We love to bullet journal, but sometimes we don't have the time to create the planner we want or need. Printables can easily solve this problem. Learn how to use printables in your bullet journal!
Bullet journaling is the most efficient (and sometimes creative) way to organize your to-do lists, long-term schedules and any upcoming events. It demonstrates an individual’s work commitment and helps in better time management of daily, weekly, monthly, or annual affairs.
Using ordinary layouts throughout the year in your planner can make it look very dull and boring. Therefore, customization is key! Printables come in really handy when looking for ways to customize your bullet journal without spending too much of your time and money on it. Here are some methods for using printables in a bullet journal for decorative purposes.
Custom Notebook Binding
One way to use printables in your bullet journal is to create your bullet journal entirely out of printables! Just gather all of your favorite printables together in the order that works for you! Then bind them yourself.
Custom notebook binding gives you the liberty to assemble the pages of a journal in sequence. Plus your binding is 100% up to you! Further, custom binding brings an opportunity to have a customized front cover for your journal which is highly desired by many.
So, how should you bind your journal exactly? Some of the most popular ways to custom bind are store-bought ring binding, clip-on presentation covers, ribbon and 3-hole-punch, staples, or learning how to legitimately bind books (this is undoubtedly the hard-mode version)!
Printing and Gluing
Another simple method for using printables in your bullet journal is to print out the layouts of a printable on paper and glue it according to your preferred arrangement. To do this, all you need is a printer at home or a print shop that you can visit at your easiest convenience.
Further, there are plenty of easy printer options. You can use a standard printer (the type everyone thinks of when I say "printer"), a small desktop label printer (you can print more than labels with these), or a pocket printer, like our favorite, the Poooli Printer.
There's a large variety of digital printables available on the internet for purchase (or for free, as we offer). Pasting your printables is the perfect way to take freedom into your own hands and be as creative in customizing your bullet journal as you desire to.
Plus, if you choose to paste your printables, you get to stick with your favorite journaling brand and keep your favorite hardcover (if you prefer hardcover, of course). Further, you can learn about our favorite bullet journals that you can paste your favorite printables into!
Placing Printables in a Disc- or Spiral-bound Notebook
A disc-bound notebook comes with a front and back cover held together by metal or plastic discs. And a spiral-bound notebook is held together by a plastic or metal spiral (depending on your preference). Disc-binding is undoubtedly easier than spiral-binding due to the accessibility of the materials needed. However, many still prefer the aesthetic of spiral binding.
For disc-binding, you can use this bullet journaling system to add printables to your bullet journal by simply printing the layouts (of the printables) on paper and cutting them down to the size of your notebook. Then, simply punch the printed paper with special punch holes and insert it into the disc-bound notebook. If you don't want the hassle, you can buy disc-binding paper!
Next, spiral-binding is similar; you simply punch the correct holes in the paper and add the binding. Like disc-binding, you will need a special hold-punch and binding machine, or you can buy the spiral-bound-ready paper!
Pro Tip: Using 32lb paper for printing or adhering to printables will give your journal the stability it requires!
3-Ring Binders
Finally, using 3-ring binders is undoubtedly the easy version of DIY binding and is a classic! A 3-ring binder is quite similar to a disc-bound notebook, except it cannot fold back on itself and is quite a bit less customizable. However, you can still add, adjust and arrange printables by inserting the printed papers into the 3-ring binder. There’s a large variety of exceptionally cute and attractively designed 3-ring binders all over the internet!
Check Out My Collection
Elizabethjournals offers a wide range of colorful and unique printable layouts that are just a click away from your computer! My collection is inspired by the belief that everyone deserves to have a well-maintained bullet journal even if they don’t have enough time and resources to customize it.
In addition to our ever-growing collection of printables, we offer custom printable creations for those of you who need something specific! Having a great and usable planner is the most effective way to plan all the important events in every stage of one’s life! Your bullet journal matters to me. So, explore my collection to find out more!
