So, you’re going on a trip?! Whether you’re traveling for a week or several months, two hours from home or halfway around the world, it’s an experience you’ll want to remember. One of my favorite ways to capture those memories is by creating a DIY travel journal.

I’m a chronic planner user, and after graduating from university, I went on a three-month backpacking trip through Europe. Creating a travel journal not only helped me track and plan my days, but it also became a creative outlet and a meaningful way to preserve tickets, brochures, and other paper souvenirs. Best of all, it allowed me to stay creative without carrying a ton of art supplies.

In this post, I’ll walk you through:

How I built the base of my travel journal
The minimal supplies I packed
Creative ideas you can use to make your own travel journal

Choosing (or Making) the Base of Your Travel Journal

I’ve made two travel journals for two different trips, and they turned out completely different—which is exactly the point. These ideas are meant to be inspiration, not rules.

Option 1: A Small Ring Notebook

For my first travel journal, I used a small notebook with a three-ring snap core in the center. I loved this format because it made adding and rearranging pages incredibly easy. Bonus: I borrowed it from my sister, so it was free.

Option 2: A DIY Cardboard Journal

For my second journal, I made one from scratch. I cut two pieces of cardboard, punched three holes in each, and added split rings to hold everything together. For extra protection and storage, I sewed a sleeve out of old billboard fabric I already had.

This version was more personalized and surprisingly practical. The sleeve pockets were perfect for storing artwork I didn’t want to hole-punch, and the billboard fabric cover even doubled as a palette for mixing watercolor paints.

Another plus of this option is you can pick the materials, colors and size!

Once I had the structure of the journal figured out, I focused on packing only the essential materials.

Here’s my biggest tip: don’t add a lot of paper before you leave.

While traveling, you naturally collect paper—airline tickets, receipts, brochures, maps, toll slips, and even shopping bags with cool patterns. I used these items as the base of my journal pages, which meant I didn’t need to bring much paper with me at all.

Travel Journal Supplies (Minimal & Backpack-Friendly)

Here’s the simplified list of what I brought:

Essentials

Glue stick (to bind scrap paper into pages)
Scrap paper collected while traveling (tickets, receipts, brochures, packaging)

Art Supplies

Cardstock (cut to journal size)
Watercolor paper (also cut down)
3 black pens in different sizes
2 mechanical pencils (or pencils stuffed with extra lead)
1 red pen
Eraser

Tools

Small scissors with rounded ends
- Note: I made it through 10+ airports with these, but they were eventually taken by Vietnamese customs. Tearing paper works just as well and creates a great texture.
Hole punch
- I was stopped at almost every airport for this, but after explaining what it was for, I was always allowed to keep it.

Optional Extras

Tape
String or thread
Sticky notes (I picked up some cute ones in Bangkok that I loved)

How I Started Each Journal

Once everything was packed, I usually began my journal with a blank page that included:

The destination
My intentions or goals for the trip
Quotes or notes from family and friends
My name and a contact number, in case the journal was lost

This first page helped set the tone for the entire trip and made the journal feel intentional from the start.

Ideas and Examples:)

Cutting art featured in museum brochures to create one page with some of your fav peices.

Collecting paper/art/letters from people you meet along the way.

I like to keep all the paper I receive, including receipts, stickers, tickets, and food wrappers.

Final Thoughts: Make It Yours

I’m not a writer by trade, and explaining creative processes can be tricky—so I’ve shared photos of some of my favorite pages and ideas below. Like any good artist, feel free to steal, adapt, and make them your own.

Your travel journal doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be personal. Whether you’re backpacking across continents or taking a short weekend trip, a handmade travel journal is one of the most meaningful souvenirs you can bring home.

How to Make a Travel Journal While Backpacking (With Minimal Supplies)