✂️ 25 Junk Journal Ideas to Spark Your Creativity (Even If You’re a Total Beginner!)
There’s something incredibly cozy about sitting down with a pair of scissors, a glue stick, and a stack of beautiful scraps just waiting to be turned into something meaningful. That’s the magic of junk journaling—where everyday moments, forgotten papers, and whimsical ideas come together to create keepsakes that are perfectly imperfect.
Whether you’re brand new to the world of junk journals or you’ve already got a shelf full of chunky, ribbon-tied creations, this list of junk journal ideas will inspire your next creative session.
So grab your tea (or your third coffee—no judgment here), pull out your stash, and let’s jump into 25 fun, sentimental, and totally doable junk journal ideas.
💡 But first… What is a junk journal?
A junk journal is a handmade book created with a mix of papers, textures, and ephemera (like tags, tickets, fabric scraps, envelopes, and vintage finds). It’s part scrapbook, part art journal, part creative chaos. You can use them to write, doodle, memory-keep, collage, or just make something beautiful that feels like you.
The beauty? There are no rules. Junk journaling is about self-expression, slowing down, and celebrating the messiness of life with glue and glitter.
🎨 25 Junk Journal Ideas You Can Start Today
Whether you’re documenting life, playing with printables, or crafting with your kids, here are some playful and practical ideas to fill up those gorgeous pages:
1. Gratitude Pages
Create a section to jot down little things you’re thankful for each day. Add soft colors, stickers, and calming quotes.
2. Mini Memory Collages
Pick a day—any day—and make a tiny collage to remember it. Use receipts, photos, ticket stubs, or little notes from that day.
3. Seasonal Pages
Celebrate the changing seasons with themed pages: autumn leaves, spring florals, winter snowflakes, or summer beach days.
4. Tea Bag Tag Art
Save those cute tea tags and add them to your journal. You can even journal a moment or thought from when you enjoyed that cup.
5. Junk Mail Masterpieces
Transform junk mail into treasure. Cut out fun patterns, words, or images and collage them creatively.
6. Daily Doodles
Add a space for doodles. Even if you’re not “artsy,” simple shapes, flowers, or banners add a playful touch.
7. Favorite Quotes Pages
Jot down inspiring, funny, or heartfelt quotes and decorate the page around them.
8. Mixed Media Mood Boards
Layer paint, fabric scraps, magazine clippings, and washi tape to express your current mood or aesthetic.
9. Bookish Love Letters
Create a page for each book you’ve loved lately. Add notes, favorite quotes, or draw the book cover.
10. Envelope Pockets for Secrets
Glue mini envelopes to your pages to hold secret notes, dried flowers, or little treasures.
11. Handwritten Letters to Your Future Self
Write a letter to your future self (or your younger self) and seal it in your journal.
12. Print & Cut Sticker Scenes
Use printable stickers (like the ones from Maker Beautiful!) to create whimsical scenes or decorate themed pages.
13. Nature Pages
Press flowers or leaves, add nature quotes, and write about walks, picnics, or outdoor moments that felt special.
14. Monthly Recaps
Create a two-page spread at the end of each month to document highlights, challenges, and what you learned.
15. Dream Logs
Jot down your dreams (the sleepy kind or the life-goal kind) and decorate the page in dreamy tones.
16. Kids’ Artwork Inserts
Cut out or shrink your child’s artwork and include it in your junk journal. Bonus points for adding a date and their age.
17. Recipe Pages
Handwrite your favorite recipe and decorate with food-themed stickers, vintage kitchen images, or notes about when you make it.
18. Affirmation Pages
Write positive affirmations and decorate them with joyful imagery or calming colors.
19. Stitch-In Pages
Use a needle and thread to attach paper or fabric pieces for a tactile, textile twist.
20. “Currently Loving” List
Add a running list of what you’re into lately—TV shows, songs, books, foods, crafts, you name it.
21. Photo Snippets
Include tiny printed photos from your phone (like those mini sticker photo sheets) and write a sentence about each.
22. Color Themed Pages
Pick a color and make a monochrome spread using papers, washi, scraps, or doodles all in that shade.
23. Mood Trackers
Create a page with a mood tracker for the month—use color coding or little symbols.
24. Bucket List Pages
Make a themed bucket list: places to visit, crafts to try, books to read, goals for the month, etc.
25. Journaling Prompts
Use journaling prompts like “Today I noticed…,” “I feel most creative when…,” or “My perfect day looks like…”
🧵 Bonus: How to Start Your First Junk Journal (Without Getting Overwhelmed)
Starting is the hardest part—but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a quick beginner-friendly plan:
1. Choose your journal base.
You can use an old book, a handmade journal, a ring binder, or even just folded cardstock.
2. Gather your supplies.
Start with what you have! Grab scissors, glue, washi tape, a pen, and scraps of paper or stickers. (Need printables? We’ve got you covered at Maker Beautiful.)
3. Pick one idea.
Don’t try to do everything at once. Pick one idea from the list above and go from there. Trust your creative flow!
4. Don’t worry about being “good” at it.
This is your creative space. It’s not about perfection—it’s about expression.
5. Set the mood.
Light a candle, play your favorite playlist, pour a warm drink—and let this become your cozy ritual.
✂️ Where to Get Junk Journal Supplies
You don’t need a craft store haul every week (though let’s be real—it’s tempting). Great places to find junk journal supplies include:
- Maker Beautiful printables (especially our print & cut embellishments and cozy journal kits!)
- Your own junk mail
- Thrift store books, music sheets, or postcards
- Your kids’ leftover school supplies
- Fabric scraps from old clothes
- Craft swap groups on Facebook or Instagram
And don’t forget: the “junk” is half the fun.
💌 Let’s Make Something Beautiful Together
Junk journaling is more than crafting—it’s therapy with paper. It’s a way to document life, embrace imperfection, and create a world of your own. Whether you only have 10 minutes a day or you’re ready for a weekend marathon, your journal will become a treasured reflection of you.
Ready to start? ✨
👉 Grab our free junk journal printable kit + Cricut-friendly embellishments [here] and begin creating something cozy and beautiful today.
