If you've got a drawer somewhere with old photos, a concert ticket, a pressed flower, or a birthday card you couldn't bring yourself to throw away — you already have everything you need to start a junk journal. The only thing missing is a place to put it all, and a little bit of know-how. That's what this guide is for.
The short answer:
A junk journal is a handmade keepsake book where you glue, tape, and tuck in everyday mementos — photos, tickets, notes, scraps of pretty paper — alongside your own handwriting. To start, you need three things: a journal or blank book, something to attach items with (tape, glue, or stickers), and a small stash of decorative paper or stickers to fill gaps. There's no wrong way to do it.
What Is Junk Journaling, Exactly?
Junk journaling is the practice of turning ordinary, easily-overlooked items — receipts, ticket stubs, old letters, photos, wrapping paper, pressed flowers — into pages of a handmade book. It sits somewhere between a diary and a scrapbook: less structured than scrapbooking (no need for perfectly cropped photos or matching layouts), and more visual than a plain written journal.
The appeal is almost entirely in the imperfection. A crooked ticket stub, a smudge of tea, handwriting that wanders off the line — none of it is a mistake. It's the point.
What You Actually Need to Get Started
You do not need a craft room, a die-cutting machine, or a hundred-dollar haul of supplies. Most beginners overbuy before their first page and burn out before their second. Here's the honest minimum:
- A journal. Something with blank or lightly textured pages that can handle glue and tape without warping too much. A ready-made complete journal set is the easiest starting point because the journal, papers, and embellishments are already chosen to work together.
- Something to attach things with. A glue stick for paper, and a roll of decorative washi or PET tape for anything you want to reposition or that doesn't lay flat.
- A small stash of filler. When a page feels empty, stickers and decorative paper or ephemera fill the gap in seconds — no drawing skills required.
If you'd rather not piece all of that together yourself, our Memory Garden Complete Journaling Collection bundles the journal, papers, stickers, and tape into one coordinated kit built specifically for a first-time journaler.
Making Your First Page, Step by Step
- Pick one small thing you already have. A photo, a ticket, a note. Don't start from a blank page with no anchor — start from the object.
- Glue or tape it down first. Placement before decoration. Give yourself permission to put it slightly crooked.
- Write two or three sentences about it. What it was, why you kept it, how you felt. This is the part that makes the page actually yours — the paper is just the frame.
- Fill empty space with one sticker or a strip of tape. Not five. One is enough for a first page.
- Stop. A finished imperfect page beats an unfinished perfect one every time.
"But I Don't Know What to Put In It"
This is the single most common reason beginners never start. The truth is you almost certainly have material already: a boarding pass from a trip, a coffee shop receipt from a good afternoon, a kid's drawing, a bit of wrapping paper from a gift. Junk journaling isn't about finding special things — it's about deciding that the small, ordinary things you already saved were worth saving. (We've put together a full list of first-page ideas if you want more starting points.)
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Buying too much before starting. One kit is plenty for your first ten pages. See what you actually reach for before buying more.
- Waiting to feel "creative enough." Junk journaling doesn't require drawing or design skill — it requires gluing something down and writing a sentence about it.
- Trying to make every page perfect. The pages people love most when they look back are usually the messiest, most honest ones.
Build a Routine You Will Actually Keep
Leave the journal and a small envelope of supplies somewhere visible. A ten-minute session once or twice a week is enough. Keep unfinished materials in the envelope, date the page, and stop when the memory is recorded—not when every empty corner is covered.
For your next page, use our 10 beginner junk journal page ideas, or read the beginner supply guide before buying anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be creative or artistic to junk journal?
No. The most common style is simple: glue something down, write a sentence, add one sticker. No drawing ability required.
What's the difference between a junk journal and a scrapbook?
Scrapbooking tends to be more polished and photo-focused, with cropped pictures and matching layouts. Junk journaling is looser and more mixed-media — tickets, notes, and scraps sit alongside photos, and imperfection is part of the style.
How much does it cost to start junk journaling?
A complete starter kit with a journal, paper, stickers, and tape typically runs $40–55. You can start smaller with just a notebook and a few sheets of paper and tape.
Can I just use a regular notebook instead of buying a special journal?
Yes, especially for your first few pages. A dedicated journal with slightly heavier paper handles glue and tape better long-term, but a plain notebook is a fine way to try it out first.
Ready to start your first page? Browse our complete journaling sets for an all-in-one starting kit, or build your own from our stickers, tape, and paper collections.