The “Junk Journal Method” Will Make Your Walls Even More Memorable

Are you the type of person who has a memory box for old ticket stubs, restaurant napkins, wristbands from bars, and other memorabilia? If so, you might be really into the craft of junk journaling, which is essentially a memory box in page form. You take all those bits of paper and pieces of cherished trash and glue them to the pages, and add a bit of writing to chronicle where they came from.

Junk journaling is when people save objects that would otherwise be thrown in the trash (think: a concert ticket or receipt from a special restaurant) and glue them into a memory book. Immediately, toss-away items become important memorabilia that is a relic from a treasured memory. 

But some sentimentalists are taking their junk journaling craft to the walls. And the result is decor that feels so personal and homey — everywhere you look is a warm and cozy memory to look back on fondly.

Bringing the practice of junk journaling into your home decor can take different forms. You can keep it simple by framing single items and sticking them down to a decorative background. Instagram user Mojo Provo framed a note from her sister’s maid of honor speech and the wristband from the club where she met her husband, for example.

And Lauren from Murphy The Lady on Instagram framed one of the cocktail napkins from her wedding to celebrate her second wedding anniversary.

But you can also mimic the chaos of the junk journal in framed memory boxes, too. Cut a piece of cardstock the same size as your frame and stick bits and bobs down to your heart’s content — you can even remove the glass from the frame if you want to make your piece three-dimensional. Creating multiple collages like this and displaying them side by side would look like an art installation.

Why tuck your memories away in a box when you can put them on full display and live in them every day? Use the junk journal method to decorate your space and make your home feel more like a reflection of you.