We’re all home when we’d rather be on the road, sitting still when we’d love to be out exploring…but how about we use this time to look back at some of the wonderful places we have been?
Heck, what about bringing out those poor vacation pictures that are still stuck on your computer or phone (or dare I say camera!), what about the stunning shells you collected on your last trip, or the impressive number of wine corks you have been storing in the garage for the last 10 years?
Don’t leave them there – now is the time to get busy preserving your travel memories – until we can start traveling again. Everybody loves a new project, and the fun but simple ideas below will help you relive the best parts of your experiences and keep you from visiting the fridge for at least an hour :).
Display your travels
Unlike your junk drawer, when you put together a shadow box, it looks artistic and engaging. Pin a picture or two, add some ticket stubs, a transportation map, local currency, subway tickets or any other mementos you have, finish the look by placing some local trinkets on the bottom of the box and voila your memories are now captured behind a sheet of glass, promising sweet bursts of reminiscing every time you glance in the box’s direction.
Keepsake jars
Mason jars are not only great for holding your morning shake – they also double as pickling jars, a flower vase or a rustic centerpiece to hold your cutlery. We like to collect shells and special rocks from our travels, we display them in mason jars all over the house, they look fabulous in the bathroom or on the mantelpiece and take center stage as table decorations on special occasions. Shells are not the only thing you should consider displaying, If you collect branded matchboxes, wine corks, loose change from your travels or any other collection that needs to be shown-off, now is the time to gather up your treasures and start filling your jars!
Make a memory box
Many of us no longer print out photos to fill up albums and even choosing pictures to create a photo book turns into a year-long project (yes, I’ve been there too!), but there is nothing quite like leafing through the finished result. A travel box holds that same tangible magic and they are so easy to create. All you need is an empty shoebox for each different trip. Cover the outside of the box – use a local map or perhaps the national flag for a fun and colorful look. Label the box with the name of the country and date of the trip and fill it with any souvenirs you may have – postcards, small trinkets, maps and ticket stubs.
Mark your territory
I love maps, especially vintage ones. Old maps, the kind that comes free in local travel brochures are a great way to add some flair and personality to your house. If you enjoy papier mache and decoupage projects, consider making a papier-mache bowl. If you like simple and quick projects you can simply cut up a map and using strong adhesive stick it to an old trash can or use it to cover a plain light pendant. One of my simplest but most effective home projects involved covering the top of a white dresser in my son’s room with an old map – simple but striking.
Map your trip
This is a great way to remember a road trip or even several vacations. Buy or design a large map of the world. Mark the location(s) of your trip with a pin – attach a thin piece of yarn or string to the pin and stretch it out until it reaches the perimeter of the map, now attach a photo, keychain or any other keepsake you have from the trip.
Chava is the content manager at Sweet Inn.
She loves traveling the world with her family and collecting tacky magnets for the fridge.
