Time4Adventure
Ever come home from a trip with a bundle of maps and flyers, but not know what to do with it all? Can’t imagine an appropriate place to put that official “Balanced an Egg at the Equator” certificate; or a forever home for that Prague BeerSpa sticker? If you’re like me, you may have wistfully thought this memorabilia would someday end up framed or in a well organized scrapbook. Spoilers, it never does.
When you struggle with ADHD ‘task paralysis,’ (the result of overwhelming feelings around decision-making that make it hard to begin a project despite wanting to do so) keeping up with clutter is nearly impossible. Prioritizing and planning the right way to showcase curated items can be immobilizing for someone with executive function disorder.
Junk Journaling to the rescue!
The Why of Junk Journaling
My Bestie introduced me to Junk Journaling as a way of effortlessly making a free-form collection of everyday items that spark memories while simultaneously addressing clutter. For example, that time we were at the mall and found sparkly My Little Pony makeup; that cute glittery pony on the cardboard box got cut out and inserted into the Junk Journal while the rest of the empty box got trashed. Or the movie ticket stub from when my Bestie got stung by a stingray and we still managed to be on time for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opening night. The Junk Journal essentially becomes a house for all the ‘too cute to toss yet’ items, or the ‘oh I don’t want to forget about the time when…’ objects that document my experiences in life.
This may seem a bit silly to some; why would you need a piece of trash to remind you of a place you went or of a meal you enjoyed? Can’t you just remember it if you liked it? As someone who has difficulty with object permanence (the ability to remember an object exists when it is out of sight), having a tangible reminder is helpful. And if you are asking, “Do I have object permanence issues?” look at where you keep your mail. If it is in a nice tidy stack and you still remembered to cash that check, no, you do not. If alternatively each piece of actionable mail is laid out across any available surface so you won’t forget that important tax information exists, then yes, you might want to look into this topic further.
The second reason I embraced Junk Journaling is because my mom is facing late stage dementia and as her caregiver, I’ve seen first hand how visual cues can support recognition. I don’t want to lose my memories like her, so if gluing scraps into a book randomly (not an organized scrapbook) will decrease clutter and help me remember the amazing life I’ve lived, why not try it?
How is Junk Journaling Different from Scrapbooking?
Junk Journaling and scrapbooking can look similar at a glance; however, they differ in a few ways…
Traditional Scrapbook | Junk Journal | |
Purpose = | Preserve family heritage | Self-expression and creativity |
Approach = | Structured and polished | Embracing imperfection |
Time Spent = | Hours finalizing layout before starting project | Quicker, design as you go, see what takes shape |
Adding Content = | Make a brand new page | Keep adding to and amending page over time |
Cost = | A lot - designer and textured paper for background, adorable and highly specific 3 D stickers for decoration, printing physical photographs, etc. | Free- it's the papers you were gonna toss at the end of the day and other found material |
Aesthetic = | Pottery Barn patchwork quilt | Punk rock poster collage |
How to Set Up a Junk Journal
About a month before the cruise, my Bestie brought over a bunch of brown paper lunch bags, contact paper, glue, and ribbon for craft night. We folded the paper bags and glued them like book signatures (bookbinding term we learned in bookmaking class at the Print Museum) and wrapped the outside in contact paper giving it a water resistant and durable cover. I made two junk journals; one to practice with everyday tidbits, and one specifically to use on the cruise.
How to Pack for Junk Journal Making
Supplies I brought on the cruise: cork backed ruler, precision knife, self healing cutting mat, binder clips, liquid glue, glue stick, packing tape, double sided tape, and scissors. Most of these items were from Dollar Tree and all were travel-sized. Remember, it was more than a month living in a basic interior cabin, travel-sized and multi purpose items were a necessity.
Junk Journaling Techniques
On Princess, they print the day’s events instead of assuming all guests use smartphones. I cut out words and images with the precision knife, careful to use the self healing cutting mat underneath so I didn’t carve into the desk, and used double stick tape to place the pieces temporarily. If I liked the placement, I’d go back with liquid glue to make it permanent, or the glue stick to make semi-permanent in case it still might need to be moved.
As we hit ports, I would save maps and brochures along with any Princess excursion documents. Sitting down in the evening, or the next day at sea, was a great way to synthesize information. At first, the experiences seemed fresh and easy to recall, but as we went to more islands the specific details began to muddle. Did I see the flying fox in American Samoa or Samoa? Was I snorkeling in Taha’a or Dravuni when I saw the Christmas tree worms? (Spirobranchus giganteus, google it, it's amazing). Having a Junk Journal to revisit provides clarity and helps me win arguments with my husband - trick question, we saw flying fox in American Samoa and Fiji, and Dravuni is where I saw the rainbow forest of Christmas tree worms.
If interested in seeing more Junk Journaling, providing feedback, or have questions, please leave a comment below