So You Think You Wanna Start A Junk Journal?
Turn everyday scraps into something meaningful—learn what a junk journal is, how to start one, and find your style with this beginner-friendly guide.
What Even Is A junk Journal?
Junk journaling is a type of journal that uses materials you have on hand or already own to create entries or pages.
When it comes to junk journaling, you can do what you want because there are no rules, but I will let you in on the ones I’ve made for myself. My personal philosophy on junk journaling is to forage and keep it low-cost.
Junk journaling looks like saving things that would normally go in the trash. I recently had the best vegan burger of my life! I saved the bag the food came in, the burger wrapping, and the receipt. I cut, pasted, and arranged til my gut whispered: “That’s it.” Then I made a note of my order, what I loved about it, and what I want to order next time I go.
Other times, junk journaling looks like collecting treasures that find you in the wild. My children gave me their old 2025 calendars because they know I could use them for junk journaling.
While foraging and low costs are important to me, I don’t limit myself to only saved and found materials. Sometimes I will print pictures, cut up magazines, or buy stickers from the store.
I follow junk journaling YouTube channels and social media accounts, and stalk online junk journaling groups. I’ve seen junk journals that have a consistent vintage theme, others with lots of drawing and doodles, and junk journals filled with the local craft store.
Journals are unique from journal to journal and from person to person. You’re allowed to take your junk journal seriously. You’re also allowed to not take it seriously at all. Both are welcome.
Why Start A Junk Journal? (And What Do You use It For?)
The next question is usually, “What’s the purpose?” To this I say- Why paint? Why draw? Why sing or write? Why do… anything? I invite you to try a thing simply because you were curious and wanted to try it.
My relationship with junk journaling is rooted in memory keeping, art, and emotional reflection. I think my journals look really cool on my bookshelves, and when I am hit with nostalgic feelings (which is often), I look through them.
If doing it “because I want to” isn’t enough:
Junk journaling is a creative outlet that involves learning not to judge yourself or be fixated on the outcome, but instead learning about yourself through the journey.
Junk journaling is a mindfulness practice, helping you focus on the present moment and fully engage in the creative process.
Junk journaling is connection. Connection to your stories and your adventures. And a connection to a community of small business shopping, library supporting, junk saving, cool kids.
Junk journaling is a low-pressure, low-cost way to get creative and try new ideas.
Find Your Junk Journal Style
Take this quick quiz to find your journal starting point.
Q1: When you’re about to start something creative, you usually…
A. Look for the easiest way to begin so you don’t overthink it
B. See what you already have and try to use that first
C. Feel like you want to build it your own way from the ground up
Q2: Your ideal starting point feels like…
A. Something ready to go- just open and begin
B. Something with a little character or history already there
C. A blank slate you can fully shape yourself
Q3. When it comes to supplies, you tend to…
A. Prefer having what you need ahead of time
B. Work with whatever is around you
C. Enjoy making or customizing your own materials
Q4. Which sounds most like you right now?
A. I just need to start- don’t make this complicated.
B. I probably already have something I could use
C. I want this to feel really personal from the beginning
Q5. What kind of creative process feels the most exciting?
A. Filling pages and watching something come together
B. Transforming something old into something new
C. Creating something entirely from scratch
Quiz Results
Mostly A‘s- Buy A Journal. You’re ready to begin, and having something already put together will help you get out of your head and onto the page faster. A store-bought journal removes friction and lets you focus on creating instead of preparing.
Mostly B‘s- Upcycle a Journal. You like a mix of structure and freedom. Using something you already have as a starting point to make something new.
Mostly C‘s- You’re drawn to the process as much as the outcome. Creating your journal from the ground up makes it feel meaningful before you even begin filling the pages.
You don’t have to follow your result, but if you are stuck, try leaning into it.
Where To Get A Junk Journal
You kind of need a journal to have a place to put the junk.
Buy
If buying a journal is the thing that makes you excited to begin… I’m not going to stand in your way.
There are so many exciting places to find journals. This is an opportunity to shop around at local arts and crafts fairs, artist websites, online handmade markets, and indie bookstores.
There are tons of choices to pick from: soft cover, hard cover, spiral, sewn, discs, blank pages, lines, and dots. As well as a ton of cover choices. It’s a whole wide world of journals waiting to be picked as the lucky one to go home with you.
Journals can get expensive (but sometimes they go on sale), and carry the weight of perfectionism. It can be difficult to get past the fresh, clean first page of a brand-new, precious, and expensive journal.
While it can feel intimidating to start, buying a journal comes with lots of choices; you are bound to find the right one. My advice- keep it simple.
Upcycle
Upcycling a book or notebook is the best of both worlds. The opportunity to support used bookstores, books on sale at the library, and thrift stores. But also with the excitement of making it your own, without starting from scratch.
Or use any old journals or books you have in your home. It doesn’t matter if they have been written in, colored on, stained, or torn.
Some of the work to prepare your journal involves tearing out pages to reduce bulk and gluing pages together to create sturdier pages for gluing and painting. If you’re open to a larger project, completely gut the inside, keep the cover, and add new signatures.
It can take some time and practice to develop bookmaking skills. Pages may not line up, or your journal might not lie open completely flat. If you can appreciate the inconsistencies, those things will probably add more personality to your journal. There is a wide range of ideas when it comes to upcycling books, from beginner to advanced.
Upcycling gives you a solid starting point if you can get past early mistakes. Embrace the spirit of junk journaling- let what you have become something new.
From Scratch
What in the heck compels someone to make their own journal? I’m saying this as someone who loves to make journals from scratch. The best answer I can think of is that the process of making a journal gives me an insane dopamine boost, much like journaling.
The junk journal making process is a pattern of cutting, pasting, hole punching, stapling, and sometimes…sewing. The junk becomes the journal. You’re in flow.
You’ve watched tutorials, gathered materials, reflected on the process, and yet starting is the hardest part. Especially if you are taking on a technique that is new to you.
There is much fun to be had when creating your own journal. There are lots of tasks and steps, but once you get going, there will be so much there.
The making is part of the journaling.
Quick Start Guide
Literally as easy 1…2…3…
Seek Ye Journal
By now, you have an idea of the kind of journal you want. If not, remember, it does not have to be perfect. Hopefully, you will have many journals of all styles, so let curiosity lead the way.
Gather Your Materials
It doesn’t matter where you are; look around you. Use what you see. Save items to use later. Or shop your craft stash.
Cut & Paste
Scissors and glue take care of the rest. These items might need to be bought, but they don’t have to be fancy.
Final Thoughts: Just Start
You did it! You found your journal match and put some imagination into the pages! Remember, it’s your journal. How often. How long. How much. How you collect your items is all up to you.
Now, I want to know which journal did you match with?