Making your travel memories part of your life
Travelling, not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping you is the theme that runs through all the pages on this site.
Even though I travel full time with no fixed abode I can totally understand why people only want to travel a few weeks a year and have a nice comfy home to come back to. Not everyone has to hit the road indefinitely and cut all ties with home and the 9-5. Careers, families, schooling and stability for the kids can all come into play. Or it could be the simple fact that wherever you wander, there’s no place like home and you wouldn’t want to leave it indefinitely.
These are all perfectly natural feelings and motivations. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking it is an either / or. If you are able to travel for a couple of weeks each year, it can be just as fulfilling, and you can use your experiences to make both yourself and your home all the richer for it.
Here’s some cool ways to make your travel memories part of your every day life ….
Make the most of your pictures
These days, we are able to capture every moment of our lives with digital photos. From climbing Mount Everest to having a sandwich in the local café, people share their every moment on social media. The trouble is, there’s no filter, and most of those pictures disappear into some huge archive on the cloud and are soon forgotten.
Take time after each trip to select the two or three very best from the hundreds on your phone and get them properly immortalised. You could just print them out but why stop there – why not really make a statement with your travel photos. There are some great innovations out there that go beyond the traditional frames you can buy in a department store, but are no more expensive. For example, these floating frames from Hello Canvas really make your images stand out and turn them into works of art.
Postcard displays
A downside to the social media revolution is that nobody seems to send postcards anymore. That’s an enormous shame, as a postcard is a far more tangible reminder of a time and a place than a simple snap you’ve taken yourself. Here’s a tip: instead of cramming your suitcase with bulky, overpriced souvenirs, buy a postcard from each destination instead and create your own display at home.
There are hanging kits that look a little like clothes lines, or you could incorporate them into your own memory wall – it looks great, creates a great talking point and, like a true work of art, will never be entirely finished!
Shadowboxes
The shadowbox is one of the most popular home accessories at the moment, and is great for adding a personal touch to internal décor. The great thing about these for preserving travel memories is that you can take a “less is more” approach to create one for each trip you have taken. They can include anything – a boarding pass, a seashell, even a beermat from a faraway bar. Each item represents a moment in time and has its own story to tell.
As the years go by, you can add more shadowboxes to your collection. In fact, you can even make your own. It’s a wonderful, tangible and highly personal way of preserving your memories and sharing them with anyone who comes to visit.
What do you think? Have you got any other cool, creative ideas about how to incorporate your travel photos and memories into your home and daily life?
