You think I'm getting ahead of things mentioning 2017 already? Sorry, can't help it! Living in Finland, making books for mostly US customers means I'm always a bit ahead of things because shipping takes its time especially around the holidays. And I do think just about everyone could live with less stress around the holiday season, so, why not get things done in time and ease all that stress!

Using a bullet journal to organize my to-do lists, meetings, blog post ideas, orders, and even general life goals, has made a world of difference in my productivity in 2016 (actually, if you've been following my blog for a while, you can't have missed it). So, maybe you should give it a go, too! Or maybe you want to get organized about the holidays in particular and give better presents? Put together a bullet journal gift set for someone who needs to get more organized, harness their creative ideas, and just get stuff done! It's a wonderfully thoughtful yet practical gift. It's easy, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune!

So, whether you need to get your own act together, or know a friend who would enjoy using a bullet journal to get creatively organized, here's what you need to put together a great starter kit:

Some bullet journalists have boxes full of journaling supplies, but a good journal and a nice pen go a long way - all the rest is extra! My new favourite pen is this really thin erasable pen from Muji (the acrylic ruler, too). I do like the ability to erase whatever mess I made, but still have something more substantial than plain pencil. Pilot's FriXion pens are another great erasable pen option - they come in various colours and there's an erasable highlighter option as well.

Add a roll or two of pretty washi tape for decorative purposes. Maybe some stamps and an ink pad - you can find a calendar stamp set like mine here, and Versafine ink pads here. My Short list sticky note is from a set by Paperchase.

And of course you need a journal. That's where Paperiaarre comes in. The bullet journals I make really are of superb quality, handmade, and unique. And they've got those practical dotted grid pages to help keep things neat and organized.

This really is a moment where I can't help but say: if I can get my act together by using a bullet journal, so can you. Keeping track of projects and tasks, and all the details that matter to you on a daily basis, helps break down massive projects into manageable tasks. And because it's your journal, you make all the rules. You decide what needs to go in there and what doesn't. It's also a very forgiving way to plan ahead - whatever you haven't managed to finish by the end of the day, you can just migrate to a date where it may be possible to get it done. I reschedule stuff all the time, guilt free, but eventually everything does get done. And that's not much short of a miracle for me.