Table of Contents
- The Beginner’s Checklist: Junk Journal Supplies for Beginners, Ranked by Priority
- Junk Journal Paper: What to Buy and What to Rescue From the Recycling Bin
- Junk Journal Ephemera: Building a Stash That Actually Gets Used
- Junk Journal Kit vs. Buying Individual Supplies: Which Makes Sense for You
- Adhesives, Tools, and Embellishments: The Compatibility Details That Matter
- Matching Supplies to Your Journal Style and Project
- Storage, Budget Swaps, and Reusing What You Already Own
- Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: October 19, 2026
The Beginner’s Checklist: Junk Journal Supplies for Beginners, Ranked by Priority
Junk journal supplies fall into two groups: the handful of basics you need to make your first page today, and the extras you add once you know what you actually enjoy using. This beginner’s guide ranks every item by priority so you spend money in the right order.
The biggest mistake is a new journaler buying a giant bundle before making a single page. Half of it sits untouched for months.
Here are the 8 essentials, sorted into two tiers.
Tier 1: Buy These First
- An old book or blank journal for the pages themselves
- A glue stick that dries clear and doesn’t wrinkle paper
- Small scissors you can control in tight corners
That’s it. Five items, most of which you probably already own.
Tier 2: Add Once You’ve Made a Few Pages
- Double-sided tape for cleaner edges on thin paper
- Washi tape for quick borders and color
- Stickers and small embellishments for focal points
Wait until page five before buying anything in Tier 2. By then you’ll know whether you’re a sticker person or a paper-scrap person, and you’ll buy the right thing instead of both.
Junk Journal Paper: What to Buy and What to Rescue From the Recycling Bin
Junk journal paper is any paper you can layer onto a page, and the best stash is half rescued, half bought.
Rescue these before they hit the bin:
- Ticket stubs from movies, trains, and events
- Handwritten notes and old greeting cards
- Dictionary pages and book pages from damaged paperbacks
- Wrapping paper scraps and paper bags
Buy these to round it out: a mixed-page collection with floral designs, bird designs, and vintage-style sheets.
The Library of Congress preservation guidance is worth a read if you’re using old book pages, since some aged paper is acidic and behaves differently under glue.
Junk Journal Ephemera: Building a Stash That Actually Gets Used
Junk journal ephemera is the small, loose stuff you tuck into pockets and layer over pages: ticket stubs, stamped images, die cuts, receipts, and printed cards. The trick is building a stash you’ll reach for, not one that looks impressive in a drawer.
Sort ephemera by size, not by theme. Small pieces go in a shallow tray, medium pieces in a folder, and anything bulky in a box. When everything is visible, you use it.
Don’t buy ephemera in bulk before you know your style. A big wholesale lot of themed pieces can lock you into a look you don’t actually like, and you’ll be stuck with hundreds of pieces you never reach for.
A curated collection of 20 to 30 pieces beats 200 random ones every time.
Junk Journal Kit vs. Buying Individual Supplies: Which Makes Sense for You
A junk journal kit wins for beginners and gift-givers. Individual supplies win for anyone who already knows their style. Here’s the honest comparison.
| Factor | Junk Journal Kit | Individual Supplies |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | One purchase, bundled | Spread over time |
| Variety | Curated mix, often themed | Exactly what you choose |
| Waste risk | Some pieces may not suit you | Low, you pick each item |
| Best for | Beginners, gifts, trying a style | Experienced journalers |
| Time to first page | Minutes | Requires shopping around |
Kits make sense when you want to start fast or you’re buying for someone else. Our handmade junk journals at ButterflyBunnyStudio are finished, one-of-a-kind journals you can start using immediately, with the layered pages already in place.
Adhesives, Tools, and Embellishments: The Compatibility Details That Matter
Adhesive choice matters more than any other supply decision, because the wrong glue ruins a page. Match the adhesive to the material and you’ll avoid most beginner problems. The reason is mechanical: water-based adhesives swell paper fibers, and as the water evaporates the fibers shrink unevenly, which is what causes the ripples and buckling you see on a failed page.
Glue and Tape by Material
- Thin paper and book pages: glue stick, applied sparingly and burnished flat with a bone folder
- Cardstock and photos: double-sided tape for a flat, clean edge
- Textured or heavy paper: liquid glue with a light touch, weighted while drying
- Fabric and ribbon: fabric glue, not a glue stick
Why Pages Wrinkle, Buckle, or Bleed Through
Three failures account for most beginner frustration, and each has a specific cause:
- Wrinkling and buckling come from too much moisture in the adhesive. A glue stick laid on in a thin, even coat and pressed flat with a bone folder dries far flatter than a wet liquid glue spread thick. If you must use liquid glue on thin paper, apply it to the heavier of the two surfaces and weight the page under a book while it cures.
- Bleed-through happens when ink or adhesive soaks into porous paper. Test any pen or marker on a scrap of the same paper before writing on a finished page; gel and alcohol-based markers bleed through thin book pages far more than pigment liners. For adhesives, a glue stick is less likely to strike through than a wet glue.
- Acid migration is the slow one. Newsprint, receipts, and some colored papers are acidic and can yellow or embrittle adjacent pages over time. If a piece is precious, isolate it with an archival-safe barrier or keep it on a page you don’t mind aging. The Library of Congress preservation guidance explains which papers are prone to this.
Paper Weight and Ink Behavior
Paper weight is usually given in pounds (lb) or as a text/cover designation, and the number matters less than how the sheet behaves.
Ink behavior follows the coating. Uncoated paper absorbs pigment liners quickly and holds a crisp line; coated or glossy paper beads ink and smears until dry. If you write on rescued book pages, expect feathering on older, more absorbent stock and test first.
