20 Things to Do in Your Journal, From Mood Trackers to Memory Pages

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By SophieOccasions EditorHome & Rooms·Oct 8, 2026·20 ideas·9 min read·Editorial standards

Looking for things to do in your journal besides writing about your day? Try a bookshelf full of titles, a page of little happy moments or a collage made from saved tickets.

These pages give you plenty to work with, whether you love drawing or would rather stick things down.

You can keep it simple or go all out with color. Start with an idea you actually want to come back to, then add a few details to make it your own.

Journal Page Ideas Worth Trying

a colorful habit tracker

We’re starting off strong with this detailed habit tracker. I love the little pink and purple dots inside the grid.

The habits run down the left side while the dates stretch across the top.

Try starting with just a few habits you want to follow. Keep the tiny bunting at the top if you want that extra bit of color.

six months in color

How cute is this blue, green and yellow tracker? Each day gets a little square, with a color key beside the grid to explain what it means.

Give your own days a color for six months. I especially like that there’s a blank option for days you forgot to record. No need to guess later!

a page full of happy things

I am obsessed with the little yellow sun in the middle of this page. All those handwritten happy things fill the space right up to the edges.

Draw a sun of your own, then surround it with anything that makes you smile. Favorite songs, little routines and foods you love are all good places to start.

flowers and tiny hearts

If you love keeping flowers, this page is for you. The pink, yellow and deep purple blooms sit between leafy stems and tiny outlined hearts.

For your own version, use fully dried, pressed flowers or flower pictures. Leave a little corner for a note about why you chose them.

a bookshelf reading log

This bookshelf may just be one of my favorite ideas here. I love the trailing green plant beside the empty book spines.

There’s even a little heart sitting on a shelf.

The heading makes this an audiobook page. Write a title on each spine as you finish listening, or use the same layout for books you read.

tickets and everyday memories

Don’t want to write a whole page about your day? No problem!

This spread mixes tickets and a receipt with short notes, arrows and little drawings.

Save a few paper reminders from an outing and arrange them around the dates. Add a sentence beside each one so you remember more than just where you went.

a fall bucket list

Who else loves a seasonal page? The colored leaves down the side and the little pumpkin at the bottom are so cute.

A tiny banner finishes the fall heading.

Make your own version with activities you’d like to try, from baking an apple pie to visiting a pumpkin patch. Leave room to mark the ones you do.

little frames for washi samples

How adorable are these tiny hanging frames? Each one holds a different decorative sample, with curved lines connecting them like a little gallery.

Try this layout for your washi tape collection. Draw the frames first, then add a small piece of tape inside each one.

a summer vision board

If you are looking for a page with lots of color, then this one is for you. There’s so much to look at, from flowers and outdoor scenes to little quote cutouts.

I love the gold-colored stars tucked between the pictures. Gather images that fit what you’d like your summer to include, then mix different sizes across the spread.

green lettering and weekly plans

This is such a pretty way to pair a weekly planner with a reminder to yourself. The left page has large black lettering over a pale green wash.

The right has matching green accents behind the days.

Keep your own plans short if you want plenty of space around the lettering. A small calendar in the corner is a lovely finishing touch.

your monthly playlist

The music fans are going to love this! Each song has tiny playback symbols and a line with a dot, just like a music player.

Write down the songs you keep coming back to this month. Put the artist beneath each title to follow this simple black-ink layout.

a colorful travel wish list

I love the bright map beside this summer travel page. The little signpost on the left is just as cute, with different colors for the destinations.

Try drawing a map of somewhere you’d like to explore. Add places and experiences beside it, whether you’re planning a trip or just collecting ideas for later.

things you want to stop doing

Not every journal page has to be about adding more to your life. This one makes room for habits and pressures you’d rather let go of, with pastel illustrations in opposite corners.

Choose a few reminders that feel relevant to you. You might start with comparing yourself to others or saying yes when you mean no. Keep the wording kind.

a coffee-themed collage

Calling all coffee lovers, this spread is so pretty! The illustrated cups, old-fashioned grinder and layered lettering fill both pages with brown, rust and cream colors.

Try a similar collage with coffee pictures and printed paper scraps. Overlap the edges if you like this full, slightly messy look.

a year of little color squares

This is another color tracker, but it gives you a whole year on one page. I love how the block letters at the top repeat the colors from the key.

Use a narrow column for each month and a square for each day. Choose your own mood labels rather than squeezing your feelings into someone else’s categories.

draw your favorite outfit pieces

How cute is this illustrated wardrobe page? The jeans, checked shirt and little burgundy bag look adorable together. Tiny leaves and stars fill the gaps.

Draw a few pieces you’d like to wear this season, then add handwritten labels. You could start with clothes you already own rather than making it a shopping list.

a film watchlist

If you’re always forgetting which movie you wanted to watch, try a page like this. The spread has rows of little title boxes beneath a big handwritten heading.

Make a box for each film on your list, then color it in after you watch it. I love the scattered pastel squares against the plain ones.

recipes to try and rate

This recipe page is so simple and cute. Each entry has a checkbox on one side and a row of rating stars on the other.

The little cooking pot at the bottom is my favorite detail.

Write down dishes you want to try, then fill in the stars after making them. Leave some empty space for new ideas.

a letter to your younger self

Want to write something a little more personal? Try a letter to your younger self.

The large blue words in the middle give this handwritten page a different look from a regular diary entry.

You could write about what has changed, what you’re proud of or what you wish you’d known. There’s no need to copy the feelings in someone else’s letter.