25 Simple & Fun Junk Journaling Theme Ideas To Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Starting with a theme in junk journaling is like opening the door to a world waiting to be built — one scrap, one page at a time. Themes give your creativity a direction without limiting it, allowing your imagination to wander freely within a chosen atmosphere. Whether it’s “Mushrooms & Forest Finds” or “Postal Love,” a theme sets the tone and helps you gather papers, textures, and words that feel connected. It’s fun because it transforms a blank page into a story in motion — your own little universe of visual poetry. With each ephemera piece, you begin to explore not just art, but memory, mood, and meaning.

Below is a list of 25 junk journaling theme ideas to ignite your creativity:

1. Butterflies & Moths

Delicate wings, metamorphosis, flight, and transformation

2. Fairies & Enchanted Forests

Mushrooms, glowing trails, hidden doors, magical beings

3. Nautical Notes

Anchors, ships, sea maps, mermaids, messages in bottles

4. Nature Diaries

Leaves, feathers, pressed flowers, daily outdoor sketches

5. Mushrooms & Forest Finds

Spore prints, fungi facts, earthy textures and mossy corners

6. Vintage Days

Old photos, sepia tones, antique postcards and lace edges

7. Alice in Wonderland

Tea parties, white rabbits, “curiouser and curiouser” magic

8. Harry Potter Papers

Owl post, potion labels, spell pages, house-inspired journaling

9. Tea & Letters

Stained pages, tea bag tags, envelope flaps and heartfelt words

10. Garden Whispers

Botanical drawings, herb bundles, seed packets and bees

11. Postal Love

Vintage stamps, postmarks, airmail borders and telegram slips

12. The Book Nook

Favorite quotes, character notes, and imaginary libraries

13. Starry Nights

Constellations, moon phases, shooting stars and dark skies

14. Dreamcatcher Journal

Dreams, sleep symbols, soft clouds, and woven patterns

15. Keys & Clocks

Mystery, antique keys, pocket watches and winding gears

16. Floral Folios

Roses, violets, wildflowers, and pressed botanical inserts

17. Little Witch’s Journal

Spells, crystals, herb lore, and cottage witch vibes

18. Time Traveler’s Log

Old train tickets, timelines, travel stubs and ephemera

19. Forest Animals

Owls, foxes, rabbits and deer — gentle woodland companions

20. Heirloom Pages

Family stories, birth dates, ancestors and vintage frames

21. Parisian Paperie

Perfume ads, cafés, romantic fonts and soft florals

22. Flea Market Finds

Old receipts, handwritten notes, ticket stubs and labels

23. The Attic Journal

Dusty treasures, lost letters, forgotten trinkets and charm

24. Cottagecore Keepsakes

Doilies, gingham, baked goods and soft morning light

25. Apothecary Labels

Potion tags, old remedy cards, herbs and bottle silhouettes

No matter your style, mood, or level of experience, there’s a junk journaling theme out there waiting to bring your pages to life. The ideas we’ve shared are just the beginning — each one a doorway into a world of imagination, storytelling, and creative play. Whether you start with butterflies, fairy forests, or vintage postal love, let your journal become a space where inspiration flows and your personal magic unfolds, one layered page at a time.