an art goddess) then there is going to be an expectation…and then there is going to be reality.
I have tried and tried and I cannot get my bullet journal to look like how these bullet journals professionals make theirs look. Legit perfect is how I would describe it. I have since given up on trying to be perfect and instead, I’m just enjoying creating.
But it was quite the journey to look back on these intricate spreads I would try to do when I was first starting out. So enjoy these bullet journal comparisons of what you want your bullet journal to look like, and what it actually will look like. (some might surprise you!)
Orange Hexagons
Original. (Cannot find designer, but I found it on Pinterest)
Mine.
What I loved about this layout were the colors and the shapes. I was so used to doing rectangles for almost everything in my bullet journal that I was so excited to try out something new. I also really appreciated the use of space with the shopping list and meals. It is not too crowded, but also not too empty.
Then there is my version of it. I always use my handy dandy ruler but obviously, every hexagon on this page is a different size. I wasn’t going for perfect, but I didn’t realize how drastic the differences were until I was finished. It is a lot harder than you think to space out hexagons in a notebook. Overall, I really liked the design and was eager to use a color I don’t normally use, which if you couldn’t guess is orange.
Black and White Floral Borders
I will admit, I am a sucker for minimalistic designs. What sold me on this spread were the borders on each of the rectangles. It was the simplest detail I was looking for in my bullet journal that was also so dang cute.
I love how this one came out! It was super easy to create and I love that I also have the freedom to change aspects of other peoples design if I so choose. This design by Journal Mamma was a nice break from all the color I had previously been using. Now all I need to work on is my hand-lettering!
Watermelons
Mine!
If you didn’t squeal in excitement after seeing this spread, then you’re wrong. Watermelons are always, always adorable. I may be biased because I love the fruit but I knew I had to try this spread the moment I saw it.
I’m a little disappointed in my watermelon drawing skills, but I love this one nonetheless. I really enjoyed the skinny rectangular style, instead of a typically sized rectangle. I even had one box completely free! As you can see, I also made a few mistakes but that is what I love so much about my bullet journal.
Related post: 50+ Spring Bullet Journal Ideas
Swirly Flowers
Designer not found :( Got from Pinterest.
Mine, with a few tweeks
I love a good design that looks effortless, but also purposefully messy. I love the swirly lines and flowers and cuteness. That is what I felt when I saw this spread. It was simple, yet perfectly detailed.
Alright, the flowers in the corner were an addition of mine that I maybe should, or should not have done, but overall I loved this design. The unfinished circles are dainty yet polished and I couldn’t get enough of the single tree branch design. Disclaimer: it looks better in pen.
Related post: 9 Flower Inspired Bullet Journal Spreads You Have to See
Circles and Dots
by Azima Omar
Mine!
You cannot look at this spread and not think, ok this is cool. I had seen some circle designs before and decided against them. I eventually caved and tried this and it’s one of my favorite spreads in my bullet journal!
Not only is it one of my favorites, but I think it came out pretty good! I am still very limited on bullet journal supplies but I still made this design work for me. I also realized that circles work surprisingly well for a bullet journal! Who knew!
For anyone else who has a bullet journal, you know how fulfilling it can be. Every week I sit down and make a new weekly spread and I feel so unbelievably proud of myself. Even when my spreads don’t always come out as planned it still helps me to be more organized and creative!
Related post: My 2019 Bullet Journal Overview