How to transition from one bullet journal to the next
It is very common for people to use more than one bullet journal per year. Me personally, I used two bullet journals last year. Other people manage to use only one, but I've also heard of others that use 3 per year, or even more! It all depends on how busy you are, and how many spreads you create in your bullet journal.
No matter how many bullet journals you use per year though, there'll come a point where you'll need to move to a new notebook eventually. And that can feel a bit daunting for some, especially if it's the first time you're doing it. But don't worry. There are certain steps you need to take to make this procedure as simple as possible.
Before we begin with the steps, I need to mention that you need to start thinking about the move when you are on your last 20-25 pages of your current bullet journal. Especially if you have to order your new journal online and you have to wait for it to be delivered to you, you need to give yourself some time to prepare for the move.
So, now we can move on with the steps:
1. Choose your next Notebook
The first thing you need to consider is what notebook you're going to use for your new bullet journal. Were you happy with your previous notebook? Are you going to buy the same one for your next bullet journal, or do you want to try something new? If that is the case, then you might need to do some research, read some reviews on various brands and types of journals and once you've decided, then you can go ahead and buy it or order it online.
For example when I moved to my second bullet journal last year, I was really happy with my Leuchtturm1917 so decided to buy another one in a different colour. Right now, I'm again almost finished with my current bullet journal, but I'm considering to change to a Scribbles That Matter notebook, since I've read a lot of good reviews about that brand.
I have a blog post on'How to choose the perfect bullet journal for you', if you want to check it out.
2. Choose the Collections you want to migrate
Go through your current bullet journal, and make a list of all the collections/spreads you want to move to your new one. You don't have to copy over everything you've created. Take your time with this one and think what worked in the past and what didn't. You'll need to move the spreads you use the most plus any still active collections that you want to continue in the new bullet journal. Don't forget to write down the number of the page of the old spreads you want to move.
In my previous bullet journal the Calendex system didn't work for me. Therefore, I didn't migrate that spread in the new bujo.
3. Make any necessary changes
Once you have the list with the collections you want to migrate, go through each one and see if you want to keep them as they are, or if you want to change them around a bit. You might have seen a similar spread online that you preferred, so you might want to change it in your new bullet journal. Take a picture of the spread you've seen for your reference, or make some notes on a piece of paper (or even better your current bujo!) of the changes you want to make. If you don't have something in mind, you can still go online, do some research and get some inspiration.
When I moved to the second bullet journal, one of the spreads I knew I wanted to recreate was my 'Level 10 Life' one. But I wanted to make it a bit different. After looking around and getting some inspiration online, I decided to change completely the design and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. You can see the changes in the pictures below:
4. New Collections you want to add
Now is the time to consider any new collections you want to add. There is so much inspiration online, so you're bound to find even more spreads you might want to include in your new bullet journal.
I have put together a FREE printable with 150 Categories and Collection Ideas for your bullet journal that you might find useful.
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5. Order
One of the advantages of moving to a new journal, is that now you can actually put your spreads in the order you want. You also get to have them in the beginning of the journal, which makes it easier to access them.
Don't forget that some spreads need one page, while others need two pages or more. Also, consider that some spreads require two facing pages.
To preplan your order, you can write in your new journal the title of the collection on the page you plan to add them with a pencil. Another way, that allows you to play around more and see how things look while deciding on the order, is to use sticky notes. This makes it easier to move collections around instead of writing and erasing each time.
When I changed journal the second time around, I chose the following order:
- Word of the Year / Mission Statement
- Useful Numbers
- Key / Colour Code
- Year at a Glance
- Future Log
- Level 10 Life
- Books to Read
- Publications per Month
- Books Read in 2016
- My Planning Routine
- Housework Routine
- Menu Planning
- Supermarket Master List
- Vegetable Shopping Master List
You can see pictures and a video of the first spreads in my new bullet journal in this post.
Once you get your new notebook, even before you finish your current one, you should begin preparing it and start creating the collections in it. That way, you'll do things in your own time and you'll be ready before your current journal is finished.
Creative Journaling Course
Step by step video lessons that will help you set up and organise your life in your journal.
If this whole transition from one bullet journal to the next is too much for you and you'd prefer to avoid doing it every time you move to a new bullet journal, then you should consider using a binder system or a disk-bound system. That way you get to keep your spreads as they are, and you only add new pages once your bullet journal is full.
Have you moved to a new bullet journal already? Did you find it easy?
