As a professional organiser, I often come across clients who have collections of memorabilia, such as ticket stubs from concerts or sporting events, postcards from travels, or other sentimental items. While these items can hold a lot of personal meaning and value, they can also be difficult to display or incorporate into everyday life. Finding creative ways to showcase your memories can be a challenge, but it’s also a rewarding opportunity to bring these cherished moments into your living space.
So, how can you properly organise and display your memorabilia in a way that allows you to enjoy and appreciate it, without it becoming clutter?
Decide if you’re keeping it:
First, it’s important to go through your collection and carefully evaluate each item. Ask yourself if the item holds personal meaning and value to you, and whether or not you want to keep it. If you decide to keep an item, make sure to properly store and protect it so that it stays in good condition.
Display it:
Once you have sorted through your collection and decided on the items you want to keep, it’s time to think about how to display them. Firstly, group ‘like’ memories together. It’s up to you if you group it based on what it’s made of (fabric, paper and so on) or type. Type examples might be, ticket stubs, postcards, keyrings together. You could even sort them based on events like wedding; UK trip and so on.
There’s no right answer, it will depend on how you want to keep it. Keep in mind you might be displaying it together.
Once you’ve grouped things you can come up with some ideas on displaying items!
Image Source: Virginia Wells
Use them!
If you can, get them into use 
Use grandma’s teacup, cook with that wooden spoon you took from your mother’s when she died, because it reminded you of baking cookies with her.
Whatever it is, if it has a function, use it!
Image Source: Belinda Lowrey repurposes her grandmother’s cup and saucer to hold jewellery, so she can enjoy the memory every day. (As drinking out of it wasn’t likely for her).
Memory wall/display wall
One creative idea to showcase your memories is to create a memory wall or display by hanging or mounting items in a way that allows you to easily see and appreciate them. This could be done using frames, shadow boxes, or even a floating shelf or similar.
Another option of is to incorporate your memorabilia into everyday life. For example, you could use ticket stubs as bookmarks or postcards as artwork in your home. You could also create a memory jar or box where you can store and display small items, such as tickets or photos.
Ticket stubs can look great in a shadow box with an open top so you can keep dropping them in (a bit like a money box).
This is a great example of one from Amazon.com.au.
Postcards can be added to a metal ring (like what you find on keyrings) and holepunch the corner. Thread them all on and add it to a plate stand. Voila, you have a changing mini picture display. You can flip and change the picture for the day.
Image Source: Virginia Wells
Scrapbooks and photo albums
With photos and paper style memories, you can get creative and scrapbook or make up photo albums. This is a great way to organise and display old photos and other items like newspaper clippings or letters. You can create a scrapbook with a theme, like a trip you took or a specific time period in your life. This allows you to tell a story with your memorabilia and make it more interesting to look at.
Blankets or wall hangings
If you have a lot of old sports jerseys or concert t-shirts, you can create a display blanket or wall hanging out of them all. Some like to frame their shirts. The amount you have will alter your options. This is a great way to show off your memorabilia and make it a part of your decor.
Image Source: Virginia Wells
This before and after pic is an example of one we made for my husband. It was a bit rough and ready as we were hanging it in the shed and didn’t care too much. It got shirts out of the cupboard though and is currently being enjoyed in the garage gym!
Image Source: Nicole McIntyre (used baby socks for her advent calendar!)
Get creative
There are many different ways to keep things you love but don’t use anymore. Here are some ideas.
Jewellery you don’t want anymore – make it into a lovely wall hanging! (I had mine made by an artist in Bungendore – Dangly Doodads.
Image Source: Virginia Wells
Broken crockery that’s precious could be made into ceramic art.
Image Source: Virginia Wells
Fabrics can be made into teddies (these bunnies were made from clothing my daughter wore as a baby and toddler, bringing back fond memories for both of us).
Image Source: Virginia Wells
Or Pillows. See these pillows shared by follower Ludi Le Gal. These were favourite jumpers, that she turned into cushions.
Image Source: Ludi Le Gal
Art works with a theme from the memories of that person. This is a picture from Anne Kilcullen. She crafted this lovely scene for her daughter of fond memories of reading on the hammock at home. They were made from outfits her daughter wore throughout the years.
Image Source: Anne Kilcullen
I’ve heard of favourite wallets that have travelled the globe cast in resin to make coasters, and seen doilies made into artwork or made into bags and aprons like at Beautiful Lovey.
Image Source: Beautiful Lovey
What can you do with yours? Check out Pinterest for ideas.
Digitise
Finally, if you have items that you don’t want to display but still want to keep, you can digitise them. There are many services that can help you scan old photos and documents, and you can even use apps to digitise items like ticket stubs and other small items. This way, you can keep your memories safe and still be able to access them easily.
Image Source: Anonymous – these items were photographed and then let go of.
Memory box
Once you’ve exhausted all options you may resort to leaving them in a memory box. This can be a large, decorative box with dividers for different types of memorabilia. You can use it to store items like ticket stubs, postcards, and other small mementos. When you want to look through your memories, you can just open the box and go through each section.
Often, we start with gathering it in a box, and some are happy to leave it that way. Pulling it down from the wardrobe shelf every five years and reflecting. If it would mean more to have it out on display and try one of the other options, or get creative!
Overall, there are many creative ways to showcase your memories. Whether you want to create a memory box, scrapbook, or display, there are plenty of options to help you enjoy your memories and keep them organised. Share your ideas on the WellSorted Facebook Group!
