Productive Pixie: July 2019

Starting your first bullet journal can be hard. Especially with all of the options out there. Collections, layouts, dutch door layouts, the best pens to use, must-have bullet journal supplies, brush pens you need, what type of book to use, etc. The list goes on. You may have heard about bullet journaling in a binder, sometimes called the bullet journal planner hybrid. Some people say it's amazing because it combines the best of both worlds! Is this true?

Pros + Cons of Bullet Journaling in a Binder

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Updated for 2024 - As of 2021, I am no longer using a bullet journal binder. To see what bullet journal I am using now, you can head over to My 2021 Bullet Journal Setup.

Yeah, it is definitely confusing to understand what bullet journal notebook and supplies you should buy, especially if it is your first time, and you are just beginning your bullet journal journey. It's even more confusing because so many people online (like me lol) are giving you their opinion on what you should buy. Don't let me persuade you to start a bullet journal binder if you feel like another planning system would work better!

I use a planner binder for my bullet journal, and I feel like it lets me be more creative than if I used a regular bound bullet journal. This post won't be biased though just because I love using my bullet journal in a binder. :)

Pros + Cons of Bullet Journaling in a Binder

As with any system, the bullet journal in a binder or the bullet journal planner hybrid has its shortcomings. Are the benefits of the system worth it though? That is what you have to ask yourself when deciding on any organizational or planning system.

Today, I am going to tell you the pros and cons of using a bullet journal in a binder. Should we start with the pros or the cons?

Let's start with the pros first so you can see why I like bullet journaling in a binder so much. :)

The Pros of Bullet Journaling in a Binder

You Can Add + Remove Pages as You Like

I think that this is the biggest reason why people like bullet journaling in a binder. If you make a mistake, you can start it over again! No need to try and cover it up.

You can also organize your bullet journal layouts however you like! If you want to add a new month to your bullet journal, you don't have to worry about not having enough room in your notebook. Problem solved!

No Need for an Index

You don't need an index because you can divide up your pages into sections. One for collections, one for goal setting, etc. You don't have to though. You can have your collections wherever you want which makes it super customizable.

If you want to though, you can still have an index to help you find certain pages in your bullet journal binder.

You Don't Have to Migrate Journals

When you fill up a traditional bullet journal notebook, you have to start a new one. What about all of those half-filled collections and trackers which took you so long to make?

Well, you are going to have to make them all over again, which can be very fun, but it is a lot of work, especially if you aren't done with your other layouts.

You may like setting up new collections and trackers every time you start a new notebook, but if you don't then you can use a binder and voila! You can just remove the rest of your used layouts and leave the collections and trackers you want.

A Bullet Journal Binder May Save You Money

Putting your bullet journal in a binder may save you money in the long run if you use the same binder year after year. I have used my Recollection Planner Binder for almost a year now and it still looks practically new.

I don't carry my binder around with me though so it doesn't get as much wear and tear as it would have if I carried it around with me.

If you are someone who carries your bullet journal around with you or you are planning on carrying your bullet journal around with you it may make you lose money if it wears out in less than a year depending on how much money you spend on your planner binder.

Some of them are really expensive!

You Can Print Out Your Own Pages

You can print out your own dotted pages for free which means that you can go through a lot of different layouts.

Printables can be used in your planner binder too. If you are having a busy week, you can print out a layout and just hole punch it in.

You can also use lined paper or blank paper too! The possibilities are endless!

It Can Save You Time

This one goes along with the one above. A bullet journal binder can save you time too! If you find a layout you really like. Say your weekly layout, for example, you can scan it and then print it out as many times as you want! Just add the basic lines, and then you can decorate it however you want.

Those were all of the pros I came up with. Can you think of any other reasons why you like using a planner binder as a bullet journal? That is if you do use a bullet journal in a binder. :)

A Planner Binder Has Pockets

Depending on what binder you buy, your planner binder may have pockets in it. My Rose Gold Recollections Planner Binder has pockets in the front and in the back.

It has plenty of room for storage, so if you are a stationery lover (or hoarder lol), a binder with pockets might be just what you need!

The Cons of Using a Bullet Journal in a Binder

Now it is time to go on to the bad news about using a bullet journal in a binder. I think the pros are going to outweigh the cons, but you can decide for yourself.

