How to Use a Spiral Bound Junk Journal

Last Updated: November 10, 2026

Table of Contents

• What a Spiral Bound Junk Journal Is and Why the Format Works
• Junk Journal Ideas for Beginners: Choosing Your Base and Materials
• Preparing Pages and Adding Bulky Ephemera Without Stiffening the Coil
• How to Decorate a Junk Journal Cover and Spread
• What to Write in a Junk Journal: Page Planning and Layouts
• Using a Junk Journal for Memory Keeping
• Fixing Common Spiral Binding Problems and Keeping Your Journal Going
• Start Your First Spiral Bound Junk Journal Page by Page
• Frequently Asked Questions

What a Spiral Bound Junk Journal Is and Why the Format Works

A spiral bound junk journal is a journal built from loose, mixed-media pages held together by a coil binding, filled with ephemera, paper scraps, pockets, and handwritten notes. At Butterfly Bunny Studio, we make these journals by hand, and the spiral is the detail that makes them so easy to use. Junk journaling has become a popular creative hobby.

The format works because the coil lets each page lie flat. A bound book with glued spines can crack or fight you when you add thick papers, so the spiral gives you room to work. Pages turn freely even when you tuck in a receipt, a pressed flower, or a folded envelope.

Still, the spiral has trade-offs. Filling the last pages can take patience, because the coil limits how much bulk each page can hold. Knowing both sides helps you plan your journal before you start.

Junk Journal Ideas for Beginners: Choosing Your Base and Materials

Your base is the notebook or blank journal that holds everything together, and choosing it well prevents most problems later. Many beginners start with a plain spiral notebook, but not every spiral notebook is built for mixed media. Our guide to handmade binding methods covers the options that suit beginners. The pages need enough tooth and weight to hold glue, tape, and layered paper without buckling or tearing through at the holes.

A practical way to judge a base is by paper weight. Standard copy paper is usually too thin for heavy layering, since it can cockle once a glue stick dries and tear at the spiral holes when a page is turned. Look for sketchbook or mixed-media paper with a heavier weight if you plan to glue and paint. If you are working with a lighter notebook, plan to reinforce the spiral edge with a strip of washi tape or a thin paper hinge before you add weight.

A few materials cover most beginner projects, and each has a low-cost household substitute:

• Spiral notebook or sketchbook with sturdy covers, a recycled notebook with a firm back works fine
• Scrap paper, old maps, sheet music, or book pages, junk mail, paper bags, and old greeting cards substitute well
• Washi tape and a glue stick, a mix of half glue stick and half white school glue holds heavier pieces; double-sided tape is a clean alternative for thin papers
• Scissors and a bone folder, a butter knife or the back of a spoon makes a serviceable folding tool
• Envelopes and small paper pockets, used envelopes with the windows cut out become instant tuck spots

Start small with one base and a limited palette of papers. A focused set of materials makes your first journal easier to finish, and it lets you learn how your chosen paper behaves before you commit to a full spread. If you would rather skip the base-hunting step, our hand spiral-bound journals are built with hand-torn and hand-cut papers.

Preparing Pages and Adding Bulky Ephemera Without Stiffening the Coil

Good page preparation keeps your journal turning smoothly. Before adding anything, decide where bulky items will sit. Our guide to making pockets and tuck spots shows how to build them. A thick item glued flat on a page can jam the coil or make the spread hard to close. Instead, consider these approaches:

• Add thin layers first and save the heaviest items for pockets
• Attach envelopes or paper pockets along the outer edge, away from the spiral
• Use tuck spots, where a card or photo slides in
• Spread thick items across the spread rather than stacking them

Paper weight matters too. Lighter papers layer well and keep the pages moving. Heavy cardstock works for a few focal pieces, but too much of it makes the pages stiff. Test each page by flipping it before you glue. If it resists, remove a layer.

How to Decorate a Junk Journal Cover and Spread

The cover sets the tone for the whole journal, so it is worth the extra effort. Covering the front and back with paper, fabric, or a mix of both adds personality. Work with the existing spiral binding rather than against it. Cut your cover material to fit, leaving room at the spine so the coil can still open and close. If you want to remove and reinstall the spiral binding for a bigger makeover, do this carefully and reinforce the cover edges with tape or card before reattaching.

Inside, plan each spread as a small composition. Place your largest element first, then add smaller pieces around it. Repeating one color across two or three items ties the spread together. Our handmade journals use hand-torn and hand-cut papers, which give each spread texture that is hard to get from pre-cut sheets.

What to Write in a Junk Journal: Page Planning and Layouts

A junk journal does not need to be only collage. Many people use it to track daily life, goals, or creative ideas. Before you start, sketch a simple plan for your pages. You might set aside a few spreads for trackers, a few for notes, and the rest for open collage. Page planning keeps the journal from feeling random.

Useful page ideas include:

• A monthly tracker with habit boxes
• A weekly calendar spread with space for notes
• A collection page for stickers, tickets, or pressed flowers
• A writing page with a clean, uncluttered background

Leave some pages blank. A journal with a few open spreads gives you room to grow as your ideas change.

