If you've ever wanted to start junk journaling but felt unsure where to begin — or if you simply wanted a single source for all the little things that make journal pages come alive — this video walks through everything included in the Junk Journal Starter Kit I put together and listed in my Etsy shop. There's a lot in here: a naked journal, ephemera, specialty papers, lace, beads, buttons, book pages, fibers, doilies, envelopes, hardware, and more. I wanted to pack enough variety that you could open the box and actually make something without needing a separate shopping trip.
What we cover
This is an unboxing-style walkthrough of the full kit — every item, what it is, how I imagine it being used, and where things might vary slightly from pack to pack. It's a good watch before buying, or if you're curious about what a well-rounded junk journaling supply bundle actually looks like.
What you'll learn
What a junk journal starter kit can reasonably contain — this kit is built around the idea that you shouldn't have to hunt for everything separately. It includes a base journal to work in, papers to layer, embellishments to cluster, closures, pockets, and binding materials all in one go.
How the included naked journal is set up, including:
- 32 pages, all different types — no two are the same
- Front cover lightly embellished, otherwise a blank canvas
- Ready to work in straight away
The role of specialty and ephemera papers in junk journaling, including:
- 16 pieces of designer paper, cardstock, and embossed paper
- A separate ephemera pack with pockets, tags, die-cuts, stickers, and assorted bits
- Pre-printed sentiment stickers (quotes and sayings already on sticker paper, cut-and-use)
How vintage book pages add depth and story to journal pages, including:
- Pages penciled with the year (1949, 1955, 1963, 1975, 1988 — easily erased if you'd rather not show it)
- A second bundle in foreign languages — approximately six different languages — for visual texture
What fiber bundles contribute to journal clusters and tags — 12 different fibers, one meter each, intended for tag embellishment, clusters, and page decoration rather than binding
How elastic lace and cord work as journal closures, including:
- White elastic lace and beige elastic lace
- Two meters of gold elastic cord — a softer, more decorative closure option
Using twine for tag toppers and twine binding — two meters of each twine included; this is the kind I reach for regularly when I'm doing simple twine binding or finishing off a tag topper
How adhesive memo pockets can go straight onto a journal page — these are self-adhesive, no prep needed, just peel and place
What hardware and trim elements look like in a junk journaling context, including:
- A hardware bag with paperclips, safety pins, brads, wooden elements, and charms (exact mix varies slightly pack to pack)
- Braided trim (one meter beige, one meter white)
- Bias tape and ric-rac in one-meter lengths
- Beaded trim (30 centimeters)
- Paper and plastic frames — six per pack — for journal pages and covers
How gold mesh fabric works as a cut-anywhere embellishment — 50 centimeters included; you can cut it at any point and the cut edge holds, making it easy to snip small pieces for charms and clusters on the fly
What doilies, napkins, and envelopes contribute to page variety, including:
- Paper doilies (multiple types) plus three round tulle doilies
- Three decorative napkins (vary pack to pack)
- Ten envelopes of mixed styles — airmail, embossed, and others
Bookplates as a repeatable journal element — 15 per pack, used on journal covers and inside pages to give a finished, intentional look
Tips & gotchas
The year penciled on the vintage book pages is just pencil — it erases cleanly if you want a clean page, or you can leave it as part of the story. I added it so you'd know at a glance what era the page came from.
The gold mesh is more versatile than it looks. You don't need scissors that can handle anything fiddly — just cut it anywhere, and the piece holds its shape well enough to tie, glue, or layer into a charm. I use it in a lot of my projects and it's one of those things that goes further than you'd expect from 50 centimeters.
For the twine, don't overlook it as a tag topper material. Most people reach for ribbon, but a small loop of twine on a tag gives a much more natural, worn look that suits vintage junk journal pages well. And of course it's my go-to for twine binding when I want something quick and honest-looking.
The adhesive memo pockets are genuinely ready to use — no gluing, no waiting. If you're building a page and want a functional pocket without the fuss, these are the ones to reach for first.
A few items in the kit (charms, lace, napkins, frames, wallpaper samples, paint swatches) will vary slightly from pack to pack, but the counts stay consistent. Think of it less like a fixed product and more like a curated assortment — the character of the kit is the same even when the exact pieces differ.
The combination of book pages, napkins, and specialty papers gives you plenty to work with for backgrounds; the ephemera, frames, and bookplates take care of the mid-ground details; and the beads, charms, mesh, and fibers finish off the clusters. It's the kind of bundle that makes a quiet afternoon with your journal feel genuinely well-supplied — without having to think too hard about what's missing.
