Simple But Stunning Minimalist Bullet Journal Page Ideas
Hello Planning Mashers!
Today we are talking about Minimalist Bullet Journal, and I’ll be sharing with you tons of ideas for page designs so you can create your own stunning minimalist spreads.
Minimalist designs are very easy to create, which I think makes them perfect for beginners or for busy times. At the same time, I’m sure you’ll agree when you see images below that minimalist pages look absolutely stunning.
Minimalist Bullet Journal is a very popular and, may I say stylish way of journaling, and this post is your ultimate guide.
We’ll talk about what minimalism in Bullet Journaling is, why would you want to use it, and what you’ll need to get started.
Spoiler alert – it’s all very simple and functional. And you don’t need a crazy stationery collection, either.
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!
Minimalist Bullet Journal: Aesthetics and Style
Minimalism has been very popular lately, and of course, it is reflected in the Bullet Journal community as well.
What is minimalism though? It usually means having less, but the way people interpret it in their Bullet Journals is very different and varies from person to person.
I would say generally these are characteristics on minimalist spreads:
- Usually in black and white or with a very little color
- Practical, simple, and clean design
- If there is any decoration, it’s often geometrical patterns
- There is a lot of white space
- Layouts usually take less time to create
With that being said, let’s talk about who would benefit the most from using minimalist spreads.
Who Are Minimalist Bullet Journal Pages For?
First of all, minimalism is a great strategy for beginners. If you want to give the Bullet Journal method a try and ease into it, starting with minimalist spreads is a great idea.
This style won’t overwhelm you, you’ll learn to use the system and find your own techniques and methods without investing time into decoration.
Plus, I know as beginners, you probably expect perfection from your first journal. This is much easier to achieve with simple but extremely classy-looking minimalist pages.
A minimalist Bullet Journal style is also great if you’re not very artistic, or are not very sure about your skills.
There are of course more complicated minimalist styles where people decorate their pages with patterns or brush lettering that might require some skills. But even if you don’t have any of these, you’ll still be able to create beautiful minimalist spreads.
If you’re still learning and working on your skills, but don’t want to stress over your BuJo pages not being as perfect as you imagine them to be – definitely give minimalism a try.
You can use it as a basis and as you go and improve your creativity, you can start bit by bit adding more decorative elements and customizing your journal style.
Speaking of improving your creativity, if this is something you’re working on, be sure to check out Skillshare. This is a learning platform that truly touched me and millions of others so much, including tons of creativity lessons, such as lettering, doodling, watercolor, drawing.
You can get all these lessons for free if you follow this link and get 2 weeks free premium Skillshare membership and access to all of their resources.
Be sure to check out my blog post on How To Bring Your Bullet Journal To The Next Level to see some Bullet Journal relates Skillshare classes.
Finally, I think the minimalist Bullet Journal style will be perfect for any busy person. In fact, this is one of the techniques I recommend in my post How To Bullet Journal When You Don’t Have Time.
Setting up a minimalist Bullet Journal page usually takes 5-15 minutes, it’s a very reasonable amount of time that we can all find during the day.
Are you one of these types of people or something in between? Let me know in the comments why you use minimalist Bullet Journal spreads!
Supplies
Another benefit of having a minimalist Bullet Journal is the fact that you don’t really need to use that many supplies, so if your budget is tight maybe this style is for you (even though there’s still tons of budget quality stationery).
Here are a few supplies you might consider starting with:
- Fineliners. These are the bones of your pages so be sure to get some good ones. I’d recommend Sakura Pigma Micron of my new favorites Pitt Artist Pens.
- Ruler. A good ruler is an essential supply for any Bullet Journal, but especially for a minimalist one. If you feel like something extra, consider getting this circle ruler – one more perfect shape to add a little decor to your pages.
- Monochrome markers. Since minimalist Bullet Journal spreads use a very little color, try monochrome or muted colors. I’d recommend a monochrome collection of Tombow Dual Brush Pens and, of course, my favorite Zebra Mildliners.
One final thing you might consider is getting some stencils. They will help you with straight boxes and pretty letters, especially if you’re just a beginner. Below are a few options you might want to take a look at.
Minimalist Bullet Journal Page Ideas
Finally, we’re done and ready to dive into the pages themselves. These are all amazing examples of how you can create something stunning and yet so simple.
I hope this will inspire you to give a try to minimalist Bullet Journal style.