Using a Junk Journal for Memory Keeping

Memory keeping is one of the most popular uses for a junk journal. Ticket stubs, postcards, handwritten notes, and photos all fit well in pockets and envelopes. Adding a short written note beside each item gives the memory context years later. A simple habit works well: after each trip or event, add one spread with a few keepsakes and a few sentences about what happened.

Adults who are new to creative journaling often find that memory keeping gives them an easy place to begin. There is no wrong way to arrange a page when the goal is to preserve a moment.

Fixing Common Spiral Binding Problems and Keeping Your Journal Going

Spiral journals develop a few predictable problems, and most are fixable if you catch them early. The key is to understand what the coil is doing: it holds each page at a row of punched holes, so any repair has to protect those holes rather than just hide the damage.

Torn holes at the spiral edge are a common problem. They happen when a page is turned while bulky ephemera pulls against the coil, or when glue makes the paper brittle right where it meets the binding. The fix is a reinforcement strip: cut a narrow band of washi tape or thin card, fold it over the torn edge, and re-punch the hole with a standard hole punch so the coil passes through cleanly. Do this before the tear spreads.

Loose or bent coils are the second issue. A coil that has been over-opened loses its tension and lets pages slip out of sequence. Gently squeeze the coil back into shape by hand, working from one end to the other, and check that every page sits evenly in its loop. If a single loop is badly bent, a pair of needle-nose pliers can close it, but go slowly, over-crimping cracks the coating on coated coils.

Misaligned pages usually mean the binding was removed and reinstalled without matching the original punch pattern. If you plan a full cover makeover that requires removing the spiral, line up the old holes before re-punching and reinforce the cover edges with tape or card first. A common pattern is to keep the original spiral for a first journal and only attempt removal once you are comfortable with the punch spacing.

Watch out: gluing a heavy item directly over a spiral hole will tear that page the first time it is turned, so keep bulky pieces at least half an inch back from the binding edge.

Store your journal flat or upright, away from direct sun, so the paper and covers hold up over time. Keep a small stash of spare paper, washi tape, and a hole punch nearby, small repairs are much easier than rebuilding a page that has torn.

The article’s main spiral binding problems, their causes and fixes are summarised below.

Problem	Cause	Fix
Torn holes at the spiral edge	Pages turned while bulky ephemera pulls against the coil, or glue makes paper brittle at the binding	Fold washi tape or thin card over the tear and re-punch the hole
Loose or bent coils	Journal was over-opened, so the coil lost tension	Squeeze the coil back into shape by hand, working end to end
Misaligned pages	Binding removed and reinstalled without matching the original punch pattern	Line up old holes before re-punching and reinforce cover edges first
Single badly bent loop	Coil damaged by force	Close it with needle-nose pliers, moving slowly to avoid cracking coated coils
Pages tearing at the holes	Heavy item glued directly over a spiral hole	Keep bulky pieces at least half an inch back from the binding edge

Start Your First Spiral Bound Junk Journal Page by Page

Starting is the hardest part, so keep the first session small. Pick one base, gather a handful of papers, and work on a single spread. Add a thin layer, check that the page turns, and then add a focal piece. Repeat this process spread by spread until the journal feels like yours.

Each handmade journal we make at Butterfly Bunny Studio reflects this same approach: simple structure and room for your own voice. Browse our handmade journals to find a base that suits your first project.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you put in a spiral-bound junk journal?

A spiral-bound junk journal can hold tickets, postcards, pressed flowers, fabric scraps, stickers, envelopes, and handwritten notes. Because the coil lets pages lie flat, it handles added thickness better than a glued or stitched binding. Keep the heaviest items on pockets or envelopes rather than loose on the page, so the spread still turns easily. Mixing flat paper with a few dimensional pieces gives you texture without making the book hard to close.

Can you write in a spiral-bound junk journal?

Yes. Most people write on the plain or lightly decorated pages, using pens that won’t bleed through thin paper. Leave a clear writing area on each spread so your handwriting stays readable beside the collage. Many junk journalists use the back of an envelope or a tucked-in card for longer entries. The spiral also lets you fold the journal flat, which makes writing on a page near the spine more comfortable.

How do you keep a junk journal from getting too bulky?

Add items gradually, and avoid layering more than one or two bulky pieces on the same spread. Use envelopes, pockets, or small folded papers to hold ephemera instead of gluing everything flat. Trim the edges of heavy scraps and check that the coil still closes. If a section grows too thick, split the contents across two spreads. Planning a few pages for bulky items keeps the rest of the journal usable.

What is the difference between a junk journal and a regular journal?

A regular journal is usually a finished book meant for writing in a set order. A junk journal is built from collected paper, ephemera, and decorative materials, and the pages often hold as much visual content as writing. In a spiral bound junk journal, the open coil lets you add and rearrange pages more easily than a sewn binding would. Both can be used for memory keeping, but junk journals favor texture and layers over tidy entries.