Looking for a creative project during quarantine? Here are five practical and fun ways to scrapbook and preserve your travel memories.
About This Post
Scrapbooking is a simple, hands-on way to extend the life of your trips and keep those memories alive at home. I’ve been collecting travel journals, ticket stubs, postcards, and photos for years. You don’t need to be an artist to make something meaningful—scrapbooking is flexible and forgiving, and it’s a great way to relive favorite moments from your vacations.
How to Scrapbook Your Travel Memories
- About This Post
- Scrapbooking Materials & Costs
- Five Ways to Scrapbook Your Travel Memories
- Create a Traditional Travel Scrapbook
- Scrapbook with a Coloring Book or Collective Item
- Design a Photo Collage Travel Scrapbook
- Make or Update a Bullet/Travel Journal
- Invest in a Commemorative Travel Map
- Final Thoughts
Scrapbooking Materials & Costs
You can keep scrapbooking inexpensive by starting with a few basic items and adding supplies as you go. For a first project, budget around $75 to cover a binder, paper, basic tools, and decorative items. Below are core supplies that will make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Recommended Supplies
Paper in multiple sizes and colors. Have a mix of solid-color and patterned paper. Common sizes to keep on hand are 8×10 for printed photos and 12×12 for scrapbook pages or large collages. Choose about 75% solid colors and 25% patterned sheets to keep layouts balanced.
Markers, pens, and pencils. A variety of pens—fine liners, brush pens, and colored pencils—lets you add captions, dates, and small drawings. Include an eraser and correction tape for mistakes. These tools are useful whether you’re making a decorative page or writing a travel entry in a journal.
Acid-free adhesives. Use acid-free tape squares or photo-safe glue to protect your photos and mementos from yellowing over time. Avoid regular tape directly on photos.
Stickers and small embellishments. Stickers, washi tape, and die-cuts add character to pages. Pick a few themes that match your trip—travel icons, florals, or letter stickers for titles—so your collection stays cohesive.
Photos and mementos. Gather photos in one place—online album, SD card, or a folder—before printing. Collect ticket stubs, maps, postcards, and small souvenirs that tell the story of your trip.
Practical Tips for Supplies
Start small to avoid clutter. If you prefer shopping in person, craft stores and big-box retailers usually have ample choices. Many people build their stash over time—enough paper for several pages, a handful of pens, and a few themed stickers will get you started.
Five Ways to Scrapbook Your Travel Memories
Create a Traditional Travel Scrapbook
A classic approach uses a 12×12 binder with page protectors so you can design and rearrange pages. Decide how to organize—by day, destination, or theme—and gather photos and memorabilia for each section. Lay everything out before adhering anything, then add captions, dates, short stories, and themed stickers to finish each spread. If your collection grows, you can add binder extensions or start a second volume.
Scrapbook with a Travel Coloring Book or Another Collective Item
Coloring books and themed collectors’ books make an easy, creative record of places you visit. For example, a national parks coloring book can become a visual record: color the pages that match parks you’ve visited and store them in a binder. Pair it with a small passport or stamp book if you collect park stamps or other souvenirs. This method is low-effort but meaningful, and it’s perfect if you prefer coloring and simple displays over elaborate layouts.
Design a Photo Collage Travel Scrapbook
Photo books—printed through online services or local photo labs—provide a polished, compact way to display highlights from a trip. Choose templates or build custom layouts with collages, captions, and dates. Photo books are excellent gifts and are ideal for people who want a finished product without the hands-on crafting of a traditional scrapbook.
Make a Bullet Journal or Update Your Travel Journal
If you kept a travel journal, turn those entries into a scrapbook by adding photos, ticket stubs, and decorative elements. Bullet journals work well for short trips: dedicate a spread to each destination with a few photos and highlights. Since the memories are already written, you’ll only need to design and embellish the pages.
Invest in a Commemorative Travel Map
Maps are a beautiful, low-maintenance way to track travels. Use pushpins, stickers, or a scratch map to mark places you’ve visited. Maps work well as wall art and as a visual prompt for stories and future trips. Displaying a few maps in a living space turns travel memories into ongoing inspiration.
Final Thoughts on Scrapbooking Your Travels
Scrapbooking keeps the spirit of travel alive long after you return home. Whether you make a traditional scrapbook, a simple photo book, a coloring-collective binder, a decorated travel journal, or a commemorative map, the most important part is telling your story in a way that feels personal and fun. You don’t need perfect handwriting or elaborate art supplies—just a willingness to remember and a few basic tools.
I’m excited to start organizing thousands of photos from our six-month trip around the world, and I hope these ideas inspire you to preserve your own adventures. Do you scrapbook? What is your favorite way to keep travel memories alive? Share your ideas and creative tips in the comments below—happy crafting!