5 Essential Supplies To Start A Bullet Journal

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Bullet Journal supplies can spiral out of control fast — one scroll through Pinterest and suddenly you’re convinced you need fifty pens before you’re allowed to start.

I’ve been Bullet Journaling since 2018, and I promise you don’t have to sell a kidney or empty your bank account to begin your BuJo journey. You just need a handful of basics, not an entire stationery haul, and that shouldn’t stop you from starting today.

So welcome to this no-bullshit list of essential Bullet Journal supplies for beginners: the things you need, nothing you don’t, and stuff you will 100% use, too.

When it comes to Bullet Journal supplies, things can get pretty crazy. There are so SO many supplies out there, and it often feels like you need to be a millionaire to afford to start a Bullet Journal.

Here’s the truth, though: the only real requirement is a notebook and a pen. That’s genuinely it.

But after years of Bullet Journaling, I’ve found a handful of other supplies that make a real difference—not because you need them, but because they make the process easier and more fun.

In this post, I’m breaking down the essentials I’ve found truly necessary, the nice-to-haves worth adding once you’re hooked, and tips for deciding what belongs in your own stationery collection.

You don’t need $50 journals and $5 brush pens to start — those are things you might want to add later, but for now, the essentials below are enough.

If you want more, I’ve linked posts with additional stationery recommendations for any supplies you might be considering.

I’ve also included a FREE Ultimate Guide To Bullet Journal Supplies at the end of the post to help you choose the best supplies, so be sure to scroll to the end.

This post may contain affiliate links. They will be of no extra expense for you, but I receive a small credit. Please see my Disclosure for more details. Thank you for supporting Masha Plans!

Tips on Bullet Journal Supplies For Beginners

Here are a few simple tips I learned during my Bullet Journal adventures, and I think they’ll be helpful for you as well:

1. Start basic

Don’t think you need to buy all the supplies and spend your rent money on a custom-made notebook.

You might want a lot of things later, but for now, start with the bare basics (like the supplies we’ll talk about today).

2. Start cheap

Bullet Journaling is an adventure, and when you start, you’re more likely to make a lot of mistakes, but also tons of fun new discoveries. You will, for example, discover if you prefer white paper or ivory, or if washi tape isn’t really your game (it was not mine, and I still have tons of washi tape left from my first stationery haul). 

Start with cheaper suppliers so you can enjoy experimenting and discovering without buyer’s guilt.

3. Don’t look at the others

Everyone in the Bullet Journal community recommends different stationery. However, you definitely shouldn’t throw caution to the wind and buy all these things. Yeah, don’t do that!

The supplies I use might be different from the ones you end up settling on, and you won’t know what you need until you get some bullet journal experience.

For example, as I said, my never-ending buyer’s guilt is washi tapes. There are many ways to use them, and I see how so many amazing artists decorate their journals with washi. So I went for it; they were some of my first purchases, and they were so cute that I couldn’t stop buying them here and there.

However, time showed that washi tapes just aren’t my style. Total Waste Of Money.

Now that we figured that out, let’s dive into those bare minimum essentials you definitely should get.

Bullet Journal Notebook

This is the heart and soul of your Bullet Journal, so you want to choose the one you like. Only you decide what kind of notebook it will be!

I know a lot of people say only dot grid notebooks are suitable for Bullet Journaling, but it’s not true. You can use ANY kind of notebook.

That said, I DO think dot grid is probably the most convenient and popular notebook type for BuJo, so if you get the chance, you might want to try it.

There are many factors that come into choosing a notebook:

• Price
• Lining
• Cover
• Paper density
• Paper color

I can’t tell you which one to buy, because it depends on what you want and need from your Bullet Journal. However, here are a few options to consider.

Leuchtturm 1917

This is probably a good mid-range journal to start with.

This is one of the most famous dot grid journal brands, and it’s super popular and well-known (and loved) in the Bullet Journal community.

They’re also pretty accessible worldwide since Amazon can ship them everywhere.

They’re dot grid journals with two ribbons, smooth dot grid paper, and a back pocket. A great beginner’s notebook.

Lemome

This is a great budget notebook, and I often find that starting with a cheaper notebook is easier and less pressure.