A Bullet Journal Binder is Bulkier

A bullet journal binder is bulkier than a regular bound bullet journal, so you may not like carrying it around. If you don't carry yours around with you though, then you will be fine.

Plus, because planner binders are more complicated because of the rings, if you drop yours, it will be more likely to break.

Pages May Rip Out

If you use a certain collection or layout for a long time, the page may fall out. You can just tape it back in, but it won't be the same, and it will make your binder bulkier. I have never had this problem though so I don't think that there is much to worry about.

This also depends on the weight of the paper you have in your bullet journal planner binder.

The Rings Get in the Way

This is my number one problem with my planner binder. It doesn't annoy me a ton, but it is a problem which you may not like.

If I am creating a layout, then I will remove the page from my bullet journal binder. If I am just writing something down, then I leave it in the binder and the rings don't get in the way too much.

Because of the rings, you also cannot easily make two-page layouts.

You Have to Keep Buying or Printing out Pages

It may take longer to make a bullet journal layout because you have to print and hole punch the pages. You can buy some pages on Amazon, but if you go through a lot of pages, it may be more expensive than if you use a regular bound bullet journal.

The Pros + Cons of Bullet Journaling in a Binder

So do you think you will like using a planner binder? If you want to try out bullet journaling in a binder, I suggest using a binder you already have and printing out some dot pages or buying a small cheap binder and trying it out.

Ultimately, in 2020, I moved on to using a regular bound bullet journal. The rings in the bullet journal planner binder, and the fact that I had to print out new pages so often, wasn't worth it to me.

If you liked this post, you will also like these ones too!

Pretty soon I am going to start making new bullet journal layouts for the year so stay tuned for when it is posted!

Please pin and share this post! Thank you! :)

July 27, 2019 No comments

Are you tired of feeling like you never have anything to wear? Or that you never have enough money to buy the pieces you want? I get this feeling! Sometimes, it just feels like you don't have enough clothing and money! In reality, you just need to shake things up and look at your wardrobe in a different way. Today, I'll be dishing out the tips on how you can dress chic and classy all while on a budget because I'm not a billionaire, and you probably aren't either! 😂

Updated for 2024

Do you groan every time you look at a price tag on a piece of clothing you really want?

Dressing chic on a budget can be hard, especially if you don't have enough money to buy super expensive classic pieces and you don't like buying pieces that won't last. Cue trendy and cheap items that get holey and fall apart after you wash them a few times. None of us want that!

Don't worry though because today I have a bunch of tips to help you save money while looking chic and classy! You're welcome!

Tips for How to Dress Chic + Classy on a Budget

1. Save up + Buy One Item at a Time

If you save up to buy one item at a time, then you can buy something on the more expensive side that is better quality. Be aware though, that more money doesn't always equal higher quality. I always like to find an item with good reviews and then look for the store that sells it at the lowest price.

This can also help you to avoid shopping sprees! :)

I actually have a wish list in my bullet journal that I write down everything I want to buy on it. Then I go through this list one at a time, with an exception for necessary purchases. When it comes to clothes though, it usually isn't actually a necessary purchase, unless you are just lying to yourself, which is a possibility if you really really want the item. 😂

I also have a folder on my laptop called "Shopping" and anything I see that I like, I bookmark it to this folder. Then I can go back through this folder later and see if I still want it. This way, I don't impulse shop, which leads to my next tip.

2. Know What You are Going to Buy

I always use this tip. Sign up for your favorite store's email list so that you can know whenever they are having a sale. Then around once a month you can drop onto the site and see if there is anything that you like.

If there is, don't spend your money at once. Pin it to a special Pinterest board like "Wishlist" or add it to your favorites bar so you can come back later.

Now all you have to do is wait until it is on sale, or you have a coupon and then you can buy it for less. Plus, when you don't buy it on an impulse, you can decide if you really like it and if it is worth buying.

3. Wait for a Holiday

If you wait for a holiday, then most stores are going to be having sales. It is a great time to buy it then especially if it is Black Friday.

If you already have a folder on your laptop filled with items that you like, you can get the best deals, and you won't be tempted to spend money on something else that you don't like as much just because you want to take advantage of the deal.

