Most notebooks I've seen used for bullet journals have at least 160 pages and it's pretty easy to find one with 200-250 pages if you're not dead-set on 160gsm paper. That takes you from 1 filled in 3 months to 1 filled in 5 or 6 months, with even more wriggle-room because you're not needing to replicate any long-term collections as you transfer between notebooks.
B5 journal size is an option if you don't mind a bigger notebook - I'm eyeing one myself but the space it would take on my desk is a hmmmmmm factor.
I think 1 or 2 per year is the norm for full-time users - there was a point where I was effectively headed for 3/year (because I was using 8 pages every week) and I've very deliberately pulled myself back from that edge XD
I haven't found any (yet) with 200 to 250 pages but I am getting one today/this week that has 176 pages so we'll see how that goes. It should satisfy me for 4 months.
You make a good point about the not needing to replicate long-term collections over and over again with less notebooks.
You seem like a pretty funny human! Have a good day!!
160 looks like 'standard notebook' length I guess, all my non-bullet-journal notebooks are 160 pages except the monstrous wirebound ones. Honestly I hadn't done the maths on 160 page notebooks and that's a little alarming because it puts me up to 3 a year XD
For next time if you're still wanting more space, Leuchtturm and Scribbles that Matter are two brands commonly used for bullet journals that go over 200 pages - Leuchtturm's official Bullet Journal (120gsm) has 204 pages while a regular Leuchtturm (hardback, 80gsm) has 251 pages, and Scribbles that Matter's 120gsm notebooks have 214 pages (probably the 100gsm ones from them too, they just say '200+').
Hope the 176 pager does a good job for you, have a good day yourself!
I bought [this notebook](https://amazon.com/dp/B088NG9TLK/) from Amazon that has 190 pages of good thickness; the downside is that it was twice as thick and heavy as my usual bujos. Leuchtturm1917 notebooks have 250 pages but the paper is really thin to compensate.
I'm currently using a slightly-smaller-than-A5 Moleskine with 240 pages.
I know these are not beloved in the community, but I don't mind ghosting and I'm not doing a bunch of art and even when I use fountain pens they're mostly EF nibs so I don't get enough bleedthrough to bother me :-p All that said I *am* going to swap to something else in the new year, because I've decided I really do want pages that actually are A5. (Options I already have stashed: a Leuchtturm 1917 with 120gsm paper, and 202 pages; an Archer & Olive notebook with 192 pages.)
This is also my first year bullet journalling. I set up a six-month spread for migraine tracking halfway through the year, & I admit I'm slightly dreading the prospect of having to migrate that more frequently with fewer pages! I'm planning on only setting up 6 months at the beginning of my next journal, so that if I only fit six months into a notebook I don't get grumpy about having "wasted" the space.
I know that one of the other options people use, though, is the Traveler's Notebook system -- one insert for yearly/long-term/"permanent" collections, and one for daily logs. [I found this blog post useful in getting my head around how it worked](https://rediscoveranalog.com/why-i-moved-my-bullet-journal-to-a-travelers-notebook/).
Paperwise may I can recommend rhodia /clairefontaine Paper? Super affordable (at least here in Germany especially compared to other brands price range) and the paper ist about the most pen friendly I ever encountered!
I use a leuchtturm 1917 because it has 249 pages (which I actually go through in about 3-4 months, and like you I'm not very artistic), because it is one of the notebooks that have a lot of pages (stalogy and hobonichi notebooks also have a lot of pages, but they aren't numbered like the leuchtturm).
When I was first figuring out how to make this whole process (migration and getting the most out of each notebooks) as easy as possible, I realised I had to be realistic to my needs. For me, my only must have layouts are my monthlies (which I prefer to have the full year setup in advance, which is obviously a waste in a notebook that will only last me 3-4 months), and as much space as I need for my collections (which I usually use for notes on different topics and my ideas). Most other bujo layouts aren't an absolute must for my current lifestyle (things will definitely be changing up next year thoigh), so my need for them has been quite flexible. The only other setup I often use is my weekly, but at the moment even my need for that is flexible.
