Your favorite album is playing, the light of your room is soft, your fingertips are covered in glue residue and endless possibilities for “vibe-curation” lie before you. As a lover of both storing memories and crafting, junk journaling has become one of my favorite pastimes and it should be yours, too! If you have never been introduced to this low-pressure, high-bliss hobby, now is your chance to learn. Junk journaling can be many things, but it is generally filling a journal with random materials, sketches and thoughts. Here are my tips on how to get started and create your own junk journal!
First, you have to start with a good base. This can be a lovely new journal, an old notebook you used two pages of, or even some paper you’ve stapled together. I’d recommend that if it’s your first time junk-journaling, you start with a journal you don’t care too much about or haven’t spent good money on. This will help you commit to filling it up without hesitation. Once you have your starting point, the actual process begins.
It’s time to start collecting anything and everything! Receipts, random pamphlets, class readings, clothing tags, stickers, magazine cut-outs, leaves, paint swatches and basically anything your heart desires that fits on a page. I have a box in my desk full of random pieces of paper that I can use. You may not have a box when you start, but trust me, once you look out for things to collect, you’ll gain plenty of material fast.
This may sound overwhelming right now, but don’t worry, these scraps will be put to good use. Now all you have to do is glue or tape your “junk” into your journal. You can do this randomly, or you can create a theme for each page or page spread. Your theme can be anything, like only using one color, a bunch of receipts or materials from a day out or things you’ve been enjoying lately. I’ve had pages where I collect leaves and flowers from a hike and capture the moment in my junk journal. I’ve also had pages that have no exact theme but are more of a collage. The inspiration is up to you!
To create a spread, glue down some scraps that you like or fit your theme, and add more “decoration” if deemed necessary. You can also cut up papers or whatever else you are using to better fit on the page. Add a couple of sketches throughout, journal about what you did that day in the blank spots, or paste some stickers around. Usually, at some point through the process, you get into a flow state until the work feels complete.
My final tip is to junk-journal with your friends! Not only is it a great way to spend time together, but you can all bring the materials you have on hand. It’s an especially great way to switch up the materials you are using or see how someone else likes to put together their page. You may gain new inspiration or benefit from your friend’s incredible collection of junk.
This hobby is wonderful for both its process and its results. While junk journaling, I often feel calm, focused and at my most creative. It’s enjoyable both as a solo activity to relax after a long day, or a group event to chat and have fun. When you’re done, it’s rewarding to see how much you’ve filled your journal and look back on all the things you’ve experienced or collected. I love looking at my journal slowly turning from crisp, flat pages into a crinkled, colorful book. I highly encourage anyone who enjoys arts, crafts, journaling, collaging or simply setting a vibe to try junk journaling. You’ll know you’re doing it right when you’re in the zone and it becomes harder to get your journal to close shut.
Author is Selah Curcuruto – selah.curcuruto@eastern.edu