March 2021 Bullet Journal Setup: Simple and Functional Ideas

How is it March already??? 2021 is really just speeding by. Today I’m giving you a peak into my March setup in my bullet journal. After a very decorative and whimsical February (check it out here and here) I decided to scale it back for March and keep the design really sleek and simple. I also flipped through some of my old bullet journals for inspiration, so some of my favorite functional spreads have made their way into this month’s setup.

As this is my first time talking about my current bullet journal, I want to take a little time to explain the products I’m currently using. My bullet journal is not a proper bound notebook. It’s a plastic coil with a sliding cover, that you can remove to easily rearrange or add pages. I found this notebook at Daiso for 2,000 Korean won, and have been using a mix of the original filler paper, Kokuyo filler paper, and Eagle Binder filler paper, all in the A5 (20-hole) size. Because it’s so versatile, it constantly feels like a work in progress, which I kind of love and hate at the same time. I do miss the stability of a traditionally bound journal, but at the same time I love being able to edit and tweak my journal as needed. If it’s a little hard to imagine based on my description, you can see my first video introducing this new binder/journal here.

For my March setup, I decided to use the Eagle Binder brand paper. To be honest, I really don’t like this paper. Not the look nor the feel. The paper is thin and rough, and the grid is too dark for my taste. But 20-hole A5 paper is hard to come by so I bought this while searching for other options on Gmarket. I’m also using an Eagle Binder binder to archive old setups and I’m using their tabs in my journal as well, which I really enjoy. It’s just this paper…is not my favorite. However, I don’t want it to go to waste so I’m making do with what I have.

I’m also using a very small selection of pens this time and I really love how light my pencil case is now. For color I’m using a Kuretake Zig Brushable in the color Powder Blue, for lines and some markings, I have the Iconic 2-way Color Retro Pen in Warm Grey, for important information and check boxes, a Staedtler Triplus Fineliner in the color Scarlet Red (24) for dates and checking off tasks, and my handy-dandy Uniball Jetstream in 0.38 for all other writing.

So now, let’s dive into this setup!

Here is my cover page. I told you I was keeping it simple! I don’t naturally draw my ‘A’s like that but I’ve been really enjoying the look these days.

For the monthly spread, I went back to a plain calendar with space on the left side and at the bottom to write tasks and goals. I’m using the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner to write down major events like birthdays and holidays.

I dedicated the next page to this blog! I’ve decided to focus more on this blog so I wanted to have a place to track my productivity. Post ideas go on the left, and the letters DWEIPS stand for Draft, Write, Edit, Images, Post, and Share.

I also made a little chart for my YouTube video ideas and a tracker for Instagram. Like I said, I’ve decided to focus primarily on this blog, so a video or IG photo would really just be extra. One thing that I pulled from an old bullet journal was the idea of tracking followers/subscribers. I used to write the starting total and ending total each month, and it was a fun thing to track. The prospect of growing the number by the end of the month, even if it’s just by 1, is very motivating.

I decided to also incorporate a spending tracker. My husband and I are not on a budget and I tend to spend very little anyways, but I still like to be mindful about where my money is going each month.

Some people may not like this spread, but I personally don’t feel negatively toward tracking my weight daily. It helps me to be mindful of my health goals and I like seeing my progress even if it’s miniscule.

I decided to use a very pared down list of only my most essential habits, and also listed out my AM and PM routines. I’m not great at doing my habits but I’ll never stop trying!

And this month I have plain, blank, empty, pages for daily rapid logging. These pages are not even broken down by week. I’m simply rapid logging as needed and we’ll see how many pages get filled by the end of the month.

February wasn’t stressful persay, but I like that I can’t distract myself with stickers, color palettes, or washi tape with this straight-forward setup. This is just what I need since I’m expecting a hectic first month of the school year at work and I really just need my bullet journal to be my assistant rather than a creative outlet.

What plans do you have for March? Have you been keeping up with your 2021 goals? I’m hoping to get lots of reading and blogging done even though I know this month is already half-way through. But I’m trying to not let the passage of time stress me out! …It’s tough. Anyways, I hope you all are having a pleasant March so far! Let me know what you think of this setup, or just how you’re doing, in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

-Veronica