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All About Planners

Printable planners to organize your home, business and life!

March 3, 2021

7 Tips for using washi tape in your bullet journal or planner

Washi tape can be used for much more than just decoration in your planner or bullet journal. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it.

If you’re not sure what size washi tape to get, I recommend:

3mm (skinny washi tape) – for bullet journaling as it doesn’t take up much space on the page. It’s also good for covering up the black border lines between days in a planner

5mm – most bullet journal notebooks have a 5mm dot grid so this washi tape fits perfectly. This is my favorite size for days of the week washi tape

7mm – less common size, I like to use this for borders at the top and bottom of the page

15mm – this used to be the only size that washi tape came in. I rarely buy this size anymore as it’s too big (for me), for anything other than borders

If you only have 15mm washi, wrap half around the top of the page to make it look thinner

7 Tips for using washi tape in your bullet journal or planner

1. Days of the week washi tape

Apart from checklists, my favorite functional washi tape!

There are a few brands offering this washi tape now, see this post: my favorite days of the week washi tape

Sunshine sticker co washi tape weekly spread in the leuchtturm dot grid notebook functional minimalist black and white only quick easy

Sunshine Sticker Co.’s 5mm washi tape is my current favorite.

sunshine sticker co rainbow washi tape days of the week 10mm and 5mm color coded black bullet journal supplies

If you can’t afford to buy every color, just get the black text on white background version, then you can use highlighters over the top to make the washi tape whatever color you want.

bullet journal weekly spread vertical pastel theme thin washi pattern borders leuchtturm 1917

days of the week washi tape sunshine sticker co simple quick easy color coding 5mm dot grid and 10mm bullet journal

Most days of the week washi tape are 5mm to fit the most common dot grid size that bullet journal notebooks come in. The We R Memory Keepers washi tape is 15mm but as you can see in the photo below, it takes up so much space (so I rarely use it).

bullet journal weekly spread washi planner decorating simple minimalist tips ideas inspiration dot grid journal bujo staedtler mint theme polka dot

Bullet journaling with washi tape in the Scrivwell Dot Grid Notebook

2. Fill awkward gaps

Most dot grid notebook have a 5mm dot grid, yet even those with the same page size, seem to have a different number of dots horizontally and vertically. I almost always end up with an awkward gap where one of the rows on a weekly spread or monthly calendar would be much larger than the others. So instead, fill the gap with some washi tape and make it look like it was part of your layout all along…

bullet journal monthly calendar with washi tape border functional quick simple decorating ideas inspiration spreads

bullet journal stencils and washi tape frixion erasable pens quick simple decorating ideas

3. Borders

A plain black border is fine… but some thin washi tape will just give it that something extra, especially if you’re writing everything in black pen.

Read more: My Favorite thin washi tape for planning

washi tape borders weekly spread ideas simple easy quick mambi thin washi skinny

Whistle and Birch weekly planner spread using the study layout

bullet journal washi tape weekly spread dashboard layout rainbow color coded by day easy simple happy planner dot grid refill discbound

to do list bullet journal simple washi tape decorating ideas minimalist red and green christmas theme

Christmas themed weekly spread with washi tape and stencils

4. Layer with stickers

These days of the week stickers are from the handwritten Happy Planner journaling sticker book. On their own they can be a bit plain so if you want to add color, add a strip of washi tape behind.

washi tape highlighters weekly spread mambi text label handwritten stickers posy paper quick easy minimalist

Quick and easy washi tape and highlighters weekly spread

Layering washi tape works well for headings too

And for borders..

If you have an awkward space, try 2 different sized washi tapes. Solid washi tape on it’s own might be a bit plain, but it looks good when you match it up with pattern washi.

bullet journal washi tape to do list checklist black and pink layering simple quick decorating ideas inspiration

2 different color washi tapes works well too. Some color combinations:

  • Pink & purple
  • Pink & blue
  • Pink & green
  • Pink & orange
  • Purple & blue
  • Purple & green
  • Purple & Orange
  • Blue & green
  • Black & pink
  • Orange & blue

monthly habit tracker ideas bullet journal decorative diy cute washi tape colorful color coding creative inspiration ideas organization stamps cute-min

15 habit tracker tips & ideas to try

Because washi tape comes in so many patterns some other options are:

  • 2 patterns together e.g. stripes and dots
  • Use a pattern washi tape and a solid color washi tape that matches one of the colors used in the pattern washi tape e.g. rainbow chevron that has blue, red and yellow matched with a blue, red or yellow solid washi tape like I did below:

bullet journal daily washi tape spread ideas layout simple functional no schedule

Related post: 10 Bullet Journal Daily Scheduling Layout Ideas

5. Covering up mistakes, expired dates & sections you don’t need

Most washi tape is see through so I almost always use glitter washi tape for this (pairs well with any color too!)

converting mambi happy planner monthly calendar into weekly dot marker glitter washi carpe diem sticker simple minimaliat_02

Using a monthly calendar for weekly planning

glitter washi tape weekly spread blogging horizontal and categories layout rainbow colorful

Customising the Milligram Family Planner

6. Habit tracking washi tape

If you do a lot of monthly spreads, invest in some dated washi tape. You can get monthly washi tape in vertical and horizontal format for habit tracking.

habit tracker washi tape sunshine sticker co functional washi tape for bullet journaling

If you don’t want to turn your page, cut the dates strip in half:

habit tracker washi tape bullet journaling sunshine sticker co horizontal dates monthly polka dot border

Sunshine sticker horizontal black text on white background washi tape

Or get the vertical version

ink by jeng calendar list washi tape bullet journaling checklist functional favorite bullet journaling planner supplies

Ink by Jeng vertical monthly calendar washi tape

You can get hourly washi tape too!

7. Page Markers.

Place on the side or the bottom corner of your bullet journal or pages you access frequently in your planner to make them easier to find.

color coded notes pages using washi tape school subject category how to use blank note paper

More washi tape posts:

  • Best pens for writing on washi tape 
  • Favorite washi tape for planning, planner decorating & color coding
  • 7 Useful washi tapes for bullet journaling

Planning tips

  • 7 tips for storing planner supplies
  • My 10 biggest planner pet peeves
  • How to color code bill paying in your planner (7 different ways) 
  • How to choose a binding system for your planner (comparison and which one I like the most) 

Liked this post? Pin it!

washi tape tips bullet journal how to use functional decorative ink by jeng sunshine sticker weekly spread hacks

how to use washi tape in your planner or bullet journal tips ideas inspiration hacks monthly calendar weekly spread habit tracker washi tape

7 tips for using washi tape in your planner or bullet journal inspiration spread layouts

washi tape bullet journal planner tips inspiration ideas how to use functional monthly weekly daily spread checklist color coding habit tracking

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  • Productivity weekly spread with giant to do list and detailed fitness trackerProductivity weekly spread with giant to do list and detailed fitness tracker
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  • My Favorite Days of the week washi tape for bullet journalingMy Favorite Days of the week washi tape for bullet journaling

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Posted In: Bullet Journal Spreads, Bullet Journal Tips, Planning Tips & Inspiration · Tagged: bullet journal decorating ideas, bullet journal weekly spread with washi, how to use thin washi, how to use wide washi, simple bullet journal spread, simple washi decorating, washi bujo, washi bullet journal ideas, washi ideas, washi spreads, washi tape bujo, washi tape bullet journal, washi tape daily, washi tape daily spread, washi tape decorating, washi tape ideas, washi tape monthly spread, washi tape spreads, washi tape weekly, washi tape weekly spread

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