Recently, junk journaling has seen a boom in popularity over social media, due to its creative yet relaxed nature. Although it’s become a modern trend, junk journaling has actually been around since the Victorian era! Nowadays, junk journaling has evolved into a cross between traditional journaling and scrapbooking.
A Victorian-era scrapbook, courtesy of Birmingham City Council. Found here.
At its core, junk journaling is about repurposing 'junk' into something beautiful. It's a low-effort way to be more creative, without feeling the pressure of making something Pinterest-worthy. You can use any material you like, meaning you're not just limited to pen and paper. Think of it as letting your inner child run wild on your journal spreads, without any worries over what the end product will look like. There are no rules to junk journaling, which is what makes it the perfect hobby for beginners.
An example of a modern day junk journal, courtesy of Justine Jenkins (House of Mahalo). Found here.
So, how do I start junk journaling?
Well, you've come to the perfect place! It may seem intimidating to open up a completely blank journal, but there are a number of ways to get started with your very own junk journal.
The first step is to gather your junk! Items commonly used in junk journals include:
- Tickets from museums/trains/attractions
- Receipts from coffee shops/restaurants/clothes stores
- Fabric scraps from old clothes or bags
- Stickers from packaging/fruit/books - you can even use the sticker packaging from our new Ultimate Junk Journal as a pocket to hold scraps in the journal itself!
- Postcards and old letters
- Newspaper or magazine clippings - these are perfect to create collage spreads
How to use the junk in your journal
Once you've got your pile of 'junk', the next thing to do is put it into your journal! It's good to experiment with different styles to see what ultimately works best for you. If you're stuck, our Ultimate Junk Journal is the best place to start. It comes with two sheets of themed stickers that you can use as prompts to begin collecting junk. From your favourite drink, to a new film you've just seen, there's something that will inspire everyone!
A sneak peek of our new Ultimate Junk Journal, found here on our Instagram!
Collages are a really good introduction to junk journals. Take all your large paper items (eg. tickets, receipts, bits of coloured paper) and layer them in a way that looks appealing to you. Don't worry about covering anything up, but try to layer them so that they can all be seen. Then, add onto your base with items such as ribbon, lace, and stickers. Finally, fill in the gaps with short diary entries relating to the spread. Take a step back, and you've just made your first journal spread! It's really that easy.
If you want to add more...
The main purpose of junk journaling is to reuse old materials, but it's always fun to do a stationery haul when starting a new project! Shops such as Sostrene Grene, Hobbycraft, and The Range have a wide variety of materials, including washi tape, Kraft paper, and coloured pens, meaning you can take your spreads to the next level! We'd recommend getting some sticker sheets, such as these, which you can use for headings, page titles, or just as embellishments to your spreads.
And remember, the core of junk journaling is about having a creative outlet without expectations, limitations, or rules. Once you've gathered your materials, maybe set a timer and see how much of a spread you can complete in the time! Hopefully you now feel confident enough to create your own junk journal, and join this wonderful community of like-minded individuals.
Find The Journal Club on TikTok and Instagram to learn more.