travel journaling 101

supplies, prompts, and everything else you need to journal around the world

If you know me, you know that journaling (scrapbooking, memory-keeping, collage-ing, it’s all the same in my book) has pretty much always been a huge part of my life. I love to remember moments, big and small, through the bits and pieces I’ve picked up along the way. But I’ve always thought that there was something really special about documenting where you travel.

The misconception about traveling is that you need to go thousands of miles away and jump timezones in order to have a worthwhile trip. But the truth is, some of the most amazing views and incredible moments I’ve had traveling were just a few hours away from my hometown.

You don’t necessarily need to rack up airline miles to make memories. It could be a day trip to the next city over, or it could be a two-week excursion on the other side of the world. The real magic of traveling is in the experience and the memories, regardless of where you go.

the places I traveled vs. the pages I journaled there

As I’ve shared my pages online over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the whole process. So, I thought it was time to reveal what goes on behind the pages!

supplies, supplies, supplies!

I have a confession to make. If there’s one substance I just can’t shake, it is my addiction to stationary supplies.

Obviously I don’t believe that you must buy these exact items in order to journal to your heart’s desire- but in case you’re curious, here’s everything that goes in my kit!

A. Midori MD Notebook A5 (blank)- I’ve been buying these journals for years because I just love them so much. Made in Japan, they’re durable, lay flat, and have the most smooth off-white pages that I love. I also have a transparent plastic cover with a pencil pouch on mine for some extra protection, but unfortunately I got it in Asia and can’t find it anywhere online! (here’s a similar one)

B. Zebra Mildliner Highlighters- Personally I love these because they come in lots of cute colors, don’t bleed through, and are dual-tipped, but any kind of marker to add some color to your pages should do.

C. Plus Pocket-Sized Scissors- Y’all. These scissors changed my life. They’re honestly so slim that you can disguise them as one of your pens, so they’re SO good for traveling. Not only for journaling purposes, but also if you need some handy scissors on-the-go! (Learn from my mistakes and don’t forget to pack them in your check-in bag and not your carry-on… LOL)

D. Kokuyo Dotliner Glue Tape- A good adhesive is essential when you’re collecting photos, paper goods, and other junk. This one is the perfect size!

E. Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 Smartphone Printer- Out of everything on this list, I’d say this is the best investment/bang for your buck. I got tired of carrying my Polaroid everywhere… love the cute polaroids, hate the extra weight. This printer uses the same film, but you can leave it behind in your room and print photos directly from your phone after a long day. Changed the whole journal game for me.

F. 0.5 Uniball Zento- Jotting down all of the details from your trip requires a smooth and reliable pen! (Really any pen will do)

G. Washi tape- Besides being a reliable adhesive, washi tape is one of my favorite ways to add color and texture to a page. It’s also one of my favorite souvenirs to get while traveling- I will purposefully “forget” tape at home so that I can buy a new one wherever I’m going.

H. Stickers- Most of the time I’ll keep stickers from home in the back pocket of my journal, but similar to the washi tape, they’re another item I love to buy as a souvenir at my destination!

I. Ephemera (junk)- The one thing I can’t really hyperlink you is all the stuff you’re going to accumulate during your travels! Don’t sleep on tickets, menus, maps, receipts, business cards, coasters, postcards, labels, stickers, pressed flowers, stamps, photo booth strips… really anything you come across that you think is worth remembering. This is where the personality of the place sings!

I came, I saw… now what do I write?

I always tell people that despite what the Tiktok “experts” have made you believe, there is no right or wrong way to journal.

Personally, my default method is to simply let my brain spit out whatever I’m thinking at the moment. No filters, just brain dump.

It could be one word, it could be pages. I’ve had travel journal pages featuring the most breathtaking European scenery, and the text I’ve written next to it will be dedicated entirely to a gelato I ordered that I just can’t stop thinking about, and nothing else. Journaling doesn’t have to be this big dramatic thing if you don’t want it to. It can be whatever you want.

But I know for a lot people, writing “whatever comes to mind” can be quite scary and intimidating. Like, where do you even start? So, I thought I’d come up with some ideas just in case you want to write about your trip with a little more intention:

• What were the highlights of your day/week/etc.?

• If you were giving your friend travel advice for visiting this destination, what would you say?

• How does the destination compare to how you imagined it would be?

• Describe the culture you’re surrounded by. Do they practice certain traditions? How is the community here different or similar to where you’re from?

• Trip highs and lows- what about this trip was positive, and what was more frustrating?

• Language guide- write out some common phrases or slang you’ve learned from the area you’re visiting.

• Write captions for the photos and ephemera you’ve included.

• Have everyone in your group write a little message to you, like a yearbook :)

• Describe an interaction or conversation you had with a local.

• What’s your wardrobe like on this trip?

• What kind of souvenirs have you picked up so far?

• Make a list of favorite foods you had and restaurants you visited on your trip.

• Make a playlist of songs you listened to while you were on this trip.

• Make a playlist of songs inspired by this trip.

• What did you learn about yourself on this trip? Has it changed you or your perspective on the world in any way?

last thoughts: timing and imperfection

To state the obvious: traveling can be quite stressful as it is, and you shouldn’t put any unnecessary additional pressure on yourself. A few tiny things to remember when travel journaling:

• Documentation takes time, so remember that you make your own schedule. Don’t have the time or too tired to journal tonight? Do it tomorrow… or whenever you have free time… or better yet, when you get back home!

• Forgot your supplies at home? Write down the important stuff you want to remember in the moment, and then leave some space to add stickers, photos, ephemera, etc. when you’re back in the comfort of your own home :)

• Don’t forget to write the dates on your pages! When you look back at your journal years from now, you’ll be so thankful that you did.

• I pride myself on making things look pretty, but in no way do I ever expect them to look perfect. The more you something looks, the better.

• Live in the moment! Take the pressure off and don’t forget that what’s most important is the experience of travel. Journaling is great and all, but it means nothing if you’re not actually living.

I hope this little journal guide inspires you in some way to start documenting your own travels, wherever they may be!

If you feel like sharing your creations, feel free to tag me in your posts on Instagram or here in my Substack comments section. I’d love to see what you create. Not to be dramatic, but it feels like my entire life’s mission at this point is to carry this flag toward the journaling revolution.

Happy journaling and safe travels! Write ya soon!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to support my future creative endeavors, feel free to buy me a coffee!