How to Build Aesthetic Notion-Style Pages in ClickUp
ClickUp can recreate the cozy, minimal aesthetic many people love in Notion while giving you far stronger project and task management features. This how-to guide walks you through building beautiful, functional pages that feel like Notion but run on ClickUp’s powerful productivity engine.
The steps below are based on the ideas and structure used in popular aesthetic Notion templates, adapted so you can fully implement them inside ClickUp.
Step 1: Plan Your Aesthetic ClickUp Workspace
Before you start creating views and docs, decide on the overall mood and purpose of your workspace. Notion aesthetic templates often focus on calm visuals and a clear hierarchy, and you can mirror this approach in ClickUp.
Define your workspace theme
Pick a simple, cohesive look that matches how you want to feel while working:
- Soft neutrals for a calm, minimal dashboard
- Pastel tones for a cozy, playful vibe
- Dark mode with muted accents for a focused studio feel
Jot down two or three adjectives for your style, such as “minimal, warm, and clean.” You will use these as guides for colors, icons, and layout choices in ClickUp.
Map key pages you want to recreate
Popular aesthetic Notion templates usually include:
- A personal home dashboard
- A task or project hub
- A content or knowledge library
- Goals and habit tracking areas
Decide which of these you want to build first so your ClickUp structure stays intentional and light.
Step 2: Structure Lists and Folders in ClickUp
The secret to making ClickUp feel like a page-based tool is to keep your hierarchy shallow and intuitive, just like a set of simple Notion pages.
Build a simple folder layout
Create one main Space for your aesthetic setup and add a few focused folders such as:
- Dashboard & Personal
- Projects
- Content & Notes
- Goals & Habits
Avoid creating too many folders at first. In aesthetic Notion templates, the charm comes from having a few clear entry points instead of a complex structure, and your ClickUp setup should mirror that.
Create master lists to act like Notion databases
Inside your folders, create master lists that behave like Notion databases:
- Tasks list for all to-dos and reminders
- Projects list with status, owner, and priority fields
- Content library list for writing, ideas, and resources
Use custom fields for tags, status, and dates so you can filter and group them in aesthetic ways later.
Step 3: Use ClickUp Views to Mimic Aesthetic Notion Layouts
Aesthetic Notion templates rely heavily on database views like boards, galleries, and calendars. ClickUp can do the same using its different view types.
Create a minimal ClickUp List view
Start with a clean List view and remove any columns you do not need to reduce visual noise. Keep only:
- Task name
- Status
- Due date
- One or two custom fields, like priority or tag
Use simple icons and short field names so your list feels light and spacious, similar to a minimal Notion table.
Design a board view for aesthetic workflows
Many aesthetic Notion templates use kanban-style boards for projects. Recreate this in ClickUp by adding a Board view to your Projects list.
Use gentle column names instead of heavy corporate labels. For example:
- Ideas
- In Progress
- Review
- Done
Limit the number of visible fields on cards. Show only the essentials like due date and one tag so the board looks clean and inviting.
Use calendar and timeline views for visual planning
If your aesthetic includes clear scheduling, add Calendar or Timeline views:
- Calendar view for a simple visual of upcoming tasks
- Timeline view for longer projects and content plans
Use color coding based on status or tag to keep the palette consistent with your chosen theme.
Step 4: Build Aesthetic Dashboards in ClickUp
Dashboards in ClickUp can act like the main home page you see in many aesthetic Notion templates.
Create a personal ClickUp home dashboard
Set up a dashboard focused on clarity and comfort instead of raw data. Add simple widgets such as:
- Task list widget showing today and this week
- Pinned docs widget for quick access to notes
- Goals widget if you track outcomes
- Text widget for a daily intention or quote
Arrange these widgets with generous spacing and avoid too many charts. A softer, less analytical look will feel closer to a cozy Notion home page.
Use text and embed widgets for visual flair
Aesthetic Notion templates often include images, quotes, and section labels. You can emulate this with text and embed widgets on your ClickUp dashboard:
- Add a heading in a text widget to label sections like “Today,” “Projects,” or “Notes.”
- Embed a simple cover image or banner from a public image link to create a welcoming top section.
- Use bullet lists for quick links to your most-used lists or docs.
Keep fonts and styling consistent and avoid over-formatting so your dashboard stays calm and purposeful.
Step 5: Use ClickUp Docs for Pages and Journals
ClickUp Docs can feel very similar to Notion pages when you format them thoughtfully.
Create a daily or weekly journal doc
Set up a Doc to use as a recurring journal or reflection page:
- Add a simple title, like “Weekly Review.”
- Use headings for sections such as “Wins,” “Challenges,” and “Next Week.”
- Insert checklists to capture tasks or habits you want to track.
Pin this Doc to your ClickUp dashboard or sidebar so it is always accessible, just like a favorite Notion page.
Build a knowledge base with nested docs
For notes and resources, create a Doc hub and nest child docs underneath it. Organize by topic instead of by complex folders:
- Main doc: “Knowledge Library”
- Child docs: “Learning,” “Ideas,” “Reading List,” and “Resources.”
Use callouts, bullets, and toggle-like sections to keep everything scannable and aligned with your aesthetic choices.
Step 6: Style Your ClickUp Workspace for a Polished Aesthetic
Once your structure and content are set, refine the visuals so your ClickUp workspace truly matches the feel of an aesthetic Notion template.
Use consistent colors and icons
Pick a small palette and stick with it across statuses, tags, and fields. For example:
- Soft green for “In Progress”
- Muted blue for “Planned”
- Warm beige for low-priority tasks
Use simple icons for lists and dashboards instead of busy or overly playful ones, and keep your style cohesive across all areas.
Reduce visual noise
Aesthetic systems feel calm because they are not overloaded. In ClickUp you can:
- Hide unused fields from views
- Collapse sidebars when you do not need them
- Use filters to show only relevant tasks
Review each view and dashboard and ask whether every element adds value. If not, remove or hide it to preserve the aesthetic.
Step 7: Maintain and Evolve Your Aesthetic ClickUp Setup
An aesthetic productivity setup is never completely finished. As your work changes, adjust your ClickUp layout while preserving your visual language.
Review your system regularly
Once a week or month:
- Archive old views and dashboards you no longer use
- Update colors and statuses if your workflow has evolved
- Refine your main dashboard to keep it focused on what matters now
This ongoing curation keeps your ClickUp workspace as intentional and beautiful as the original Notion templates that inspired it.
Further Resources for Optimizing Your Setup
If you want help designing a scalable productivity system, you can learn more about optimization approaches at Consultevo. For inspiration from the original aesthetic template concepts that informed this guide, review the source Notion-based ideas on the ClickUp blog at this article about aesthetic Notion templates. Use these as creative reference while you continue refining your own ClickUp workspace.
Need Help With ClickUp?
If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.
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