Traveling is undoubtedly one of the best ways to create memories… but it’s not enough to just take snapshots and upload them online somewhere or to just keep a diary. How often to you go back and look at online images? If you’re like me, then pretty much never and travel diaries often contain amazing details of experiences, memories, and adventures but have a habit of getting thrown into a box, or buried on a shelf somewhere. Never to be seen again!
While I’ll still always take photos and scribble a few notes while I travel, I really love the idea of converting these memories into wall décor so I can see them everyday. Art can be one of the best ways to integrate your travels into your everyday life. But where to start? Below are some thoughts about how you can do this. Read on!
This guide offers easy ways to convert travel diaries, photos or memories into wall décor ideas for refreshing your space.
Make Wall Art from Your Diary Favorites
Wall art is one of the best ways to decorate an empty wall. You can create colorful, engaging, and personalized wall art décor from photos or a travel diary. Start by choosing an image or series of images. Consider images of yourself, travel buddies, your key destinations or landmarks. You could use a program like Photoshop (or free online alternative) to style the photos or use filters to make them totally unique.
Another cool way to incorporate travel memories into your home is by adding quotes or thoughts you might have have had alongside photos or images. Another reason to keep a travel diary and to ensure your hand writing is actually readable!
Wall art is great for adding color, making a focal point and adding texture to your wall or home. Using the right piece of wall art at the right time can complete your home’s décor and refresh your space.
Create a Wall Gallery
Do you have more than one image that you adore? Creating a wall gallery is another effective and easy way to convert your travel memories into décor for your walls. A gallery allows you to curate a whole range of photographs and prints from your travels. Start be creating a theme for your gallery – maybe that’s a destination or travel group, or even something like colour or texture. Then measure up your space, pick your frames, decide on the layout and get your hang on.
Make Wall Prints
Wall prints are one of the best ways to adorn a wall (oh really? Never would have guessed!). Get inspired by your travels to help you create prints that take you right back to wherever you were. With the quality of DSLR cameras, and to be honest, phones these days, you can blow most images up pretty big without having to worry about quality.
Benefits Of Keeping Travel Diaries
I’ve written about travel diaries before, but why to some travelers like to keep a travel diary? Keeping a travel diary is a great way to preserve your travel memories forever. Photos are great but they don’t go into how travel makes you feel. A travel diary does and pairing a diary with photos is an even better way to complete the experience.
Diaries Last for Ages
Diaries can last for years, as long as you handle them properly and don’t throw then out by accident! You can’t trust your memory. It’s terrible. I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast most days. A diary let’s you recall a day or a place with clarity for years to come.
Diaries Take You Back in Time
Here’s an idea for an evening in. Sit down with a beer (or a wine.. or a gin.. or… whatever) and pull out a travel diary. Moments, fun, places, people, all come flooding back when you take the time to jot down a few notes as you go. It’s the easiest form of time travel apart from looking up at the stars and you can do it while sitting on a couch.
Prevents You from Missing Heartwarming Moments
I travel for many reasons, to experience new things, meet new people and see new places. All of which, I’d like to remember! A diary helps you to keep note and remember these heartwarming moments and keep them fresh.
Helps to Note Your Travel Dos and Don’ts
Keeping a travel diary is one of the best ways to track of the things you liked and the things you didn’t while away, just in case you ever wanted to know for next time! Not everything in a guide book is actually good, might be worth keeping track of the things you’d do again and the things that just don’t stack up.
Wrapping Up
Traveling is a wonderful experience, but it becomes even more memorable when you keep a written record as well as a visual one. Use your travel photos and a travel diary to bring you back. Then when you get home, use both your travel photos and thoughts to create truly unique wall décor or art to refresh your space and help you remember the amazing experiences you’ve had abroad.
