Junk Journal Supplies

One of the best things about junk journaling is that you don’t need expensive or specialized supplies to get started. Many junk journaling supplies are items you already have at home, which makes the process both accessible and creative. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s using what you have in a way that feels meaningful and fun.

I’ve been junk journaling long before it had a name or became popular. I think I made my first junk journal over 40 years ago (and yes, that makes me feel really old 😊). I still have a huge box filled with the journals I created back then. I collected everything—tickets, gum wrappers, bits of packaging—from family trips and everyday life and tucked them into my journals. I’ve always needed a creative outlet, and junk journaling became one of the ways I expressed myself. Over the years, I’ve made hundreds of junk journals with all kinds of themes, and these are the supplies I find myself reaching for again and again.

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What do you need?

Basic Supplies

Paper and Base Materials

These form the foundation of your junk journal. Common options include scrap paper, old book pages, magazines, notebooks, envelopes, wrapping paper, sheet music, maps, and cardstock. Mixing different paper types adds texture and visual interest to your pages. You will need paper to create your signatures and paper to decorate your junk journal.

Choosing Your Paper
One of the most charming aspects of a junk journal is the “junk” itself. You can mix and match almost any type of paper to create visual and tactile interest:

• Stationery & Ledger Paper: Old lined paper, graph paper, or vintage envelopes.
• Found Items: Brown paper bags, sheet music, old book pages, or maps.
• Handmade Elements: Tea-dyed or coffee-stained papers and scraps of cardstock.

Mixing different textures, weights, and colors adds a unique character to every page.

Signatures

Junk journals are made up of signatures, which are small bundles of folded papers grouped together and sewn into the journal. Each signature can include any type of paper—scrap paper, book pages, writing paper, envelopes, or decorative sheets. Mixing different papers is part of what gives junk journals their unique charm and texture.

Creating the Signatures
To make a signature, follow these simple steps:

• Size and Fold: Gather your papers and stack several sheets of paper. Trim some of them so they are roughly the same size. Fold each sheet individually down the center. While they don’t need to be perfectly aligned, keeping the outer edges relatively uniform makes the journal easier to handle.
• The Nesting Process: Take your folded sheets and tuck them inside one another. A typical signature consists of 4 to 8 folded sheets, which creates 16 to 32 pages to work on.
• Dividing the Journal: Depending on the thickness of your spine, you will likely need 3 to 5 signatures for a full journal. Dividing your papers into these smaller groups prevents the spine from becoming too bulky (often called a “crocodile mouth”) and makes the sewing process much smoother.

Once your signatures are assembled and tucked into one another, you are ready to bind them into your cover. See binding your junk journal

Junk Journal Ephemera and Found Items

Ephemera gives junk journals their character. This can include receipts, tickets, postcards, letters, tags, labels, packaging, stamps, napkins, and even pressed flowers. Everyday items that hold a memory or catch your eye often make the most interesting additions.

Decorative Elements

Washi tape, stickers, fabric scraps, lace, ribbon, buttons, and die cuts are often used to add color and detail. These pieces help tie pages together visually and can be layered to create depth. I personally like to use sticker paper to print journal stickers. See our free junk journal printables.

Writing and Art Tools

Pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons, stamps, ink pads, and paint are all commonly used. You don’t need to be an artist—simple writing or light doodling is more than enough.

Adhesives and Basic Tools

Glue sticks, liquid glue, double-sided tape, scissors, paper trimmer, and a ruler are usually all you need. Some people also use staplers, hole punches, or clips to add structure or secure pages. See the best glue for junk journals below.

Junk journal supplies are less about buying the “right” things and more about noticing what’s around you. If it’s paper, flat, or meaningful—and you enjoy working with it—it probably belongs in a junk journal.

We offer free junk journal pockets that you can print and use in your journal.

Printable Journal Pockets

Best journals for junk journaling

Choosing the best journal base for your junk journal depends entirely on your style: do you want a clean slate to fill with collage, or do you want to alter an existing book with its own character or build a journal from scratch? Here are the best options for both approaches. Because junk journaling involves layering paper, gluing ephemera, and sometimes adding paint or other art supplies, you’ll want a notebook that is durable, has thick paper, and preferably lay-flat binding so your pages aren’t fighting against you as you work.

What to Look For in a journal

• Thick, quality paper (ideally 100 gsm or higher) to prevent bleed-through and withstand mixed media layers.
• Sturdy covers that can hold up to glue, tape, and embellishments. See junk journal cover ideas
• Lay-flat binding (rings, stitched binding, or binding designed to open flat) so you can work comfortably across spreads. See how to bind a journal
• Blank or customizable pages that give you freedom to place pockets, tags, and collage elements where you want them.

Recommended Journals for Junk Journaling

Where can you get junk journal supplies?