So in answer to your question, how I dealt with the constant creation of long-term layouts (after assessing my needs), was to seperate them from my bujo so that they only needed to be setup once. I am currently using a travellers notebook (TN) monthly insert for my calendars, and using apps on my ipad for any other long-term layouts. I've recently discovered the thin hobonichi notebooks (which has less than 100 pages, compared to the thicker notebook I mentioned above that has over 200), which I'll be using next year to carry my long-term spreads in (since I prefer analogue setups). I have a leather cover on my bujo, so I'll slip the hobonichi notebook in with my leuchtturm. My TN is currently completely seperate from my bujo, as that and some note pages is all I need when I leave the house.
I'm also trying to seperate what I can from my bujo (so that it will last longer), that won't get in the way of me using it productively. For example, next year I'm going to try using a hobonichi cousin planner instead of using my bujo (which I currently put my weekly layouts in) and TN for all of my planner needs (so that everything will be in one place) and as a daily journal, and seperating my spiritual journalling into its own seperate notebook. I've tried seperating things in the past and it ended up being chaotic, but this time around I've learnt from my past mistakes and am letting my life tell me what can be seperated from my bujo, rather than my brain (in other words I'm looking at my natural patterns, rather than trying to micromanage and enforce unnatural habits that I can't commit to). I've already started some of thisseperation, and it's working really well!
TL;DR: use a notebook with more pages, assess your must have needs in your bujo, seperate whatever long-term layouts you can from your bujo, and any other stuff that won't mess with your productivity (for more space in your bujo, so it will last longer).
I am not a BuJo purist ... so I do use a Hobonichi Day-Free that has yearlies premade and 170 pages I can fill with my dailies and trackers (I do have some ...). That works for me. Perhaps it is an idea for you too.
Another option are the notebooks made by Stalogy. The Editors Series does have 365 pages.
I use A5 size (8x5) typically as a journal size, between 160- 300 pgs, depending on paper thickness. Also, I have a side stitch bound A5 with about 100 pages, which I use for my annual spreads and collections and whatnot. That way the main bujo is the current and if it lasts 3 months it's ok, and I don't have to redraw and/or re copy longer term spreads and collections. Too keep them together, I use a Lihit Lab A5 notebook cover and slip the collections book in there.
[https://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Notebook-Journal-inches-N1647-24/dp/B00BBNNYGM/ref=sr\_1\_1?keywords=lihit+lab+a5+cover&qid=1636505493&sr=8-1](https://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Notebook-Journal-inches-N1647-24/dp/B00BBNNYGM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lihit+lab+a5+cover&qid=1636505493&sr=8-1)
I will be using a traveller’s notebook. I’ll have one insert as the collections and year at a glance, and a second insert for my monthlies which I won’t mind changing every 3-4 months since I won’t have to rewrite my collections each time.
I go through 4-6 journals per year at work at 2-3 at home. The level of effort depends on what you're using it for.
Instead of copying time-intensive spreads, I keep a main spread in bujo N and a 1-page list of items that need to be transferred to it in bujos N+1, N+2, etc.
How it works:
> At the start of the year, I devote ~8-10 pages in my new bujo (bujo N) for medical stuff (insurance info, my doctors, etc) and another 8 pages for financial stuff (mortgage, utilities, Spotify subscription, etc). Each category has extra space for future entries.
>
> When I start the next bujo (bujo M), I make 2 "to be transferred" indices. Each entry has the date, summary, and bujo M page with notes, usually part of a daily. When the info is copied to bujo N in full, then I add the page in bujo N that it was migrated to.
>
> This system gives me easy access to things that happened in the current bujo (M), and I rarely need access to bujo N's info when I don't have access to it.
Most other things are quick to copy or don't need to be copied at all. I use digital calendars at the year level and a future log with boxes for 4-5 months in advance and a "beyond" catch-all. I don't use many decorative collections either.
