Have you ever seen a cool pattern, liked a postcard, wanted to save a piece of fabric, or even commemorate a receipt from the best coffee you’ve ever had? Then junk journaling may be for you!Â
I got into junk journaling my junior year of high school. I would save random things like stickers, newspaper clippings, ribbon, and anything else I just couldn’t part with. Eventually, it got to the point where I had an entire bin full of these mementos, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with all of it. While I was scrolling on social media, I ran into junk journaling and found a fun, crafty, and memorable way to preserve some of these pieces of my everyday life.Â
In this article, I’m going to share how I incorporate things into my junk journal, how I preserve memories to look back on, and why I love having tangible evidence of my life.
Mixed Media
Junk journaling doesn’t just have to be straightforward; there are many different things you can incorporate. For example, you’re out getting coffee with a friend and your coffee cup leaves a ring on a napkin. That’s potentially something you could add to your junk journal! Personally, I would also add in the receipt and a little blurb about what my friend and I chatted about. While some may think this would be considered trash or unconventional, I see it as a fun way to commemorate this friendship moment. There really aren’t any rules or limits when it comes to creating a page. It’s all about what makes sense to you and what feels important enough to keep. In my personal junk journal, I like to layer things such as different textures or patterns that go well together. I also really like to utilize things that may otherwise end up in the trash instead of spending money on supplies. If I ever see a brochure with a fun pattern, an old newspaper, or the background of a paper menu, I make sure to pick it up as it sparks creativity in me for the next page.Â
Interactive designs using Physical Media
Over the summer, I got into collecting physical media, including things like DVDs, records, CDs, books, etc. I found fun and unique ways to incorporate my love for physical media into my junk journaling, which is physical media in itself.Â
For example, one way I would show my love for collecting DVDs is by printing out movie posters and creating a flip-through of my favorite DVDs so far. I would also have movie nights with the DVDs I collected and would save things such as snack wrappers. I would even rate the movie by cutting out stars and writing a review. I do a similar thing with the books I read so I can always be able to look back at my reviews in a fun, creative way.Â
One of my favorite ways to incorporate my CDs and records is to dedicate a page to how the album made me feel. For example, listening to an album that makes me reminisce about childhood, I might dedicate a page to images of me as a child with fun patterns and stickers, with the album in the center. Creating interactive pages allows me to have a fun way to commemorate the media that I enjoy and preserve those experiences as new generations of media emerge.Â
Analog Data Storage
As I have mentioned before, junk journaling is just a great way to make memories out of what may seem like ordinary experiences. Whether it’s saving a note from a friend and dressing up the page to celebrate your friendship, or dedicating a page to packaging that you really like. There aren’t any rules for how your journal should look; it’s less about creating something perfect and more about finding meaning in the little things we collect along the way.Â
You don’t have to be an artist, have expensive supplies, or a strict aesthetic you have to follow. You could just start with a movie ticket from a fun night with your friends, or a postcard from the weekend trip you took. Junk journaling can be a place for you to store these little tokens of life and the small moments that bring joy to life. You would be surprised by how much meaning you can find in things you once considered ordinary.
My Experience with Junk Journaling
Junk journaling has helped me romanticize my life and value the little joys in my days. It honestly helped me become more intentional in everyday relationships with others because I take time to write about them, or save little reminders of the memories we make together.
My biggest tip for junk journaling is pretty simple: just start! We all have a random notebook lying around, just waiting to be filled with everyday joy. You don’t need a plan, or have to know exactly what you want your journal to look like. Just start collecting, creating, and being intentional about preserving the everyday life moments that make life special. I promise you won’t regret it!