Junk Journaling
- From one human being to another
- May 3
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
I've always loved collecting stationery; from notebooks, beautiful and sentimental greeting cards, to pens, stickers, and washi tape. I just never knew what to do with the supplies as they piled up and cluttered a corner of my house. Looking at a blank page, there's so many possibilities. It's hard to know where to start.
One of my main missions for my last trip to Japan in late December 2025/early January 2026 was to check out their vast variety of stationary shops. I was in heaven. And more so, I knew I wanted to start a junk journal after seeing some examples on Pinterest and Youtube. It was a great way to display your interests, keep artwork and stickers you love forever, and preserve special memories. Also, quite literally anything can be put into a junk journal, even receipts for a meaningful purchase, pamphlets or tickets of an event you went to, a cool image you saw in a magazine, and anything else you want to save to commemorate an experience that would otherwise go in the garbage. It gives you an opportunity to be creative without the pressure of doing it "right." There is no right way to do this craft.
Here are some of my pages in my own junk journal that I started after I got back from Japan, collecting everything I thought would be useful to add during my stay:
Contents:
(Left) The wrapping of a tea bag I got from my birthday. It was absolutely delicious so I wanted to note a new discovery I was obsessed with.
Noting that I turned 31 while I was in Japan.
A cute mascot of "Juso" - a Japanese bath salts company.
A sticker that looked similar to the shops I explored in Chinatown in Yokohama. I purchased this at Kinokuniya in Downtown Los Angeles.
The outer wrapping of some incense I bought while I was in Chinatown. I noted that these were my favorite incense I've come across.
(Right) I posted my entree ticket to Tokyo Tower along with an image of the tower from a pamphlet I received during my visit.
Across the page is washi tape of a city skyline, something I thought was fitting since Tokyo Tower has an observation deck overlooking the city.
The bonsai sticker (created by Erica Ward) resembles the district of Tokyo where the tower is located (Minato).
A flaked note pad, noting that Tokyo Tower was probably where I got Covid. A few days after this, I started experiencing those classic Covid symptoms and I remembered just how packed the crowds were at the landmark when I went.
Lastly, a receipt from Family Mart showing what I bought to help with my Covid symptoms.
Contents:
Consists of stickers I got at B-Side Label which is full of quirky, funny and random items. They have shops in multiple locations in Japan, but I went to the one in Shimokitazawa.
The scrabble pieces came from a book with a ton of stock images and quotes to create a visualization board (there are a ton of them on Amazon).
Lastly... I got the derpy Godzilla graphics from the Science and Technology Museum across from the Imperial Palace of all places. In their gift shop, they had a little section dedicated to Godzilla. I simply couldn't resist.
Stationery appreciation page Contents:
3 of the images you see came from paper bags with stamped logos of the stationary shops I went to: Kinokuniya in Los Angeles (multiple locations) as well as Empty Shelf in Pasadena.
Hightide is also a Japanese stationery shop in Downtown Los Angeles. This was a sticker they included with my purchase.
I drew Japan's iconic LOFT logo, which did bleed a little bit on the lokta paper of my journal of choice. Definitely something to consider when you're picking out your own junk journal and the kind of paper you'll have to work with!
Neko Neko Post stamp logo from a package I received, containing the Japanese stamps you see on the page. It came with many other retro stamps that I put into a tiny book that could fit most of them!
Lastly, the image in the center just happened to be the background of a pack of pens I bought.
Contents:
(Left) Ticket stickers and manga eyes from B-Side Label.
Vaporwave sticker from Red Bubble. Artist: Elora Pautrat
Cloud washi down the center and bordering the page, from Alum & Ink.
(Right) "You're Super Fabulous!" was also a thank you card Alum & Ink included in my order.
The images of the onsen/vending machine/traditional window/art studio all came from a Japanese-themed advent calendar I purchase a couple years ago through Sugoi Mart.
"Creativity" candle label from House of Intuition (along with the description of it's benefits above it). Behind the candle is actually some origami paper I cut out for a backdrop since the label was clear.
Remaining stickers are from Unicorn Eclipse.
Contents:
Red Bubble envelope that included all of the stickers you see here.
+ another advent calendar flap at the top right.