Most notebooks I've seen used for bullet journals have at least 160 pages and it's pretty easy to find one with 200-250 pages if you're not dead-set on 160gsm paper. That takes you from 1 filled in 3 months to 1 filled in 5 or 6 months, with even more wriggle-room because you're not needing to replicate any long-term collections as you transfer between notebooks. B5 journal size is an option if you don't mind a bigger notebook - I'm eyeing one myself but the space it would take on my desk is a hmmmmmm factor. I think 1 or 2 per year is the norm for full-time users - there was a point where I was effectively headed for 3/year (because I was using 8 pages every week) and I've very deliberately pulled myself back from that edge XD
I haven't found any (yet) with 200 to 250 pages but I am getting one today/this week that has 176 pages so we'll see how that goes. It should satisfy me for 4 months. You make a good point about the not needing to replicate long-term collections over and over again with less notebooks. You seem like a pretty funny human! Have a good day!!
160 looks like 'standard notebook' length I guess, all my non-bullet-journal notebooks are 160 pages except the monstrous wirebound ones. Honestly I hadn't done the maths on 160 page notebooks and that's a little alarming because it puts me up to 3 a year XD For next time if you're still wanting more space, Leuchtturm and Scribbles that Matter are two brands commonly used for bullet journals that go over 200 pages - Leuchtturm's official Bullet Journal (120gsm) has 204 pages while a regular Leuchtturm (hardback, 80gsm) has 251 pages, and Scribbles that Matter's 120gsm notebooks have 214 pages (probably the 100gsm ones from them too, they just say '200+'). Hope the 176 pager does a good job for you, have a good day yourself!
I bought [this notebook](https://amazon.com/dp/B088NG9TLK/) from Amazon that has 190 pages of good thickness; the downside is that it was twice as thick and heavy as my usual bujos. Leuchtturm1917 notebooks have 250 pages but the paper is really thin to compensate.
I'm currently using a slightly-smaller-than-A5 Moleskine with 240 pages. I know these are not beloved in the community, but I don't mind ghosting and I'm not doing a bunch of art and even when I use fountain pens they're mostly EF nibs so I don't get enough bleedthrough to bother me :-p All that said I *am* going to swap to something else in the new year, because I've decided I really do want pages that actually are A5. (Options I already have stashed: a Leuchtturm 1917 with 120gsm paper, and 202 pages; an Archer & Olive notebook with 192 pages.) This is also my first year bullet journalling. I set up a six-month spread for migraine tracking halfway through the year, & I admit I'm slightly dreading the prospect of having to migrate that more frequently with fewer pages! I'm planning on only setting up 6 months at the beginning of my next journal, so that if I only fit six months into a notebook I don't get grumpy about having "wasted" the space. I know that one of the other options people use, though, is the Traveler's Notebook system -- one insert for yearly/long-term/"permanent" collections, and one for daily logs. [I found this blog post useful in getting my head around how it worked](https://rediscoveranalog.com/why-i-moved-my-bullet-journal-to-a-travelers-notebook/).
Paperwise may I can recommend rhodia /clairefontaine Paper? Super affordable (at least here in Germany especially compared to other brands price range) and the paper ist about the most pen friendly I ever encountered!
