I have at least one drawer at home that’s filled with travel souvenirs. There are postcards, maps, museum floor plans, and pamphlets that I’ve brought back from trips. I always bring more of these things home than I realize, and when I had a quick look recently there were postcards from (among other places) Seattle, Paris, and Brussels stacked together. I started to review to see if there was anything that could be thrown away. Since this would be difficult I sorted things by country. At least that way if there were duplicates I could keep the one in better condition.
Here are some of the many souvenirs I decided to keep. They really aren’t just papers or postcards – they’re reminders of happy memories from trips. So I’ll just find more empty drawers and maybe next time I go on a trip I’ll make an effort not to collect so many souvenirs to bring back. Or at least try.
Some postcards…
This was on the back of a map of Brussels. I wish I’d noticed this ad for chocolate tasting!
Meg Travels 
Souvenirs like yours can really take you on a trip down memory lane in years to come. I’d find a good filing system for them rather than throw anything out! (And I still think some of your photos would make GREAT postcards!) ;)
LikeLike
I should probably get everything out of the drawer and just get organized! And I didn’t throw anything away :)
LikeLike
I do the same thing…I have boxes full of maps, museum brochures and so on. It’s fun to go back once in while and retrace your steps.
LikeLike
It’s really fun to find these things in drawers and boxes. The maps and brochures have some great memories!
LikeLike
This is great! I just searched high and low for some Brussels info I’d saved for my husband…found it about an hour before he left for the airport!
LikeLike
Nice going! It’s wonderful to know that things you save can be helpful for another trip. And good timing too :)
LikeLike
Life’s little treasures…..mementos
LikeLike
That’s true Sharon – they’re really special!
LikeLike
Now when I try to “dung out” my souvenir collection, I don’t even pretend I’m planning to throw anything out. I know I can’t part with any of it. I just go through the things and enjoy another mental trip to all those places.
LikeLike
I like that approach – just plan to keep everything and look at it for fun. Thanks!
LikeLike
I don’t think I could let any of these treasure go either! They may be only paper and photos, but when you hold them they really do stir memories, and you can’t minimize how meaningful that is! It’s fun to see what you chose as mementos, and my but you’ve been to some special places, Meg! Fun! Debra
LikeLike
They really are treasures! And I think I knew I couldn’t throw anything away… they remind me of all the fun of travel. Thanks Debra :)
LikeLike
Love it! Those things are precious!
LikeLike
That’s the way I look at it too – the memories around those souvenirs are so special… :)
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your souvenir! Especially the post card of Orvieto…
LikeLike
I thought the Orvieto postcard was beautiful! And I couldn’t have taken a picture like that so it’s really special… :)
LikeLike
I take a large vanilla envelope with me each year I go to Europe just for all the maps and brochures that I bring back. They are very hard to resist and are wonderful remembrances. They also give inspiration when planning the next trip.
LikeLike
Very good point Karen – they can be helpful when it’s time to plan for a trip! And getting everything organized by putting them in envelopes really makes sense too… :)
LikeLike
WONDERFUL! I keep love collecting things from my travels.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
LikeLike
It’s so nice to have keepsakes from traveling that probably the best thing is to just keep collecting and enjoy them!
LikeLike
It is hopeless, I do the same! Museum guides, metro maps, books, etc., Every so often I go through them to revisit my trips.
LikeLike
It’s wonderful that these souvenirs are reminders of earlier trips. And that makes them worth keeping!
LikeLike
The only problem is that I am always thinking of going back, lol!
LikeLike
That’s the way I feel – I want to see places again, souvenirs or no souvenirs!
LikeLike
So true! LOL
LikeLike
I have a bin full–and scrapbooks just waiting for me to do something with them. :) It’s hard to not pick up these things, they are such good reminders.
LikeLike
They’re so easy to collect! And now I think the important thing is to organize them and then have fun reminiscing… :)
LikeLike
I like the idea of organizing them. It’s hard to throw them away, but if there are duplicates or multiples, I can sort them down to one. I send duplicates to my sweet 95 yr old uncle. He loves getting mail. If the paper gets too deep, I’m afraid I’ll end up on “The Hoarders” show! lol I love all your cards, pamphlets, etc. I’m especially fond of Orvieto!
LikeLike
It’s wonderful that you can send some of your paper souvenirs to your uncle! And I understand – I don’t want throw anything away either… :)
LikeLike
They make great souvenirs and some of the tickets to museums and galleries are actually a work of art themselves. I have a couple of boxes that I like going through regularly and yes, they are wonderful memories of some really amazing moments in my life. Mmmmm…chocolate tasting :-)
LikeLike
I thought the brochures and tickets were pretty too! And I liked that chocolate information – it would be worth looking into on a visit to Brussels… :)
LikeLike
I can’t bear to throw these memories away either – everything from entry tickets, maps, menus – I’m onto my second drawer!
LikeLike
I think it’s a good plan to keep all these paper souvenirs and just find more storage space! They have special memories and that’s enough of a reason to hold onto them… :)
LikeLike
You could just lose yourself in that drawer, I’m sure. Did taking the souvenirs out make you want to revisit all those places? They certainly made me feel like a bit of sightseeing.
