The Inspiration You Need to Start Junk Journaling

Seeking a new, screen-free hobby? You might want to consider junk journaling. It's cheap (practically free), sustainable, and a no-rules way to express your creativity. But if you're thinking junk journaling is like traditional journaling, think again — this activity is more like collaging than putting pen to paper.

To get started, all you need to do is gather some junk from around your house and grab an empty journal (or even an old book!) and an adhesive. And when we say junk, we mean it: Everything counts, from scrap mail to food packaging and coffee sleeves.

Fewer hobbies are more accessible, approachable, and affordable than junk journaling. PS spoke with several content creators and expert junk journalers to get insider tricks and tips on this budding art form.

Rebekah Reese is a social media content creator who shares junk journaling process videos.

Kalli LeVasseur is a content creator and the cofounder of Cool Kids Craft Club.

Madi Cordura is a content creator with a passion for memory keeping and crafting.

Tatyiana Gordon is an aspiring lifestyle content creator who focuses on crafting, coffee, traveling, and vlogging.

Alexia, who posts as @alexrchive, is a junk journaling enthusiast and crafty content creator.

Junk journaling is exactly what it sounds like, content creator Rebekah Reese tells PS. It entails taking what would otherwise be considered "junk" (receipts, cute napkins, product packaging, paper, etc.) and gluing it into a notebook as a method of journaling.

"I like to think of it as scrapbooking's fun, carefree younger sister," says Cool Kids Craft Club cofounder Kalli LeVasseur. "While scrapbooking often brings to mind perfectly squared edges, matching papers, and meticulously placed coordinating stickers, junk journaling embraces a more relaxed, imperfect vibe. Think: ripped edges, layered textures, and even everyday items like receipts."

Junk journaling is a great hobby for anyone who wants to document memories, reflect on their day or week, or just get their hands a little dirty and start creating something. LeVasseur calls the result a mix of art, personal storytelling, and memory keeping.

All the creators PS spoke to agree that there's no single goal of junk journaling — the experience is whatever you want it to be. "Like any form of journaling, it can be deeply personal, and the goal can vary by person or even by entry," LeVasseur says. It could serve as a creative outlet, a memory keeper, or a way to practice sustainability, says junk journal enthusiast Alexia, aka @alexrchive.

For some, junk journaling is a way to document daily experiences, and for others, it's simply a way to express themselves through creating art. "For me, it's both," Reese says. "I've created a journal spread using a trail map and a parking receipt from a really fun hiking trip I took, but I've also created a spread with some paper and butterfly stickers just to make pretty art."

The universal advice is to just start! "The great thing about junk journaling is that it's such an easy hobby to start, and you don't need to be super creative to do it," Reese says. Collect some junk, grab a notebook and an adhesive, and start playing around.

And don't be intimidated about "getting it right" the first time: "The great thing about junk journaling is that if you try something and don't love it, you can always just cover those spots with new junk or a doodle," LeVasseur says. She also recommends keeping things simple when you first start out, and using what's already around you — junk journaling is meant to be a low-to-no-cost hobby.

Don't stress about journaling a specific number of times a week, or making the pages look perfectly "aesthetic," Alexia says. Putting too much pressure on yourself might lead you to stop journaling altogether.

If you're not sure how to get started, or you want to take a more organized approach, Reese recommends thinking of a simple theme like your favorite color or what you ate for breakfast and going from there.

As you get more into your junk journal, LeVasseur suggests playing with layers to make a spread feel dynamic. Try combining textures, colors, and shapes to create depth and interest. If you're looking to go beyond exclusively junk, LeVasseur also recommends sourcing from local artists. Many sell their own designs as stickers, washi tape, or ephemera packs, and it's a fun way to personalize your pages, while also contributing to their work.

Perhaps the best part of junk journaling, however, is the lack of rules. Some enthusiasts, like Cordura, prefer the forced creativity of using exclusively junk, while others love to supplement with stickers and washi tape. "Just like you wouldn't let anyone tell you what to write in your diary, don't let anybody tell you how to junk journal," Reese says.

"What makes junk journaling so special is how it has inspired so many people to shed perfectionistic tendencies and just create without pressure," says LeVasseur. "In a world that's gone so digital, it's also refreshing to have a hobby that's completely analog — something you can hold, touch, and share. It's a way to slow down, connect with your creativity, and ultimately collect memories."

Generally, all you need is a journal, some junk, an adhesive (preferably a glue stick), and a pair of scissors. (Reese recommends having a large and small pair on hand, depending on the size and detail of the junk you're cutting out.) Some creators will even journal right into an old book.

Cordura's favorite medium is a softcover, leatherbound dotted journal, and she also recommends incorporating glitter glue for style and flair. Reese thinks an 8x8 journal is the perfect size: big enough to fit a solid array of junk, but not so large that you're desperately trying to fill empty space.

Creators generally recommend softcover rather than hardcover journals for junk journaling, because your journal will expand as you paste more junk in. They also provided a few of their favorite brands:

Junk, meanwhile, is completely subjective, and your junk journal can be filled with junk that may be entirely meaningless or completely meaningful, content creator Madi Cordura says. A great place to start with finding materials is right at home, Reese adds. This might include magazines, old books that you don't read, junk mail, old birthday cards, receipts, product packaging, cereal boxes, and even the contents of your recycling bin.

Gordon, Reese, and Cordura all recommend checking out dollar stores and thrift stores for inexpensive scrapbook paper, stickers, rubber stamps, washi tape, and more. "The coolest thing about junk journaling is that you start to see the beauty in any and everything: wrapping paper, stamped bags, receipts, packaging," Gordon says. LeVasseur echoes this: "All of a sudden a coffee sleeve or receipt you would normally toss becomes a treasure."

Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.