Creating a 2018 Thumbnail Calendar in my Bullet Journal

Preparing for 2018

When you’re preparing for the new year, it can be easy to get swept up in elaborate spreads for your goals and habits. While those are great (and I’m totally doing them too), it’s important to take a second to consider some of your more basic bullet journal spreads. One of my favorite simple spreads is my 2018 thumbnail calendar!

Materials Used

• • Leuchtturm1917
  • Dr. Ph. Martin’s Hydrus Watercolors
  • Loew Cornell Palette
  • Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens
  • Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
  • Pentel Aquash Water Brush Pens

My Struggle with Time

Let me explain why I love this one so much. I’m a very visual person. That’s the whole reason I like the bullet journal over digital schedules! If I try to use any kind of digital taskmaster or calendar, it simply doesn’t stick in my brain. I need to write it down and see it, ya know? Well, that same mental limitation applies to my perception of time.

Of course, I know when all the months are in the year. But I struggle to internalize and wrap my mind around how close or how far certain dates are in relation to now. That mental confusion has caused me to be startled when Jon points out that Christmas is only ten days away, or when he tells me that a deadline is closer than I expected. I just can’t cement a solid perception of time into my head no matter how hard I try!

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My 2018 Thumbnail Calendar

My struggle with time is the reason why this simple 2018 thumbnail calendar is so handy. This spread is one I can flip back to again and again to orient myself in the year and get a good grasp on upcoming dates. Having the months visually laid out like this in my bullet journal just helps in such a fundamental way!

Keeping my 2018 thumbnail calendar a bit more minimalist wasn’t an accident, either. I want this spread to be one that I can see at a glance without having to look past elaborate doodles or decorations. I just added a little dash of color with some watercolors and kept my lettering small and simple. And you know what? I think this page looks pretty stellar if I do say so myself.

Simple but Handy

If you’re looking for things to add to your 2018 bullet journal set up, then I’d suggest you consider this simple and elegant 2018 thumbnail calendar. It’s good looking, effective, and a great page to reference throughout the year. What more can you ask of a bullet journal spread?

Check out all of my posts about planning for the new year!