Cover Pages
Cover pages are a great way to show off your creativity, and also create a certain division between your months or years if you’re like me and don’t start a new journal every January.
Below are minimalist cover pages, which can vary from something super simple to elaborate patterns.
This page is just so perfect that it makes me want to start doing minimalist pages again. And all used here is a ruler and a black fineliner!
(pss, Faber Castell Pitt Artists fineliners are amazing, so I absolutely recommend).
I love this idea of just drawing the first letter of the month.
The curves on this one are a bit more difficult to do straight like that with a normal ruler, but if you have a circle one – you’re all set. I love this Westcott one.
Adding simple line drawings can be just minimalistic as simply using lines.
I love this whale, it looks beautiful, and whales are actually not that hard to draw, even for beginners. Just check this cute little tutorial.
Brush lettering is a decoration in itself, and this cover page is just another example.
If you aren’t really super confident in your lettering skills, be sure to check these posts:
Beginners’ Guide To Brush Lettering
Free Printable Lettering Practice Sheets
Super Massive Black Ink is probably my favorite account when it comes to minimalist Bullet Journal setup.
Just adding a calendar to a cover page can be a great way to add a bit more interest to the page.
I often use that technique when I realize that I ended up having too much free space.
It’s crazy to see how much interest can be added to the page with simple lines.
I also must say that I really love that ruler! It’s absolutely on my dream list.
Finally, how gorgeous are these patterns?!
Patterns are always great – they are pretty easy to draw, and the repetitive nature makes them very meditative. I always find it very calming to fill out the page with patterns.
Future Log
The future log is one of the first pages in my Bullet Journal, and it’s super useful since it allows you to, well, plan your future.
Here are a few ideas on what you can add to your future log:
- National holidays
- Business trips
- Birthdays
- Vacations
- Doctor’s appointments
- Payment deadlines
- Anniversaries
Here are simple ways you can set up yours for it to still look stunning.
I find that future logs are generally pretty minimalistic – at least this is the way I usually go with it.
But just because it’s minimalist doesn’t mean it can’t look great – just look at these little elements added to the header.
This is not a format I ever used, but OMG doesn’t it look super useful and clear?
I usually prefer to have the entire year on the same page but honestly, this spread makes me rethink the format of the future log for my next Bullet Journal.
This spread uses the effect I love probably the most – while letters on top of a black background.
I also love the header made with a label maker. I believe it’s the same label maker I have and it’s really amazing. I love mine, and you can see it in my February Bullet Journal setup.
I’m always so impressed with the perfection of letters on these pages!
My tip to achieve such perfection is to use stencils. Those are the easiest way and I still use them myself.
This is actually the format I used in my last Bullet Journal.
I love that you have the year at a-glance page, but I don’t think it’s the format I personally love too much.
Ok, this page can become probably my favorite format – you can see the entire year, and it’s so clear when you have what kind of appointments.
I must say I also really like how each month is divided by weeks. It is something important I really need in this spread.
One more proof of how much just beautiful handwriting can decorate your page.
And speaking of handwriting, if you want to work on yours, check the post 9 Simple Tricks To Improve Your Handwriting.
I love the mini letters and numbers – make it look extra neat. Just adding large monthly numbers is also a pretty clever trick.
Little sakura blossoms are a cute little thing to make the page look a little bit more special. Absolutely perfect!
Monthly Log
A monthly log is the cornerstone of your monthly setup; it’s a place for you to plan out your month and make sure nothing is forgotten.
A monthly log can be created all by itself, or can also include other elements, such as monthly goals, a monthly to-do list, or even a habit tracker.
When it comes to a minimalist monthly log, it’s usually pretty simple, but extremely functional.
Study Quill is probably the most popular studygram artist, and her pages are always incredibly pretty and simply perfect.
This is not an ordinary monthly log, but it still does have all the things one needs to remember about the month.
Cute monthly log, and I love how she decided to fix the issue of having a smaller-sized journal.
I also love that there is a vertical monthly log divided by work and personal, as well as a calendar. I always understand the month better in a calendar format, so it’s absolutely my favorite.
Literally, the easiest way to create a minimalist monthly log! The only thing I would probably add here is the days of the week.
For this page, it’s a Muji pen that was used, and I simply must say – this is one of the best writing pens I’ve ever used.
A simple way to add a little bit of spark to your minimalist pages is by using washi tapes or stickers.
