There’s a quiet kind of joy in crafting something just for yourself—a place where paper scraps, forgotten envelopes, and vintage textures come together to tell your story. Whether you’re new to journaling or looking to go beyond traditional layouts, junk journaling offers a creative freedom that’s both nostalgic and refreshing.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to start a junk journal from scratch, offer helpful ideas for layering and binding, and explain how junk journaling differs from scrapbooking—so you can find the approach that inspires you most.

📟 What Is a Junk Journal?

A junk journal is a handmade book filled with eclectic, often recycled materials—things like tea-stained paper, envelopes, postcards, ticket stubs, book pages, packaging, and lace. The term “junk” refers not to trash, but to found or leftover items that are given new life through creative use.

People use junk journals for:

• Creative journaling or memory keeping

• Collage and mixed media art

• Daily reflections or gratitude logs

• Writing poems, dreams, or affirmations

• Simply enjoying the process of layering, decorating, and exploring

No two junk journals are the same—and that’s the beauty of it.

📚 Junk Journal vs. Scrapbook: What’s the Difference?

Though they both involve paper crafting and personal storytelling, junk journals and scrapbooks have different purposes, materials, and styles.

In essence, junk journals are more process-driven and expressive, while scrapbooks are often memory- and event-driven. Both are meaningful—but in different ways.

🛠️ How to Make a Junk Journal (Step-by-Step)

1. Gather Your Supplies

Start with what you have around you. Some ideas:

• Old envelopes, postcards, receipts

• Book pages, music sheets, graph paper

• Kraft paper, vellum, tea-dyed pages

• Background washi tape or wide decorative tapes

• Lace, twine, rubber stamps, fabric scraps

• A journal cover: repurposed book, cardboard, or ring binder

2. Prepare Your Pages

Trim or tear your paper into sizes that suit your journal. Don't worry about perfect cuts—variety creates texture. You might combine pages with pockets, flaps, or windows to interact with.

3. Organize into Signatures

Group your papers into 2–4 sets of mini-booklets (called signatures), each with 5–8 folded pages. Later, you’ll bind these into your journal cover.

4. Bind the Journal

Choose a binding method that suits your style:

• Pamphlet stitch with a needle and thread

• Ring binder for flexibility

• Glue-in spine using fabric tape or adhesive

• Elastic band for modular inserts

5. Decorate and Personalize

Now the real fun begins: layer wide washi tapes as backgrounds, tuck in old tickets, glue down pressed flowers, or create a flip-out pocket. Use stamps and ink for accents. You can add writing—or let the visuals speak for themselves.

✨ Creative Tips

• Use large background washi tapes to instantly fill a page with mood

• Create hidden journaling spots by folding paper into pockets

• Layer transparent elements like vellum or tracing paper

• Combine vintage ephemera with modern stickers for contrast

• Don’t be afraid of white space—it adds balance

💖 For Scrapbookers Curious About Junk Journals

If you’ve spent years crafting neat, themed layouts in scrapbooks, junk journaling might feel like a creative breath of fresh air. There are no rules, no templates, no deadlines—just the freedom to create and explore at your own pace.

You don’t need to stop scrapbooking—you might even combine both approaches. For example, try using a scrapbook-style layout inside a junk journal page, or add photo corners to a junk journal spread.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re documenting daily life, writing poems, or simply playing with paper and tape, junk journaling invites you to be curious, imperfect, and expressive.

So grab a handful of scraps, a roll of washi tape, and let your first page unfold naturally. You never know where it might take you.

📌 Need Supplies to Start?
Check out our favorite beginner-friendly materials:

• Washi tape

• Stamps & ink pads

• Beginner's set