If you have a drawer full of old greeting cards, ticket stubs, pretty packaging, and paper scraps you can’t quite bring yourself to throw away, you may already have what you need to start a junk journal.
Junk journaling is a fun way to turn those odds and ends into a book filled with memories, colors, textures, and little pieces of everyday life. You don’t need to be artistic, buy new supplies, or make every page look perfect to enjoy it.
What Is Junk Journaling?
A junk journal is a handmade or decorated notebook filled with paper, photographs, handwritten notes, and other small keepsakes. You might glue in a receipt from a memorable lunch, save a piece of wrapping paper you love, or create a collage from old magazine pages.
Some people use their journals to remember trips and special occasions, while others enjoy playing with colors, patterns, and different materials. You can write in yours like a diary, fill it with collages, or mix writing and paper crafts throughout the book.
Unlike a traditional scrapbook, a junk journal doesn’t have to follow a timeline or focus on one event. One page might hold memories from a family vacation, while the next is a collection of paper scraps that caught your eye.
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Start by Shopping Your Own Home
Before buying supplies, look through your junk drawer, craft stash, and any papers you’ve been meaning to sort. You might be surprised by how many things you can use when you look at them differently.
Here are a few items worth gathering:
- Old greeting cards, postcards, and handwritten notes
- Ticket stubs, brochures, maps, and paper receipts
- Magazine pages, newspaper clippings, and pages from damaged books
- Leftover wrapping paper, gift tags, and tissue paper
- Fabric scraps, ribbon, lace, and buttons
- Printed photographs and copies of family pictures
- Stickers, stamps, and leftover scrapbook supplies
Keep your finds in a shoebox, envelope, or small container until you’re ready to use them. A handful of papers and a few keepsakes are plenty for your first pages, so there’s no need to collect everything at once.
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Choose a Notebook You Already Own
An unused notebook, old journal, or sketchbook is a good starting point, especially if it’s been sitting untouched on a shelf. Using one you already own saves money and gives you a place to try out your first ideas.
You can also make a journal from loose paper, cardstock, or pages salvaged from a damaged book. Punch holes and hold the pages together with binder rings, or sew them together if you enjoy making things by hand.
Keep in mind that glued paper, photos, and fabric can make a journal thicker as you work. A sturdy cover and a little extra room between the pages will help your book hold up as your collection grows.
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Gather a Few Basic Supplies
You don’t need a full craft room to start junk journaling. A pair of scissors, a glue stick or double-sided tape, and a pen are enough to make your first page.
If you already have washi tape, stamps, colored pencils, or stickers, bring those out too. They’re fun to use, but there’s no need to buy matching supplies before you’ve even tried the hobby.
Pick a Theme—or Skip It Entirely
Choosing a theme can make it easier to decide what belongs in your journal, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. You could make one about a recent trip, your garden, family memories, favorite colors, or the little things you collect throughout the year.
You can also let every page be different and see where your ideas take you. A coffee shop receipt, a postcard from a thrift store, and a scrap of floral wrapping paper can live in the same journal without telling one single story.
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Start With One Page, Not the Whole Book
A blank notebook can feel intimidating if you think you need to fill every page, so start with just one. Choose something you’d like to keep, such as a photograph, postcard, or piece of patterned paper, and build your page around it.
Lay a few scraps beside your main item and move them around before gluing anything down. Use a larger piece of paper for the background, then layer smaller pieces over it until you’re happy with how everything looks.
You don’t have to fill every inch of the page or make it look finished in one sitting. Leave some blank space for a date, a handwritten note, or something you’d like to add later.
Add Pockets for Little Keepsakes
Some things are better tucked into a pocket than glued onto a page, especially if you want to take them out and look at them again. Tickets, folded notes, small photographs, and paper souvenirs can all fit into a simple handmade pocket.
Glue an envelope onto a page or attach three sides of a rectangle of cardstock to make your own. Pockets are especially useful for keepsakes with writing on both sides that you’ll want to read again.
Make It Personal
The best part of a junk journal is that it reflects who you are, so include things that mean something to you. Write a note about where you found an item, what happened that day, or why you saved a particular scrap of paper.
Your pages don’t have to look like the carefully arranged journals you see online. Crooked edges, mismatched patterns, and a mix of old and new materials can make your journal feel more like your own.
Keep Collecting as You Go
Once you start junk journaling, you may find yourself saving little paper keepsakes you would have tossed before. A café sleeve from a day out, a tag from a thoughtful gift, or a brochure from a place you visited can all become part of a future page.
You don’t have to make something every day or finish a page whenever you collect a new item. Keep a small envelope for your finds and pull it out whenever you’re in the mood to cut, arrange, and create.
The best thing about junk journaling is that you can begin with things you already own. Grab an unused notebook, gather a few scraps you love, and make your first page without waiting for the perfect supplies.
