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Junk journaling is the gloriously low-pressure craft of building a journal out of junk, vintage paper scraps, ticket stubs, ephemera, washi tape, pressed flowers, and whatever pretty bits you've been hoarding. There are no rules, no perfect handwriting required, just layers of collage, texture, and memory. It's exploded in popularity lately, and it makes for genuinely fantastic gifting, because the supplies are affordable, endlessly combinable, and exactly the kind of thing crafters love to receive but hate to splurge on for themselves. Everything below is sorted by the kind of junk journaler you're shopping for, from the total beginner to the ephemera hoarder to the stamp-and-wax-seal crowd. Prices skew low here, so the number shown is what it was when we last looked.
Our Top 3 Picks
Best Overall
PAPERAGE Junk Journal Kit
$22.99 at Amazon
Best Crowd-Pleaser
The Antiquarian Sticker Book
$15.99 at Amazon
Best Splurge
WANDERINGS Leather Notebook
$35.95 at Amazon
Kits & Journals
Where every junk journal starts, the book and the beginner kits.
1
FOR THE COMPLETE BEGINNER
$22.99START-HERE KIT
If you're buying for someone who's junk-journal-curious but has no idea where to start, an all-in-one kit is the move. This PAPERAGE one bundles the essentials into a single box, a blank journal to build in plus a haul of vintage-style papers, stickers, and ephemera to fill it, so there's zero what-do-I-even-need paralysis. It's the highest-rated starter kit for good reason: enough supplies to actually make something the first night, without the overwhelm of shopping for twenty separate things. Perfect for a total beginner, or anyone who loves a project that arrives ready to go.
Why We Picked It
It's the whole hobby in one box, which is exactly what a nervous beginner needs to just start instead of researching forever.
2
FOR THE BLANK-PAGE STARTER
$14.24BUILD FROM SCRATCH
Some junk journalers want to build their book entirely from scratch, and a stack of blank kraft journals is the perfect raw material. This feela 8-pack hands them eight slim kraft-cover notebooks to fill, glue into, paint over, and stuff with ephemera however they like. The kraft paper takes ink and glue well and has that warm, rustic base color junk journalers love. Eight means they can experiment freely without ever feeling precious about ruining one. It's a cheap, practical gift that basically fuels the whole hobby.
Good to Know
The pages are thin, so heavy wet glue can wrinkle them, a glue stick or tape runner keeps everything flat.3
FOR THE ON-THE-GO JOURNALER
$35.95AGES BEAUTIFULLY
For the journaler who wants something they'll carry everywhere, a leather traveler's notebook is the upgrade that lasts for years. This WANDERINGS one is genuine leather that ages beautifully, with an elastic system that holds swappable paper inserts, so they can carry a junk journal, a planner, and a sketchbook in one cover. It's the splurge-ish pick of the guide, but it's the kind of thing that becomes a lifelong companion and only looks better with wear. Perfect for the romantic who wants their journal to feel like a real keepsake.
Our Take
Real leather patinas over time, so a scuff or two isn't damage, it's character, which is exactly the appeal.
4
FOR THE BULLET-JOURNAL CROSSOVER
$9.99STRUCTURE MEETS CHAOS
Plenty of people come to junk journaling from the bullet-journal world, and a good dotted notebook bridges both. This CAGIE one has the subtle dot grid that guides your layouts without boxing you in, plus thick 100gsm pages that hold up to markers and light glue. It's a clean, versatile base for someone who likes a little structure under their creative chaos. At ten bucks with a 4.8 rating, it's an easy, safe gift for just about any journaler on your list.
Worth Knowing
The 100gsm paper resists most marker bleed-through, a real step up from the thin stuff in cheaper notebooks.
5
FOR THE ROMANTIC AESTHETIC
$18.95OLD-WORLD CHARM
For the person who's all about the moody, old-world vintage aesthetic, this Olden Days journal looks like it was pulled from a dusty attic trunk. The weathered, antique-style cover sets the tone before they've written a single word, and it's exactly the vibe junk journalers chase. It's a beautiful blank book to fill with pressed flowers, ticket stubs, and handwritten thoughts. A genuinely giftable object that feels special just sitting on a shelf waiting to be started.
