How did you first get into bullet journaling? What inspired you to start a bullet journal?

Amber:  So… that’s quite a long story but I guess I have always loved making lists. I was the crazy list girl at my school, I drew little frames in my notebooks, and I just wrote down what I had to do for that day. Nothing ever worked completely for me, regular agendas didn’t fit my needs or gave me the opportunity to be creative. I followed someone (@goudenlijntjes on Instagram), and she made the prettiest pages. I started looking up the term on YouTube and Pinterest and genuinely felt that that might be the one thing I needed. I invested in the Leuchtturm bullet journal (not recommended) and got started. I think this was around 2016/2017.

Can you share a bit about your journey from starting your bullet journal to where you are now? What challenges do you face as a bullet journal vlogger?

Amber: I started by recreating a lot of the pages I’d see online (this was way before I started posting, which was in 2019), this got me acquainted with the concept and gave me some ideas on what I could add. I know myself quite well and I tend to dive deep into new hobbies and completely (like, completely) and get utterly overwhelmed by all the different aspects that are connected to it. Once I got more comfortable with the practice I started making my designs, then started posting them on Instagram, and about a year later I started my YouTube channel, at that point those were very realistic steps to make. Currently, I have taken a break that’s been a little over a year, I’m still a full-time student in International Creative Business, which can be interesting but also very time-consuming. Combining everything with the ever-changing world of social media, or well Instagram mostly, one day posts were just fine, then it had to be stories. Stories weren’t enough and hashtags were where all the attention went, I also believe there was an earlier version of the Instagram reels, and now I feel like it’s so focused on video content that it’s becoming TikTok.

Zal: How would you describe your bullet journaling style?

Amber: I guess I’d say a mix of artsy and minimal. While lately, my art has been a bit bolder, I would say that the style of my pages, in general, is quite minimal, I often use softer and muted colors, making it a bit calmer.

What are your favorite materials and tools for bullet journaling?

Amber: OOOOHHH this is a good oneee!!!!

So, let’s start with the essentials; a notebook. My favorite used to be Archer and Olive; however, you can’t really get them in Europe anymore. So, I’ve recently been trying out the notebooks from Notebook Therapy and they’re nice! One, their designs are the cutest! Two the paper can handle some water so I can paint in it as well, and there’s no ghosting!

Then, of course, there’s all the pens and pencils that you could wish for or whatever you’d like to draw with, my favorites in a nutshell: The micron fineliners (waterproof and are the most pigmented), the Tombow Mono Graph refillable pencil (it’s nice to hold and it has this cool shaking system + they come in pretty colors), and I’d say some Tombow Dual Brush pens to end it with as they’re so versatile and they have no drying time, making them my favorite item.

How do you come up with new layouts and designs?

Amber: Often, I take inspiration from other creators and designers (I give them credit in my posts), and once I got more acquainted, I made sure to change the spreads to what I need and what I feel works for me. For example, very long weekly spreads don’t work for me that well for some reason, while wider spreads function better, however, the very wide ones look cute, but they make my brain a bit messy, so I often go for the middle layouts.

Can you walk us through your process of setting up a new month or week in your bullet journal?

Amber: There came one point, I think two years ago, where life got a little bit busier, and coming up with new spreads and layouts just did not fit in my schedule anymore, I found the layouts I did before that worked most with my preferences and needs. The perfect mix (for me), if I can call it that. It gave me the perfect opportunity to still be creative while not having to think things through. Often, I’d set up the sketch way before actually coming up with the themes, which sometimes was the most frustrating thing, because at this point, what hasn’t been done yet? But often I came to a good result:)

What tips do you have for someone just starting out with bullet journaling?

Amber: I would tell them to start easy and start with recreating until you’ve got the flow of it. Try a lot of things out, but my motto is “if it doesn’t serve you, it is out”, Your journal needs to serve YOU, and you shouldn’t be bending over backward to make it work, if that starts happening, you’re doing it wrong. Ask yourself what the purpose is for your journal and find spreads and layouts that fit those needs.

How do you stay motivated to keep up with your journal?

Amber: It can be hard on some days, but that’s where my previous answer comes back, it shouldn’t be another task, it should be something that adds to your life and makes it much easier to go about.

What are some common mistakes beginners make, and how can they avoid them?

