What did you choose for your summer vacation? And how will you remember it?
We all love souvenirs, and I had grand aspirations to amass nifty collections from my travels. First, it was flags, but they were surprisingly difficult to come by. Then it was beach towels, but they take up too much space. Later, it was letter openers, but that was foiled by new rules post-9/11. So what’s a gal to do? There must be a better option, and we all know that scrapbook isn’t happening anytime soon.
Then, I found it. The perfect answer.
Top 5 Reasons Magnets Are Perfect Souvenirs
5. They’re Cheap
- Most magnets cost less than $5.
- At national parks, they’re usually only $2.99.
- Go ahead, pick one up in every park!
4. They’re Beautiful (Or Not)
- Like postcards, they can portray a sight with perfect weather and better lighting without a crowd.
- Or they can be completely kitschy and good for a laugh.
- You can even create a one of a kind family masterpiece and super glue a magnet to the back!
3. They’re Indestructible
- I don’t want to think about the effort required to get this home safely.
- And magnets won’t destroy other items in your suitcase like this guy did.
- Just be careful with them around your credit cards and hotel key cards!
2. They’re Useful
- Because you always need one of these.
- And I’m always hungry.
- And we’d be lost without a map!
1. They’re Tiny
- Even hundreds of them only take up a little bit of space.
- If you
run out of roomdon’t have a magnetic fridge, try magnetic paint or primer on a wall. - They don’t count as clutter if they bring you joy!
Happy travels this summer and down memory lane later! What are your favorite souvenirs? Post them in the comments below.
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Comments 17
When I was young (well, old enough…) it was shot glasses and then it moved to coffee mugs. But how many coffee mugs do you need? And T-shirts… Now we try to get post cards and then attach some kind of picture we take - (but I love magnets too!)
Author
Yes, yes, yes. And shot glasses and mugs sometimes break on the way home. Postcards are easy to pack, but mine ended up in stacks on a shelf. Do you display yours or send them to friends?
We display them - for awhile, but the magnet idea is much better!!
I love the magnet wall! It’s fun to look at all the different places you two have been.
Author
K&M added the bucky balls to it last week- not technically a souvenir from a trip, but still a great memory 🙂
I had no idea that they made magnetic paint and primer! Love the idea of collecting magnets from travels. We collect rocks and, even though we don’t label them, I bet we could tell you where each and every one came from!
Author
Amanda,
The primer is super-sticky, like painting with tar, but then you can paint over it with any color you want. The paint is easier but more expensive.
I love the idea of collecting rocks! Different regions have so many different and beautiful colors. It’s nice that it’s all-natural too and every one is unique.
Cool collection, Julie! I love magnets too! Especially the ones that can hold a note or a business card (or emergency numbers). And they’re a great reminder of all the fun you’ve had on your trip.
Author
Thanks!
It is great that they can do double duty.
Magnets are definitely a compact way to buy something for someone else. I always like buying the snow globes for aesthetics. Plus I like giving it a little shake every now and then!
Author
Ooh! I love snow globes too-they’re so pretty! Mine seem to lose some liquid after a few years, though, (maybe because we live where it’s super-dry?) and magnets last forever.
We try to pick up a magnet at each place we vacation, lots of fun to see them on the fridge!
Author
It is nice to see them on display every day evoking warm memories and smiles, not buried in albums.
Nice, Julie. Magnets are the perfect souvenir. Compact and fun. I got another possibility for you-shot glasses. Not my cup of tea, but I had two coworkers who would always treat me to lunch if I brought them back shot glasses from wherever Mrs. Groovy and traveled. By the time our office was out of business, they each amassed a couple dozen shot glasses, all proudly displayed on their shelves above their desks.
Thanks for reminding us about the beauty of magnets, and thanks for reminding us to get out this summer and explore this beautiful country.
Author
Thanks, Mr. Groovy.
Shot glasses are a great idea. They can be useful for so many things other than shots, too, like holding paper clips, toothpicks, q-tips, etc. We’ll keep this in mind!
I’ve got a bottle cap collection that rivals this. A powerful magnet stuck to the back of the cap doesn’t quite touch the fridge, but holds them in place. No glue, no mess.
Didn’t cost a thing but the cost of the magnets, which cost next to nothing on eBay.
We used to collect shooters (tall shot glasses) from all the places we visited, but we outgrew that habit, and eventually donated about $500 worth of souvenirs. Now the only souvenirs we bring back are digital images.
Cheers!
-PoF
Author
PoF,
Bottle caps are fun, especially if you’re artistic with their display. Digital photos are even better if they’re enjoyed frequently. Sometimes we’ll print ours out for a collage frame, but if we don’t they are rarely seen again. Do you have a digital frame? How do you make sure you remember to enjoy your memories?