A junk journal is a handmade book you create from recycled, repurposed, and found materials. Old book pages, scrap paper, envelopes, fabric scraps, maps, sheet music, leftover craft supplies – they all become pages in a one-of-a-kind journal that’s completely yours.
And before you get hung up on the name – “junk” doesn’t mean garbage. It’s about taking everyday items that might otherwise end up in the recycling bin and turning them into something beautiful. There aren’t any rules in junk journaling, no required supplies, and honestly no wrong way to do it. Every junk journal is unique because every maker brings different materials and ideas to the table.
I got into junk journals kind of by accident. I had this growing pile of pretty paper scraps that were too small for scrapbook layouts but too gorgeous to throw away. One afternoon I just… folded some cardstock, stuffed those scraps inside, and stitched it together. That was two years ago and I haven’t stopped making them since. So if you’re curious about what this whole junk journal thing is about, you’re in the right place.
What Is a Junk Journal
At its core, a junk journal is a handmade book assembled from a mix of paper types and mixed media materials. The pages might include old book pages, kraft paper, cardstock, watercolor paper, used envelopes, paper bags, napkins, fabric swatches, and printed ephemera. The binding can be as simple as a few staples or as detailed as hand-sewn coptic stitching.
What sets junk journals apart from store-bought notebooks is the creative freedom. You choose every single element – the paper, the size, the binding, the decorations. The result is this deeply personal object that can serve any purpose you want. Some makers fill their junk journals with daily writing, while others use them for collage art, memory keeping, or just as a creative exercise with no specific end goal.
The junk journal movement has grown so fast in recent years because the barrier to entry is basically nonexistent. You don’t need expensive supplies or formal training. If you’ve got paper, scissors, and some way to hold pages together, you can make a junk journal today.
What Do You Use a Junk Journal For
This is the question I get asked the most, and the honest answer? Anything you want. There’s no single correct use, and most junk journalers find that their journals evolve over time to serve different purposes. Mine started as a place to stick pretty paper and now it’s basically my creative diary.
Memory keeping is one of the most popular uses. A junk journal becomes a scrapbook-style keepsake where you preserve photos, ticket stubs, postcards, handwritten notes, and other little mementos from daily life or special events. The layered, textured pages give memories a tactile quality that digital storage just can’t replicate.
Art journaling and creative expression draw a ton of makers to the craft. Junk journal pages become canvases for collage, stamping, painting, hand lettering, and mixed media experiments. Because the pages are made from recycled materials, there’s zero pressure to create something perfect. That freedom to experiment without fear of ruining an expensive sketchbook? It’s honestly one of the best parts.
Themed projects are where junk journals really shine. Travel journals for documenting trips with maps and souvenirs. Gratitude journals for daily reflection. Recipe collections. Garden journals. Handmade gifts for friends and family. Some crafters make themed junk journals around holidays, seasons, or life milestones like weddings and new babies – the themes are endless.
Junk Journal vs Scrapbook vs Art Journal
If you already enjoy scrapbooking or art journaling, you might be wondering how junk journals fit in. All three share common ground, but they each have a distinct feel. Here’s how they compare:
| Junk Journal | Scrapbook | Art Journal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Creative expression, memory keeping, or both | Preserving photos in designed layouts | Artistic self-expression and experimentation |
| Pages made from | Recycled paper, found materials, mixed media | Coordinated cardstock and patterned paper | Blank pages (usually heavyweight) |
| Structure | Handmade, hand-bound, no set format | Pre-made album with page protectors | Store-bought bound journal |
| Cost to start | Under $5 (mostly free materials) | $30-75 for album, paper, and tools | $20-40 for journal and paint |
| Rules | Basically none | Some conventions (layouts, photo placement) | None, but technique-focused |
| Best for | Crafters who love texture, collecting, and no-rules creating | Photo-focused memory keepers | Painters and mixed-media artists |
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize: these crafts overlap way more than they’re different. I use my scrapbooking supplies in my junk journals all the time – washi tape, patterned paper, stickers, die cuts. If you already scrapbook, you’ve got everything you need to start junk journaling today. And if you’re an art journaler, you’ll feel right at home with the mixed media approach. Want to see how the techniques connect? Our art journaling for beginners guide shows the overlap.
What Does a Junk Journal Cost to Make
This is one of my favorite things about junk journaling – it can cost literally nothing. Your first journal can be made entirely from stuff you already have around the house. Here’s a realistic breakdown:
The free route: Gather old book pages, junk mail, paper bags, cereal boxes, fabric scraps, and scrap paper. Fold, stack, and staple or stitch with regular sewing thread. Total cost: $0. I made my second journal this way and it’s one of my favorites.
The starter route ($5-15): Pick up some washi tape, a basic ink pad, and maybe a pack of vintage-style ephemera from a craft store or Amazon. Use household materials for everything else. This gives you some decorative options without breaking the bank.