Our Take
The aged look is the whole point here, so it pairs perfectly with vintage ephemera and a wax seal pressed on the cover.Related: our full lineup of finds for her
6
FOR THE PAINT-AND-GLUE MAKER
$21.99TAKES A BEATING
Junk journaling gets messy, gesso, paint, heavy glue, layered collage, and thin notebook paper just can't take it. A mixed media pad solves that with thick, sturdy pages built for wet media. This Ohuhu one has heavyweight paper that won't buckle under acrylics or globs of glue, so the maker who really goes for it can layer freely. It's the right base for the artist who treats each spread like a tiny painting. A smart gift for someone who's outgrown flimsy notebook pages.
Heads Up
Heavyweight paper is the key feature here, it's what lets you paint, gesso, and glue without the page warping into a taco.Papers & Ephemera
The vintage paper, cutouts, and bits that fill the pages.
7
FOR THE EPHEMERA HOARDER
$11.99A PILE OF TREASURES
Ephemera is the soul of junk journaling, the vintage cutouts, labels, tickets, and scraps that make a page feel like a found treasure. This GNILLKO pack dumps 445 assorted vintage-style pieces into their stash in one go, so they've always got something to reach for. It's the kind of supply that gets used constantly and never quite runs out. For the hoarder who can genuinely never have enough bits and pieces, it's a perfect, inexpensive gift.
Good to Know
Variety is the value here, one pack covers dozens of themes, so they're not stuck buying a separate set for every look.
8
FOR THE PATTERN LOVER
$13.99BACKDROP BASICS
A good scrapbook paper pad is the backbone of junk journal pages, the patterned backgrounds everything else gets layered onto. This 12x12 vintage pad delivers 36 sheets of aged, muted patterns that instantly set that antique tone. They can use full sheets as spreads or tear them into strips and patches for collage. It's a versatile, always-useful supply that any paper crafter burns through happily. A safe, satisfying gift for the pattern obsessive on your list.
Worth Knowing
12x12 is the standard scrapbook size, so it plays nicely with punches, dies, and other supplies built to match it.
9
FOR THE COLLAGE ARTIST
$7.19DESIGNER SCRAPS
Tim Holtz is a legendary name in the paper-crafting world, and his Idea-ology ephemera is the good stuff, die-cut vintage snippets of ledgers, labels, tickets, and typography ready to collage. This little pack punches way above its size, giving the collage artist authentic-looking bits with real designer pedigree. It's the kind of supply that makes a page look intentional and curated instead of random. A small, brand-name gift that any serious junk journaler will instantly recognize and appreciate.
Why We Picked It
The Tim Holtz name means the designs actually look vintage rather than cartoonish, which is the whole difference in collage work.
10
FOR THE LAYERING FIEND
$8.99DREAMY OVERLAYS
Vellum is the secret weapon of dimensional journaling, translucent sheets you layer over photos and paper for a soft, dreamy, frosted effect. This Dowsabel pack gives them a stack of quality vellum to cut into overlays, envelopes, and delicate accents. It adds depth that opaque paper simply can't, and it's the detail that makes spreads look professionally layered. A cheap, well-rated supply that quietly opens up a whole new technique for them.
Our Take
Vellum can be tricky to glue without the adhesive showing through, tucking it under other elements or using tiny hidden dots is the trick.
11
FOR THE NOTE-SCRIBBLER
$8.98SCRIBBLE & STICK
Not every page is collage, sometimes you just want to jot a thought, a date, or a little note and tuck it in. These vintage-style memo and sticky-note pads give the journaler pretty little sheets to scribble on and stick down wherever they like. The aged designs mean even a quick note looks like it belongs on the page. It's a small, practical add-on that ends up getting used constantly. A nice stocking-filler for the writer who journals as much as they craft.
Good to Know
The sticky-back sheets are handy for repositionable notes, so they can move things around before committing anything with glue.
12
FOR THE POCKET-AND-TAG MAKER
$7.99TAGS FOR DAYS
Tags and pockets are junk journaling staples, little kraft cards you write on, decorate, and tuck into pockets throughout the book. This Primbeeks pack of 300 blank kraft tags is an endless supply for labeling, journaling prompts, and hidden notes. The kraft color matches the rustic aesthetic and takes ink, stamps, and paint beautifully. It's a bulk basic that every journaler runs through, which makes it a genuinely useful, low-cost gift.
