Do you have a drawer or a box that is just full of old receipts, tickets and random scraps of paper that you saved that you are not quite sure what to do with. Well, instead of tossing them out, what if I tell you that you could turn it into creative treasure. In this blog I will share some ideas how to do just that with Junk Journaling, an easy fun and sustainable crazy hobby that has become such a popular creative outlet. Keep reading to learn the basics and get started turning your junk into something beautiful.
Junk Journaling is all about repurposing what could otherwise be discarded. Papers, scraps, even vintage binds, it’s a fantastic way to express yourself to reduce your stress and get a little crafty with things that you already have lying around.
Why Should You Start Junk Journaling
Junk Journaling is more than just gluing paper together, although that is fun, let’s talk about why this hobby is perfect for beginners.
Self-Expressions: Junk Journaling gives you the freedom to create without rules. Personal items like stickers, photos or even fabric scraps, you can use them to tell your unique story through pages. It’s also such a great way to be creative whether you are into collage, drawing or stamping, junk journaling is all about combining different material and seeing what your imagination can come up with. You are not limited to just pen and papers, anything that you can find can be part of your journal so junk journaling really encourages you to repurpose all materials that would otherwise go to waste.
Over the year that I have been junk journaling it has truly evolved into something that you can completely make it your own. Everyone has their own styles and their favorite material that they include on your pages and it’s all just about finding something that you like.
How to Choose the Right Journal to Start Your Junk Journaling Journey
What exactly is a junk journal because there are so many types and styles that you will see online and the essence of it is simply just a journal that can incorporate all types of repurpose materials like old book pages, magazines, maps, fabrics or even packaging but first you need that base.
If you have not done a journal before, you might want to opt for a pre made journal and these are perfect for beginners because you can simply pick a scrapbook, note book or even a planner that you have not used and as long as it has thick enough pages that can handle some glue or may be some paint or anything else that you want to stick to it, then it will be sturdy enough to be used as junk journal.
Something I like to do is bind my own journal because you can control what size it is and what pages are included, and you can use things like old book covers and you can personalize it from the beginning. You don’t even have to be an expert at sewing or book binding, you just need glue sticks and some paper scraps to create your own journal that is personalized to you.
You don’t need any fancy supplies for junk journaling because you can use upcycle materials like old envelopes, greeting cards and cereal boxes and these materials will all add texture and just something unique to your journal as you then working it with other elements and papers. You might want to use different recycling materials like old books, magazines like I mentioned or even receipts, anything that can give your journal that eclectic textured look. And the more that you vary your materials, the more character your journal will end up having as you work in it.
Material Magic: Assembling Your Junk Journal Supplies
So now that we know what kind of journal we want to use, let’s talk about the materials that we’re going to work with to create our pages. And one of the best things about junk journaling, if you haven’t already noticed, is that you can literally use just about anything.
I would give you some ideas for some fun and easy items that you can collect for your journal. Firstly, old magazines are perfect for collaging. You can cut out images, you can cut out patterns, quotes, or even the individual letters to do the ransom note style lettering. It’s just a great way to get different fonts and different colors, all the different bits of items that we can also collect throughout our everyday life. All those bits of papers like ticket stubs and postcards, receipts, old letters, even tags from clothing. You can also collect fabric scraps to add some texture. Maybe it’s from an old piece of clothing, different linens that you can cut into strips and different shapes.
Paper bags are literally everywhere and they’re great for creating pockets within your journal to hold smaller items like notes and photos. You can create a vintage look by collecting old book pages and maps. You can get these from secondhand shops, like charity shops. They don’t have to be expensive. Also, scrapbook charms and washi tapes are a great way to add fun design elements to your pages.
Washi tape is really good as well for adding extra bits of papers into your journals. If you want to create more space to write on or to include all sorts of bits and pieces within your journal. So, start collecting these items from around your house or from secondhand stores. And the more interesting the materials, of course, the more personal and eclectic your junk journal will end up being.