4. Invest in Basic Pieces + Neutral Clothing

If you buy basic pieces like a white tee or black skinny jeans, you can make more outfits with that piece. Plus, basic pieces always look chic too! Investing in coats and jackets is also a good idea if you live somewhere cold because you will wear them a lot and it will make your outfit classier.

I find that clothing in neutral colors always looks more expensive than clothing in bright colors and bold prints, so keep this in mind when you are shopping.

If you don't know what to wear, you can't go wrong with sticking to neutral colors, and an entire monochrome outfit can look very classy.

Look at the quality of the material as well.

5. Add Some Accessories

Adding some cheap accessories can take any look from plain boring to super stylish. Even though the cheaper accessories may not be the best quality, if you pair them with one of the pieces you invested in, it will elevate your whole look, and no one will know that you got those accessories for a great deal!

The accessories should be cheap, but they should not look cheap. I think it is a great idea to go with classic Parisian accessories such as pearl earrings, small scarves, and berets. I have a beret and I'm a huge fan of it because it will make any outfit look so much more put together.

If you don't have one, and Parisian style is your thing then I definitely recommend buying one. You can see how I style a beret here. My beret cost less than $15, but it is made out of wool, so it was cheap, but it is of good quality.

6. Don't Buy Cheap Looking Items

Stay away from cheap-looking clothes and if you are buying them online, make sure that you read the reviews and you check the sizing charts.

The sandals in these pictures only cost me around $10, but because of the neutral colors and the braided straps, they don't look super cheap. If they were entirely plastic, and in a bright color, they would look cheap.

7. Have a Nice Appearance

The right clothing can do wonders for anyone, but if you have chipped nails, messy hair, and it looks like your face hasn't been washed in days, then your clothes aren't going to do anything for you.

If you wear makeup, make sure you keep it looking natural. The same goes for your nails unless you are getting a manicure, and then stay away from bright flashy colors.

Remember that a classy woman doesn't need to wear bright flashy colors to make a statement. She can make a statement by being her confident self. Clothing helps her to be more confident, but it doesn't steal the show.

How to Dress Chic + Classy on a Budget

Also, avoid clothes that are trendy today, and out of style tomorrow. Stick with classic pieces that you like and make you feel confident. Stay away from clothes that are purposely made to look used: ripped, holey, stained. Plus, as a last tip, always remember that less is more.

How do you try and look classy on a budget? Are there any tips that you would add to this post?

If you liked this post, you might also like these ones too.

I hope that you found some tips to dress chic and classy on a budget!

Pin and share this post with your friends! :)

July 20, 2019 No comments

A new hobby I have been loving recently is calligraphy and hand lettering! It is super fun and easy to get started too! I made a calligraphy binder so I could keep all of my supplies in one place and so I can see improvement as I keep practicing my calligraphy and hand lettering. If you want to improve your hand lettering and calligraphy quickly, then a calligraphy binder might be just the thing you need!

How I Made a Calligraphy Binder + You Can Too!

Updated for 2024

Starting Calligraphy + Hand Lettering

Starting to learn calligraphy is super simple. I have been doing calligraphy since around May 2019 and my handwriting is improving a lot. Most of the calligraphy worksheets used in this post were hand-lettered recently! I couldn't bring myself to use some of my beginning ones because my hand-lettering has improved so much. :)

All you need to start learning hand lettering is a few worksheets, which you can get for free, and a pencil. To learn calligraphy, it is a good idea to invest in a set of brush pens. Don't worry! it won't break your bank! You can get a set of two Tombow Fudesonuke brush pens for around $10. The Tombow Fudesonuke brush pens are great for beginners!

Did you know that you can also do calligraphy with a Crayola marker?

You can!

So if you already have Crayola markers then you can start learning calligraphy today, without having to purchase any new supplies. :)

My favorite pens for lettering are the Tombow brush pens and Ecoline brush pens, though I recommend Ecoline brush pens for more advanced calligraphers because the ink is harder to control due to the more bendable tip. I love how smooth these brush pens feel on the paper and the juicy ink.

Whenever I do calligraphy, I put a piece of thick cardstock underneath the sheet I am working on, just so the ink doesn't bleed through onto whatever is underneath. You may want to consider doing the same if you don't want to ruin the surface you are working on, and you don't want to have any accidents. Yikes, it would be bad if your table permanently had ink spots on it!

