2026 Bullet Journal Setup: Plan With Me
My 2026 Bullet Journal setup is finally ready, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
There is something incredibly special about setting up new pages at the start of a new year, even if you keep the same journal as I did. It’s a blank canvas waiting for all our big dreams, little doodles, and those inevitable messy days that make life interesting.
For me, setting up a new journal isn’t just about drawing calendars or listing goals; it’s a ritual that helps me clear my head and get excited about what’s coming next.
This year, I decided to shake things up a bit with bright and colorful yearly pages and a minimalist January one, because who has the time for more when the new year starts running?
Grab your favorite pen and a cup of tea, and let’s get ready to make 2026 our most creative and organized year yet.
Setting up a new journal is always fun, but it can be overwhelming as well, especially considering how busy December usually is with all the holidays.
So here is a little secret on how I did it.
First of all, I’m not starting a new journal; my current journal still has more than half empty. I think this kind of automatically takes away some pressure of setting up for 2026, because it’s in a joint that already has seen things.
Secondly, I minimized the number of pages I created. I know it’s exciting to start with all the life evaluations, goals, and new things. But realistically, I knew I would have no time to work through them.
It’s not to say I won’t create pages like these, it’s just to clarify that I might get to it a bit later when there is more time and energy available. Meanwhile, I kept only my must-have pages that will help you keep on planning.
Finally, I took my sweet time planning. It’s January 13 as I’m writing my blog post, and I finished my setup yesterday.
I made sure a lot of things were penciled in, but they still were not fully ready. The only page I made sure was ready to use was a weekly spread, so I can keep on planning.
Just because it’s the start of the new year doesn’t mean you have to have everything perfect and ready by the first day of the month. Try not to add extra pressure to yourself!
Now that we cleared this out and before we dive into the layouts, let me share with you what I used to create these pages.
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Bullet Journal Supplies
You won’t be surprised by what stationery I used; if you’ve been following me for a while, you probably already know.
But, there are a few new items I used as well, so here is a list of everything:
- Nuuna journal – this is still the same journal I started in 2025, and I have plenty of pages left.
- Sakura Pigma Micron and Altenew Fineliner Pens – these are what I used for my fineliners this time. Sakura Pigma Micron ones are what I always use, but this time I also gave the new pens a chance, and I pretty liked them as well.
- Zanzibar Dual Tip Brush Pens – these are the new pens I was gifted, and I’ve been enjoying using them, especially the yellow and green colors that you will see there.
- Zebra Mildliners & Zebra Click Art Pens – you know me, I barely ever have a setup when I don’t use my favorite markers.
- Sakura Gelly Roll – you’ll see in my January monthly setup, I used a gold metallic pen, and this is the one I used. Honestly, these pens are some of the best gel pens in my opinion.
Ok, we covered most of my supplies I used for this layout, so let’s dive in and let me share with you all the layouts I made to keep myself inspired and organized for the upcoming year.
2026 Bullet Journal Setup
Let’s start with the yearly pages I’ve created. There are so many layouts to choose from, and I would love to add more pages.
But I had to be honest – I had no time, so I had to miss my usual pages like a vision board, yearly review, or yearly goals and settle for just the most essential ones.
Welcome 2026 Layout
First of all, I had to create a kind of layout that would separate my journal into 2025 and 2026. So I went with simple number lettering.
I’m still thinking I should’ve organized the colors differently and switched the bottom row so 2 is written in green. But it still looks good, I think, and it was a fun and easy idea to create.
Future Log
I use my future log a lot, so it’s definitely a layout I have every year.
The layout design is very similar to the one I used in 2025, but I added a bit more detail, definitely inspired by the last theme for 2025 that I did.
About Me Page
You know I love my “about me” pages, and they are a must-have every time I start a new year or a new journal.
For me, they help me create an image of what kind of person I was at the moment I created these journal pages, and what some things I was looking forward to in the upcoming year.
This is kind of a mix of a yearly review, memory keeping, and a pinch of future planning.
This is all I created in terms of the yearly pages.
The only pages I haven’t included here are a letter to myself – this is a letter I write as kind of a manifestation. It’s a letter from me at the end of 2026 reflecting on all the things that happened during the year.
It’s honestly just a type of manifestation journaling, nothing too interesting and a bit too personal. But I wanted to share that thisis a practice I have been enjoying.
January 2026 Bullet Journal Setup
Next up, here is my January setup. And this is going to be very minimalist and easy. I honestly needed to have it done as fast as possible.
I was also thinking of what other themes I don’t use much, and minimalist black and white was the first that came to mind, so here it is!
Cover Page
I had several ideas – adding a calendar or maybe some zentangle patterns, but in the end, I went for something simple and minimalist.
To make it a bit more fun, I used my gold gel pen to add a shadow.
Monthly Log
For my monthly log, I found it difficult to keep it minimal because the page size in my Nuuna is pretty big. Usually I would use the hald the page for a tracker or maybe some decorations.
This time, it was not an option, and even though I was considering filling out that space as the month went on with some patterns, I decided in the end to use it as my master to-do list for the month.
Gratitude Log
Next is my gratitude log. I was thinking of keeping it separately in my journal where I do morning pages, but I thought it feels better to see it all on one page and not among all the other text I write, so a gratitude log is back to my monthly Bullet Journal setup.
The page is pretty empty at the beginning of the month, but I think for me it works as a motivation to write more things I’m grateful for, so I can fill it all out.
For big monthly pages, this is pretty much it. I didn’t want to spend time creating a mood or habit tracker this month, plus I did move some things to a digital system.
But next month I’m sure the mod tracker will be back, this one I miss for sure!
Weekly Spreads
Final pages for this month are my weekly spreads, and because it took me forever to finish the setup and make this posrt I already have two layouts to show.
My first weekly log is the format I’ve been using a lot, but I see now that, because there are no decorative elements, there is too much unused space (see under the calendar).
For the next weekly layout, I adjusted the spacing and positions of the daily boxes a bit to reduce empty space.
And to clarify, there is nothing wrong with blank space; it’s just me who feels uneasy when there is any. This is also why I added grey lines to my daily boxes, so it’s morethan just a header.
And that’s it, here is the whole setup for the beginning of the year. It might be pretty simple and basic, but it works for me, and I think the goal is not to create a perfect setup but to create something that would allow you to keep planning.
Plus, even with so few pages, I still had fun and my serene moments while creating these layouts and reflecting on the past year and things that are valuable for me now.
Free Bullet Journal Printables
Before you leave, don’t forget to grab your free printables, which also include 12 printable cover pages for every month of the year. You can find it all in the Resources Vault.
If you don’t have access yet, you can always sign up in the form below.
Once you confirm your subscription, you’ll get the password to get 50+ free Bullet Journal printables, stickers, and worksheets to use right away.
If you’ve never used printables before, be sure to check my post How To Use Printables In Your Bullet Journal.
It’s pretty basic, and you can find all the supplies you need in my post Supplies For Using Bullet Journal Printables.
More Resources
Are you looking for more inspiration for your January setup or some yearly pages for you to try in your Bullet Journal? I’ve got you covered with plenty more ideas.
Check out these posts next:
- 15 Inspiring Yearly Bullet Journal Pages
- Bullet Journal January Theme Ideas
- Plan With Me: 2025 Bullet Journal Setup
>>> What theme and layouts did you include in your yearly setup? Share with us in the comments!
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And remember: Keep Bullet Journaling, and Don’t Be A Blob!