I love that thin washi at the bottom. It really doesn’t stand out too much, but it still adds more character to the page.
Beautiful monthly log! I love that there is space for tasks and such, but also a calendar view.
These letters on the top of the calendar are also so cute!
Love this very basic but gorgeous monthly log.
It looks different in many ways also because of the font used here. Fonts are a fun way to make your pages stand out, to get some more ideas you can check m,y post 23 Fonts To Use In Your Bullet Journal.
The reverse of white and black really works wonders here! It’s a great technique to fix any mistakes as well, by the way.
If you’re looking for a recommendation of a pen that writes well on black background – it’s definitely a Sakura Gelly Roll pen!
I love this monthly log – it’s so different!
First of all, it’s a vertical calendar – I’ve never seen such a format. Secondly – I love that minimalist icons and letters.
My guess is that was achieved by using stamps. I recommend checking out Etsy for those – there are so many cool stamps there!
Flying Paper Words just has the best and most beautiful handwriting if you ask me, and it always makes every page look absolutely stunning.
I like this monthly log because it uses e,pty space rather than drawing lines, and I think it looks great.
I love that beautiful lettering that makes the page stand out so much!
Using fun fonts and creative headers really can make your page look more fun. You can get some more header ideas in my post 90+ Simple and Creative Bullet Journal Header Ideas.
I love this account and how the artist always makes the simplest designs look so interesting.
All these vertical monthly logs make me want to try one in my journal again.
What a perfect monthly log, and it used all the little tricks I’ve been talking about.
You have a bit of washi tape, beautiful lettering, and the while-on-black technique. Absolutely gorgeous!
Habit Tracker
Habit trackers are some of the most useful tools you have in your Bullet Journal arsenal. Be sure to give a look at my Ultimate Guide To Habit Trackers if you’re not sure how they can help you or having trouble sticking to one.
Meanwhile, here are some amazing minimalist habit trackers to sparkle your imagination.
This is a very interesting format for a habit tracker, and it really took me a while to figure out how it works.
Basically, I think it’s a take on a year in pixels habit tracker, but in this case, it’s about activity, and each type of physical activity has its own signifier.
So many habits to track here, and it’s really pretty easy to just draw the mini calendars without even adding the numbers. You don’t need the numbers here – it’s clear even without it.
The thing that makes this page more interesting is the shadow lettering – I love this effect.
A perfect habit tracker for 30 days a month!
I also like that she will be filling out her minimalist tracker with a color; it will really make it pop once it’s filled.
I love this monochromatic habit tracker, and how it looks so different just because of the header in the corner and the lines.
I actually love having minimalist kind of designs for my yearly pages, so I think I might use this concept in the future.
I don’t usually do weekly habit trackers, but if I did, I’d definitely give a try to this one.
For perfect circles, I have a few recommendations. First, they have circle elements in my favorite universal ruler stencil from Jayden’s Apple. It comes with many other little things that are useful for your day-to-day planning, so for me, it was definitely a worthy investment.
My other go-to is a much more affordable Westcott ruler, which comes with more than just circle shapes and proved itself very useful.
I like the concept of creating a graph for the habits, and this two-page tracker is a perfect example.
Also, note how fun the header looks with two completely different but matching fonts.
Habit trackers can be just as simple as this one – habits on one side, numbers on the top, and you are ready to go!
I like the simplicity when it comes to habit trackers because you really have to concentrate on tracking the habits, and it works for me to have fewer distractions.
Who said that minimalist means there are no decorations? Definitely not me!
Pretty simple white flowers on the black background, and just like that your tracker looks so different!
If you want to learn to draw flowers like these, be sure to check my post How To Draw Beautiful Flowers In Your Bullet Journal, or my tutorial post with Simple Flower Bullet Journal Doodles.
A sleep tracker is a super useful and helpful page, and if you’re having health, productivity, or mental health problems I really advise you to give it a try.
Learn more about the why and other benefits of sleep tracking in my post Adorable Bullet Journal Sleep Trackers For Better Sleep Habits.
Yes, all these numbers seem pretty daunting to add, but it’s actually very useful in the end because you get an easier way to see your sleeping habits.
So it might be worth it if it’s something you’re working on seriously.
For some more ideas, be sure to check my post with Minimalist Habit Tracker Ideas.
Collections
Bullet Journal collections are pages that have information united by one theme, like “books to read”, “chores to do”, “favorite movies” and such.
