How to Start Journaling This Autumn - Free Ideas and Materials to Get You Started

As the days gets shorter and the leaves turn golden, autumn invites us to slow down. It’s a season for cozy moments, warm drinks, and creating little pauses in our daily routines. This makes it the perfect time to start or return to your journaling practice.

Journaling is more than writing; it’s about collecting memories, reflecting on your thoughts, and allowing yourself to be creative. But maybe you feel like you don’t have the right supplies? The good news is: you don’t need expensive stickers, fancy papers, or a full craft drawer to begin. Often, the most meaningful and creative journaling materials can be found for free, all around you.

Here are some simple and inspiring ideas for where to find free journaling materials this autumn:

✨ Everyday memories from your city walks

Save business cards, receipts, napkins or stickers you collect from cafés, restaurants, or small shops. These tiny keepsakes tell stories of where you’ve been and add personality to your journal pages.

✨ Postcards and flyers

Many cafés, museums, and cultural spots offer free postcards or flyers. They’re perfect for collages, as backgrounds, or simply as visual reminders of your everyday adventures.

✨ Your local recycling station or book swap shelves

Don’t underestimate secondhand treasures. At recycling stations or book exchange shelves, you can often find old books, magazines, or travel guides. I’ve personally found travel books that I’ve cut up and used in my travel journal. 

✨ Free printables online

There are countless artists and creatives who share free digital journaling printables such as stickers, labels, and patterned papers. A quick search opens up a world of downloads you can print and use instantly in your journal.

By collecting these small treasures and adding them to your notebook, you create a journal that is not only beautiful but also deeply personal. It becomes a living archive of your daily life told through receipts, tickets, postcards, and small treasures gathered along the way.

So, this autumn, give yourself the gift of a quiet moment. Pick up a notebook, gather free journaling materials from your surroundings, and begin. You’ll discover that you already have everything you need to start your journaling journey.