Contents:
An sketch resembling the lead singer of the Psychedelic Furs that I drew while I was in high school (maybe even younger?).
Concert tickets.
Wrist bands from music venues in LA.
Chappell Roan sticker I got from Amoeba Music.
Tiny music themed images that were on the receipt from Amoeba (including their logo).
On the other page, I have a list of my favorite albums (that'll keep to myself or maybe put in a separate post).
I stuck images of some artists I like from magazines (like Grimes in the top corner of the right page).
A fender guitar pick. I don't remember where I got that from, but it was floating around my car for years.
Film appreciation page Contents:
A free birthday reward at a theater I frequent (and never redeemed).
A drink coaster from bar Fanny's at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles.
A film strip of Bugonia I got from handouts after the screening.
A Saltburn card I received from attending an advance viewing of the movie at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana.
Bits and pieces of a monthly calendar pamphlet from the Frida Cinema, including an image of Catherine O'Hara who had just passed, Harold & Maude/Romeo + Juliet posters as well as the Toho/Mubi/Film Independent logos).
Movie genre stickers came from Etsy.
Contents:
Mobu's Dairy images I got from Bumpodo in Jimbocho, Tokyo.
Coffee cats/cat food package sticker set I got from Empty Shelf in Pasadena - Artist: loststreetkat.
Loaf cat sticker I got from Mt. Fo'rest in Pasadena.
I'm pretty sure I got the sloth folder and cat toast sticker from a Neko Neko Post shipment, but not 100% sure if I'm misremembering.
Contents:
Background is from Unicorn Eclipse.
Postcard and stickers are from Neko Neko Post.
Monthly food sticker was a sheet from Kinokuniya in Downtown Los Angeles.
Contents:
Large stickers from Red Bubble.
Stamp from Neko Neko Post.
All other background papers from M.Lovewell in Santa Ana which were double-sided
.
Contents:
Postcards from Empty Shelf in Pasadena.
(Left) Envelope from M.Lovewell in Santa Ana.
(Right) Stickers and background from Unicorn Eclipse.
Contents:
Cat/Corndog/Omurice stickers from RedBubble.
Other stickers are from Unicorn Eclipse as well as the background.
Another advent calendar flap from Sugio Mart.
Contents:
(Left) Visited Mt. Fo'rest in Pasadena where I got the town themed notepad and a Tea Pond tea packet.
A stamp from Neko Neko Post that couldn't fit inside my tiny stamp book, so I put it here to match the forest theme.
A receipt from the Blick store in Pasadena.
A sticker from a stationery store in Los Angeles's Chinatown called Paper Plant Co.
(Right) A receipt from the post office for an outbound international letter.
A wrist band and business card from Retro Arcade in Pasadena.
Additional extra-large stamps from Neko Neko Post.
Washi tape and Japan Air Mail/Japan Post tag from a Neko Neko Post letter I received.
A label for Butterscotch Squares from See's Candies (my favorite chocolates ever).
Logo from a cafe in East Hollywood called Obet & Del's Coffee that they had on their pastry sleeves.
Contents:
(Left) Image of the author taken right from a page in her book.
Background is also from M.Lovewell in Santa Ana (double-sided).
(Right) A business card for a beauty salon where I got my haircut that month.
A label from a candle that I got at a local bookstore in Echo Park called "A Good Used Book." They host a variety of small business booths almost every Sunday.
Another stamp from Neko Neko Post.
A positive sticker I got from Empty Shelf in Pasadena, as well as the patterned print behind the yoga frog from Red Bubble.
Unfortunately, I can't remember where I got the card with the blossoms at the top right, but I always save stuff like that if I want the page to look more blocky.
Content:
A ticket for Angels Flight in Downtown Los Angeles.
ESRB rating image from a Loot Crate box a long time ago.
Round sticker from Red Bubble.
Chinatown postcard from Paper Plant Co., also located in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
As you can see, there are many different things you can do with junk journaling! It's a low maintenance, creative activity that helps you listen to your intuition with regard to artistic choices. It's a great way to connect with yourself and honor the artwork of others by featuring them in your journal. It's also nice to repurpose some items that may otherwise end up in the garbage. It's become a hobby that I could spend hours doing at a time, and will continue sharing here as it evolves.
Take care,
From one human being to another
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