There is something magical about looking back at a travel spread and being instantly transported back to the sights, sounds, and even the tastes of a trip. While digital photos are great, nothing beats the tactile experience of a maximalist journal page where every square inch is packed with the physical remnants of your adventure.
If you’re the type of creator who loves to fill the page and leave no white space, the secret to a great spread starts long before you sit down with your glue stick. It starts the moment you leave your front door.
Here is your checklist of what to hunt for on your next getaway to ensure your journal is as vibrant and layered as your trip was.
The Paper Trail Staples
Never underestimate the power of "boring" paper. These are the building blocks of a great background:
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Tickets and Passes: Keep every transit pass, museum entry, and movie ticket. For a New York spread, a MetroCard is an iconic piece of ephemera that instantly anchors the page to the city. (RIP to the Metro Card!)
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Receipts: Don't toss them! Receipts from coffee shops and restaurants act as a perfect time-stamped log of what you ate. In my last birthday spread, I even glued a candy wrapper.
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Maps and Brochures: Physical maps are becoming rare, so if you find a paper one, grab it! They make excellent full-page backgrounds.
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Business Cards and Stickers: Many local boutiques and cafes have free stickers or beautifully designed cards at the register. These are "instant art" for your journal. Snag a couple postcards as well you can write on to yourself and add a "flap" detail to your page.
Unexpected Textures
To really get that chunky, layered look, look for items with different weights and feels:
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Napkins: If a cafe has a logo-stamped napkin, tuck a clean one into your bag. They add a soft, delicate texture when decoupaged onto a page.
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Packaging: This is a pro-tip for storytelling! Look at the boxes and wrappers of the things you consumed. For example, if you're on a bachelorette trip and the group’s drink of choice was a specific seltzer (in my case High Noon), cut out a piece of the cardboard packaging from the box. It adds a pop of color and a specific memory of the drink of choice.
Capture the Visuals
While ephemera provides the soul, photos provide the face of the memory.
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Take LOTS of pictures: Capture the big landmarks, but don't forget the small things like your latte art, the street signs, or the view from your hotel window.
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Print in various sizes: To fill every gap on your page, print some photos as small thumbnails to tuck into corners or under ticket stubs.
Putting it All Together
When you get home and sit down to create, remember that there are no rules. Layer that drink packaging over a city map, tuck your MetroCard into a pocket made from a museum brochure, and scatter your restaurant stickers throughout.
By collecting as you go, you aren’t just making a book; you’re preserving the physical pieces of your journey.
Happy collecting and happy journaling!
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