We’ve all brought home things we thought we’d love forever... only for them to collect dust. After more than a dozen countries and many lessons learned, we’ve honed a system for choosing souvenirs we actually use—and cherish

Meaningful, practical, packable

It is so easy to get caught up buying travel souvenirs that end up being a big waste of money. Magnets that never make it to the fridge that never got put up, t shirts that don’t fit later, coffee mugs that become relegated to the back of the cupboard.

After visiting over a dozen countries—and being a big ol’ nerd for optimizing systems—I came up with some personal criteria to take the emotion out of souvenir shopping. At first, if something was meaningful, useful, and packable, it was a winner.

That worked... mostly. But I still ended up donating a few too many “why did I buy this?” items. The criteria were solid, but too generic—just right for every piece of souvenir stand tatt on Earth. I needed something more personal.

So back to the drawing board to something that fits into our current lifestyle, something consumable, a memory from a never to be repeated experience, or something to add to an existing collection. And if something hits more than one of those categories, win/win/win.

Here are our criteria.

Personal travel souvenir categories

1) Practical BUT also fits into our current lifestyle

When we visited Westmalle and cruised with Virgin Voyages, we picked up beer bottle openers. We love craft beer, so bringing back a bottle opener just made sense. They live in our kitchen drawer and get used all the time. Had they been wine openers? Never would’ve touched them.
From Disneyland Tokyo, we picked up chopsticks and a small dish for tea bags. We both use chopsticks and drink tea daily, so they earned a spot in our kitchen routine.

2) Consumable that we know we will use

Don’t tell Disney Cruise Line... but we often don’t eat the chocolates they leave at turn down. We stash them and enjoy them slowly at home, stretching the experience just a little longer.

I’m a knitter, so in Amsterdam I picked up some beautiful blue yarn from Stephen and Penelope. I used it to knit a Stephen West cardigan, and every time I wear it, I’m back in Amsterdam.

3) Things from ‘never to be repeated’ experiences

We were lucky enough to see Hamilton in Germany—in German. The tote bag we brought back has the Hamilton logo and “Hamburg” on it, and it’s one of our most-used, most-loved souvenirs.

On a trip to Germany in 2019, we just so happened to be in Munich the last couple of days of Oktoberfest. I did break one of my rules of only buying things that are easily packable by picking up a 2019 Oktoberfest stein. I ended up bringing it in my carry on all the way back to Sydney, carrying it like it was like the Holy Grail. (yes it made it back in one piece)

4) Adding to our existing collections

Stickers for Richard’s travel journal
Beer coasters (the kind they give away in pubs) which plan to do something with in the future
Postcards. Some we have been keeping and adding to the inside of a door over time. Some of them I send to a dear friend who loves postcards. We’ve been sending postcards to each other for years now.
Decks of cards - cards have been a perennial travel souvenir for a reason. They are cheap, they pack easily, and useful for everyone. We tend to carry them anyway. The ones we picked up at the Mannekin Pis museum make us smile every time we use them. 4)

Let’s talk about packing

Obviously, things that are flat, not fragile, not too heavy, and fit in your luggage are the gold standard. But don’t let that be your only criteria. Often things can be shipped, either by the vendor or from a local post office. So if you find that perfect item that sparks joy, but it’s too bulky or fragile, look into shipping it instead.

Souvenirs should work for YOU

A good souvenir doesn’t need to be expensive, just meaningful, useful, and packable.

For us, adding in things that are practical, consumable, one of a kind, or things that add to an existing collection end up working for us. I would encourage you to have look at the souvenirs that you have collected over the years and still treasure. A great souvenir should work for you—not just in your suitcase, but in your real life.

What’s the nerdy-but-practical treasure you’ve brought home that still makes you smile?

Tag us on Instagram or Pinterest—we’d love to see your souvenirs with staying power.

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