31 Bullet Journal Supplies Recommended by the Pros ⋆ The Petite Planner

I asked a number of Instagramers what their favorite bullet journal supplies are and why. This list details the best supplies recommended by top bullet journalists.

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You know that feeling when you get the notification that your Amazon order is out for delivery? I get all jittery, just like Christmas Eve. There are few feelings as great as a stationery package showing up on the doorstep, and those are not to be named.

Related: Best Bullet Journal Supplies on Amazon

However, sifting through all pens, notebooks, and accessories can be almost stressful. You want everything, but you can only get a few items. So, the pressure is on to pick the perfect items.

This list of bullet journal supplies is recommended by the pros. I asked a number of Instagrammers I’m inspired by most to share their favorite supplies with me and tell me why. You will find their answers below. At the bottom of this post, you will find an entire list of all the items recommended by these ladies.

Related: 5 Best Dot Grid Notebooks for Bullet Journaling

The Best Bullet Journal Supplies According to Instagram

@journalwithpurpose

“My favorite supplies are: the Rhodia Goal Book. I love the paper quality, numbered pages, perpetual calendar, and contents pages. And the Rhodia Dot Book is a great low-cost option for practice spreads and pen tests. I use the Start Bay Navigator Traveler’s Notebook Cover because it’s beautifully designed and allows me to carry a few journals together.

For pens, my favorites are Staedtler Pigment Liners. They’re great for writing and sketching, and they’re waterproof on paper. I use Tombow Dual Brush Pens for lettering and headers. And lastly, Zebra Mildliners because they have a subtle highlight.

And, for quick decoration, I like to use washi tape.”

@bluenittany

“My faves are the Leuchtturm 1917 and then basically all things Tombow (Mono Drawing Pens, Twin Tone Markers, and the Dual Brush Pens.”

@bujo_blossoms

“My favorite journal is the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Dotted Notebook. My favorite pens are the Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens in sizes XS and S. I also use and like the Staedtler Pigment Liners and Sakura Pigma Microns. As far as colored pens go, I love the Staedtler Triplus Fineliners. When it comes to brush pens, it’s a tie between Stampin’ Up’s Stampin’ Write Markers and Tombow Dual Brush Pens.

My extras include the Wescott 6″ stainless steel, cork backed ruler, the C-Thru Ruler Company’s large and small circle stencil, and a Sanford Eraser. I also use white out tape and binder clips occasionally. And my favorite highlighters are Zebra Mildliners.”

@bujo_kdm

“My favorite bujo items include a good quality notebook such as the Rhodia Goalbook. It has silky smooth bleed through resistant pages, and as an added bonus, a pre-printed future log.

My favorite pens are Staedtler Pigment Liners and the Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens. Both have super dark ink, smooth writing, and no bleed through.

Other items I use and love are a good pencil, eraser, ruler, and a compass for making circles.”

@lapaolinasjournal

“I’m going to share my favorite journal supplies. They are few, but essential to me and they fit perfectly with my lettering style and handwriting. The first one is the felt pen Sign Pen by Pilot. It is easy to use and perfect for both beginners and advanced users. The ink resists the rubber if you have to erase the pencil left on the paper. The nib is round and tender so the ink flows smoothly. This tool doesn’t create any ghosting effect and it’s perfect for any kind of paper.

The second tool I love using is the Uni Pin Fineline pen. They are readily available in sizes ranging from 0.05 to 0.8. The nib is resistant and smooth for all styles of lettering and paper. Also, this pen does not ghost through.

Last, but not least, is my Pilot V7 Grip. I use it to write down notes in my journal. The nib is quite thin and allows you to easily and quickly write on the paper. Like the above mentioned, the ink in the Pilot V7 Grip dries immediately so it doesn’t smudge.”

@instaliddy

“My favorite journal is the Scribbles that Matter because it handles pens like a champ! But the Leuchtturm 1917 is wonderful because the pens dance on the pages.

For pens, I love the Tombow Fudenosuke hard tip because they help this girl’s brush lettering look nearly good. And the Staedtler 0.05 and Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen XS are my go-to pens for writing tasks and outlining doodles. Plus, they’re beautiful fine points don’t ghost. I like to take my Sharpie Fineline pens when I travel because they are cheap and I don’t really mind if I lose them. They’re great for that ‘medium’ point look. The Uniball Signo in white makes a great corrector and beautiful highlights.

