Journaling isn’t just about writing; it’s about creating an experience, capturing your thoughts, and adding a personal touch to each page. Whether you’ve been journaling for a long time now or new to the journaling community, having the right supplies can make the experience more enjoyable. That’s why I put together this list of must have journaling supplies for creatives - this list includes practical products that make creating your next journal spread a breeze to fun, decorative items to unleash your creativity.
Everyone’s journaling style and preference is unique to them so some of these journaling supplies may resonate with you while others might not be useful to the form of journaling you do. I spent most of my journaling time simply writing in a journal. No addition of stickers, photos, etc. I used to switch up my pen color and use highlighters every now and then but that was the extent to it. I wanted to try other forms of journaling, especially to experience the artistic side, and over the last couple of years I dove into the junk journaling world.
Junk journaling allows you to express your artistic side and document memories by repurposing “junk” like coffee cup sleeves, paper bags with logos to the shop you visited, receipts, ticket stubs, etc. It’s a fun way to look back at memorable times in life and I also find junk journaling therapeutic. I’m not the most crafty or creative person but I felt less pressure with creative spreads when junk journaling. I enjoy creating spreads from fun times with friends, checking out local coffee shops and restaurants, documenting moments from vacation, etc.
As much as I enjoy junk journaling, the journaling style I truly love is freehand writing and adding some cute designs with stickers and washi tape. It’s fun to go back and forth with different journal styles depending on my mood and what specifically I want to journal about.
In this list, you’ll find everything from basic tools to trendy extras that add personality and flair to your journal pages. These supplies are perfect for anyone who loves getting creative, whether you’re journaling for self-care, planning your day, or capturing your artistic journey.
Ready to level up your journaling game? Let’s dive in!
Your journal is the foundation of it all! Whether you’re starting with a simple notebook or a fancy, leather-bound journal, choose one that fits your vibe and inspires you to write, reflect, and get creative. The right journal sets the tone for your thoughts and creativity to flow freely. Leuchtturm1917 journals are pretty popular - they come in a ton of different colors and have dot grids, lined page, and blank page options. If you like to travel, one thing I’ve been doing sometimes is purchasing a journal during travel adventures. The journal I’m currently using is one I purchased while I was traveling in Europe and bought from Bookbinders Design in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Having smooth gel pens to bold markers and pretty highlighters can elevate your journaling experience. Go for pens that are comfortable to hold and glide seamlessly when writing. Zebra Mildliners are a popular option when it comes to dual ended highlighters. Stabilo Felt Tip Pens are fun to add bold pops of color, and Muji pens are comfortable to write with and glide easily on pages.
Add a burst of creativity to your journal with colorful craft paper. Whether you’re making collages, scrapbooking memories, or simply adding a fun background, these papers are a must-have for adding texture and personality to your pages. Michael’s and Joann’s have great single craft paper sheet designs to choose from as well as craft paper books. Walmart also offers a nice selection of craft paper.
Washi tape makes decorating journal spreads super easy and fun. They’re easy to create fun borders with and a cute way to tape down photos, receipts, and other memorabilia. Some of my favorite washi tapes are from Simply Gilded, they have tons of stunning designs and come in multiple sizes. You can get $5 off a $15 purchase by clicking this link! Simply Gilded book shelf, stardust, and mandala designs are some of my favorite washi tapes from them.
There are washi tapes for everyone and every kind of journal spread, from bold colors to neutral vibes, florals to food designs, and more! Other places to find washi tape are your craft stores like JOANN and Michael’s, and Amazon.
Whether you’re sticking in pictures, quotes, or other journaling ephemera, glue sticks and glue tape are your best friends. They’re easy to use and perfect for when you want to make sure your craft projects stay put without the hassle. The Dollar Tree recently started carrying glue tape and you can purchase them in bulk on Amazon. Glue sticks are great to stock up on during back to school deals.
A ruler is a simple yet essential tool that helps you create straight lines and perfectly measured spaces in your journal. Whether you’re creating borders, boxes, or dividing sections, having a ruler is a must for journaling sessions.
Having a good pair of scissors is helpful when cutting pictures, quotes, etc. while creating your journal spreads. You don’t need to get any fancy ones - Dollar Tree has great large scissors + mini scissors for more intricate cutting. Craft scissors are also fun to have if you like to create different shaped borders for any photos you add.
Having a paper cutter on hand is a game-changer for precise and effortless cuts. Whether you're trimming photos, scrapbook paper, or other journaling scraps, this tool ensures your edges are crisp and clean, making every page look polished and well put-together. I started off with a smaller paper cutter because I wanted something small and portable. I use it quite a bit - works well for photos and smaller scraps but plan on splurging on a larger one in the future to cut larger papers.
Stickers are the perfect way to add a little flair to your journal. There are stickers for every theme, mood, and moment that’s to add to your pages. Simply Gilded is one of many incredible small shops out there that offer beautiful stickers to journal and plan with. This link will give you $5 off $15 an order on Simply Gilded. I also love these cute strawberry theme stickers designed by a journaling creator I follow.
Small shops are my way to go when it comes to purchasing stickers, whether that’s through finding them from recommendations, Etsy, social media, local markets, etc. The Dollar Tree and Five Below also have a decent sticker selection to check out.
Definitely one of my favorite journaling investments - a portable photo printer lets me instantly print memories and it’s perfect for journaling on the go! I have the HP Sprocket wireless instant photo printer and it’s been a game changer for my reading journal especially. I use the collage feature in the HP Sprocket app to print out book covers to track my reading journey. Photos print on sticker back paper which makes adding printed photos to my journal convenient and mess free.
Stamps are a fun way to add a personal touch to your journal spread + using calendar and box stencil stamps can make planning and bullet journaling easier and less time consuming.
There are numerous ways to organize your journaling supplies and some of my favorite things to have on hand are a 3 Tier cart to easily roll in and out of spaces. They come in several colors and are great to store your supplies like pens, stickers, craft paper, journals, and more.
Having a great pencil holder/case is helpful, especially if you plan to journal on the go. If your style is more minimal, a smaller pencil case will work to store your pens and pencils while a larger one may be more ideal if you like having pen options and markers at your disposal. They’re also great to store other tools like washi, ruler, gluesticks, scissors, etc. for on the go journaling. Plastic boxes like these are great to store craft paper and other larger journaling supplies in, these come in handy to store sticker sheets, and I find using these drawers wonderful to store washi and other journaling supplies.
At the end of the day, the right journaling supplies can turn a simple habit into a comforting ritual. Whether it’s using your favorite pen or the little burst of joy from a cute sticker, the supplies you choose should make you feel good and inspire you. Journaling isn’t just about writing—it’s about carving out moments for yourself, nurturing your creativity, and reflecting on life’s little joys. So, pick the supplies that spark happiness, create a cozy corner for your thoughts, and let your journal be the welcoming space that brings you peace and creativity each day.