For almost all calligraphy styles, you make the stroke thick on the downstroke. If you are left-handed, you can also turn the page at an angle to help get the pen at the right angle for making a stroke.

My favorite resource for hand lettering is DawnNicoleDesigns. She posts new free worksheets regularly and if you sign up for her email list, you get a new worksheet every Monday. I think it's a great reminder to keep yourself practicing at least weekly. :)

When I started learning calligraphy though, I tried to do at least one worksheet every morning so I could improve quickly. If you want to do the same, then it would be a good idea to incorporate practicing calligraphy into your morning routine.

All of the worksheets shown in the images for this post are from her website and you can get them all for free. I like how she uses different fonts for her worksheets, so you can learn lots of different types of fonts.

I have been trying to practice my calligraphy almost every day, and I am seeing a great improvement in my lettering, but that isn't what this post is about, so let's get onto how I set up my calligraphy binder.

If you would like to learn how to improve your calligraphy quicker, you can read Guaranteed Ways to Quickly Improve Your Calligraphy + Hand Lettering.

Side note - This post and the photography in this post were updated in 2021. If you are just starting doing calligraphy please do not be intimidated. My calligraphy definitely did not look like this when I started!

How I Set up my Calligraphy Binder

Before I had made my calligraphy binder, I just had a stack of all of the calligraphy worksheets I had printed out. Every time I wanted to do a new worksheet, I had to flip through all of my pages to find one that wasn't already done. (I have to keep all of my worksheets so that I can track my improvement 😁) It's very motivating to be able to see how much your calligraphy has improved.

Obviously, I needed some organization!

I decided that I needed some way to organize all of the calligraphy worksheets and hand lettering printables I had. I bought a 2" inch binder because I wanted a big one for all of the calligraphy worksheets I was going to print out.

And you know it's really annoying to have to switch everything to a new binder when you fill up the old one with worksheets, so why not just go with a large binder in the first place?

In the first pocket in my binder, I have a piece of thick cardstock for putting under the worksheet I am doing, so that the ink doesn't bleed through to whatever is underneath.

I divided my binder up into the following three sections, but I may add more if I think of any other sections that would help organize my calligraphy and hand lettering worksheets.

Practice...
Finished
Portfolio

Practice...

I added the dots after "practice" because I think that it looks cute and because it's always a work in progress. In this section are all of my worksheets that are partially done or ones that I haven't done at all, but I printed them out because I am going to do them.

This way, if I take my calligraphy binder somewhere and I have some extra time, I already have a bunch of calligraphy worksheets in my binder that I can do!

Finished

I think that this section is pretty self-explanatory. All of my finished worksheets are in this section. Whenever I feel like my calligraphy isn't improving, I can just flip back through this section and get some motivation to keep going because my calligraphy definitely has improved since I started.

Portfolio

I named this section "portfolio" because I really like how it sounds lol and not because I am planning to sell my work. 😁 Maybe in the future though... if you are interested in having me do calligraphy for you, just let me know!

In this section, I put all of my favorite pieces and my best pieces of work. I don't put practice sheets in here though I may in the future if I do a really good one. I stick all of the pieces in this section into sleeves, so I don't have to hole punch them. (Just in case I want to use them for something or hang them up on the wall)

Every so often, I pull out a piece of cardstock, find something that inspires me, and then I create a new page It may have a quote on it and some doodles. Using quotes to practice my calligraphy is one of my favorite ways to practice! The above piece is my favorite so far!

I created this one just last week even though it isn't spring, and I love how simple it looks.

Doing Calligraphy + Hand Lettering on the Go

I picked a big 2" binder because when I am on the go, and I have some time on my hands, I plan to pull out my calligraphy binder, turn it sideways like a lap desk, and do some calligraphy wherever I am!

I haven't had the chance to do it yet, but I think that it is a nice option of having my calligraphy worksheets in a binder.

Right now, I don't keep my pens in my binder, but if you are putting your pens into your calligraphy binder, you could buy a pen pouch that clips right into the front of your binder. This way everything you need to do calligraphy is in one convenient place. You don't have any excuses not to practice!

If you liked this post, you might also like...