Worth Knowing
Blank tags are a blank canvas, they can stamp, ink, or letter them to match any spread, which is why 300 doesn't feel like too many.Washi Tape & Stickers
The sticky, decorative layer everyone gets addicted to.
13
FOR THE WASHI ADDICT
$7.99PEEL-AND-STICK JOY
Washi tape is the gateway drug of paper crafting, decorative masking tape you can tear by hand, reposition, and layer endlessly. This 24-roll vintage set gives the washi addict a rainbow of patterns to border pages, hinge elements, and decorate on a whim. It's low-commitment (peel it back up if you hate it) and weirdly addictive to collect. At eight bucks for two dozen rolls, it's the perfect cheap thrill of a gift.
Good to Know
Washi peels up cleanly for a while, so it's forgiving, great for planning out a layout before anything becomes permanent.
14
FOR THE TRANSPARENT-LAYER LOVER
$8.99SEE-THROUGH LAYERS
PET tape is washi's see-through cousin, a clear film tape printed with designs that layer over your page without hiding what's underneath. This 12-roll set lets the journaler add florals, lace, and script that float transparently over photos and paper. It's the trick behind those pretty layered spreads where you can still see through the decoration. A small, inexpensive supply that unlocks a distinctly modern journaling look.
Our Take
Because it's transparent, PET tape layers over busy backgrounds without covering them, which is exactly why people reach for it over solid washi.15
FOR THE STICKER HOARDER
$15.99A THOUSAND TREASURES
This is the cult-favorite of the vintage sticker world, over a thousand exquisite antique-style illustrations bound into one beautiful book. Botanicals, insects, maps, ephemera, all ready to peel and place. It's genuinely gorgeous to flip through even before you use a single sticker, and it's the gift that reliably makes a journaler gasp out loud. For the sticker hoarder, it's basically a treasure chest in book form. One of the most giftable items in this entire guide.
Why We Picked It
The artwork quality is the draw, these look like real vintage engravings rather than clip art, which is why it's become a modern classic.
16
FOR THE SHINY-DETAIL SEEKER
$9.99A TOUCH OF GOLD
A touch of gold makes a page feel finished and a little fancy, and these gold foil stickers add that shine without any effort. The 300-piece pack covers frames, corners, florals, and accents, so the journaler can add metallic details wherever a spread needs lifting. It's a small, sparkly upgrade that punches well above its price. A great little add-on for anyone who loves a bit of glam mixed into their vintage.
Worth Knowing
A little gold goes a long way, a few accents lift a page, while covering it in foil can tip it from elegant into gaudy.
17
FOR THE STICKER-ROLL COLLECTOR
$8.99TEAR-OFF CHARM
There's something satisfying about a roll of stickers you can tear off one at a time, and these vintage postage-stamp-style rolls deliver that in spades. The journaler pulls off little stamp-look pieces to scatter across pages, seal folds, or decorate tags. The old-postage aesthetic is peak junk journal, and the roll format means they're always within easy reach. A charming, low-cost gift for the person who's forever reaching for one more sticker.
Good to Know
The perforated roll format makes these easy to tear and place one-handed, handy when your other hand is busy holding the page down.
18
FOR THE FLAKE-BOX FIEND
$6.99DIG-THROUGH-THE-BOX FUN
Sticker flakes are the little loose die-cut stickers that come in a big assorted mix, and they're wildly fun to dig through. This 450-piece flower set gives the journaler a whole box of pressed-flower and botanical pieces to sprinkle across spreads. There's a real joy in rummaging around for the perfect little bloom to finish a page. It's a cheap, generous gift that keeps on giving for months.
Our Take
Loose flakes are easy to lose, so a small tin or divided box to sort them in makes the whole stash far more usable.Stamps, Ink & Seals
Ink, wax, and impressions for that handmade antique look.
19
FOR THE STAMP STARTER
$12.99PRESS-AND-PRINT
Stamps add that hand-pressed, old-fashioned touch junk journalers love, and a good vintage set is a joy to build with. This 15-piece wood-mounted set covers nature and botanical designs that suit the aesthetic perfectly. Press them into vintage ink to add borders, motifs, and repeating patterns across a page. It's a satisfying, tactile supply and a great entry point into stamping. A lovely gift for someone ready to graduate past stickers.