For markers, I love the Tombow Dual Brush Pens. They make a watercolor effect when water is added with a brush and they come in beautiful colors.

But, my biggest must-have is patience with myself and having fun. Because, no matter what resources I use, the fact that I spend time being creative in my bujo is what gives me the most pleasure.”

@theblackerthebujo

“My favorite black fine line pens are Staedtler Pigment Liners (.05 and .1) for outlining, and Sakura Pigma Micron (.005). A lot of the time, when I opt for using fine line pens with a header, I do faux-calligraphy. These are essential for precision with that. They’re also really good for drawing small details.

My other favorite pens include the Papermate InkJoy Minis. For one, they are the cutest miniature pens in the world. But they also write nicely and come in vibrant colors, which is what initially attracted me to them. I also like the Sharpie Colored Pens. These are the only pens I’ve tried so far that are perfect for filling in small spaces. I usually use them when I want to add color to faux-calligraphy headers. Highlighters and markers are too thick for filling in those small spaces, but these are perfect because they have a small, durable tip. They also come in a bunch of colors and never smudge.

As far as brush pens and markers, I like the Pentel Fude Touch Brush Pens, Tombow Fudenosuke (hard and soft tip), and the Artist’s Loft Dual Brush Pens. The Tombow allows me to create a more bold header, as does the Pentel Fude Touch. The Tombow Hard Tip took me a while to get the hang of, but I like it a lot. It’s not as flexible as the other two, but it allows you two write in a smaller font, so that’s what I use it for. I use the Artist’s Loft Dual Brush Pens when I want to add color to my weekly or monthly pages. They write beautifully, and in my opinion, are better than the Tombow Dual Brush Pens, which I know are really popular in the bullet journal community. These are less expensive, and I have the 48-pack which means there are so many good colors to choose from.

My extra supplies include a Bic Mechanical Pencil that I use to plan out my spreads, a Magic Rub Eraser because it’s better than the eraser on my mechanical pencil, a ruler for making straight lines, and the Staedtler Circle Stencils. The possibilities are endless with these stencils. And these are sturdy and easy to use.”

@rosekjournals / littlemissrose.com

“I have been bullet journaling for almost 2 years now. Even though I know that you don’t need fancy supplies to create and use a bullet journal, I have still spent a lot on stationery. But I always go back to my favorite supplies. These include an A5 dot grid notebook, with the Scribbles That Matter being my absolute favorite because of the paper quality and the funky colors they are available in.

As for pens, I love gel ink pens for writing, and my favorites have always been Muji pens. When it comes to drawing and ruling lines, I love Staedtler Pigment Liners as these dry quickly compared to gel ink pens. And, they’re waterproof so I can use watercolor over them.

For added color, I currently love Tombow Dual Brush pens. The brush ends are perfect for creating simple hand-lettered headings while the fine tips are great for coloring in or adding finer details. You can also add water to them to get a watercolor effect. And they come in a wide variety of colors.”

@nosleepforyou

“Track the past, organize the present, plan for the future.” This is the Bullet Journal. Simple. No frills. It’s one of the many things I love about the system. It only needs the bare essentials – a notebook and writing utensil. Unless you want more… in which case, there is PLENTY to explore. Here are some of my favorites.

For a notebook, I love the Leuchtturm 1917. I also like having a good pencil. My favorite is the Palomino Blackwing, but a budget-friendly Dixon will do the trick. When it comes to pens, find one you are comfortable writing with. I love the Pigma Micron 0.3 but a Sharpie fine point is great as well. Brush pens are optional, but I do love the Tombow Dual Brush Pens. But, Crayola SuperTips are great and far cheaper.

Some other things I like to have are a good eraser, a sharpener, correction tape, page flags (if you’re like me and forget to update your index), paper clips, washi tape to spruce up my pages easily, and a ruler.

All of these things are great, and while I do recommend them, my biggest advice to you would be: just start. Use what you have and start writing! You will realize what you like and/or need as you go along.”

Ultimate List of Bullet Journal Supplies Recommended by the Pros

Notebooks

Pens/Markers

Extras

What are your favorite bullet journal supplies? What are some that you bought and then never ended up using? Let me know in the comments below.

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31 Bullet Journal Supplies Recommended by the Pros