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March 29, 2019

12 Monthly planning bullet journal spreads (you can do in 5 minutes or less)

I’m someone that doesn’t like using a traditional monthly calendar with boxes for each day. The boxes are too small to write more than one thing in and some planners split boxes in 2 when the month ends midweek (not a fan of this). So instead I tend to use a list format, or I’ll just skip dates altogether and just do a monthly planning page instead.

If you want to switch from the ‘traditional’ monthly calendar layout, here are a few layouts to try!

Some things to put on your monthly planning page:

  • Events (birthdays, anniversaries, parties etc.)
  • Meal planning (or just some meal planning ideas)
  • Cleaning
  • Routine tasks
  • Kids’ events
  • Random reminders e.g. flip the mattress
  • Seasonal tasks e.g. clean the gutters (stuff you don’t do every month)
  • Goals
  • To do (I like to organize by priority, should do and if I have time)
  • Little things e.g. find a new slow cooker recipe

Non-traditional

If you don’t like a box traditional calendar format with boxes for each day (which can take a long time to count dots and rule up), try list format instead:

monthly bullet journal layout inspiration ideas tip simple minimalist quick siwengde notebook

Related: Siwengde Bullet Journal Notebook Review

You could also use traditional boxes for appointments, then add a second list page like this for meal planning.

monthly planning page layout ideas simple minimalist quick perpetual calendar non-traditional bullet journal ideas bujo

Habit Trackers

If you do like using a traditional boxes per day format for monthly planning, use the bit of extra space for a habit tracker or notes for goals. I like to draw boxes for each day when I do a habit tracker but if you want to speed it up, just do the horizontal lines and not the vertical as there’s already the dots on the page to use as a guide.

bullet journal monthly calendar planning tips inspiration ideas minimalist quick easy

Another time saving thing is to record how many dots across and down the page for the notebook you’re using (as they’re all different). I put this on a sticky note and keep at the front of the notebook.

bullet journal tips time saving quick hacks newbie

If you use the same style calendar each month, you could cluster all of your month’s together and ‘trace’ past months (since most dot grid notebooks have thin paper that’s prone to ghosting).

Or create a reference page in your notebook where you list your preferred spacing for each type of page e.g. 2 page monthly calendar with habit tracker – 5 dots across, 6 dots down for each box.

bullet journal monthly spread calendar functional minimalist ideas pros and cons tips layouts bujo quick simple easy

Multi-Tasker

monthly bullet journal layout inspiration ideas tip simple minimalist quick siwengde notebook manage work personal business busy multiple things

Bit of everything

bullet journal monthly spread inspiration ideas quick simple easy fast bujo inspo

Related: Artist’s Loft Dot Grid Journal Review

monthly planning bullet journal bujo inspiration tips ideas minimalist simple fast easy

Related post: 10 Bullet Journal weekly layouts if you want to keep work and personal in the same spread

Project Planning

I used one of those compass circle maker tools (like the ones you’d use in school) however We R Memory Keepers recently bought out a nifty journal guide tool that includes a circle maker.

I’ve also used large discs (ARC, MAMBI etc.) for tracing around to make a circle.

bullet journal layout ideas simple minimalist quick monthly planning goals projects

bullet journal inspiration spread ideas layout pros and cons minimalist simple quick easy frixion erasasble pen project planner

List Maker

bullet journal monthly spread planning page if i have time should do must do priority meals events birthdays tracker

monthly planning spreads for your bullet journal layout simple quick 5 minutes or less

By Week

I don’t like assigning things to certain days, I’d rather just list out everything to do and pick and choose what I’m in the mood for each day.

bullet journal monthly planning spread simple quick 5 minutes or less tips ideas layout inspiration weekly no dates minimalist

bullet journal monthly planning colorful quick simple easy use washi tape in your bujo ideas

bullet journal monthly planning colorful quick simple easy use washi tape in your bujo ideas by week

Structured

If you don’t have a blog you could use the dated page for meal planning, appointments etc.

monthly blog planning bullet journal spread layout ideas tips quick simple easy inspiration overview

More bullet journal

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Planning tips

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monthly review questions

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quick bullet journal layout monthly spreads in 5 minutes or less minimalist easy simple frixon pen dot grid notebook tips inspo

bullet journal monthly planning spreads layout ideas inspiration quick setup in 5 minutes or less all about planners

bullet journal monthly planning spreads layout ideas inspiration quick setup in 5 minutes or less all about planners simple easy bujo newbie minimalist

bullet journal monthly planner spreads in 5 minutes or less quick simple easy diy alternative to traditional box calendar bujo

monthly planning bullet journal spread ideas inspiration layout tips simple quick easy 5 minutes or less

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Posted In: Bullet Journal, Bullet Journal Spreads · Tagged: bujo ideas, bujo monthly layout, bujo monthly planning, bujo spread, bullet journal monthly, bullet journal monthly calendar, bullet journal monthly spread, bullet monthly spread, monthly planning, non traditional bullet journal

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