Setting the Stage: Defining Your Journal’s Purpose
Before you start gluing anything down, I think it’s helpful sometimes to think about what we want to achieve with our junk journal. So, are you documenting memories? Are you creating a space just for creativity? Or maybe you want to keep some daily journaling within there as well. There’s no one right way to use your junk journal, but you might want to, for example, do some memory keeping by documenting a trip or a special event, or even just the little things in life as well, like a favorite song or a favorite quote that you found. I love to use them as creative expressions.
If you love like mixed media and just experimenting with different art supplies and just collecting all sorts of bits of collage and colors and textures and shapes, that’s something that I really enjoy using in mine. But you can also use them for daily journaling, you know, so for personal reflections, for gratitude, and then also layering with creative elements like your own drawings and your collaging. But ultimately, I think it’s just a great way to reuse materials you already have at home as part of a creative outlet.
Prompting Creativity: Kick-Start Your Journal Journey
Journal prompts are definitely something that are great for getting you started if you’re not sure what to do. If you’ve gathered all your supplies and you’re thinking, right, what should I create for my page? You could follow some prompts to give you some ideas. So maybe you know, what’s a piece of ephemera that you have that brings back a good memory and you could document that, or what’s something that you’re grateful for today? Or it could be something more abstract, like a color scheme you want to do, or just some supplies you want to add into your journal. It doesn’t all have to have like some grand meaning. You can just enjoy the creative process of sticking down all your bits of papers. But I think sometimes if you’re feeling a little bit stuck, then having some prompts or themes or an intention for your journal page to get you started can just help with that creative process.
Building a Creative Habit: Embrace Consistency & Imperfection
Like with any hobby, I think consistency is key when it comes to junk journaling. But don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. One of my top tips is to start small, whether it’s using a smaller journal or not worrying about filling each page every single day. You could just have five to ten minutes every day to build solid practice or just set aside a time when you’re going to sit down with your journal. It could even be once a week. There’s no such thing as falling behind. Junk journaling is meant to be fun and relaxing, not stressful. So just embrace the process and the imperfections. You could maybe put a sticker on your calendar for each of the days you’re going to journal, and that can help you to hold yourself a little bit accountable if you’re just getting started with junk journaling.
Designing Dynamic Layouts: Experimenting with Collage & Mixed Media
One of the best things about junk Journaling is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s just all about what works for you. When it comes to layout ideas for pages, if you’re wanting to get started with making your pages, here are some ideas that you could use.
I love to do collage pages where you layer old papers, photos, and different collectibles. I think this is just an absolute hallmark of junk journaling. Don’t be afraid to overlap materials, to tear edges, and also to mix the textures of the papers that you’re using. I think it just creates such an interesting layered effect on a junk journal page. When you see all the different papers, you could also crumple them to add some texture. Nothing has to be perfect. If you want to add some mixed media, you could maybe add some paint, some markers, even some stamping to your pages. You don’t need to be an artist to do this. We’re all just playing around with color and texture on our journals. This is just a place where you can be creative without worrying about what the finished product actually looks like.
Organizing Your Finds: Creating Pockets
Another thing you can do is to create pockets, so using old envelopes and different paper bags to keep your different ephemera or keepsakes. And it’s a way to add more space. If you want to add letters, notes, or even like some hidden journaling, you can use your ephemera to experiment with different layouts and see what you can add to your pages that tells your story. I like to keep the papers that I collect ready to use in my journal pages in boxes and different envelopes. But being a paper hoarder, I think it’s just part of being a junk journaler. So, you will find yourself spotting junk journal materials everywhere you go, but you could use maybe little pouches and other ways of organizing these papers.
Your Creative Journey Begins: Time to Junk Journal!
If you’re ready to start junk journaling, go grab your old papers, scraps, and journal kits and start creating your junk journal pages. I hope you find this blog helpful. Thanks for reading and I can’t wait to see what you create.