These notebooks come in a few different colors and have thick ivory-colored paper. Back pocket and just one ribbon.

It’s a great notebook for beginners because you get decent quality without overspending.

Archer and Olive

This is a premium, slightly more expensive journal, but I love it so much that I decided to add it to the list anyway.

It has pure white GSM 160 paper and absolutely the cutest designs.

Click HERE to check out Archer and Olive journals, and you can also use code MASHA10 to get 10% off your order.

Pencil and Eraser

I mean, duh! But wait! Listen! I mean, read! Your pencil will be your most-used tool, so you should really think it through.

The first mistake here! Try not to get a pretty pencil, but one you’d feel comfortable using for hours at a time.

Personally, I prefer mechanical pencils, and I’m 100% in love with a Pilot Dr. Grip pencil because it’s absolutely the most comfortable one I’ve ever had. 

The eraser is just as important. You don’t want it to erase your journal paper together with the pencil, and you don’t want it to leave some color on your spreads.

So find one that works best for you; I’d recommend a soft white one or a foam one. My current best friend is a Sakura Foam eraser.

Black Pen

The bread and butter of your journal is the black pen. That’s what you use to draw and write.

I bet when I said that, you started thinking of Sakura Microns or maybe Tombow Mono pens. But you don’t need those, at least not yet.

Just pick a pen you feel comfortable with and go wild. It can be a fineliner, ballpoint pen, or whatever else you like. 

It can be something you picked up from a local art store, or maybe you stole from your sister, your kids, or your mom.

But if any of them is ALSO a Bullet journal addict, first, prepare to fight for your life. And second, please share this blog with them! They will thank you, and so will I!

Here are some recommendations if you feel like investing a little more in pens.

Stabilo 88 Pen

These fineliners are great for beginners: they are on the affordable side, and they have all the basics you need to use them for drawing on your pages.

These pens have nice black ink and last for a very long time.

Muji Pens

These ballpoint pens are my absolute favorite for writing. They come in a few different sizes and designs, so they fit any style.

The ink is super soft, and it’s a pleasure to write with them.

Unipin Fineliners

If you want drawing pens with a variety of line thicknesses, these are a great, more affordable option than the ones you usually see on Instagram.

These are some of my favorite fineliners. They last a long time and have dark black ink.

Bullet Journal Ruler

Finally, get yourself a ruler. Honestly, it can be a $1 ruler from Walmart – as long as it helps you draw straight lines, it works.

When it comes to rulers, I have one extra little one to recommend. It’s a Helix circle ruler. This baby will rock your world and will help you to get creative with circles in your Bullet Journal, including such pretty things as circle habit trackers.

Bonus – Markers

By now, I think you have everything you need to start a Bullet Journal.

But if you feel like something is missing – it is. These supplies have no color.

Now, you can completely enjoy black-and-white layouts, but if you don’t, I bet you’re thinking of buying something to add a splash of color to your pages.

Before you do, check what you have at home; the result might surprise you!

Your old colored pencils will work just fine, and so will your highlighters and those colored pens you have left from school days.

TIP: Always do a pen test on the last page of your journal before using them full scale. This will help you to figure out what supplies work in your journal and which ones don’t.

Now, in case you threw away everything that reminded you of school once you graduated (and who could blame you) and decide to buy something, go for Crayola Super Tips. These are very affordable, and you can get free delivery if you sign up for the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial.

Crayola Super Tips offer plenty of colors and can double as coloring markers. Plus, the special tip lets you use them for brush lettering.

So I’d say it’s a great deal!

Bullet Journal Supplies List (Free Printable)

I know how easy it is to get overwhelmed by all the stationery out there, so I’ve created a little guide to help you pick the stationery you’ll love.

Sign up in the form below, and once you confirm your subscription, the guide will be on the way to your inbox.

More Resources

We covered the basics, but there’s always more to recommend and more to consider if you want to dive deeper.

So, for more details, be sure to check out these posts next:

• Bullet Journal On A Budget: The Best Cheap Bullet Journal Supplies
• The Best Pens For Bullet Journaling
• How to Pick The Best Bullet Journal Notebook For You

>>>Which supplies are your essentials? And which ones gave you buyer’s guilt?

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And remember: Keep Journaling, and Don’t Be A Blob!

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