Guide · Collecting

How to start a travel collection you'll keep for life

Thinking of collecting something from every trip? How to pick what to collect, keep it affordable, and stop it taking over the house.

Lots of collections start by accident. You buy a mug in Rome, another in Paris, and suddenly there's a shelf. If you're thinking of doing it on purpose, a bit of planning goes a long way.

Pick something you can find everywhere you go

City mugs, magnets and postcards work because almost every popular place sells them. Something too rare means coming home empty handed and feeling like the trip doesn't count.

Set a simple rule

One per trip. Or one per city. Or only places you actually stood in, not ones a friend brought back. A rule keeps it meaningful and keeps the cost down.

Decide where it will live before it grows

A shelf, a board, a cabinet. Knowing where it goes stops it creeping into every room.

Keep a list from day one

You'll want to know what you've got, what you're missing, and where each one came from. Starting the list at five is easy. Starting it at fifty is a weekend.

Swap your spares

Every collector ends up with doubles. Swapping with other collectors is the cheapest way to fill the gaps, and a nice way to meet people who get it.

Remember why you started

It's not about owning things. It's about the trips. Keep the memory with each item and the collection becomes a record of your life, not just a shelf.

Keep every trip in one place

CollectMyTrip is free: your mugs and souvenirs, a map of everywhere you've been, and the story behind each trip. Make a free account and your first digital postcard is on us.

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