There are tons of ideas on what collections you can create, and the fact that you have a minimalist Bullet Journal doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them; just take a look at some of the collections below.
Very basic setup, but it works and gives you all the information needed!
I actually really like this; if I wasn’t watching 100 shows at once (ok maybe not 100, but you get what I mean), I might’ve actually created a tracker like that!
It might not be so easy to see all the songs at a glance, but the page did end up looking so pretty! For more, check my post Playlist Bullet Journal Page Inspirations.
One more example of how just pretty handwriting becomes a decoration on its own.
I love the inclusion of gray color and the beautiful lettering – it makes the page look extra pretty!
Also the format for smoothie recipes is pretty cool! If I ever end up buying myself a blender – this page will definitely be on my list.
Weekly/Daily Spreads
Finally, we are down to the most basic Bullet Journal spread – weekly/daily log. This is where most of the planning happens and where you make sure you do something every day to achieve your goals.
Weekly or Daily? This is a question a lot of people ask, and the answer differs from person to person. It could be one or the other, or even both! Be sure to check out this post to learn what’s the difference and what format will fit you better.
Meanwhile, here are a few minimalist Bullet Journal weekly inspirations for you.
I feel like this is a very interesting way to set up a weekly spread.
On one side are all the big weekly things, like goals, a habit tracker, and a little overview with main events each day.
But for day-to-day planning, she went with fill out as you go structure, so on the right side, for example, you only see two days of the week.
Absolute goals when it comes to handwriting – I can only dream of writing in such a neat way.
The vertical weekly format isn’t really my favorite, but this makes me want to try it again and again.
Love this weekly spread and how much information is in it – pretty much everything you might ever need from a weekly spread.
A little highlight of grey makes the important headers stand out, so it’s pretty easy to navigate.
Just write the name of the day and the date, and you have the weekly spread done!
Usually when I do this format of a weekly I also love adding a bit of spark with a little squared for the task. Not a big thing but it’s definitely something I’ve been obsessing with lately for some reason.
Just a fun header can make your page look much better!
A little tip here – if you’re using large letters like here, it might be best to add black around the letters.
Loving this free approach to weekly spread. Personally, I always struggle to come up with a non-organized structure, but that’s just my personality type.
Also what a cool idea to add those thick black lines around dates!
As easy as it gets!! And I actually think the artist used stamps for the numbers and the letters here.
Archer and Olive actually came out with similar stamps lately (mine are still on the way), so you might want to give them a look. Plus, you can always get 10% off everything from Archer and Olive if you use my code MASHA10!
For me, this format doesn’t work that well – my handwriting is much bigger so when I go with vertical weekly spreads, I end up not really having enough space.
But I do appreciate how pretty this simple spread looks.
How cute is this small journal! Actually, my very very first try at Bullet Journaling was in this tiny size, must say it really was too small.
But it makes everything inside look so much cuter!
For a minute looking at this page, I thought it was written in code before I realized it’s probably just a different language. Wouldn’t it be cool though if somebody wrote their Bullet Journal entries in code?!
A cool thing I see on this spread is a little quote. Quotes are really a great way to add motivation and fill out extra space on your page (just check my June 2021 Bullet Journal setup).
If you want to learn how to add quotes to your Bullet Journal, check my post Creating Beautiful Quote Pages In Your Bullet Journal.
Very productive weekly spread, just the things you need to keep on planning.
I like that the artist used a different color for the days of the week – it kind of adds a bit of spark to the page.
What a beautiful page, and I love that handwriting here – all letters just look so perfect!
It’s also a cool idea to use stamps for decoration – you can use one stamp, and by stamping it many times, you create kind of a pattern!
I’ve been obsessing with stamping lately, so if you’re new and want to learn check my post How To Use Bullet Journal Stamps.
If you need some more weekly inspo, be sure to check out the post with 31+ Minimalist Bullet Journal Weekly Spreads.
Will you give a try to minimalist Bullet Journal? Or maybe it’s already your style? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
And be sure to check the Resources Vault for free printable weekly spreads and tons of other freebies and printable BuJo pages. You can get your access by signing up in the form below.
Hope these pages inspired you and gave some ideas for your own minimal spreads! If so, please share. If you enjoy my content and want to show your appreciation, please consider supporting me with a cup of coffee.
And always remember! Keep Bullet Journaling, and don’t be a Blob!
