Ambar Ramirez
The environmentally friendly hobby — junk journaling
Words by Ambar Ramirez
When my lease ended last year and I was cleaning out my nightstand drawers, I came to a horrifying realization: I’m a hoarder. Hoarder probably isn’t the best word for it as that is a very serious medical condition, but the things I held onto had no reason being held on to — receipts, paper bags, tissue paper, fortune cookie messages, old birthday cards, concert wristbands and a whole lotta sticky notes.
The worst part was that I couldn’t part with these seemingly unimportant objects. No sane person should be attached to an expired MetroCard I got on my trip to the Big Apple two years ago. And yet there I was, in a puddle of junk trying to part with a poem written on a paper napkin when I came across a TikTok video “Junk Journal With Me!”
Junk journaling is a new form of journaling taking the internet by storm and is a new hobby targeted to those (i.e., me) who hold on to “junk.” It’s a simple practice and one that is also serendipitously better for the environment. Much like regular journaling, junk journaling is a way to archive your life through grocery receipts that tell a story and a way to put your junk to good use. So, if you’re wondering on how you can lower your carbon footprint and are searching for a new way to kill some time, let me take you through the consuming art of junk journaling.
First things first — and I think this goes without saying — you need a journal. Any journal will do, but ideally, it’s one you’re not too attached to, as you’ll be filling it with trash… I mean, junk (if that sounds any better).
Next, gather your junk. And by junk, I mean anything flat enough to stick on a page. Candy wrappers, fruit stickers, postal labels, postcards, ripped-up packaging, matchbooks—you name it. You’ll also want some adhesive (tape or glue) and a pair of scissors for cutting down thicker materials.
Now, it’s time to bring it all together in your journal. Let creativity take the lead, and don’t expect your first few spreads to look like those you may find on Pinterest. That said, you can add some organization if you’d like. Much like dating a diary entry, you can use a receipt, a handwritten note, or any printed material to mark the date. From there, let the rest of the page flow, using visuals to document your day instead of words. But remember — this is your junk journal. There are no rules, just the freedom to create however you see fit.
Whether you’re preserving memories, unleashing creativity or simply embracing the beauty of imperfection, junk journaling is a reminder that every scrap has a story to tell. So gather your bits and pieces, and let the pages unfold!
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