The stash-builder route ($20-40/month): A monthly craft kit gives you coordinated papers, embellishments, and supplies that work for both scrapbooking and junk journaling. Everything matches and you skip the overwhelm of shopping for individual items. Our monthly kits include cardstock, patterned paper, stickers, and embellishments that work beautifully in junk journals.
Compare that to scrapbooking where a decent starter setup runs $50-75, or art journaling where good paints and a quality journal start around $30. Junk journaling wins the affordability contest every time. For a full supply breakdown, see our junk journal supplies guide.
Types of Junk Journals
Junk journals come in so many different forms, and the type you make usually depends on your materials, what you’re planning to use it for, and personal preference. Here are some of the most popular styles.
Altered book journals start with an existing hardcover book that gets transformed into a journal. You might remove some pages, glue others together for sturdiness, add pockets and fold-outs, and paint or collage over the printed text. The original book spine and cover give you a ready-made structure to work with. I grabbed a beat-up poetry book from Goodwill for fifty cents and it became one of my favorite journals.
Fabric-covered journals use cloth instead of paper for the cover. Cotton, linen, canvas, burlap, and even denim can be wrapped around chipboard or cardboard for a soft, tactile cover. Fabric covers are durable and lend themselves to embroidery, buttons, and other textile embellishments. For cover design inspiration, we’ve collected dozens of creative approaches.
Travelers notebook inserts are junk journal booklets sized to fit inside a travelers notebook cover. These smaller format journals are portable and easy to swap in and out of a leather or fabric cover. I know makers who create seasonal or themed inserts that they rotate throughout the year, which is such a smart system.
Mini journals and folios are small format junk journals, often made from a single sheet of paper folded into sections or from a few envelopes nested together. They make excellent gifts, party favors, or quick creative projects when you want to make something in an afternoon.
Themed journals are built around a specific topic or aesthetic. Vintage themes use aged papers, sepia tones, lace, and antique ephemera. Botanical themes feature pressed flowers, seed packets, and nature imagery. Seasonal themes capture the colors and motifs of spring, summer, autumn, or winter. Travel themes document specific trips with maps, tickets, and destination photos. For dozens of junk journal theme ideas and page inspiration, we’ve got a whole guide.
5 Myths About Junk Journals (That Almost Stopped Me)
I almost didn’t start junk journaling because of things I read online that turned out to be completely wrong. Let me save you the same hesitation.
Myth 1: You need vintage or antique materials. Nope. Some of the most popular junk journals on YouTube use brand new patterned paper, fresh cardstock, and printed digital ephemera. “Junk” refers to the mixed-materials approach, not the age of the paper. I use a mix of new and old in every journal I make.
Myth 2: You have to sew the binding. Staples work fine. Binder rings work fine. Even a piece of washi tape holding folded pages together works fine. Yes, hand-sewn bindings are beautiful, but they’re absolutely not required. Start with whatever method feels easiest and learn fancier binding later if you want to.
Myth 3: Every page needs to be decorated. Plenty of junk journalers leave some pages simple – just a piece of interesting paper with some journaling or a tucked-in photo. You don’t need to collage and stamp and layer every single surface. Some of my most-used pages are the plain ones where I jot down ideas.
Myth 4: It’s just scrapbooking with a different name. While they share supplies and some techniques, the approach is fundamentally different. Scrapbooking usually starts with photos and designs layouts around them. Junk journaling starts with materials and lets the pages evolve organically. The process feels completely different even if the supplies overlap. For a deeper look at both crafts, see our scrapbook ideas guide and our junk journal ideas collection.
Myth 5: You need to be artistic. If you can fold paper, glue things down, and tear tape, you can make a junk journal. Full stop. Some of the most charming journals I’ve seen were made by people who insisted they “weren’t creative.” The materials do the heavy lifting.
Basic Supplies to Get Started
You don’t need to buy anything special to make your first junk journal. Seriously. The whole point is to use what you’ve already got. Look around your home for materials before spending any money on new supplies.
For paper and pages, gather old book pages, junk mail, envelopes, paper bags, cereal boxes, scrap cardstock, leftover scrapbook paper, old calendars, magazine pages, napkins, and any other paper that catches your eye. Mixing weights and textures is part of what gives a junk journal its distinctive character. I’ve used everything from coffee filters to vintage sheet music and it all works.
For binding, you need a way to hold your pages together. A needle and waxed thread work for hand-sewn binding. Staples work for small journals. Binder rings through punched holes are simple and let pages lay flat. Even a rubber band or piece of ribbon can hold a small journal together while you’re learning.
For adhesive, a basic glue stick handles most tasks. Tape runners and double-sided tape are cleaner alternatives. Washi tape does double duty as both adhesive and decoration, which is why I go through so much of it.
Embellishments are optional but they add so much personality. Stamps and ink pads, stickers, ribbon, lace, buttons, pressed flowers, vintage postcards, and die cuts all work beautifully. If you already scrapbook, your existing supplies are perfect for this. For a complete checklist, see our junk journal supplies guide.
And don’t sleep on printable ephemera – you can download and print vintage-style tags, labels, journal cards, and decorative elements for free. They’re a great way to fill pages when your physical stash is running low.