One of the best parts about junk journaling is that you don’t need to buy any fancy supplies—you can start with what you already have or find really cheap supplies! Here are some great places to find materials for your junk journal:

• Around Your Home – Look through drawers, old mail, packaging, receipts, envelopes, greeting cards, magazines, newspapers, fabric scraps, buttons, ribbons, and tags. Everyday “junk” becomes treasure!
• Thrift Stores & Flea Markets – You can often find vintage books, postcards, lace, sheet music, and old papers that add character and charm.
• Craft Stores – Pick up washi tape, stickers, scrapbook paper, stamps, and glue if you want to mix traditional crafting supplies into your journal.
• Online – Websites like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon offer printable ephemera, digital downloads, vintage bundles, and curated junk journal kits.
• Free Printables – Many websites (including 101Planners!) offer free printable pages and elements you can cut out and use in your journal.
• Nature – Collect leaves, pressed flowers, feathers, or small natural items to add an organic touch.

The beauty of junk journaling is using what inspires you—whether it’s meaningful, beautiful, or just interesting. The more unique your supplies, the more one-of-a-kind your journal becomes.

What You Don’t Need for Junk Journaling

One of the most freeing things about junk journaling is realizing how little you actually need. It’s easy to think you need expensive supplies or artistic skills to get started, but junk journaling is intentionally the opposite of that.

• You don’t need expensive art supplies. Fancy paints, markers, or specialty tools are nice to have, but they’re not required. Simple pens, basic glue, and everyday paper are more than enough.
• You don’t need artistic talent. Junk journaling isn’t about drawing perfectly or creating polished pages. Messy, uneven, and imperfect pages are part of the charm.
• You don’t need a large collection of supplies. You can start with just a few papers and add more over time. In fact, working with limited materials often sparks more creativity.
• You don’t need to follow rules or layouts. There’s no right way to arrange a page, decorate a spread, or fill a journal. If it feels right to you, it works.
• You don’t need to buy anything new. Many of the best junk journal elements come from items you already have at home—old packaging, envelopes, papers, or scraps you might normally throw away.

Junk journaling is about creativity, not perfection. The less pressure you put on yourself, the more enjoyable the process becomes.

Best glue for junk journals

When choosing a glue for junk journals, you want something that bonds well to paper and ephemera, dries clear, and doesn’t warp or wrinkle your pages. Many artists use a combination of liquid glues, tape runners, adhesive dots, and specialty craft glues depending on the materials they’re attaching.

1. The Everyday Workhorse: UHU Stick

For standard paper-to-paper application (like gluing a book page onto cardstock), a high-quality glue stick is best because it has a low water content. Good for lighter paper attachments and collage backgrounds. Choose a high-quality glue stick rather than basic school glue for a more permanent bond.

• Why it works: High water content causes thin paper to wrinkle and bubble. UHU glue sticks are drier than generic school glues, providing a smooth, flat finish.
• Best use: Background papers, collage images, and thin vintage receipts.

2. The Holy Grail: Art Glitter Glue

These glues often come with fine tips for precise application, perfect for fussy cuts and small embellishments where you don’t want glue squeezing out. Despite the name, this glue contains no glitter. It is widely considered the gold standard liquid glue in the paper crafting community.

• Why it works: It is water-based but dries incredibly fast and clear. Most importantly, it comes with a fine-tip metal nozzle that allows for extreme precision.
• Best use: Attaching intricate die-cuts, sealing the edges of pockets, and securing small paper scraps where a glue stick is too clumsy.

3. The Heavy Lifter: Beacon Fabri-Tac (or 3-in-1)

When you move beyond paper and start adding texture, you need a silicone-based glue. Fabri-Tac is legendary in the junk journal world.

• Why it works: It is thick, gooey, and grabs instantly. Unlike white glue, it does not soak into fabric, meaning it won’t leave wet spots or warp your covers.
• Best use: Gluing fabric to cardboard covers, attaching lace ruffles, adhering metal charms or buttons, and constructing the journal binding itself.

4. The Budget Option: Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

If you are just starting and don’t want to invest in premium glues, Aleene’s is the reliable classic. Its a classic craft glue with strong hold on paper and embellishments. It dries clear and works well for glueing heavier pieces like fabric, tags, and paper layers.

• Why it works: It is thicker than standard white school glue, so it holds better and runs less.
• Warning: It has a higher water content than Art Glitter Glue or Fabri-Tac, so use it sparingly to avoid warping your pages.
• Best use: General construction and heavier paper items.

5. Double-Sided Tape & Tape Runners

Tape runners and double-sided tape are clean, instant adhesives that are ideal for photos, ephemera, and layered pieces without drying time or mess.

6. Glue Dots

Pre-formed adhesive dots that stick instantly and leave no mess. Great for attaching heavier embellishments or layering materials without soaking the paper.

Quick Tips for Choosing Your Glue

• Drying Time: Tape runners and glue dots bond instantly, while liquid glues can take a minute or more to dry — choose based on how quickly you want to move through your pages.
• Material Compatibility: For heavier items like fabric or thicker embellishments, liquid tacky glue or specialty adhesives often hold better than glue sticks.
• Paper Wrinkling: Some liquid glues can cause thinner paper to wrinkle. If that’s a concern, start with tape or use a lighter application of liquid glue.
• Acid-Free Options: Acid-free glue helps preserve photos and paper memories without yellowing over time — especially nice for memory keeping.