Amber: Wanting too much at the start. While journaling is so much fun, it takes up a lot of time, and that’s when the “how do you keep up with this?” start. Look at what you want the purpose of your journal to be? Do you want to keep up with your school assignments, or do you want to track how many books you’ve read this year. There are so many options, and nothing is wrong. I used to want to do it all, but if you look at those pages, they’re all empty.

How do you balance functionality and creativity in your bullet journal?

Amber: It takes time and effort to find that balance; by combining the purpose of my journal with the art I add to it, makes it much easier. However, I do believe functionality comes first.

How do you plan your content and ensure it stays engaging for your audience?

Amber: Right now, it’s a bit hard to say how I plan as I have been off the grid for a while, but I used to plan it through Planoly, it’s a very visual tool and it shows you a lot of statistics on when to post. (However, I still believe it’s mostly luck on how the post catches on in the algorithm).

Secondly, I want to either inspire or educate. I often get the comment that people want to do what I am doing, and while sometimes you must learn the techniques, the ones that I am using are really not that hard. I can often teach you in five minutes if you want me to. Thus, I try to focus my content around those two key aspects.

What has been the most rewarding part of sharing your bullet journaling journey online?

Amber: It makes me the happiest when I get sent comments or DMs with people recreating my spreads and see them be so proud of themselves of what they made. Making someone feel like they can create something amazing is what makes me smile.

How has the bullet journaling community influenced your practice?

Amber: This community is absolutely amazing, like truly. I don’t believe there’s a more genuine and positive space to find on the internet. While you might not love someone’s style, you never see hate comments, and everyone is always so uplifting and inspiring, it’s truly a nice community to be in. I met my current employers through my posts on Instagram, and it gave me quite some amazing opportunities!

Who are some of your favorite bullet journalers or influencers?

Amber: There are several that I absolutely adore, Lars from @plslars has become one of my dear personal friends, then I love the work from Tiina @Tiinasdiary, I love Shayda Campbell, Anne from @Goudenlijntjes, and there are honestly so many more. I used to share them on my Instagram highlights:)

How do you handle feedback and suggestions from your viewers?

Amber: I don’t think I’ve ever gotten any negative feedback except for one thumb down on one of my YouTube videos (I laughed really hard), often my viewers/followers are genuinely the sweetest people, and they have the most amazing ideas! When I use one of the ideas and I remember who gave it to me I often DM them to let them know and they love it!

What are your future plans for bullet journaling and making videos?

Amber: Right now, I have some plans to get back into it and share my work, but I’m not entirely sure yet how I will go about it

Are there any new techniques or tools you’re excited to try out?

Amber: GIRL! I got to meet the team from Toms Studio, and they were so kind to me, I got a Lumos Pro (gifted) and I am so so so so in love and I have yet to properly try it out. It is *the most amazing* brand ever and I wanna buy everything but my wallet says no.

How has bullet journaling impacted your personal life and productivity?

Amber: When I was still in my former uni, it worked so incredibly well, it really helped me visualize my tasks and my progress. I tend to write everything down so don’t forget the tiny details. My friends and family noticed that when I had my journal in order I would also feel more at ease, not so worried that I would forget everything, and I would say that overall it was the perfect solution for me.

Can you share a memorable story or achievement that came about because of your bullet journaling?

Amber: I met my best friend and current employer through Instagram! She asked if she could use my pictures for her website and I told her she was allowed to, we started talking and here we are, almost five years later. Last year I flew over to the United States to visit her for the first time and spent four weeks there, and in a month, she is arriving here to spend three weeks with me in the Netherlands. We’re both so stoked!

What other hobbies or interests do you have besides bullet journaling?

Amber: I love to draw portraits and spend time outside (beach strolls, walks in the park, etc.) I love plants and gardening (although my plants are giving me a headache now because there are bugs. And other than that, I can do anything creative!

How do you stay organized in other areas of your life?

Amber: I’m super messy when my life is messy, when my life is going well, I can be quite organized. So, let’s just say that I’m usually not so organized at all hahaha. (unfortunately, that’s not a joke) But I tend to organize in a way that caters to my needs. Example, I separate my laundry as soon as I put it in the laundry bin.

If you could give one piece of advice to your past self when you started bullet journaling, what would it be?

Amber: It’s the same advice as I would give to starters <3