How to Start Your First Junk Journal
Making your first junk journal doesn’t need to be complicated. You can create a simple, beautiful journal in an afternoon with materials you have at home. Here’s a quick overview of the basic steps.
Gather your papers. Pull together a mix of different paper types – at least 10 to 15 sheets in various weights and sizes. Don’t worry about matching or coordinating. The variety is what makes it interesting.
Choose a size. A5 (5.8 by 8.3 inches) is a popular starting size because it’s large enough to work on comfortably but small enough to feel manageable. You can also try a 6 by 8 inch format or go smaller with a pocket-sized mini journal.
Create your signatures. Cut or tear your papers to size and fold them in half. Stack three to five folded sheets together to create a signature (that’s the bookbinding term for a group of nested pages). Make two or three signatures for a journal with enough pages to fill without feeling overwhelming.
Make a cover. Use chipboard, a cereal box, heavy cardstock, or an old book cover. Cut it slightly larger than your interior pages. Decorate it however you want – or leave it plain and come back to it later. For creative cover techniques, browse our junk journal cover ideas. I’ve done both plain and fancy covers, and honestly the plain ones end up being some of my most used.
Bind it together. Use a simple pamphlet stitch, staples, or binder rings. For a detailed walkthrough of binding methods and step-by-step instructions with measurements, check out our complete how to make a junk journal tutorial.
Start filling pages. Add collage elements, write journal entries, glue in photos, create pockets for keepsakes, or layer papers and ephemera for visual texture. There’s no wrong way to fill a junk journal. Every page is practice, and every page is art.
Junk Journal Terms You Should Know
Like any craft, junk journaling has its own vocabulary. Here are the key terms you’ll encounter. I remember being so confused by half of these when I first started.
A signature is a group of pages nested together and folded in half. Multiple signatures get bound together to form a complete journal. Most junk journals use signatures of three to five sheets.
Ephemera refers to paper items that were originally meant for short-term use – postcards, ticket stubs, labels, tags, receipts, vintage advertisements, playing cards, and similar collectible paper goods. Ephemera adds visual interest and storytelling potential to journal pages. It’s also dangerously fun to collect.
A tuck spot is a pocket or slot created on a journal page for tucking in loose items like tags, cards, or small notes. You make them by gluing a strip of paper across part of the page, leaving the top open. Simple but so satisfying.
A tip-in is a piece of paper or photo attached to a journal page along just one edge. The unattached portion can be lifted to reveal content underneath, creating a layered, interactive element.
Fussy cutting is the technique of carefully cutting out a specific image or design from printed paper, following the outline rather than cutting a simple rectangle. Fussy-cut images make excellent focal points and collage elements. Fair warning – it’s addictive and your hand might cramp.
A folio is a folder-like structure made from folded paper or cardstock, often used to organize loose ephemera or create a mini album within a journal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a junk journal if I’m not crafty?
Absolutely. If you can fold paper and use a glue stick, you can make a junk journal. The whole point is that there are no rules and no skill threshold. Some of the most charming journals I’ve seen come from people who swore they weren’t creative. Start with a simple pamphlet-stitch binding and let the materials guide you.
Where do I find materials for junk journals?
Start with what you already have – old books, junk mail, wrapping paper scraps, paper bags, ticket stubs. Thrift stores and used bookshops are gold mines for vintage papers. Dollar stores carry basic craft supplies. Online, you can find free printable ephemera to download and print at home. Once you start looking, you’ll see potential junk journal materials everywhere.
How long does it take to make a junk journal?
A basic journal takes about 30 minutes to an hour to assemble – cutting or tearing pages, folding, and binding. Decorating and filling the pages is an ongoing process that can stretch over weeks or months, which is part of the fun. I usually build the structure in one sitting and then fill pages gradually over time.
What’s the difference between a junk journal and an art journal?
An art journal typically starts with a store-bought blank journal and uses paint, drawing, and mixed media as the primary techniques. A junk journal is handmade from scratch using recycled materials, and the pages themselves are part of the art. There’s a lot of overlap in techniques, though – many makers do both. Our art journaling for beginners guide covers the art journal side if you want to compare.
Do I need a sewing machine to bind a junk journal?
No sewing machine needed. Most junk journal bindings are done by hand with a needle and thread, and you don’t even need that if you use staples or binder rings. Hand stitching gives you more control over tension and spacing, and there’s something really satisfying about a hand-bound book.
What size should my first junk journal be?
A5 (5.8 x 8.3 inches) or 6×8 inches is ideal for a first journal. It’s big enough to work on comfortably but small enough that filling it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Avoid starting with a full-size journal – you’ll feel more pressure to fill all those pages and might get discouraged.
Ready to make your first journal? Follow our step-by-step how to make a junk journal tutorial for detailed binding instructions and supply lists. For page design inspiration and themed project ideas, browse our junk journal ideas collection. And if you want curated supplies delivered monthly, check out our monthly craft kits – everything coordinates and works beautifully in junk journals.
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