If you’re a keen traveler, then you probably love the chance to relive your favorite trips. After all, who wouldn’t want to step back in time to their Italian travels or that Indonesian adventure? These are likely some of the best experiences in your life, so it definitely makes sense that you’ll want to keep those memories strong.
Many of us do this by taking plenty of pictures, which, thanks to our phones, we can scroll back to at a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, pictures can only take us so far when it comes to reliving those astounding travel cultures. That’s why many keen travelers also choose to pick up trinkets along the way.
From local textiles to figurines with particular cultural relevance, all of these local purchases can recreate a real sense of time and place. As such, you may be keen to display these items in pride of place around your home. The only problem is that, without proper care, these travel trinkets can quickly become yet more clutter in your rooms.
Luckily, we’re here to tell you that needn’t be the case. Keep on reading for some simple tips that’ll help you take travel trinkets from clutter to interior design gold in no time.
Understand the Importance of Well-Placed Shelving
Shelving offers one of the best ways to display your travel wares, but beware that poorly placed or overloaded shelving units can quickly lead to the clutter that you’re trying to avoid. Does that mean you should forego all-important shelving altogether? Not at all. But it does highlight the need to curate your shelving across carefully chosen positions in your home.
As a general rule, it’s best to avoid large shelving units or entire walls of shelving with travel trinkets in mind. That’s because, unlike books of other shelved items, your travel collections won’t sit neatly stacked. Instead, you’ll probably end up overloading those displays, and the end result definitely won’t be the neat, interior addition that you’re likely after.
It’s a far better option to invest in some quality wood and an electric drill that allows you to create your own, well-positioned, and ultimately more minimal shelving designs. Try to stick with no more than one or two shelves in each room, and put these in a prime position to ensure that whatever you display complements your decor rather than overwhelming it.
Get Creative With Gallery Walls
Gallery walls have always been one of the best ways to display your travel snaps, but did you know that these could also work wonders when it comes to making the most of travel trinkets? In fact, gallery wall experts often recommend interspersing pictures with additional textural elements, which could include mirrors, textile-based hangings, or additions like masks, hats, and scarves.
Of course, not every trinket is going to work for this, but getting creative could see you displaying more of your collection than you might think. Even if you simply have some local fabrics in your stock, getting your sewing machine out could see you turning them into a display worthy of the best gallery walls. Equally, clothing from different areas can work well hung on the wall alongside photographs from that country. Even local ornaments can work like this if you erect small shelves along your gallery wall for them to sit on. And, do you know the best part about this display-based gallery style? It’s sleek, subtle, and ensures that those iconic items sit directly alongside relevant photographs that make those memories even stronger.
Make Them Usable
It’s easy to assume that you need to keep travel trinkets safely tucked away in a corner or shelf, but if your home isn’t naturally set up for these kinds of displays, or if you have an absolute excess of trinkets in your collection, then even your best display attempts will still look cluttered. That’s why our next tip is to simply make those trinkets usable.
After all, there’s no reason why you need to keep your travel trinkets in a mausoleum. There are plenty of trinkets that can find a real and relevant place in your home. Admittedly, it’s useful to think about this level of usage when you’re stocking up in each location. Coasters, tablemats, and even pots, pans, or cutlery can all be great usable options, which also look fantastic in your home. Equally, options like textiles can work well for this if you simply turn them into throws, cushion covers, or other everyday items that will enhance home styling overall. All without adding a single bit of clutter to your spaces!
Think Outside the Box
If you’ve tried all of these suggestions and you’re still struggling to find a place for everything, then why not think outside the box? There are some great creative trinket storage ideas out there, including pinboards for postcards, textiles, and so on, or even a trinket-based bunting. These unique, scrapbook-style displays can be a lot of fun, and could also provide the opportunity to display things like travel tickets or leaflets from notable experiences, with a few pictures thrown in for good measure.
Many travelers also choose to create memory boxes, or even trinket-packed mason jars, which can help to condense any items into neat, well-integrated display elements that could easily fit on your coffee table. Speaking of coffee tables, some travelers even go as far as displaying 2D travel trinkets underneath coffee table glass to turn them into an iconic home feature.
Admittedly, these additions aren’t for the faint of heart on the design front, yet they can be as beautiful as they are bold. Even better, they serve to keep trinkets off your shelves, while still putting them in pride of place around your home.
Conclusion
Travel trinkets can take you right back to some of the best adventures in your life, and they can also look amazing in your home with the help of these top tips.