You can make a great journal with a basic computer and some office supplies. Professional binding is not needed for great DIY journal results!

I made this hiking journal using regular copy paper. To add a little style, I printed the cover page on a slightly heavier stock I found in brown at a craft store.

To make empty journal pages, I just decided how many pages I wanted my final product to be. My journal was made by using standard 8 1/2” x 11” copy paper, used horizontally. When the journal is stapled and folded, it is a convenient size to carry on a hike!

The beauty of making a journal yourself is that you can use any design or color you may want. I chose a compass design printed on the cover of mine to coordinate with a hiking theme. Set up the cover you’d like on your home computer, selecting landscape or your page orientation. If you set the layout into two columns, it is pretty easy to figure out how the page will look when it is folded. Once you have created and printed out a cover page the way you like it, you can use a copy machine to copy the page onto the colored stock.

If you decide to include some print on your inside pages, it can get a little trickier – you will probably want to make up a sample book to be sure the pages are laid out properly and you may need double-sided copy on some or all of the pages. Once the pages are stacked the way you like, use a long-arm stapler to add two staples (the good side facing the outside of your journal). Then, just fold.

This same method is great for creating a DIY wedding program. For this, you can add a cord or ribbon to the binding.

I hope I have inspired you to create a DIY journal!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie