Printing Guide: How To Print Printables

Want your printables to look just as beautiful on paper as they do on screen? My printing guide will walk you through exactly how to print junk journal printables with confidence and ease — even if you’re not tech-savvy.

If you’ve ever bought a beautiful printable… only for it to come out blurry, too small, or strangely colored — you are not alone. I’ve been there too, and so have countless others in our community.

Whether you’re brand new to junk journaling, someone who’s just getting started with digital kits, or you’ve been crafting for years but suddenly hit a printer hiccup — this post is for you.

Some of you might feel a little nervous about printing things at home. Maybe tech isn’t your thing. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with printing before. Or maybe you’re just not sure what settings to use. That’s okay. I’m here to walk you through it — step by step.

If you’ve already found a way that works well for you? Stick with it! This guide isn’t about reinventing the wheel — it’s here to support, not to stress.

Before you start

How Crafter Journal Printables Work

My printables are designed as US Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches), but you can absolutely print them on A4 paper too — I’ll show you how in just a bit.

You’ll usually receive PDF and JPEG versions so you can choose what works best for you:

• PDFs are great for printing full kits or multiple pages at once.
• JPEGs work well if you want to print just one or two elements or use a cutting machine.

📂 If your files came in a ZIP folder, you’ll need to unzip them before you can print. (It’s easier than it sounds!)

👉 Click here to learn how to open, unzip, and use your printable files.

🖨️ Best Paper + Printer to Use

Use what you have — seriously. If your printer is humming and your paper’s ready, start there. But if you want that crisp, color-rich look you see in my tutorials, here’s what I personally use and recommend:

• 📝 For journal pages:
  32 lb writing paper (120 gsm / 32 lb) — thin enough to fold, thick enough to hold ink beautifully.
• ✂️ For fussy cuts, pockets, and ephemera:
  Light cardstock (160 gsm / 90 lb Index) — my go-to for flexible but sturdy elements.
• 📘 For journal covers and folio bases:
  Medium cardstock (250 gsm / 92 lb Cover) — thick, durable, and reliable for structure.

👉 Want more product tips? Here’s my full paper guide.

🖨️ How to Print

How to Print Your Printables (Step-by-Step)

This is the exact process I follow to print my junk journal kits. You can use either PDF or JPEG files — the steps are nearly the same. If you’re brand new to printing or just want a refresher, here’s how it works:

📄 Printing on Letter vs. A4 Paper

My printables are designed for US Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) — but don’t worry! They work great on A4 paper (8.27 x 11.69 inches) too. You just need to tweak one setting.

Here’s what to do:

• 🗂️ Using Letter Paper?
  Select “Actual Size” in your print settings. This ensures the printable is printed at the size it was designed.
• 📄 Using A4 Paper?
  Choose “Fit” or “Shrink Oversized Pages.” This resizes the printable slightly so it doesn’t get cut off at the edges.✂️ Tip: A4 is just a little taller and skinnier than Letter — this small size difference usually isn’t noticeable in junk journaling projects.

🖼️ Printing PDFs vs. JPEGs

I offer both PDF and JPEG files — here’s how to choose and print the one that works best for you:

📑 PDF Files

• Best for: Full kits and multi-page printables
• Open with: Adobe Acrobat Reader (free + recommended)
• Printing tip: Watch for scaling — it sometimes defaults to “Fit.” Change to “Actual Size” if you’re printing on Letter paper.

🖼️ JPEG Files

• Best for: Single pages
• Open with: Your computer’s default image viewer (like Preview or Photos)
• Printing tip: Easy to scale or resize (e.g. 2 per page) and machine cutting

💌 Still unsure? You can always test print one page to see which file format works best for you.

🧱 Printing on Thick Paper or Cardstock

If you’re using heavier cardstock (like 250–300 gsm), make sure to check your printer’s maximum supported paper weight. For best results:

• Use the rear feed tray if your printer has one (it handles thicker sheets better).
• Print one sheet at a time to avoid paper jams or misfeeds.
• Always select the correct media type in your printer settings — “Cardstock” or “Heavyweight Paper” if available.

Not sure what paper to use? Check out the paper guide here.

