The Ultimate List of BEST Journal Supplies
Looking for the best journal supplies? This post has everything you need to start journaling!
I am a journaling FANATIC. From the ripe age of six, I started keeping a diary of how my day went and what the weather was like. In my college years, I discovered the bullet journal method and I was HOOKED. Since then, I’ve always kept a journal.
If you’re new to journaling or are ready to get the best bullet journal supplies, this post is for you! I’ve dumped all my years of journaling wisdom into this blog post 🙂
This post is all about the BEST journal supplies.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you. All opinions are genuinely mine.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT JOURNAL FOR YOU
There are so many different types of journals on the market! This is a quick how-to guide for selecting the perfect journal for you.
1. Identify how you’re going to be using your journal:
When deciding on what type of journal to buy, the first thing you should consider is what you’re going to be using the journal for. Will you be using it more as a diary and need lined paper? Maybe you want to start bullet journaling, so a dot grid would work better. Or if you love junk journals and don’t want to limit your creativity, you could always go for a blank journal!
2. Choose the right type of paper spread for your needs:
After you identify how you’ll be using your journal most, here are the different types of journal page canvases you might choose from.
Dot Grid Pages
Dotted journals are my absolute FAVORITE because they are a good option for any type of journaling. I’ve used one for my travel journal, daily diary, and bullet journal. The equidistant dots help guide your writing and drawing. They make it easy to create clean layouts!
Lined Pages
Lined notebooks are great for traditional journaling and writing. I kept quite a few of these as a diary. They are a great place to just brain dump and keep your thoughts!
Blank Pages
Blank journals are fantastic for those who want freedom on their pages! They’re good for drawing, sketching, and freeform writing where boundaries don’t exist. These are perfect for those who are scrapbooking or creating an art journal.
Pre-filled Guided Pages
If you’re a journaling beginner, guided journals are an easy way to start! They are filled with different templates and prompts that help you through the process.
Post You Might Like: 49+ Mindfulness Journal Prompts to Elevate Your Life
3. Decide on these other journal characteristics:
Paper quality
Depending on what you’re using your journal for, the paper quality and thickness you might need will differ. If you’re just planning on using ballpoint pens or pencils, don’t worry too much about the paper quality. If you’re going to be using heavier writing utensils like markers or brush pens, try to invest in high-quality paper. You don’t want the ink to bleed through and ruin the pages!
Binding type
Do you prefer a spiral journal or a bound notebook? Spiral journals are a bit easier to fold over, but bound notebooks are so elegant and beautiful.
Cover style
Make sure you get a journal cover that resonates with you and what you’re going to keep in it!
Size
Journals come in so many different sizes! Think about where and when you’ll be using it. If you want to be able to bring it around, choose something a bit smaller. If you rather have more space to write and don’t care about its portability, opt for one that’s bigger! I had a travel journal that was definitely too thick and wasn’t ideal to carry around. Choose wisely!!
Journals I Recommend
Spiral Dotted Notebook
This is what I currently use for my journal! I currently do a mix of book notes, daily planning, and bullet journaling, and don’t get too crazy with decor. It’s pages are thick enough to prevent bleed-through from markers but not as thick as other notebooks!
Paperage Hardcover Dotted Notebook
The PERFECT little journal for bullet journaling or traveling. This notebook has THICK, high-quality paper. I honestly think you could use any writing utensil on it and it wouldn’t bleed through. It will also hold up for anything you want to stick in it!
Moleskine Softcover Dotted Notebook
This was my very first journal and I have a soft spot for it. I love the soft cover and it’s ideal for writing. However, the pages are a bit thinner, and sometimes ink can bleed through.
WRITING JOURNAL SUPPLIES
1. Pens
Good quality pens are a MUST-HAVE journal supply. I almost exclusively use pens to write because it looks so much better! Here are some of my favorite pens:
Pilot G3 Black Gel Pen – 0.38mm
0.38mm gel pens are the BEST pens hands-down. These Pilot pens are ones I’ve used since high school. They write incredibly smoothly and dry really quickly. I use these pens for everything and highly recommend them!
Uni-Ball Black Ballpoint Pens – 0.5mm
Ballpoint pens are great to keep around because they virtually guarantee that there won’t be a smear. These write nicely and I like using them when taking notes quickly.
Shuttle Art Color Gel Pens – 0.38mm
Getting a set of color gel pens is a perfect way to spice up any journal! I love these for decorating my bullet journal, but they’re also perfect for color-coding a traditional journal. In some of my journals, I assign specific categories of entries different colors (ie. work is orange, personal is pink, etc).
SAKURA Florescent Color Gel Pens – 0.5mm
These Sakura Gelly Roll pens seem to be a bullet journal community classic! They are so fun to write with and I love how bright the colors are. Perfect for using on a black canvas if that’s your vibe!
2. Pencils
Although I personally think pens are the superior writing utensils, pencils are necessary to have around! They’re great for sketching out bujo spreads before you commit to it in pen and marker. I like these Paper Mate ones the most.
Paper Mate Mechanical Pencils – 0.5mm
3. Markers
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these Crayola Super Tip Markers! They’re one of my favorite supplies for adding color. The tips are thin enough that you can write firmly but also soft enough to allow for coloring.
Crayola Super Tip Markers
4. Highlighters
These highlighters are another great way to add color into your journal. I personally like using these to highlight any important notes or cross things off when they’re done (this way I can still see what I finished).
ZEYAR Pastel Highlighters
JOURNAL SUPPLIES FOR DECORATION
5. Washi Tape
Washi tape is a super cute way to add in any photos or paper memories you might have. There are so many different packs that come at a super affordable price! I love that they have anything from solid colors to floral patterns. It’s a good way to personalize any journal.
Solid Washi Tape
Patterned Washi Tape
6. Stickers
Stickers are a great addition to ANY journal to add a little decoration! You can find tons of sticker sheets on Amazon, but here are some of my favorites. I especially like the planning stickers because they make bullet journaling a LOT faster.
Watercolor Stickers
Planning Stickers
7. Photo Printer
I love adding photos into my journal so I bought this cute little photo printer! You can connect to it via Bluetooth and print straight from your phone. If you want to print a bunch of photos, try getting them done at your local print shop instead. It’ll definitely be cheaper!
HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer
ADDITIONAL JOURNAL SUPPLIES
8. White Out Tape Roller
We all make mistakes… and if you’re like me and love pens, you can’t really erase them. Or can you?? This white-out tape is one of the BEST supplies for journaling because it’s like a pen eraser!
9. Double Sided Tape Roller
I used to use a glue stick whenever I wanted to stick something into my journal, but then I found this! This double-sided tape roller is so much more convenient and MESS-free!
10. Transparent Graph Ruler
This ruler makes it so easy to draw straight lines for organized layouts!
11. Circle Maker
If you think you’ll be drawing lots of circles, this handy little tool is perfect for that.
12. Clear Sticky Notes
How cool are these clear sticky notes?! I love these for going back and reflecting on my past entries. You can simply stick it on and write over it.
13. Pencil Bag
Keep all your supplies organized and invest in a pencil bag! This one is SO spacious and great for all your pens, markers, and much more.
This post was all about the best journal supplies.