If you’ve been curious about junk journaling but feel overwhelmed by all the supplies, I want to gently clear something up right away:
You don’t need much to start.
I’ve been junk journaling for a little over a year now, I run a large junk journaling community, and one of the biggest things I see beginners struggle with is thinking they need to buy everything before they’re “allowed” to begin.
Junk journaling is about using what you already have. Scraps. Leftovers. Everyday paper. Little bits of life that usually get thrown away!
So here’s a simple, beginner-friendly breakdown...
The only things you actually need to junk journal
These are the true basics. If you have these, you can start today.
1. A journal (any kind)
There is no “right” junk journal.
You can use:
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A composition book
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A spiral notebook
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An old planner
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A notebook you already own
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A sketchbook
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A handmade or fancy journal
If it opens and holds paper, it works.
2. Glue (almost any kind)
Use what you already have first.
All of these work:
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Glue sticks
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Liquid glue
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Tape runners
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Double-sided tape
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Hot glue (for chunky items)
No special adhesive required.
3. “Junk” to put inside
This is where junk journaling really begins.
Easy things to collect:
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Receipts
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Tags
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Envelopes
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Wrapping paper
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Napkins
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Book pages
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Magazine pages
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Paper bags
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Packaging
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Cards and letters
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Ticket stubs
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Tissue paper
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Scrap paper
I always recommend keeping a little box or bag in your house and just tossing interesting paper into it as you go. Your stash builds fast without buying anything.
That’s it.
Journal. Glue. Junk.
Everything else is extra fun, not extra required.
Things you don’t need (but many people love)
Once you’ve made a few pages, you might want tools that make things easier or more decorative. These are very common in junk journaling, but not required!
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Scissors (regular or decorative edge)
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Stickers (decorative, quote, alphabet, vintage-style, planner stickers)
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Washi tape
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A punch label maker (Dymo-style)
My favorite “extra” junk journaling tools
This is the category I like to call “not necessary, but makes my creative heart very happy.”
Some of my personal favorites:
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Holographic, vellum, or overlay paper
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A deckle or rip ruler for jagged paper edges
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Paint sticks or gel sticks for quick backgrounds
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Fun hole punches (stars, hearts, shapes)
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A junk journal box or supply bag
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A mini printer (like the Canon Ivy)
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Glitter washi tapes
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A corner rounder
Other popular junk journaling tools you can grow into:
stamps, ink pads, stencils, vintage ephemera packs, lace and ribbon, fabric scraps, wax seals, paper clips, charms, collage kits, and scrap packs.
The most important supply is you
Your junk journal doesn’t need to be pretty.
It doesn’t need to match.
It doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
Some of my pages are memory keeping. Some are chaotic collage. Some are sparkly. Some are literally just receipts and tape.
Junk journaling is creative play, not performance.
Start with what you have. Add things slowly. Let your journal evolve with you.
Want my personal supply list?
If you’d like to see the tools and supplies I personally use and love in my own junk journals, I keep an always-updated list in one place.
👉 Visit Andrea’s Favorites here
It includes beginner must-haves, my most-used tools, fun decorative extras, and junk journaling supplies I reach for all the time.
