10 Ideas for Packable Decor From Your Travels
It's fun to decorate with finds from a trip — but not so fun to lug them home. These ideas are affordable and easy on the suitcase
Laura Gaskill
June 28, 2013
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
If you are planning a big trip this summer, it's likely those carefully packed suitcases will come home quite a bit heavier than when you left. The lure of shopping for decor while on vacation is great, and the promise of bringing home a one-of-a-kind treasure is nearly irresistible. These 10 tips can help you track down authentic finds without stressing your credit card too much or overstuffing your home.
1. Remember the power of pictures. Hone your photography skills before and during your trip, and you may come away with a wall-worthy print for just the cost of a frame.
How to take better travel photos with your phone
How to take better travel photos with your phone
2. Start a low-maintenance collection. When choosing an item to collect, think small, portable and easy to find. Maps — whether antique or current — matchbooks and even humble postcards can make fine collectibles. Seek the same thing in every place you travel, and you can soon have a unique collection.
3. Scoop up local specialties at the source. Whether you are shopping for market totes and vintage grain-sack pillows in France or embroidery in Mexico, try to source your finds from a market or local haunt for the best price. It pays to do a little research before you leave home so you'll feel comfortable straying from the tourist-filled areas.
4. Surprise friends with exotic toiletries with cool designs. Drugstore basics from other countries often have beautiful packaging and make unexpectedly fun (and budget-friendly) gifts for friends back home. Look for pretty soaps, creams and, yes, even toothpaste, in the corner drugstore, and make a trip to the market for interesting pantry goods.
5. Collect artwork wherever you go. My husband's grandparents did this, and after more than 50 years of traveling together, they had amassed an impressive collection of original art — and each piece had a story to tell. They were mostly small pieces by unknown artists, some vintage, some new; the point wasn't to make an investment but to buy what they loved — good advice for us all.
6. Take home versatile textiles. Fabrics are a wonderful way to bring home a bit of the spirit of a place, and they don't up too much room in a suitcase. If you sew or know a good seamstress, you can save money by purchasing fabric and having pieces made — as Houzz contributor Samantha Schoech did with the beautiful pillows made from a piece of Mexican Otomi embroidery shown here.
7. Save room by skipping the filling. Buy poufs empty and fill them when you get home, buy pillow covers without inserts and go for a light duvet cover rather than a hefty quilt. Your suitcase will thank you.
8. Give foreign-language kids' toys and books. For the little ones, look no farther than a local bookshop or toy store for affordable gifts. Picture books, alphabet blocks, flash cards and puzzles are all more charming and add to education when printed in another language.
9. Take care when buying fragile items. A few delicate items can find a safe home in your carry-on bag, but don't expect fragile items packed in checked luggage to come through unscathed. Even if you did a pro job putting it in, your best efforts can be completely undone during one security check.
If you must have that full set of hand-painted dishes, see if the shop can ship them to your home — and even then, be comfortable with the risk that they may not arrive in one piece (or at all).
If you must have that full set of hand-painted dishes, see if the shop can ship them to your home — and even then, be comfortable with the risk that they may not arrive in one piece (or at all).
10. Get to the root of what you want to bring home. Is it the object — or the lifestyle? It's easy to slip into the trap of thinking that the more things you bring home, the more of that vacation feeling you will bring home, too. Instead of overloading your suitcases and stretching your wallet, note the things you have made a habit of doing on vacation that you don't usually make time for — and commit to doing them more often when you get home.
Tell us: What are your favorite travel souvenirs?
More: Destinations and city guides for design lovers
Tell us: What are your favorite travel souvenirs?
More: Destinations and city guides for design lovers
Related Stories
Architecture
Tour Richard Neutra’s Iconic Kaufmann Desert House Gardens
By Colin Flavin
The well-known but rarely seen symbol of desert modern architecture opened its doors for Palm Springs Modernism Week
Full Story
Events
8 Edible Garden Ideas From the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show
This year’s event offered inspiring tips and creative ideas for nurturing edible plants in a variety of outdoor spaces
Full Story
Architecture
Tour the House of Tomorrow and Elvis Presley’s Honeymoon Hideaway
By Colin Flavin
The recently renovated Palm Springs home returns to glory with spectacular geometry and indoor-outdoor connections
Full Story
Events
7 Landscape Design Trends From the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show
This year’s event celebrates the unexpected, showcasing everything from pretty weeds to edible ornamental plants
Full Story
Historic Homes
Tour the Historic Homes of Trailblazing African Americans
During Black History Month read about some of our country’s barrier-breaking figures and see the places they called home
Full Story
Events
7 Design Ideas for a Garden That Supports Well-Being
Nurture your family’s physical and mental health with these landscape design ideas spotted at the Chelsea Flower Show
Full Story
Events
7 Inspiring Ideas for Small Yards from the Chelsea Flower Show
The message from professional landscape designers at this year’s RHS show was clear — think big for your small space
Full Story
Events
7 Landscape Trends From the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show
Check out our roundup of themes from this year’s event to inspire ideas for your own outdoor space
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Van Gets Outfitted for Vacation Adventures
A carpenter converts a van’s interior into a tiny home for travel complete with kitchen, bed and seating area
Full Story
Architecture
Celebrate Richard Neutra’s Innovative Los Angeles Home and Studio
By Colin Flavin
The modern design, which marks its 90th anniversary this year, continues to inspire and offer lessons for living
Full Story
17 years ago, my husband won a trip 7 days and no nights in the artic circle, summer solstice in Finland, Sweden (thanks, KFOG!) and as my son turned a month old on this trip, we stopped by the supermarket for diapers. I've learned to look around, saw something and just had to buy several of them. Gave many to my sisters who loved it.
I now have Swedish spice jars filled with dried tarragon ... and the labels read Dragon!
Flake of dragon? Now that's a cool kitchen accessory. Cackle, cackle, cackle
http://blog.movemastersmoving.net/green-packing-tips-reduce-carbon-footprint/