LikeLike
All those maps and museum guides bring back great memories! And they definitely make me want to see them again… :)
LikeLike
Hi Meg. I’m right there sorting through the drawer with you. It’s my favourite way to waste an afternoon (unless it’s sunny!) I had a notion to decoupage some of mine onto a coffee table top but I haven’t got round to it yet, like so much else.
LikeLike
I like your decoupage idea very much – It gives you the chance to see your souvenirs! And getting everything organized would be a great thing to do (when I have time)… :)
LikeLike
My friend’s father still keeps the tickets he bought in 1982 to take my friend to the World Trade Centre in his wallet. As a Jewish Dutch that managed to escape the Holocaust when he was a toddler he felt it was a moment of such enormous significance to him when he visited NY that he simply never took them out of his wallet again. What was once a little momentum has become a concrete reminder of a historic event.
LikeLike
It’s amazing that something like tickets can be so meaningful, and even more because he’d kept them all those years. Thank you so much for sharing this story.
LikeLike
I have a lot of things like this, too, just shoved in a drawer! I think sorting by country is a great idea. I’d love to visit Chocopolis someday.
LikeLike
I really need to get organized so I can find out what I actually have in those drawers! And I’ll check the advertising on maps in the future so I don’t miss out on places like Chocopolis :)
LikeLike
Beautiful! What a wonderful collection! I hope I make it to Ovieto some day.
LikeLike
Thank you! And I hope you get to see Orvieto. It’s a beautiful, charming place… :)
LikeLike
I have a huge box full of maps, leaflets, ticket stubs, coins… just been sorting through them to craft a huge piece of art. Well that’s the plan but it’s difficult to bring myself to cut up the leaflets and stick them down permanently!
LikeLike
That sounds like a fantastic way to display your keepsakes! I’m sure you’ll be careful about cutting things up because they’re so special to you. Have fun with your project :)
LikeLike
A wonderful drawerful of memories! These keepsakes are a great way to nudge other memories of trips that might not be at the forefront of your mind.
LikeLike
That’s so true – it’s great to have these souvenirs because they each have a story. It’s like having an adventure all over again :)
LikeLike
Awesome collection of post cards. We have few travel post cards, but I am collecting old Christmas cards.
LikeLike
Thank you! And that’s a great idea to collect Christmas cards. I may have to do that too… :)
LikeLike
Old Christmas cards are wonderful. I am planning to make a new post of them at Xmas time. Here is my first post presenting them:
Old Christmas postcards / Viejas tarjetas postales de Navidad / Vieilles cartes postales de Noël
Happy Friday.
LikeLike
What a fantastic collection of Christmas cards! They are really unique – I’d definitely keep all of them too. Thank you for sharing your post!
LikeLike
It’s so hard to part with souvenirs isn’t it!
LikeLike
Yes it is! They have so many memories that they simply have to be kept… :)
LikeLike
Searching for something else, I re-discovered post cards from Paris and Brittany and more. It was fun to go back and remember.
LikeLike
That’s how I often find things – when I’m looking for something else :) But it’s well worth it to find a souvenir and enjoy the memories!
LikeLike
Absolutely! :)
LikeLike
I tend to have boxes stuffed with souvenirs as well, I like to have a nice place to put all those special memories. It’s lovely to go back & remember all the wonderful times you had. It’s what life is made of :)
LikeLike
I couldn’t agree more! Sometimes it’s nice to see all the souvenirs from past travels and look forward to adding more memories in the future… :)
LikeLike
I can very much relate to that! I too have boxes full of maps and brochures from travels. I could never get myself to throw those things away at the time and now I’m glad I didn’t! Perhaps I can use them for something creative someday :-)
LikeLike
I know that lots of the brochures and postcards I have are really pretty and could be used for a project. And then there are the wonderful memories… :)
LikeLike
Pingback: Blogger of the Month | September | easyJet Holidays
I put each trip’s paperwork (postcards, maps, brochures, etc.) in a large manilla envelope and title it in black marker with trip name and date. That keeps everything together nicely. I can’t throw away anything either. :)
LikeLike
I like the idea of labeling and keeping items from each trip separate. It’s good to keep these wonderful keepsakes organized!
LikeLike
Lovely post! I really must organize myself…
LikeLike
Thank you! I’ve started to get things organized, and it’s great fun looking at everything again… :)
LikeLike
Stunning momentos…I even shipped that box with me to France when I moved here!!
LikeLike
That sounds like a good decision – you need to keep the important things with you!
LikeLike
Great post! I’ve kept postcards that I’ve received over the years and certain mementos that I’ve bought. But maps, brochures, tickets and stuff…well, I tend to throw them because, well, everything is online. This post made me think twice about that. It’s nice to have something concrete and going forward I will certainly be much more selective about what I toss. Thanks for checking out my blog, by the way!
LikeLike
Thanks Jaclyn! I just got back from France and Spain with more brochures and postcards that are now in that souvenir drawer… :) You’re welcome – I really enjoyed your blog!
LikeLike