I’m not really a “new year, new me” type of person, much less a new year’s resolution type of person. But this year was a bit different; instead of creating unrealistic goals that I would scrap halfway through the year, I decided to focus my goal on things I’ve wanted to do but never knew when to start.
And number one on my list was starting a junk journal!
Junk journaling is similar to scrapbooking, but in my opinion, a little more low stakes and affordable. Basically, a junk journal is a journal created by repurposing materials, like grocery receipts, written notes, or old movie tickets, and pasting them into a journal aesthetically.
I started my journal in January of 2025, and now that I have a few months of the hobby under my belt, I thought I would shed some light on why I love it and provide some inspiration for my fellow junk journalers.
Why I Love Junk Journaling
I’ve gone through phases of trying different hobbies and quitting after a while, and there are always two common denominators as to why. One, the hobby becomes too time-consuming, and two, the hobby becomes too expensive. With junk journaling, time and expenses have never been an issue.
What’s great about junk journaling is that you don’t have to be overly consistent with it. Unlike some hobbies that require a certain amount of attention, junk journaling is very much go at your own pace. Personally, I have a shoe box dedicated to my “junk,” and whenever I am feeling the creative spark, I journal everything I’ve collected from the past weeks, even months. There is no rhythm or reason for it, which I love!
For cost, junk journal basics consist of a journal (which is probably the most costly item), scissors, glue, tape, and, of course, the junk. I already owned an empty journal, scissors, and tape, so my only major cost was a pack of glue sticks, which ran to about $5.99. As far as collecting junk, this is totally up to the individual, but the point is to journal things that are already in your life, so you shouldn’t be purchasing much!
Here are some of my favorite pieces to journal with…
- Candy wrappers
- Gift bags
- Newspaper scraps
- Receipts
- Sticky notes
Now, if you want to spice up the aesthetic of your journal, here are some additional materials you can purchase that I often see people use in their journals…
- Construction paper
- Stickers
- Printed photos
- Washy tape
Between the timeliness and the lack of cost, a junk journal makes for an aesthetically pleasing and stress-free hobby!
Junk Joural inspiration
I couldn’t rant about junk journaling without showing off some inspiration for your junk journals. Recently, I have been mesmerized by the page @junk.journal.girl on Instagram. The page showcases unique and stylish journal entries. Here are just a few of my faves!
In this example, @junk.journal.girl exemplifies her different junk journal spreads as she uses bingo cards, old music sheets, post-it notes, magzinge cut outs, and lots of stickers. Each item by itself seems incoherent, even messy, but when placed together, they perfectly tell a story.
I love this journal spread, as it’s more simple but still super cute. It follows a slight theme of baking/cooking while still incorporating unique elements like the bouquet sticker, price tag, and doily in the background.
Even simple spreads like this are memorable additions to a junk journal.
Certain side hobbies can be tedious, time-consuming, and not always college-student cost-conscious. With junk journals, these issues are rarely, if ever, an issue. Junk journals provide a creative outlet without needing too much brain power and also encourage journalers to repurpose old materials, allowing for an environmentally friendly hobby.
Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I think junk jorunaling is a well-rounded hobby that everyone should try once in their life.