In 2022 I used a Bullet Journal that was disc bound. That means that the pages had been punched with a special pattern of holes that kind of look like mushrooms. After that you can sort of pop the pages on these discs which allows you to pop the pages on and off any time with ease and make your note organization much more easier.
This is the journal I used in 2022:
The cover was designed for me and I worked together with this wonderful small business owner who made me this with her own two hands. She ordered special pages for me which I asked for (160 msg) and I also asked her to raise the page number. She had some technical problems with putting everything I wanted together, but in the end it turned out prettier than I ever thought and I’m going to be forever grateful for her.
But of course it had some flaws which were not caused by the quality of the product I got, rather by how the disc bound system works.
Advantages:
As a Bullet Journalist I know the pain of getting easily disorganized. Especially when you are just starting out on your journey and you would like to bump everything into your journal. The pages can come in a really weird way and after some times it even gets harder to get yourself around in your own journal.
A disc bound journal with help you with that, and it will also lifts the anxiety of getting mess off your shoulders. You will not feel the pressure of planning every page of your journal way ahead before you do them.
The disc bound system gives a lot of place for creative people. You can easily create other accessories for your journal like envelopes, study cards, dividers etc. (Let me know if you would like to receive a list of other items as DIY projects.)
If your favorite part of Bullet Journaling is art, you would love a disc bound journal. Since you are able to pop the pages out in just a second allows you to lay them flat on the table, not like other journals. Artists probably feel the struggle of having to deal with the side of the paper that is bound and bends in every way, it might be uncomfortable for your hand, you accidentally draw on the next page too and I could go on and on. That is not a thing with disc bound journals.
So this all sounds great and amazing! It really is, but let’s not forget the other side of the coin neither, because there could be some issues too.
Disadvantages:
I haven’t seen any good solutions about the covers for a disc bound journal. The cover has to be soft in order to be able to pop it on the discs and therefore they are not durable at all. Mine had laminated cover and I can tell you it looks so teared down just by using it for a year. So I would say if you are the kind of person like myself who packs her backpack, play a little game of Tetris to fit everything in it and then walks around all day, you might want to consider getting an extra pouch or case for your journal. (That’s something I obviously didn’t do.)
The other one might not be a big of a deal, but it can be quite tricky to turn the pages of a disc bound journal. You might rip the paper, pop it off by accident or fold it. It’s not bad once you get used to it, but it is sure something to keep in mind.
Other useful tips and tricks for buying a disc bound Bullet Journal:
You still have to plan your pages with a little thought behind them. Keep in mind that only the pages that are on the same paper can be moved together. For example if you want to do a double paged Habit tracker, do them on the opposite sides of one page instead of doing them besides each other. This will allow you to move the whole Habit tracker together if you ever need it.
Don’t be afraid to be creative. This system really provides tons of new opportunities for us and the only limit is your mind on how you gonna take advantage of the different features.
It’s also fun and easy to mess around with printable planner pages you can find on the internet so make sure to explore the possibilities out there.
Overall I think the disc bound system is something that would be used to it’s full potential by a very specific group of people however it could bring some value in any field of journaling you like to do. I definitely recommend you give it a try and who knows? You might discover a new favorite.
