I Discovered Junk Journaling and Am Repurposing My Scrapbooking Supplies

After returning from a trip to Colombia, I found myself looking at my old scrapbooking supplies in a new way. What had once sat in bins and drawers, waiting for the “right” project, suddenly seemed full of possibility. Discovering junk journaling gave me the perfect reason to start using those materials again, and the process has felt both creative and relaxing  – a lovely way to preserve memories while also rediscovering something I had forgotten I enjoyed.

What Is Junk Journaling

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, junk journaling is a relaxed and imaginative style of paper crafting that uses repurposed materials, found papers, scraps, ephemera, and keepsakes to create mixed-media journals. Unlike traditional scrapbooking, which often leans toward polished layouts and coordinated pages, junk journaling feels more free-form, layered, and personal. It celebrates texture, memory, and story rather than perfection, which is a big part of its appeal for me.

The creative process is liberating and flexible. There is plenty of tearing, cropping, layering, and embellishing, with stickers, ribbons, paper scraps, plastic, rice paper, and other mixed materials all finding a place on the page. It is a chance to use what you brought home from a trip and then build on it with other supplies to make something that feels deeply personal and unique.

Why It Suits Travel Journaling

Travel journaling fits junk journaling beautifully because trips naturally generate small paper treasures. A travel journal can hold maps and transit cards, postcards and brochures, ticket stubs and receipts, notes from museums, restaurants, and hotels, pressed flowers, labels, or bits of packaging, as well as handwritten reflections and small sketches. Those details help capture not just where you went, but how the trip felt. A beautiful hotel stay, a train ride, a museum visit, a special meal, or even a quiet moment along the way can all be remembered through scraps that become part of the story.

Throughout my trip, I collect all of these significant, and sometimes seemingly insignificant, items and keep them safe in a manila envelope. When I get home, I label it and add the itinerary, business cards, and any notes I took along the way so I can return to them later when I am filling in the details of my junk journal.

A New Use for Old Supplies

If you have scrapbook supplies tucked away, junk journaling offers a second life for many of those materials. Decorative paper, stickers, tags, ribbons, washi tape, envelopes, lace, and embellishments can all be used in a looser, more expressive way. Instead of waiting for the perfect scrapbook page, they can become part of a journal page that is imperfect, layered, and full of character.

That has been one of the most satisfying parts for me. Rather than feeling guilty about old supplies I never fully used, I can see them as creative material waiting for a new purpose. Junk journaling encourages you to use what you have, mix old with new, and make something that feels personal instead of overly planned.

Getting Organized First

Of course, before any of that creative fun can happen, it helps to get organized. That is often the hardest part, especially if your scrapbooking supplies have built up over time. I find it helps to treat the project like a real appointment. Choose a day, clear the time, and commit to it.

Once I start, I like to work in focused bursts so I do not get stuck reminiscing over every piece of paper or ribbon. The goal is to make decisions, not to relive the entire history of your craft stash. When I go to multiple destinations, I often place each destination in a separate Ziploc bag. It keeps the items related to that part of the trip separate.

Storage That Works

Placing all of those baggies (or supplies) into clear containers makes organizing much easier because you can see what is inside without opening every box. Uniform storage also helps because it stacks better and creates less visual clutter. The re-covering professional organiser in me has to keep things tidy so labeling each container is just as important, since being able to read what is inside saves time and reduces frustration when you are looking for specific supplies.

I also like the idea of keeping your most-used supplies close at hand. A desktop caddy, vertical shelving, or a spinning organizer can be especially useful because they keep the items you reach for most often just a hand away. That kind of setup makes your workspace feel more practical and more inviting at the same time.

Final Thoughts

I used to collect small mementos, brochures, and paper keepsakes so I could refresh my memory later when I was home and crafting a story or article. Now, I still save those same pieces, but I use them differently – as keepsakes that bring back the feeling of a trip without creating clutter or pressure to turn everything into a carefully curated scrapbook. When I look through a junk journal, I see imperfect layers, memories, and little sound bites of a journey, which feels much more honest and far less time-consuming than creating something polished from start to finish.

For me, that is the real appeal. Junk journaling has become a creative, personal way to hold on to travel memories while making peace with imperfection.

Let’s Chat:

What do you think about junk journaling? Have you tried it previously? What kind of projects do you create?