Where to Use Tags in Your Junk Journal (35+ Creative Ideas)
Tags are one of those little things that seem simple, but once you start using them in your journals you realize they can go almost anywhere. Plus grab a free download: Tag Idea Booklet, that has this list plus more fun tag making ideas! Sign up at the bottom of this blog post.
When I first started junk journaling, I mostly thought of tags as something decorative. I’d tuck one into a pocket or clip one to a page and call it done. But the longer I’ve been journaling, the more I’ve realized tags are incredibly useful. They add layers, movement, places to write, and little interactive moments inside your journal.
They can hold a prayer, a memory, a verse, a note to yourself, or sometimes they just add that extra texture and peek of paper that makes a page feel finished.
The fun part is that tags don’t have to stay in one place. They can move around, tuck into different spots, or travel with you between journals. If you’ve been making tags and wondering what to actually do with them, here are some fun ideas for where to use tags in your junk journal (and a few other spots!).
Places to Use Tags in Your Junk Journal
- Inside journal pockets
- Tucked into belly bands
- Clipped to the edge of a journal page
- As a bookmark in your journal or Bible
- Layered into a collage cluster
- Stapled onto a scrapbook page
- Inserted into a hidden pocket
- Attached to the top of a flip-out page
- Tucked into envelopes in your journal
- Inside mini file folders
- As a pull tab to open a fold-out page
- Added to a paper clip cluster
- Hanging from ribbon on a page edge
- As a prayer card inside a prayer journal
- Inside memory keeping layouts
- Attached to a gift bag or gift box
- Used as a handmade gift tag
- Tucked inside a greeting card
- Inside pen pal letters or happy mail
- Attached to vintage keys or small gifts
- As a scripture reminder you can move between journals
- Inside junk journal ephemera packs
- Layered on the cover of a journal
- Attached to a spine dangle or charm
- Inside a gratitude journal
- Added to a planner dashboard pocket
- As a journaling prompt card
- Tucked inside travel journals
- As nameplates at the dinner table
- Used as affirmation cards
- Inside a daily devotional journal
- As creative name tags (that guests will want to keep)
- As interactive pieces in handmade books
- Added to scrapbook pockets
- Used as tabs to mark important pages
- Inside photo album pages
- Attached to fabric or lace clusters
The more you use tags, the more creative they become. Sometimes they hold journaling or prayers. Sometimes they’re simply decorative. Sometimes they become little surprises hidden inside your pages.
What I love about tags is that they make a journal feel interactive and add dimension. You pull something out, flip it over, tuck it back in, move it somewhere else. They create movement and discovery inside the book. Your pages really come to life!
And the best part is they’re easy to make. A scrap of paper, a hole punch, and a little creativity is all it takes. So if you’ve been making tags and wondering where they belong, the answer is simple…Pretty much everywhere!
Once you start adding them to your journals, you’ll see opportunities for tags on almost every page.
