There are many ways to keep a record of special memories or even just your everyday life, but few are as fun, creative and satisfying as junk journalling
I was recently interviewed about junk journaling for the Summer Special issue of Teen Breathe. Find out more about Issue 56 here – inside, you can find the junk journaling feature on pages 30-33, which contains snippets from my interview along with great advice from Justine Jenkins at House of Mahalo, as well as insights from child psycotherapist Peter Slater, and even some decorative junk journal elements and cut-outs!
You can read my full interview below:
Tell us a little bit about your junk journaling journey.
For as long as I can remember I have been sticking things into notebooks and journals, it seems to have come naturally to me. I have a journal from when I was eleven (back in 2006!) that I handmade and wrote a lot in. But it wasn’t until I was about 19 that I started journaling more consistently and sharing my pages online, which eventually led to me having a full time career as a content creator, sticker maker, author and illustrator.
I’ve cycled through many different phases of journaling in my journey – sometimes my journal is more like a diary, sometimes it’s more like a photo album, sometimes it’s more like a scrapbook. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a deep dive into the ‘junk’ side of journaling, transforming my idea of what I think ‘belongs’ in a journal by turning trash into treasure!
How would you define junk journaling?
Junk journaling is a form of creative expression and memory collection that involves sticking things into the pages of a journal.
The “junk” in junk journaling comes from the idea that you journal using found or recycled materials like product packaging or magazine scraps for example, but the truth is you can combine this with loads of other things: photos, souvenirs, stickers, writing, drawing – the possibilities are endless.
One of the things I love about journaling is that definitions don’t matter too much, there are no rules and you can make up your own style of journaling as you go along!
What do you think the advantages of junk journaling are for teenagers?
There are loads! When you’re making a journal spread, you’re really focused on the present moment instead of being pulled in different directions by multiple distractions, this makes it a great hobby for increasing mindfulness and reducing anxiety (not to mention reducing screen time too!).
For eco-conscious teenagers, journaling is a good way to be mindful of what you’re buying and consuming. When you’re in the habit of collecting trash and product packaging for your journal, you can’t help but notice how much waste you create! Plus, junk journaling is a great way to recycle some of it by turning it into art instead of sending it to landfill.
You can also gain more confidence in your creativity by journaling, because it’s a pressure-free way of exploring creative expression and getting to understand your own style more without having to worry about ‘making mistakes’. Junk journaling as a teenager also means you can collect precious memories of your experiences that will be amazing to look back on in the future.
What would be your recommendations for a teenager who is just starting to junk journal?
My biggest recommendation would be to see your junk journal as a place to play. Experiment with different styles, don’t follow rules, stick in weird things – some pages can be simple and quick, some can take ages and be really full, some will be aesthetic and some will be ‘ugly’ – that’s ok! How your journal pages look doesn’t really matter, the most important thing is to enjoy the process itself. Play with junk journaling like you’re a kid, have fun!
There are many types of journals to start junk journaling in. What are your top choices?
I get asked this question a lot but the truth is I still change the type of journal I use often even now, after over 20 years of journaling!
I like all of my journals being a little different, but over that time I’ve learned there are a couple of features that are quite important to me when choosing a journal: it’s good to have a journal with a spine that lays flat when you open it (that makes it easier to work in) and a journal with a pocket in the back is always nice (for collecting junk). But if it doesn’t have a pocket, you can always make one yourself by sticking-in an envelope!
Really, you can start with any journal, you can’t find out what works best for you until you try out a few different types.
What are the most unique types of “junk” you have used in your journal?
I’ll use whatever I can get my hands on! My most unusual creations recently include journal pages full of barcodes I collected from around the house and a page made entirely of junk gathered from our weekly shop (including the netting from a bag of oranges!). In the past I’ve used all kinds of mixed media: product packaging, beads, wax melts, and even handmade paper I’ve created from old recycled paper scraps.
What else would you like to tell teenagers about junk journaling?
To give it a try! Especially if you’re thinking “but what’s the point!?” That’s when you know you need to try it out, because you will learn how amazing it feels to create something just for the sake of creating, instead of needing a ‘reason’, and that will set you free.
It’s so easy to get started! Next time you go to a café, maybe pick up a loyalty card and stick it in along with a photo from your day. Next time you have food or drink with a nice label, peel it off and stick it in with some stickers around it. Cut some fun designs or colours out from the cardboard in your recycling bin or the magazines lying around your house and see what you can create with them. Maybe you could write some lyrics from the song that’s been stuck in your head, or some thoughts about the last book you read. You’ll be surprised by the memories you’ve collected when you look back on your random creations.
