You've seen the videos. Layers of old paper, pressed flowers, ticket stubs stitched into a book that looks like it was found in an attic. You want in — but the supply lists online run to forty items and three hundred dollars.
This is the other list. Ten things. Everything here earns its place in a beginner's kit, and almost none of it requires a craft store.
1. A base book (or make your own)
Any book works — a cheap composition notebook, an old novel from a thrift store, a handmade signature stitched together with pamphlet stitch. Purists build from scratch; beginners should start with anything that opens flat. If you want a head start, a pre-made junk journal kit gives you a bound book plus coordinated paper in one go.
Passport Leather Traveler's Notebook — Refillable
2. Ephemera — the soul of the journal
Ephemera is the collectible layer: ticket stubs, stamps, old dictionary pages, botanical prints, faux postage. You can gather it for free (grocery receipts, packaging, dried leaves) or shortcut with a curated ephemera pack. Rule of thumb: if it's paper and it means something, it's ephemera.
Junk Journal Supplies Kit | Vintage Mixed Materials
3. A glue tape roller
Twenty seconds with one of these and you'll retire your glue stick. A glue tape roller lays down a strip of double-sided adhesive dots — press, stick, done. No drying time, no wavy paper, no sticky fingers. It handles the jobs wet glue fumbles: photos, die-cuts, anything you can't afford to wrinkle.
Glue Tape Roller — Double-Sided Adhesive Dots for Journaling
4. Scissors and a paper trimmer
Scissors for curves, a rotary trimmer-style straight edge for clean lines. Ripped edges have their place; so do crisp ones.
Precision Craft Knife Pen with 12 Blades
Paper Trimmer with Swappable Decorative Blades
5. A pen you're not afraid of
A cheap fountain pen or a 0.5 gel pen. Journaling ruins pens with glue and gesso — don't start with anything precious.
6. Washi tape
The gateway supply. Low-tack, repositionable, and the fastest way to add color and pattern without commitment. Build a small rotation of patterns you love rather than hoarding fifty rolls.
7. A page holder clip
The most underrated tool on this list. A metal page holder clip keeps your spread flat while you layer, glue, and stamp — one hand free, no chasing pages. Once you use one, you won't journal without it.
Metal Journal Clip — Keeps Your Notebook Flat Open
8. Rubber stamps
One small wooden stamp set adds instant vintage texture — dates, botanicals, postmarks — without drawing skill. Ink, press, done.
Phases of the Moon Celestial Wooden Stamp Set
9. Something to write on top of layers
A white gel pen or a fine paint marker. It writes over dark paper, washi, and photos — the difference between a journal you look at and one you actually fill in.
10. A storage habit
One box. Everything ephemera-shaped goes in the box. When the box is full, you journal. This single habit will build you a collection no store can sell.
FAQ
How much does it cost to start junk journaling?
Under $30 if you use a thrifted book and free ephemera. Kits and curated supplies push it to $50–80, mostly in one-time tool costs.
Can I junk journal with no artistic skill?
Yes. Junk journaling is curation, not illustration. Choosing, tearing, and arranging is the craft.
What's the difference between a junk journal and a scrapbook?
Scrapbooks preserve photos in order. Junk journals collect objects, memories, and textures with no required chronology — read our full breakdown in what is a junk journal.
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