Worth Knowing
Wood-mounted stamps are easy to grip and line up, which makes them far friendlier for beginners than fiddly clear stamps.
20
FOR THE INK COLLECTOR
$8.99A RAINBOW OF INK
Stamps are only half the equation, you need ink, and a multi-color pad set opens up the whole palette. This 15-color set gives the journaler a rainbow of washable pigment pads to match any spread they're working on. More colors means more ways to age, tint, and pattern a page beyond basic black. It's an affordable, high-variety supply that pairs perfectly with any stamp set. A practical gift that quietly expands what they can make.
Good to Know
Match the ink to the paper, pigment inks sit richer on kraft and vintage stock than thin dye inks, which can look washed out.
21
FOR THE OLD-SOUL LETTER WRITER
$15.99OLD-WORLD ROMANCE
Wax seals are pure old-world romance, and they're having a huge moment in journaling and letter writing. This TRINIDa beginner kit comes with a seal stamp plus a big assortment of colored wax beads, so they can press elegant seals onto envelopes, tags, and journal covers. It's a genuinely magical little craft that feels fancy and looks incredible on the page. For the romantic or the dedicated letter-writer, it's an unforgettable gift.
Our Take
The bead-and-spoon method is far more beginner-friendly than a traditional wax stick, which is exactly why we picked a kit built this way.
22
FOR THE INK BLENDER
$29.69THE AGING SECRET
Distress Oxide is the beloved blending ink junk journalers use to age edges, tint backgrounds, and create soft, weathered color washes. This Tim Holtz set is the gold standard, the oxide formula blends and reacts with water for that signature vintage, worn-in look. It's a pricier, more serious supply, but it's the quiet secret behind so many gorgeous aged spreads. For the journaler ready to level up their whole color game, it's the dream ink.
Why We Picked It
Oxide inks react with water to create a chalky, aged effect plain dye inks simply can't, which is why serious crafters swear by them.
23
FOR THE LABELER
$9.99STAMP THE STORY
A set of little letter and number stamps lets the journaler add titles, dates, and labels in a charming hand-set-type style. This 36-piece wooden set comes in a tidy box and covers the whole alphabet plus numbers, so they can spell out headers or stamp the date on every entry. It's the detail that makes a page feel like a real vintage document. A fun, affordable tool for the person who loves labeling absolutely everything.
Good to Know
Tiny letter stamps take a little patience to line up straight, a clear acrylic block or a light pencil guideline helps a lot.Related: gifts teachers actually want
24
FOR THE PRECISE PLACER
$5.99SEE-EXACTLY-WHERE
Clear acrylic stamps are the see-through kind you can position exactly where you want, since you can see right through them to the page. This journaling set gives the precise placer a big variety of little designs and phrases to add wherever a spread needs a finishing touch. They cling to an acrylic block, stamp, and peel off clean for storage. It's a versatile, low-cost supply that suits detail-oriented crafters perfectly.
Heads Up
Clear stamps need an acrylic block to mount on, worth grabbing one if they don't already have it, or the stamps are tricky to use.Tools & Trims
The cutting, sticking, and finishing gear that pulls it together.
25
FOR THE STICK-IT-DOWN CROWD
$6.99NO-MESS ADHESIVE
Once you've got all the pretty bits, you need to stick them down, and a glue tape runner is the clean, no-mess way to do it. This Secopad 4-pack dispenses a strip of dry adhesive that won't wrinkle paper the way wet glue does, so photos and ephemera lie perfectly flat. It's fast, precise, and mess-free, the workhorse tool journalers reach for constantly. A boring-but-essential gift that any crafter will genuinely use right up.
Worth Knowing
Dry tape runners won't warp thin paper the way liquid glue can, which is why they're the go-to for photos and delicate ephemera.
26
FOR THE FUSSY-CUT PERFECTIONIST
$6.98SNIP WITH PRECISION
Fussy-cutting (carefully cutting out tiny detailed images) is a core junk journal skill, and it demands sharp, pointed precision scissors. The EK Tools Cutter Bee is the cult-favorite for exactly this, small, ultra-sharp blades with fine tips that get into the tightest corners. Anyone who's tried detailed cutting with clunky kitchen scissors will appreciate the upgrade instantly. It's a small, brand-name tool that punches way above its price. A perfect gift for the detail obsessive.
