Junk Journaling Done in 3 Ways

We've all heard about keeping a diary and journaling as excellent habits to clarify one's thoughts, help deal with negative or troublesome emotions, record memorable events and experiences, and improve one's written communication skills. 

To learn more about the benefits of journaling, read --

6 Journaling Benefits and How to Start Right Now 

But as a crafter, have you ever thought about making a junk journal?

What is A Junk Journal? 

Traditional journaling focuses on pouring out one's thoughts and emotions through written entries on a notebook. 

Scrapbooking, on the other hand, focuses heavily on photos and images enhanced by a variety of embellishments. Handwritten or printed text can also be incorporated. 

Usually, scrapbooking adheres to a theme or template. To illustrate, a family or group of friends can gather their photos from the last trip or vacation they took and document them on a scrapbook. 

A junk journal, basically, is a book made from recycled materials to be used for collecting and recording memories, as well as thoughts, ideas, and inspiration.

Why Make Junk Journals? 

Junk journaling helps relieve stress and can be therapeutic

Just like traditional journaling, junk journaling helps redirect one's attention and concerns to tasks like cutting, tearing, and gluing paper, creating borders, writing text, and cropping photos, which can be soothing and calming.

Junk journaling is a highly frugal craft

Since a junk journal focuses on gathering recycled materials, you hardly need to buy any new craft materials. 

A junk journal can be tailored and customized

One is free to customize one's junk journal according to one's own tastes and preferences. 

For instance, one may choose to adhere to an autumn theme for one's junk journal, where colors like rust, ruby, orange, burgundy, and yellow abound.

Aside from scrapbooking, junk journaling is another good way for memory keeping 

Physically, a scrapbook is an ideal storage space for photos and memorabilia gathered from a wedding, baptism or christening, a commencement exercise or graduation, a birthday, anniversary, etc.

But when you aim to fill up a junk journal, you seek to highlight events that might seem less stellar. In fact, I dare say that scrapbooking is for life's milestones, while junk journaling is for its memories.

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Shabby Chic Junk Journal 

When someone mentions "shabby chic," do whimsical images of flowers, countryside cottages, and floral-painted tea sets come to mind?

Imagine incorporating this theme into a junk journal. You may wish to gather the following paper ephemera:  

• paper doilies  
• old maps 
• floral print scrapbook paper 
• bookmarks 
• greeting cards 
• postcards   

You can further enhance your junk journal by putting a strip of lace or ribbon, using craft buttons, or inserting pressed flowers among its pages.

Repurposed Junk Journal

Any one of the following can be repurposed into a junk journal: 

• hardbound books or storybooks
• old planners
• school binders

Arbitraryss' DIY
Junk Journal Materials

Personalized Junk Journal

As stated previously, a junk journal can be personalized and customized according to one's tastes and preferences, as there are no hard-and-fast rules in making one or how to fill its pages.

Any of the following can pass for a customized junk journal:

Memory book 

You can place different keepsakes and mementos on a memory book-style junk journal, like -- 

• a leaflet or flyer to an event
• invitations 
• proof of admission (tickets or passes) 
• notes and letters 
• gift tags 

Motivational/Inspirational junk journal 

If you have a neat penmanship, you can copy inspirational quotes and poems onto notepaper or sheets of pretty stationery, and arrange them on your junk journal. 

Sakura Koi
Coloring Brush Pen by
tokosinarmega.ph

If you truly want to go all out, purchase a couple of calligraphy pens and unruled index cards, and write out quotes in fancy letters.

Recipe junk journal

If you enjoy hosting events like the annual neighborhood block party, craft supplies swaps, Bible studies, board games or movie nights, you're sure to keep a tab of party food staples that you can include on a recipe junk journal.

You can also copy recipes from cookbooks onto the pages of your junk journal, or paste clipped recipes from magazines or newspapers.