Before You Splurge on a Fancy Journal Cover, Try This Thrifted DIY

I rarely walk into a thrift store looking for something specific. Half the fun is digging through racks and shelves until something I never knew I needed suddenly feels impossible to leave behind. But thanks to TikTok, I now have one very specific addition to my thrift list: a wallet. Not for my cards or cash, but for my journal.

TikTok user @ruthtimblin recently posted a video showing how she turned a thrifted wallet into a miniature journal holder, and it might be one of the easiest ways to recreate the intricate journal systems I’ve been seeing everywhere online lately, but without the luxury price tag.

The idea is simple. Find an old wallet — a larger one that opens like a book and closes with a clasp is ideal — add a tiny notebook secured with thread or string along the spine, and suddenly something that may have been sitting untouched in a thrift store for years has a completely new purpose.

If your TikTok or Pinterest algorithm has entered the journaling world lately, you have probably seen elaborate refillable journal covers that you can fill with multiple notebooks, inserts, charms, photos, and other keepsakes.

Brands like Louise Carmen have helped popularize the concept, selling refillable leather portfolios designed to hold multiple notebooks in one case. The result is a journaling system that doubles as an accessory.

It also fits into the larger return to analog hobbies. Journaling has become an increasingly popular way to slow down, support your mental health, and spend time away from a screen. And while putting pen to paper is nothing new, social media has turned the journal itself into something stylish.

Naturally, people have started finding ways to DIY the look.

On TikTok, @ruthtimblin’s version might be one of the easiest to follow. Instead of buying a new, expensive leather journal cover, she thrifted a wallet and transformed it into a mini one. Many wallets already have the exact features that make traditional journal holders useful: pockets, compartments, closures, and enough structure to protect whatever is inside.

When thrifting for a good wallet to repurpose, open it up and consider whether a small notebook could fit inside. Longer wallets, checkbooks, passport-style wallets, and styles with simple interior layouts will likely give you the most room to work with. Any scratches or worn leather on your thrifted piece really just add character.

Finding a wallet with extra card slots and pockets is a bonus. They can hold photos, receipts, stickers, notes, or any other little pieces you want to save. Depending on the wallet, you can tuck a mini notebook directly inside or experiment with elastic or string tied around the outside to keep it secure.