Why We Picked It
The fine, sharp tips are what make intricate cutting possible, regular scissors simply can't follow tight curves and corners cleanly.
27
FOR THE DETAIL CUTTER
$8.99CLEAN, EXACT CUTS
For cuts that scissors can't handle, windows, slots, straight interior lines, a craft knife and self-healing mat are essential. This Anezus set pairs a precision hobby knife with a cutting mat, so the journaler can slice clean pockets, tuck spots, and detailed shapes safely. The mat protects the table and keeps blades sharp, and the knife handles everything scissors can't reach. A practical, giftable duo for anyone doing serious cutting work.
Heads Up
Fresh blades matter, a dull craft knife tears paper instead of slicing it, so remind them to swap the blades out regularly.
28
FOR THE SHAPE MAKER
$14.16ROUND EVERY CORNER
Sharp paper corners look unfinished, and a corner rounder fixes that in one satisfying punch. The Sunstar Kadomaru Pro is the beloved Japanese standard, it rounds corners in three different radii, so photos, tags, and cards all get that soft, professional finish. It's one of those small tools that makes everything look instantly more polished. A well-loved, quality gift for the finishing-touches crowd.
Good to Know
The three-size options matter, small photos and big cards look best with different corner radii, and this one handles all of them.
29
FOR THE SOFT-EDGE FINISHER
$16.90SOFT VINTAGE EDGES
Lace and ribbon trim add a soft, textural, feminine edge that flat paper can't, and this IDONGCAI vintage set is a beautiful assortment to work with. The journaler can glue lengths along page edges, wrap them around tags, or use them to hinge and bind. The vintage cotton-lace look is peak junk journal romance. At 24 yards across multiple styles, it's a generous, lovely gift.
Our Take
Lace glues down best with a strong tacky glue rather than a tape runner, since the open weave doesn't grab dry adhesive well.
30
FOR THE FINISHING-TOUCH ADDER
$8.39TINY TREASURES
Little metal charms are the jewelry of a junk journal, tiny keys, clocks, and vintage trinkets that dangle from tags and bindings. This CRASPIRE set of 16 styles gives the journaler a variety of antique-look charms to add that final dimensional flourish. They thread onto elastic closures, hang from tags, or tuck into pockets for a treasure-box feel. A small, delightful gift that adds real character to a finished book.
Good to Know
Charms add weight and dimension, so anchor them somewhere sturdy like a tag or the spine, not a single thin page that'll sag.The Bottom Line: The joy of shopping for a junk journaler is that almost everything here is under twenty bucks, so you can build a genuinely generous gift out of a few small supplies. If you want one safe bet, the PAPERAGE starter kit gets a beginner going instantly, and the Antiquarian Sticker Book delights absolutely everyone. Add a pack of washi and some ephemera and you've made someone's whole month. There's no wrong way to junk journal, and no wrong supply to gift.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is junk journaling? +
Junk journaling is the craft of making a journal or scrapbook out of junk, vintage paper, ephemera, ticket stubs, fabric scraps, washi tape, and other bits, layered into collaged pages. There are no rules and no need for fancy art skills, which is a big part of the appeal. It's part scrapbook, part diary, part collage.
What's the best junk journaling gift for a beginner? +
An all-in-one starter kit like the PAPERAGE one is the easiest win, since it bundles a journal plus papers, stickers, and ephemera so they can start right away. After that, a washi tape set, a sticker book, and a pack of ephemera are cheap, universally useful add-ons any beginner will love.
Do you need expensive supplies to start junk journaling? +
Not at all, that's the beauty of it. Most of the supplies here are under fifteen dollars, and a lot of junk journaling uses literal junk you already have, like old envelopes, packaging, and magazine cutouts. A basic journal, some glue, and a few pretty papers are genuinely enough to get going.
What supplies do junk journalers use most? +
The constant staples are washi tape, ephemera and vintage paper, stickers, a good pair of precision scissors, and an adhesive like a tape runner. Stamps, ink, and wax seals come next for that handmade antique look. You really can't go wrong stocking up on any of these.
Is junk journaling the same as scrapbooking? +
They're close cousins. Scrapbooking usually centers on preserving photos in a polished, structured layout, while junk journaling is looser, more collage-y and experimental, and often built from found and vintage materials. Lots of people happily do both, and the supplies overlap a ton.