Now I want to hear from you. Are you going to make a calligraphy binder? Do you like to do calligraphy and hand lettering?

Share this post with all of your friends! Maybe they like doing calligraphy too. :)

July 13, 2019 3 comments

Do you use a planner, but want to try out bullet journaling? You can try out bullet journaling, without giving up your current planning system! Bullet journaling can seem to be daunting at first because you get to draw all of the layouts yourself, but you don't have to dive right into bullet journaling do everything at once, especially if you still like your current planning system, and you are simply looking to see how you can make it better.

Easy Ways to Bullet Journal in Your Planner

Updated for 2024

On the flip side, maybe you have tried bullet journaling already, and you thought it was too much to keep up with, but you still liked some of the creative aspects of the bullet journaling system. Not to worry, because you can still include some aspects of the bullet journal system into your own planner!

At one point, I thought that bullet journaling was too complicated for me, so I stopped bullet journaling, and I went back to using a planner. But I missed the creativity the bullet journal system had, so I decided to incorporate some aspects of the bullet journal system into my planner, and then I went entirely back to using a traditional bullet journal.

Not one planner system can work for everyone because everyone has different needs. Life changes too, and so when your life changes, your organization system might not work for you anymore. That's okay!

When I used a ring-bound planner, I was able to stick all kinds of paper into my planner, so I could use traditional planner pages or lined paper, dotted paper, etc. When I was feeling creative, I could make an elaborate bullet journal layout, which I can also move around to any place in my planner. (Which is a huge plus for me!) When I didn't have as much time to plan, I would just use a printed page.

Recommended Post - Pros + Cons of Bullet Journaling in a Binder

Today, I have a few techniques you can use when you feel like you want to bullet journal in your planner. Let's jump right in! :)

Easy Ways to Bullet Journal in Your Planner

1. Use Graph Paper or Dotted Paper

If you are feeling super creative and you want to make a beautiful entire page layout like you see on Pinterest (By the way, feel free to follow me over there if you like my content!), then you can start totally from scratch with a piece of graph paper. You can also print out some dotted paper like most bullet journalists use as another option.

Check out the post below to see how I made a bullet journal layout for my summer bucket list.

Recommended Post - Making a Summer Bucket List to Help You Reach Your Goals

You can make your planner entirely into a bullet journal, by simply printing out a ton of dotted or graphed paper and then stick it into your planner. This way if you make a mistake, you can just remove the page and start over again!

This will only work if you use a ring-bound binder for your planner or another type of planner that allows you to add and remove pages in your planner.

But what about if you don't have a planner that you can add and remove pages? There are still options for you!

2. Leave Space at the Top of Planner Pages

If you leave space at the top of planner pages, then you can create your own bullet journal headers, which will give your planner a very personalized feel to it.

I use this type of spread for my trackers because it allows me to make my list-type pages look exactly how I want it. You can use the space at the top of your layouts to practice your hand lettering, and to add little doodles!

3. Add Some Doodles or Use Calligraphy

Adding some doodles to any spread can make it look more like a bullet journal. Adding a simple quote in the corner of any spread can give your planner just the extra touch that it needs!

Doodles can be added to any layout, to make your planner look more like a bullet journal. Of course, you can also add stickers to make your planner look more like a bullet journal, but lots of people put stickers in their planners as well.

You can also get into using stamps or watercolors in your planner. The options are endless!

4. Use a Bullet Journal Key

If you aren't familiar with the bullet journal system, the bullet journal system has a key, which is a list of symbols, that you use to organize your bullet journal. You use these symbols throughout your bullet journal to keep everything uniform and organized.

You can use a key in your planner as well, to help keep you more organized! And who doesn't want to be more organized?

Easy Ways to Bullet Journal in Your Planner

Those are four simple ways that you can try out the bullet journal system in your planner. If you like bullet journaling and decide that you want to give the entire system a try, you can read Bullet Journaling: What Is It? for everything you need to know to get started with bullet journaling. I hope you liked this post!

If you liked this post, you can read these ones too.

What do you do when you feel like you want to be more creative in your planner? Happy planning and have a great week!

Every pin and share counts! :)

July 06, 2019 No comments

Pros + Cons of Bullet Journaling in a Binder