What is a Junk Journal? (And Why They’re The Best!)

If you have ever heard of a junk journal, but do not know what it is, then you are in the right place.

Junk journals are becoming more popular by those who want to keep memories, thoughts, and ideas in one place, through using different materials.

A junk journal might be just what you need to keep your thoughts and memories in one place, so read on to find out more and whether junk journaling is for you!

What Is A Junk Journal?

Junk journals come in different shapes and forms, so defining one can be difficult. Most commonly, a junk journal is a book that is made from different materials, whether found or recycled, and is used to collect memories, thoughts, ideas, and inspiration.

Your junk journal might have a very personal meaning, which is different from someone else’s junk journal.

You could collect just about anything you want in your junk journal, as long as it means something special to you, and is a way for you to express yourself and collect ideas!

What Size is a Junk Journal?

A junk journal can be any size! Most seem to prefer the standard A5 journal (5.83 in x 8.27 in) that’s common among bullet journalers.

This is completely up to you, as you can opt for a bigger or smaller journal, depending on your creative needs.

What Is The Purpose Of A Junk Journal?

The purpose of a junk journal will differ between who uses it. It is a deeply personal project and journal, so how you use it will depend on what you are looking to get out of keeping a junk journal.

Here are some of the most common purposes of keeping a junk journal:

Planner

If you find that you need to write down and record your to-dos and plan your days, a junk journal planner is a great option.

Not only will you be planning out your days, weeks, and months, but you are able to have fun doing so, using stickers, papers, and pictures to decorate the journal.

Being able to be involved in decorating and filling the planner with things you love will actually keep you more motivated to stick to your planner and actually remember everything you need to!

You can take whatever approach you want with planning, whether it is a daily planner, a weekly planner, or just a place to record progress on different projects.

This becomes the perfect mix between bullet journal and memorabilia for most!

Everyday Journal

Use a junk journal as an everyday journal if you need somewhere to keep all the things you think of every day, and for somewhere to record ideas and inspiration. It can hold all the little bits of information and the important thoughts you come up with during the day.

Filling the junk journal with everyday thoughts and memories is a great way to keep track of your life, and gives you something to look back on and enjoy when it is finished.

It can be considered almost like a daily scrapbook, but more informal as there are no rules!

Memory Book

A popular purpose for junk journals is to use them as a memory book. This could be specific to your wedding, a new baby, or holiday, or it can be a general memory book where you include any significant events that happen.

It could be something simple like a receipt from a restaurant that you and your partner went for dinner at, or a lock of your baby’s hair.

A memory junk journal gives you a safe space to store some of your most important memories and keeps them in one place for when you want to look back on them.

You could keep one junk journal for all different memories, or keep a few to separate different parts of your life, and different stories that you want to keep safe.

Themed Junk Journal

If you love a certain theme, such as flowers, then your junk journal could be a theme book about flowers. Include dried flowers, magazine cut-outs, decorated paper, writings, and song-lyrics about flowers, or whatever the theme might be.

There are so many different mediums to include in your junk journal for your specific theme, you just have to be creative!

Junk Journal Gift

Junk journals make for wonderful gifts if you personalize them for someone. You could collect photos and memories for a family member or friend, and immortalize these in their very own junk journal.

This helps them keep their own journal of memories and inspiration, and shows that you put in a huge amount of thought and effort for their gift.

The junk journal could hold photos and memories, or it could be more specific to their birthday, anniversary or wedding.

What Should I Put In My Junk Journal?

There are no rules as to what you can put into a junk journal – that is what makes them so great!

You can put anything into your junk journal, and it will depend on what you are using your junk journal for. Just make sure to reinforce the pages with cardstock or paper, so that the pages are strong enough to hold different types of materials.

Start collecting items you want to place into your junk journal, such as newspaper cut-outs, photos, and anything else important, and keep these set aside in a special container. You can start adding them to your junk journal, decorating as you go.

Collect all different items from trips and special moments, and keep them safe. You can always decide at a later stage what you want to include. If you see paper or stickers you like, keep these aside as well. You never know when you could use them in your junk journal!

Where Can I Buy Junk Journal Supplies?

The absolute best place to find junk journal supplies is Etsy!

You can find anything and everything you’re looking for on Etsy, from old pictures, greeting cards, stickers, wrapping paper, you name it!

However, even though you can make an entire junk journal from the goodies available on Etsy, it’s so satisfying to get creative and make it your own.

Go to flea markets, garage sales, keep your eyes peeled while you’re out anywhere for what you can put in your junk journal.

Grab magazines, save postcards, take polaroid pictures or even keep old plane tickets! Get creative and make your junk journal completely unique to you and your experience.

Can You Write In A Junk Journal?

Whether you write in a junk journal or not is completely up to you. You could have a mix of visuals and writing in your junk journal, or have mostly one or the other.

A junk journal is a personal piece, and it should contain things that you want it to. There are no rules. If you feel like adding pictures in one day and writing longer journal entries the next, that is completely fine.

Throw rules out the window and go with what you feel! That is the best way to make an authentic, true-to-you junk journal!

Like this article? Make sure to check out these next:

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