Beginner Junk Journaling Series – Part 6
You made the journal.
You collected the papers.
You made pockets and tuck spots.
You even have cute little tags, journaling cards and ephemera ready to go.
And now you're sitting there staring at a blank junk journal page thinking...
Where the heck do I put everything?
Welcome to Part 6 of my Beginner Junk Journal Series. ❤️
Today we're going to talk about how to actually decorate a junk journal page—without spending 45 minutes moving the same tiny scrap of paper half an inch to the left and then half an inch back to the right.
Not that I've ever done that.
Obviously. 😂
and if you need visuals, check out my Youtube channel
Here's the biggest thing I want you to remember:
There is no perfect junk journal page. Junk Journaling has no rules.
You aren't trying to create a museum exhibit. You're creating something playful, personal and imperfect.
So grab some scraps, a glue stick and whatever little bits you've been saving.
We're going to make a page.
1. Start With ONE Focal Point
One of the easiest ways to get overwhelmed is to dump 37 pieces of ephemera onto your table and try to decide what goes together.
Don't.
Pick one thing you love first.
It could be:
- a journaling card
- a photograph
- a pretty flower
- a tag
- a butterfly
- a piece of a greeting card
- a favorite quote
- a little painting
- a piece of interesting packaging
That's your focal point—the thing you want your eye to notice first.
Everything else you add is there to support it.
And suddenly we're not decorating an entire page.
We're just finding a few friends for one cute piece of paper.
Much less intimidating.
2. Layer From Big to Small
Here's one of my favorite tricks for making a page look interesting without doing anything particularly complicated.
Layer things. Don't be afraid to overlap.
Start with your largest piece and build on top of it.
For example:
old book page
↓
scrapbook paper
↓
journaling card
↓
tiny flower
↓
little word or phrase
You don't need five layers every time. Sometimes two or three are plenty.
And your layers don't need to line up perfectly.
Actually...
Please don't line everything up perfectly.
Let a little book page peek out.
Turn one piece slightly.
Tear an edge.
Let something stick out.
Those imperfect little edges are what make junk journals interesting.
If you need more guidance, Read Beginner Junk Journaling Part 2:
3. Make Little Clusters
Instead of sprinkling embellishments all over your page like confetti, try grouping a few things together.
That's called a cluster.
A super simple cluster might be:
scrap of paper + flower + word
Or:
book page + ticket + button
Or:
washi tape + butterfly + tiny label
That's it.
You don't need twelve things.
Three little elements can make an adorable cluster.
And here's where one of my favorite design tricks comes in...
4. Odd Numbers Are Your Friend
Groups of three or five often feel more natural to the eye than groups of two or four.
So instead of adding two flowers...
Try three.
Instead of two little scraps...
Try three.
You don't have to count every single thing on your page like the Junk Journal Police are coming to inspect it.
They're not.
But if something feels slightly off, try adding or removing one element.
A group of three might suddenly make everything feel more balanced.
5. Mix Patterns—But Give Them Something in Common-
Honestly, this is still something I struggle with!
Yes, you can use florals with stripes.
And polka dots with old book pages.
And ledger paper with butterflies.
That's part of the fun.
The trick is giving your mismatched pieces one little thing that connects them.
Maybe they share:
- a color
- a vintage feeling
- a floral theme
- similar neutrals
- the same ink around the edges
You don't need everything to match.
You just need enough connection that the pieces look like they were invited to the same party.
They do not need matching outfits. 😂
You can get more junk journal ideas here with Part 4: How to Decorate a Junk Journal
6. Leave Some Breathing Room
This one can be HARD.
Especially when you have 400 adorable scraps sitting next to you whispering...
Glue me down too.
You don't have to fill every inch of the page.
Blank space gives your eye somewhere to rest.
It also gives you room to come back later and:
write something, add a photo, tuck in a memory, doodle, stamp, paint or add another little treasure you haven't found yet.
Sometimes the empty part of the page is doing just as much work as the decorated part.
A trick of mine is to prep my junk journal pages with backgrounds first. I will do this in batches and I often use old calendars for this.
7. Move Things Around BEFORE You Glue
I know.
The glue stick is right there.
You're excited.
But give yourself a minute.
Lay your pieces down first.
Move them around.
Overlap them.
Turn something sideways.
Take something away.
Add it back.
Then take a quick look at the whole page.
Do you like it?
Great.
NOW glue.
This also prevents the highly technical junk journaling procedure known as:
“Oh crap. I wish I hadn't glued that there.”
😂
8. Repeat Something
If your page feels scattered, repeat one element somewhere else.
Maybe you have pink in your focal point.
Add a tiny piece of pink paper somewhere else.
Used a butterfly on one side?
Add a little butterfly stamp on the other.
Have a piece of blue floral paper?
Use a tiny scrap of that same paper in another cluster.
Repetition helps all those random little scraps feel like they belong together.
And nobody needs to know that half of them came from your recycling bin.
9. Let Something Hang Off the Edge
Not everything has to stay politely inside the page.
Let a tag peek out.
Add a tab.
Let lace extend past the edge.
Fold a piece of paper over the side.
Attach a paper clip.
Use a little ribbon.
Those pieces sticking out make your journal feel layered and interactive—and they make you want to flip through it.
Just don't go completely bananas or your journal will eventually require its own ZIP code.
Ask me how I know.
10. KNOW WHEN TO STOP GLUING THINGS DOWN 😂
This may be the most important lesson in the entire post.
At some point...
PUT. THE. GLUE. STICK. DOWN.
If you're looking at the page thinking:
Maybe it needs one more flower...
Stop.
Walk away.
Get an iced coffee.
Come back in ten minutes.
You might discover that your page was already finished.
We creative people have a very special ability to take something we absolutely love and continue messing with it until we're wondering what happened.
You can always add something tomorrow.
Removing something that's been permanently glued under six layers of scrapbook paper?
Slightly more complicated.
My Easy Junk Journal Page Formula
When you don't know where to begin, try this:
1 focal point
+ 2–3 layers
+ 1 little cluster
+ a repeated color or pattern
+ some empty space
Then stop.
Look at it.
If you love it...
YOU'RE DONE.
No committee meeting required.
Get a FREE PDF Junk Journal Inspirational PDF here:
One More Thing...
Your junk journal does not need to look like the beautiful journals you see on Pinterest, Instagram or YouTube.
Those can be wonderful inspiration.
But this journal is supposed to look like YOU made it.
Use the weird little receipt you saved.
Use the paper your friend wrapped your birthday gift in.
Use the crooked tag.
Use the coffee sleeve.
Paint something on the page.
Write something only you understand.
Leave part of it unfinished.
Your journal doesn't become special because everything coordinates perfectly.
It becomes special because your life is tucked inside it.
So stop moving that little scrap of paper back and forth.
Glue the darn thing down.
Or don't.
Either way...
CREATE. RELAX. ENJOY. ❤️
-teresa XO
Teresa's Spot for Creativity