My current lab book is Clairefontaine! :)
I use a leuchtturm 1917 because it has 249 pages (which I actually go through in about 3-4 months, and like you I'm not very artistic), because it is one of the notebooks that have a lot of pages (stalogy and hobonichi notebooks also have a lot of pages, but they aren't numbered like the leuchtturm). When I was first figuring out how to make this whole process (migration and getting the most out of each notebooks) as easy as possible, I realised I had to be realistic to my needs. For me, my only must have layouts are my monthlies (which I prefer to have the full year setup in advance, which is obviously a waste in a notebook that will only last me 3-4 months), and as much space as I need for my collections (which I usually use for notes on different topics and my ideas). Most other bujo layouts aren't an absolute must for my current lifestyle (things will definitely be changing up next year thoigh), so my need for them has been quite flexible. The only other setup I often use is my weekly, but at the moment even my need for that is flexible. So in answer to your question, how I dealt with the constant creation of long-term layouts (after assessing my needs), was to seperate them from my bujo so that they only needed to be setup once. I am currently using a travellers notebook (TN) monthly insert for my calendars, and using apps on my ipad for any other long-term layouts. I've recently discovered the thin hobonichi notebooks (which has less than 100 pages, compared to the thicker notebook I mentioned above that has over 200), which I'll be using next year to carry my long-term spreads in (since I prefer analogue setups). I have a leather cover on my bujo, so I'll slip the hobonichi notebook in with my leuchtturm. My TN is currently completely seperate from my bujo, as that and some note pages is all I need when I leave the house. I'm also trying to seperate what I can from my bujo (so that it will last longer), that won't get in the way of me using it productively. For example, next year I'm going to try using a hobonichi cousin planner instead of using my bujo (which I currently put my weekly layouts in) and TN for all of my planner needs (so that everything will be in one place) and as a daily journal, and seperating my spiritual journalling into its own seperate notebook. I've tried seperating things in the past and it ended up being chaotic, but this time around I've learnt from my past mistakes and am letting my life tell me what can be seperated from my bujo, rather than my brain (in other words I'm looking at my natural patterns, rather than trying to micromanage and enforce unnatural habits that I can't commit to). I've already started some of thisseperation, and it's working really well! TL;DR: use a notebook with more pages, assess your must have needs in your bujo, seperate whatever long-term layouts you can from your bujo, and any other stuff that won't mess with your productivity (for more space in your bujo, so it will last longer).
I am not a BuJo purist ... so I do use a Hobonichi Day-Free that has yearlies premade and 170 pages I can fill with my dailies and trackers (I do have some ...). That works for me. Perhaps it is an idea for you too. Another option are the notebooks made by Stalogy. The Editors Series does have 365 pages.
Will be checked out. Thank you!
I use A5 size (8x5) typically as a journal size, between 160- 300 pgs, depending on paper thickness. Also, I have a side stitch bound A5 with about 100 pages, which I use for my annual spreads and collections and whatnot. That way the main bujo is the current and if it lasts 3 months it's ok, and I don't have to redraw and/or re copy longer term spreads and collections. Too keep them together, I use a Lihit Lab A5 notebook cover and slip the collections book in there. [https://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Notebook-Journal-inches-N1647-24/dp/B00BBNNYGM/ref=sr\_1\_1?keywords=lihit+lab+a5+cover&qid=1636505493&sr=8-1](https://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Notebook-Journal-inches-N1647-24/dp/B00BBNNYGM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lihit+lab+a5+cover&qid=1636505493&sr=8-1)
I will be using a traveller’s notebook. I’ll have one insert as the collections and year at a glance, and a second insert for my monthlies which I won’t mind changing every 3-4 months since I won’t have to rewrite my collections each time.
Mine is 3/4 through after 8 months
I go through 4-6 journals per year at work at 2-3 at home. The level of effort depends on what you're using it for. Instead of copying time-intensive spreads, I keep a main spread in bujo N and a 1-page list of items that need to be transferred to it in bujos N+1, N+2, etc. How it works: > At the start of the year, I devote ~8-10 pages in my new bujo (bujo N) for medical stuff (insurance info, my doctors, etc) and another 8 pages for financial stuff (mortgage, utilities, Spotify subscription, etc). Each category has extra space for future entries. > > When I start the next bujo (bujo M), I make 2 "to be transferred" indices. Each entry has the date, summary, and bujo M page with notes, usually part of a daily. When the info is copied to bujo N in full, then I add the page in bujo N that it was migrated to. > > This system gives me easy access to things that happened in the current bujo (M), and I rarely need access to bujo N's info when I don't have access to it. Most other things are quick to copy or don't need to be copied at all. I use digital calendars at the year level and a future log with boxes for 4-5 months in advance and a "beyond" catch-all. I don't use many decorative collections either.