I was asking myself this question a year ago. I watched YouTube videos and read blogs trying to figure it out. Here is what I have come to realize, it can be anything! Junk journals started with people collecting various things, anything that they could write on or glue a picture to, junk really, and binding it together to make a journal. They used them for journaling, art journals, diaries, mini scrapbooks, planners, travel journals and the list goes on and on. So, what about today? The same things apply. There are a lot of new products out there targeted towards junk journals but truthfully, you could just put together notebook paper, receipts, grid paper, construction paper, or any other paper that you have around and make a junk journal. There are no rules, no true guidelines, and no junk journal police. You can do whatever you like. Personally, I like to throw some digital downloads, specialty paper (yes, this is the "polite" way of saying scrap or junk paper, LOL!), envelopes, fabric and anything else I can think of together to make my journals. So my journals are kind of a mix of the "pretty" junk journals around today and the old style.
Junk journals will have journal cards, tags, pockets, tucks, clip ins, and all kind of ways to add things to it. Say you have a note from a friend that you would like to keep, you can just clip it in with a paperclip anywhere in your journal. Or, you can find the empty pocket that it will fit or really anything, anywhere you want. That is the beauty of a junk journal, there is no real plan, nothing is regimented and you just do what you want.
Another thing that junk journals are great at is actually journaling. I like my junk journals to be fun not just an empty book with plain pages. It makes me want to journal because just looking through it makes me happy. There are so many places that I can journal, on the back of tags, in flip envelopes, on journal cards, on the actual pages and there doesn't have to be an order, just pick out a page that suits you that day and journal. You can clip in pictures or any other mementos just like you would with a scrapbook but you don't have to do a layout. Just use a paperclip or a piece of tape or a glue dot or whatever and put it in there. That is why I try to make sure that there is a lot of empty room in the journals that I make, I want the person using them to fill them up with their memories. Here are a couple of ideas for you, I have one journal that I am using around Thanksgiving and Christmas just to write down recipes. I have another one that I am using for pictures and journaling just for the holidays. I started them this past year and they have a lot of room for many more years to come.
So, what is a junk journal? Basically it is a collection of memories in a journal made from whatever you want to use to make it (or buy it.....). :)
I have a couple of journals in my Etsy shop now (there are more coming.....) so click the Shop button in the sidebar to visit the shop. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter, I will be talking more about journals and options. Happy crafting sweeties!
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