The Absolute Best Notebook for Bullet Journaling + HUGE Giveaway

Want to know which bullet journal notebook you should use next? I’ve tried most of them and think this is the best notebook for bullet journaling.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information.

I’ve really only ever used three different brands of bullet journal notebooks. But, I’ve pen tested and tried most all of the brands on the market.

I’m still missing Lemome and Scribbles that Matter notebook. And while I have wanted to try both, I’ve had to face a few realities:

1. I just don’t think I will ever find a notebook that compares to the one I use now.
2. I already have so many blank notebooks that I can’t justify buying another one.

Now, some of you may feel the same way about a notebook that you currently use. I know through multiple conversations that the STM notebooks are pure gold and their customer service is unbeatable.

And if you have found that diamond in the rough. That missing puzzle piece. The peanut butter to your jelly notebook, then I might not change your mind. And that’s okay!

Everyone has different opinions about what is best or what makes a notebook great.

But, in case you are looking for a notebook, let me introduce you to my friend, the Nuuna by Brandbook.

Nuuna Notebook Specs and Details

[EDIT 11/19]

I am editing this post because I have been using a Nuuna now for a couple of months and it seems as though most of the old ones are now gone. The new Nuunas have Minken paper and they do not hold up to markers at all. 

For this, I no longer endorse this notebook. I still think they are beautiful and have the best cover art of any notebook to date, but the paper has drastically declined in quality. Unfortunately, I will no longer use or purchase from Nuuna unless they decide to change their paper back.

The Nuuna is very unique in comparison with other dot grid notebooks. They don’t follow the standard rules and have broken just about every rule of the typical bullet journal. And it’s one of the reasons they make the best notebook for bullet journaling.

The Nuuna notebook has:

• Brilliant white paper — not the standard cream colored paper. This one simple detail is one of the main reasons that I choose Nuuna over other notebooks.
• Unique cover art — most other brands including Leuchtturm, Lemome, Scribbles that Matter, etc. are pretty standard across the board. They have plain or very minimally designed faux-leather monochromatic covers. Looking through Nuuna’s website, it’s easy to see that their attention to detail and appreciation for art in incomparable.

• 120 gsm Munken paper — Hello watercolor and Tombow markers! I never knew what a page without ghosting looked like until I got my first Nuuna. But, with that being said, I did have a problem with the newer notebooks (I touch on this below and give you the best fix).
• 3.5mm dot grid spacing — while everyone else is using 5mm dot spacing, Nuuna decided to bend the rules. The dot grid paper looks very different from other brands because of the much smaller dot grid, and it’s a little strange to get used to at first. But after using Nuuna for multiple years of bullet journaling, I’m not sure I want the larger spacing. (Update 9/19: I tried larger spacing again and lasted roughly 3 months. I’m making my way back to my trust Nuuna in October of 2019).
• Minimalistic — there are no fancy gizmos or gadgets in these journals. It wasn’t until recently that they started numbering their pages. There are no pen loops, built in index pages, ribbon bookmarks, elastic closures, or back pockets. I have come to appreciate the simplicity and more bare-bones structure of these notebooks.
  • If you want the bright white high-quality paper that Nuuna offers, but still want the gizmos and gadgets, I have a solution! If you reach out to CocoaPaper on Etsy, they can create a journal cover that fits the Nuuna, has all the fancy extras, and can be customized to your liking.
• Bigger is better — A5 is good. A4 is too big. But the Nuuna is perfect. It’s slightly bigger than standard A5 dotted notebooks. It measures 8.5″x6.5″. The added room is nice for weekly and monthly spreads. And it leaves it a little extra room for decorations.

Nuuna Paper Problems

Above, I mentioned that I had run into some issues with my current Nuuna’s paper. In my first Nuuna nothing bled through. I put it through the wringer with watercolor, blending Tombows directly on the page, etc.

But, when I started in my second Nuuna, the paper quality was different. Tombows and Mildliners bled through the paper to the point of almost not being able to use the page underneath. While I have learned to deal with this issue, I was hesitant to continue using their notebooks.

But, I found a solution and just got 2 new Nuuna notebooks in the mail the other day. One for me… and one for the giveaway!

I purchased older versions of the Nuuna, thinking that the paper would be the same as my previous notebook. And after a quick pen test, it turns out I was right. There was no bleeding through and I could barely tell I had scribbled marker on the page behind.

So, the solution? Buy one of the older versions of their notebooks. This means, if you are shopping on the Nuuna website, look for the Graphic L notebooks. Don’t get the L Light. They are newer and in my experience, the paper quality was not great.

But the Shipping to the US is Outrageous!

I know. Cringe. I have a solution for this, too!

In the past, I have ordered my Nuuna notebooks directly from Nuuna in Germany. The shipping cost me more than the actual notebook. Depressing.

So, this time, I decided to look elsewhere and found them in the most peculiar place for a cheaper price.

It sounds a little nuts. But, buy your Nuuna from Amazon UK.

**Update 9/19: You can now purchase Nuuna from Amazon US.

I bought 2 notebooks from Nuuna on Amazon UK. The cost of each notebook was roughly $30 and the cost of shipping both notebooks was right about $10. This is $20 less than I paid for shipping directly from Nuuna.

Granted, they are still pricey notebooks in comparison to their competitors. But, they have more pages and in my opinion, are well worth the extra cost and wait time for shipping.

(Closed) 2019 Bullet Journal Notebook + Setup Giveaway

Update 9/19: This was such a fun giveaway to do and I plan on doing more in the future, right here on The Petite Planner. To ensure you are always up to date with new posts, giveaways, product releases, etc., be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on social media.