A Junk Journal is Handmade Space for Memory, Emotion, and Slow Living.

A junk journal is not a notebook.

It is not a planner.

And it is definitely not junk.

A junk journal is a handmade book created from mixed materials — paper, fabric, envelopes, scraps, tags, old pages, stitching, and found objects — brought together to hold memories, emotions, and everyday moments.

It is imperfect by design.

And that is precisely its beauty.

What Does a Junk Journal Mean?

Traditionally, junk journals were made from reused materials — things that already carried a story.

Old letters.

Worn book pages.

Fabric scraps.

Packaging saved “just in case.”

Over time, junk journals evolved into intentional creative spaces:

places where people could collect thoughts, emotions, and memories without rules.

A junk journal is not about productivity.

It is about presence.

It allows you to:

slow down reconnect with yourself give meaning to small, ordinary moments

How Is a Junk Journal Made?

Every junk journal is different, but the process usually includes:

A handmade cover often from cardboard, fabric, felt, or recycled materials Pages of mixed paper vintage-style paper, recycled paper, tea- or coffee-dyed pages, book pages Interactive elements pockets, envelopes, tags, flip-outs, hidden notes Hand details stitching, hand-glued layers, imperfections

Nothing needs to match perfectly.

Balance comes from intention, not symmetry.

The journal is built slowly, layer by layer —

just like the emotions it will later hold.

Different Types of Junk Journals

There is no single kind of junk journal.

Some of the most common types include:

📓 Seasonal Junk Journals

Focused on one season — spring, autumn, winter.

Often used as a ritual to mark time and change.

🌿 Slow Living Journals

Centered on rest, reflection, and everyday beauty.

🧠 Therapeutic or Emotional Journals

Used for grounding, processing feelings, and self-regulation.

🎨 Creative Art Journals

More visual, with collage, drawing, and mixed media.

✉️ Memory or Scrap Journals

Holding letters, photos, and keepsakes.

Many journals combine several of these purposes —

because humans do too.

Why Handmade Matters

A handmade junk journal carries something mass-produced objects cannot:

presence.

You can feel when something was made slowly.

You can see the hand in the stitching,

the care in the layering,

the intention in the details.

This makes the journal more than an object.

It becomes a companion.

A Final Thought

A junk journal is not meant to be finished.

It is meant to be lived in.

It gathers fragments of days,

small emotions,

and quiet thoughts.

In a fast world,

it offers a place to slow down —

and remember yourself.