Dingbats Wildlife Bullet Journal Review
At the end of 2019 I had filled most of my Leuchtturm1917 journal, and decided that it was time for an upgrade. My choice? The Dingbats Wildlife Bullet Journal.
Why the Switch?
The Leuchtturm is great for beginners and is less of an investment if you want to give journaling a trial. During this time though, I became a full-on stationery addict and things like paper quality became important. I was getting fed up with the ghosting of the Leuchtturm 80gsm paper.
While I would love to go full out and treat myself to an Archer & Olive 160gsm journal like every other pro bullet journaler on the planet, a) it’s a lot of money for a notebook and b) my bullet journal use had shifted.
The past few months were a bit hit or miss journal-wise. For me, it was no longer the best tool for daily planning, but instead a self-care source and creative output. Whether it’s art therapy, jotting down blog ideas or just a place to write down thoughts, this is what my bullet journal now means to me.
So, I decided to opt for a notebook somewhere in the middle. The Dingbats Wildlife Bullet Journal.
The pen test was a success with minimal ghosting. The only bleeding was with highlighters but I expected that to happen.
It was a good middle ground option, with a better 100gsm paper quality, but didn’t cost as much as an Archer & Olive.
Dingbats Wildlife vs Earth Features
After deciding on Dingbats, there was then the option of the Wildlife or Earth notebooks.
If you are new to Dingbats notebooks, there are lots of different colours available which all have a picture on the front which tends to correspond with the colour e.g. I have an elephant and my journal is grey.
This Wildlife series came first, but since then, an Earth series has also been introduced with various trees on.
The Dingbats Wildlife Bullet Journal is the simplest of the two in terms of features, and probably of most journal brands.
Features both collections share include 1 bookmark, a pen loop, a back pocket and perforated pages (lifesaver if you make a mistake). You can also get both in an A5+ size with dotted pages, which is the best for bullet journaling.
My 2020 title page
However, the Earth notebooks also have an extra bookmark, page number, index page and future log. With these bonuses come an increase in price though (£15.95 vs £17.95).
Personally, these extra additions of the Earth journal were not important. Plus, I loved the elephant cover in the Wildlife selection!
Environmental Benefits
You’ll know from my sustainability posts that I am passionate about helping our environment, even in the smallest ways. This was another reason for me choosing Dingbats as my next journal.
2% of every Dingbats purchase is donated to the WWF charity and all the materials used are as planet friendly as possible (the cover is not real leather).
My 2020 Bullet Journal Setup
Despite my change in bullet journal use, I still did a full setup to remind myself of key dates and include goals for this year.
The year overview is mainly monochrome but with a splash of rose gold heart washi tape. The leave designs were inspired by Journal Away on Youtube.
Key and calendar spread
January
January’s spread was not very big at all as there was a lot going on throughout the month and the bullet journal took a back seat.
January 2020 – Snowdrops for hope and purity
I still had time to create a title page and quote though, as well as a blog ideas page as I purchased a new theme for 2020.
I attempted to expand my art abilities and tried sketching some snowdrops. The result wasn’t too bad thanks to some Pinterest tutorials, and I love the snowdrop symbolism of hope.
February
I am using my journal much more in February. It’s become my blog planning notebook and place for mind mapping and creating.
February 2020 – Always find time for the things that make you happy
It is probably one of my favourite setups so far!
February 2020 quote and key dates page – Simple enjoy the little things February 2020 – blog post ideas and time management page
Have you started a bullet journal in 2020? How are you finding it? Let me know!