Tools You Actually Need
For tools, you need less than the supply lists suggest. Small scissors, a bone folder, and a cutting mat cover almost everything. A craft knife is useful for clean window cuts in pockets and folios, but only with a mat underneath. Embellishments should support the page, not bury it: two or three focal points per spread is plenty.
If a page looks flat, the fix is usually contrast in texture, not more embellishments. Pair a smooth sticker with torn paper and a bit of ribbon before adding anything else.
Matching Supplies to Your Journal Style and Project
Different journal styles pull from different supplies, so match your buying to the look you want. This is where most generic supply lists fall short.
- Vintage and shabby style: dictionary pages, sepia tones, lace scraps, brass-toned charms
- Bright and whimsical: stickers, floral designs, colorful washi tape, die cuts
- Bullet journaling crossover: grid paper, fine pens, stencils, minimal embellishment
- Art journaling and mixed media: heavier paper, acrylics, gesso, texture paste
If you’re drawn to whimsical, layered pages with a storybook feel, our handmade journals and monthly mail club are built around exactly that aesthetic, with stickers and art prints arriving as a curated surprise rather than a random bundle.
Storage, Budget Swaps, and Reusing What You Already Own
Storage keeps a stash usable, and budget swaps keep it affordable. Both come down to seeing what you have and knowing what is safe to reuse. This is the part most supply lists skip, so treat it as a system rather than a pile of tips.
A Simple Storage System
Sort by how often you reach for a thing, not by color or brand. A three-zone system works for almost any stash:
- Zone 1, within arm’s reach: your daily tools (scissors, glue stick, bone folder, pen) in an open cup or shallow tray.
- Zone 2, a shelf away: papers and ephemera sorted by size in clear folders or shallow bins, so you can flip through them like a file.
- Zone 3, stored: bulk paper, backup adhesives, and seasonal or themed pieces in labeled boxes.
Clear bins beat opaque ones because visibility drives use; a shoebox with dividers works as well as anything sold as “craft storage.” Keep like sizes together, and label the outside of each box with a short list of contents so you don’t have to open five boxes to find a tag.
Budget Swaps That Genuinely Work
- Glue stick instead of specialty adhesive for light paper
- Old book pages instead of bought vintage paper
- Junk mail and packaging instead of printed ephemera
- A cereal box cut down as a cutting mat substitute
Prioritize swaps by what you use most. If you go through a lot of background paper, rescuing junk mail and packaging saves the most; if you mostly layer small pieces, a cheap glue stick and a stack of rescued book pages go further than any single purchase.
Cleaning and Safe Reuse of Found Materials
Found paper carries dirt, oils, and sometimes pests, so clean before it touches a page:
- Shake out and inspect packaging and junk mail for food residue or moisture; discard anything damp or greasy.
- Wipe hard surfaces like ticket stubs and cards with a dry cloth; avoid wetting printed paper, which can smear ink.
- Freeze suspect paper for a few days if it came from storage that might harbor pests, then let it return to room temperature before use.
- Quarantine anything with a musty smell; mold spores spread to a stash quickly.
For sustainable sourcing, the EPA guidance on reducing waste at home covers reuse basics that apply directly to a paper stash. Buy less, rescue more, and your journal gets more interesting anyway.
Keep a small “inbox” tray for rescued paper and clean it out weekly. Anything you haven’t used in a month is a sign you don’t need to rescue that type again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make a junk journal with supplies you already have?
Usually, yes. Most beginners already own the core of a junk journal supplies stash: a blank notebook or an old book with sturdy pages, a glue stick, scissors, and a pen. From there, paper scraps, receipts, ticket stubs, junk mail envelopes, and magazine pages cover the ephemera side. The only items worth buying early are a decent glue stick and, if you plan to bind your own pages, a strong thread or a long-arm stapler. Start with what’s in the house, then add supplies as specific gaps show up while you work.
What paper is best for a junk journal?
Aim for a mix of weights rather than one perfect sheet. A 60-90 lb (roughly 160-250 gsm) mixed-media or cardstock base handles glue and layered collage without buckling, while thinner pieces like dictionary pages, book pages, and patterned scrapbook paper work as top layers. Avoid glossy magazine covers as a base page because glue and paint sit on the surface instead of soaking in. Test any new junk journal paper by gluing a scrap down and letting it dry before committing a whole signature to it.
How do you choose a junk journal kit?
Read the contents list before the cover photo. A useful junk journal kit names what’s inside by category and quantity: how many paper sheets, whether ephemera is loose or themed, whether adhesive and tools are included, and whether the paper is single-sided or double-sided. Check whether the kit matches a style you’ll actually use, since a pastel floral bundle won’t serve a dark academia journal. If a listing only shows styled photos with no itemized contents, ask the seller directly. Pricing depends on contents and quantity, so compare what’s actually in the box, not the box size.
What is the difference between junk journaling and scrapbooking?
Scrapbooking usually documents specific events and photos in a structured album with archival materials and coordinated layouts. Junk journaling is looser: pages get built from layered paper, ephemera, ticket stubs, handwritten notes, and whatever else fits, often with no fixed theme and no requirement that anything be archival. Junk journal pages are also frequently handled, flipped, and written in, so supply choices lean toward things that survive use rather than things that look perfect behind a plastic sleeve. Many people do both and share supplies between them.
Starting a junk journal is supposed to feel playful, not expensive. The real challenge is buying in the right order so your supplies match how you actually create. ButterflyBunnyStudio makes that easier with handmade junk journals that arrive ready to use, a monthly mail club that delivers curated stickers and art prints, and gift-ready packaging for the journaler in your life. Get started with ButterflyBunnyStudio and turn a small pile of paper scraps into pages worth keeping.