🔁 Printing on the Back of Printables

Want to print on both sides of the paper? Whether it’s a matching background or a double-sided journal page, here’s what you need to know:

• Don’t rely on automatic duplex settings — they rarely align perfectly.
• Instead, manually feed the paper back into the tray after the first side prints.
• Flip and rotate carefully — and do a test sheet first to confirm orientation.

I’ve put together a step-by-step guide with tips for aligned, double-sided prints:
Read the full double-sided printing guide here.

Printing Tips

🧾 Must-Check Settings (for Beautiful Results Every Time)

These are the settings I recommend checking every time you print your junk journal printables. They’ll help you get the sharpest colors, the best fit, and fewer surprises when your page comes out of the printer.

• 🖨️ Print Quality
  → Set to “High” or “Best” (not “Standard” or “Draft”) for crisper lines, richer colors, and cleaner details.
• 📄 Media Type
  → Choose the paper type that matches what you’re printing on (e.g., “Plain Paper” or “Photo Paper – Matte”). This helps your printer apply the right amount of ink.
• 📐 Document Size / Paper Size
  → Make sure this matches the paper you’re using (US Letter 8.5×11 or A4).
  ✅ Bonus tip: Check out the section on paper size differences if you’re unsure.
• 📑 Pages to Print
  → Want to print a specific page or just test one page first? You can select “Current Page” or type a page range (like 2–4) in the settings.
• 📎 Copies
  → Increase this if you want to print multiple of the same page (great for ephemera sheets or tags!).
• 📐 Borderless Printing (Optional, if your printer supports it)
  → Use this if you want your printable to extend all the way to the edge of the paper — no white margin.
  📝 Not all printers offer this feature, and it often works best with photo paper.
• 🧾 Paper Source
  → If your printer has both a cassette and a rear tray, I recommend using the rear tray for thicker paper and cardstock. It’s usually better at handling heavier materials without jamming.
• 👀 Print Preview
  → Always check the preview screen before hitting “Print”! It’s the easiest way to make sure everything looks right — page aligned, not cut off, and facing the correct direction.

🎨 Optional Settings (Fun Extras + Custom Tweaks)

These are optional settings for when you want to customize the look of your printables — or just save on ink. Play around when you’re ready, but don’t feel pressured. You absolutely don’t need these to get started.

• 🖤 Greyscale
  → Want to test print, tone things down, or save on ink? Select “Greyscale” to print in black and white.
• 🧠 Print Multiple Pages Per Sheet
  → This is a fun one! You can print 2, 4, or more pages on a single sheet — great for making mini journals, tags, or little notebooks.
• 📏 Scale / Fit to Page
  → To print smaller, you can reduce the scale to 80% or 50%.
  ⚠️ I don’t recommend scaling up — your design may get blurry or cut off.
• 💡 Color Adjustment Settings
  → Some printers let you increase or decrease brightness, contrast, or saturation. This can be fun if you want a more vintage or moody tone, but I recommend leaving these alone if you want the printable to look exactly as designed.
• 💸 Fast Print or Draft Mode
  → Not a fan. The ink coverage is usually light and streaky — I only use this for testing layout, never for final projects.

FAQ

Common Printing Problems and Fixes

If something’s not working quite right or you’re just feeling a little stuck, you might find the answer here. These are some of the most common questions I get from crafters — click any question below to reveal the answer.

💎 Color + Print Quality Issues

👤 Layout + Sizing Problems

📄 Paper Feed + Printing Errors

🔧 File + System Glitches

Next Steps

🌟 You’ve Got This (And You’re Doing Great)

Whew! We’ve covered a lot of ground together — from settings and file types to specialty papers and troubleshooting tricks. If it feels like a lot, take a breath and remember: you don’t have to master everything at once.

Like most things in crafting, printing takes a little experimenting — and that’s totally okay. You’ll get more comfortable each time, and before long, it’ll feel like second nature.

More to learn

Want more help or next steps? Here are a few helpful posts to explore:

• 👉 How to Download and Open Printables
• 👉 How to Download Files from Etsy
• 👉 Best Printers for Printables
• 👉 Paper Guide: The Best Papers for Printables
• 👉 How to Print on the Back of Paper

Now go print something beautiful.

Happy crafting,
Cyna xx