There’s something magic about sitting down with your journal, flipping through your stash of stickers and ephemera, and letting your imagination take the wheel.
Whether you’re journaling to remember, reflect, or just play, creative prompts can help spark stories you didn’t even know were in you.
I am all about that dreamy, sun-bleached, scrapbook-core vibe—think pink motels, desert highways, garage bands, and vintage postcards from a life you might’ve lived in another timeline.
If you’ve been feeling a little stuck or just want to vibe with the California aesthetic, here are 10 junk journaling prompts inspired that golden state of mind🌴✨
🧡 10 California-Inspired Junk Journal Prompts:
📮 “Postcard to Myself” Pretend you're road tripping through Big Sur. Write a note to your past or future self and decorate with travel stickers, vintage postcards, and dreamy views.
💘 “Pink Motel Romance” Inspired by motel-themed packaging. Imagine a night at a vintage roadside inn—what’s in your suitcase? Who’s there? Use hearts, matchbooks, motel keys, and pink skies.
🎸 “Garage Band Girl” Channel your inner Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday. Journal your teen angst, scribble down lyrics, and collage with band posters, guitar picks, and moody color palettes.
🌊 “Endless Summer Playlist” Create a mixtape-inspired spread full of beach day memories, sun-kissed lyrics, and your favorite summer songs. Add waves, sunglasses, and your go-to tracks.
🎡 “Venice Beach Scrapbook” A chaotic, artsy spread inspired by a day at the Beach. Use zine-style collage, skateboards, hot dogs, street art, and bold colors.
💌 “Stickers I’d Mail to a Pen Pal” Make a faux envelope page. Tuck in little notes, doodles, pretend stamps, and sticker "snippets" you'd share with a fellow journaler.
🌵 “Camping in the Desert” Picture a night under the stars in Joshua Tree. Use kraft paper textures, desert florals, cacti, and cosmic details like moons and constellations.
📞 “Answer the Payphone” If a payphone on Sunset Blvd rang, who would be calling? Use your imagination, retro stickers, glitter pens, and old text messages or unsent letters to build the scene.
🎞️ “Snapshots from a Fake Road Trip” Create a fictional road trip down Highway 1. Use sticker “photos,” diary entries, and themed mini spreads for each stop along the way.
🍊 “California Girls Journal Differently” Let your inner Cali girl take over: roller skates, palm trees, confidence, chaos, and vintage glamour. Just journal like nobody’s watching.
🌼 Let the Stickers Tell the Story...
Journaling isn’t about perfection—it’s about collecting pieces of yourself. Whether you use all ten prompts or just one, let your stickers guide you, your scraps lead the way, and your journal hold the stories only you can tell.
And if you make a spread inspired by this post, tag me on Instagram or TikTok @prince.of.california—I would love to see it.
Keep it dreamy, 💌 Prince of California
