Junk Journal Supplies: The Ultimate List for Beginners

This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you download a freebie or buy a subscription on Creative Fabrica, at no extra cost to you.

The only junk journal supplies you truly need to start are a book to work in, something to stick things down with, and a pile of saved paper scraps. Everything past that is a choice, not a requirement, and most of it you can find free or for a few dollars.

If you have spent any time looking at junk journals online, you have probably seen the hauls: drawers of stamps, stacks of ephemera packs, ribbon by the spool. It looks like the price of entry. It is not. Plenty of beautiful journals are made with a thrifted book, a glue stick, and a shoebox of “junk.” The fancy stash comes later, if you want it at all.

Here is what trips people up, and we will sort it out below: beginners tend to buy the wrong things first (decorative extras) and skip the two boring things that actually matter (a decent glue and a way to organize scraps). Get those two right and the rest is just play.

The short version: Start with a base book, a glue stick or PVA glue, scissors, and saved paper. That is a real starter kit and it can cost you nothing. Add washi tape, a few embellishments, and an ink pad once you know your style. Skip the giant ephemera hauls until you have filled a few pages.

What supplies do you need to start a junk journal?

The starter list is short on purpose: a base book, an adhesive, scissors, and your collected paper junk. With those four, you can make pages today. Treat everything else on this page as optional upgrades you earn as you go.

Here is the true essentials list:

• A base book. A cheap notebook, a composition book, a sketchbook, or an old hardback you repurpose. This is the single thing worth a little thought, so if you want help choosing, see our guide to the best journal for junk journaling, or learn to make one from an old book.
• An adhesive. A basic glue stick handles most paper. PVA (white craft glue) holds heavier pieces and is worth owning early. A tape runner is fast and mess-free if you want one later.
• Scissors. Any sharp pair. A small craft scissors for detail work is nice but not needed on day one.
• Your paper “junk.” The free part: envelopes, book and sheet-music pages, packaging, magazine cutouts, tags, maps, and anything flat with a color or texture you like.

That is the whole entry kit. We keep pushing this because the most common beginner mistake is loading up on stickers and ephemera before making a single page, then feeling buried. Pages first. Your stash will tell you what it wants.

The full junk journal supplies list (by category)

A complete junk journaling kit breaks down into five groups: a base, adhesives, cutting tools, paper and ephemera, and embellishments. You do not need everything in every group. Use this as a menu, not a shopping mandate.

Base and structure

This is the book itself and anything that holds it together.

• Base book or paper: notebook, composition book, mixed-media pad, or an upcycled hardback.
• Bookbinding thread and a needle if you plan to sew your own signatures later.
• A bone folder for crisp folds and clean creases. A clean spoon or a credit card edge works in a pinch.

Adhesives

Adhesive is the one place we tell beginners not to cheap out completely, because bad glue wrinkles paper and lets pieces peel.

• Glue stick: fine for light paper and quick work.
• PVA glue: the workhorse. Holds heavier ephemera, fabric, and covers. We break down options in best glues for junk journaling and paper crafts.
• Tape runner: fast, dry, and flat. Great for photos and lightweight scraps.
• Washi tape and double-sided tape: part adhesive, part decoration.

Cutting and tools

• Scissors (one regular, one small for detail).
• A craft knife and cutting mat for clean straight cuts, once you are comfortable.
• A paper trimmer if you cut a lot of straight edges. A real time-saver, not a starter need.

Paper and ephemera

This is the heart of junk journaling, and the cheapest part if you know where to look.

• Saved ephemera: ticket stubs, receipts, stamps, postcards, packaging, tea bag wrappers, sheet music, book and dictionary pages.
• Scrapbook and patterned paper for backgrounds.
• Printables: themed paper, tags, and pockets you print at home. We keep a roundup of free junk journal printables so you can fill pages without spending.

Embellishments

The fun extras. Add these slowly.

• Stickers, stamps, and ink pads (an ink pad for distressing page edges goes a long way).
• Tags, die cuts, and journaling cards.
• Lace, ribbon, twine, buttons, and paper clips for texture and tucked-in details.

If you would rather skip the piecemeal shopping and start with a curated bundle, our roundup of junk journal kits covers both paid kits and free printable ones.

Buy this, not that: If you only upgrade one thing past the free starter kit, make it a bottle of PVA glue, not a sticker pack. Good adhesive fixes the most common beginner frustration, which is pieces curling and peeling off the page. Stickers are everywhere and can wait.

Where can you find cheap and free junk journal supplies?

The cheapest junk journal supplies come from things you already throw away, plus the dollar store, thrift shops, and free printables. Junk journaling was built on repurposing, so spending very little is the tradition, not a compromise.

Where to look first:

• Your recycling and mail. Junk mail, packaging, shipping inserts, food boxes with nice patterns, and old greeting cards are free ephemera.
• The dollar store. Glue, tape, scissors, basic stickers, and cardstock for a couple of dollars. Search “dollar tree junk journal supplies” and you will see whole hauls built this way.
• Thrift stores and library sales. Old books to upcycle, sheet music, vintage paper, lace, and sewing notions for pennies.
• Free printables. Vintage paper, tags, and pockets you print at home. Start with our free printables roundup.

The point of starting cheap is not just the money. It teaches you what you actually reach for before you invest, so you do not end up with a drawer of stuff that does not match how you like to work.

Printable paper and ephemera, when you are ready

Our order stands: glue first, then paper and printables, then the extras. When you reach the paper step and your saved scraps run thin, these printable sets cover the paper and ephemera groups from the list above. Print anything that has to hold its shape, like tags and pockets, on cardstock. Links go to Creative Fabrica and may pay us a commission, at no extra cost to you.

One pack at a time is plenty. Use it up, see which pieces you actually reached for, and let that decide the next one.

How do you organize junk journal supplies?

Sort junk journal supplies by type, in clear containers you can see into, so you actually use what you have. A simple system beats a beautiful one you never maintain, especially once your scrap collection grows.

A setup that holds up:

• Sort by category: paper, ephemera, embellishments, adhesives, tools. Loose grouping is enough.
• Use clear boxes or zip pouches so you can see what is inside without digging.
• Keep a “current project” tray with the bits you are using now, separate from the main stash.
• Corral small flat pieces (stamps, tickets, die cuts) in envelopes or small folders by color or theme.

The honest goal is friction-free access. If pulling out supplies feels like a chore, you will journal less. Keep the things you use most within arm’s reach of where you work.

What is the difference between supplies and a junk journal kit?

Supplies are the individual materials you gather over time; a kit is a ready-made bundle of coordinated materials sold or shared together. Kits are a faster start, while building your own stash is cheaper and more personal.

For a lot of beginners, a free printable kit is the sweet spot: it gives you matching paper, tags, and pockets to start with, while you slowly collect your own ephemera on the side. We cover both routes in our junk journal kits guide.

Frequently asked questions about junk journal supplies

What do I need to start a junk journal?

A base book, a glue stick or PVA glue, scissors, and a small collection of saved paper. That is enough to make your first pages today. Everything else, from washi tape to ephemera, is an optional upgrade you add later.

What kind of glue is best for junk journaling?

PVA glue (white craft glue) is the most versatile because it holds both light paper and heavier ephemera without much wrinkling. A glue stick is fine for quick, lightweight work, and a tape runner is handy for photos. Many junk journalers keep all three.

Can I make a junk journal with no supplies?

Yes. Grab any notebook, a glue stick, and a handful of saved paper, and you have what you need. Junk journaling is built on repurposing things you already own, so a zero-budget start is normal.

What paper do you use in a junk journal?

Almost any paper: book and dictionary pages, sheet music, scrapbook and patterned paper, packaging, kraft paper, and printables. Mixing weights and textures is part of the look, so do not worry about matching.

Where can I get junk journal supplies cheaply?

Start with your own recycling and junk mail, then check the dollar store, thrift shops, and library book sales. Free printables cover paper, tags, and pockets without any cost at all.

Start with what you have

The best junk journal supply list is the one you can act on today. Grab a notebook, whatever glue is in the drawer, and your box of saved scraps, and make a page. You will learn more from one finished spread than from any haul.

When you are ready to build out your stash, do it slowly and in this order: a good glue, then paper and printables, then embellishments. New to the whole thing? Our complete beginner’s guide to junk journaling walks you through the craft from the start, and our step-by-step starter gets your first pages going.

Want free supplies to begin? Grab our printable junk journal starter kit, a bundle of vintage paper, tags, and pockets you can print at home and glue straight in. Sign up below and we will send it over.