When traveling in your RV every stop brings new memories, adventures, and stories! But, whether you travel full time or just a few epic road trips a year, there’s one challenge - where do you put all the souvenirs? With limited storage and a focus on keeping life light, finding keepsakes that don’t take up much space can feel tricky. 

Traveling in a small space requires intentional choices. Traditional souvenirs like coffee mugs, porcelain figures, or bulky t-shirts can quickly overrun your cabinets! 

The Good News? I put together a list of things that myself and people I’ve met on the road collect to keep things light but still have a fun memory from each place we visit! 

The key is to focus on items that are small, simple, and easy to display or store. Compact Souvenirs can still be meaningful while saving space and still giving you that special connection to each place you have visited! 

 1. Stickers 

This is my Favorite and the thing that my crew and I collect on all of our travels! I think that stickers are one of the easiest (and most budget-friendly) souvenirs to collect. You’ll find them in almost every national park, campground, or local shop. 

We typically try to find a sticker that has some significance to what we saw or experienced in that location! This way we have a visual reminder when we look at it about what we experienced. Our kids love to pick them out and they can be displayed in several ways: 

• On the fridge or RV cabinets 
• In a dedicated travel sticker book 
• On water bottles, coolers, or even a travel journal 
• A removable board similar to ours 

Each sticker becomes a visual reminder of your journey, and they take up virtually no space! Check out The Bram Fam Sticker Board from Rivet Supply Co that hangs on the door of our RV!

Shop Rivet Supply Co and use discount code Travelwiththebrams10 

2. Magnets

Magnets are another easy and classic option that is super popular for RVers! They’re small, inexpensive, and available almost everywhere you travel. Even if your RV fridge isn’t magnetic, you still have a few options to help display them: 

• Add a small magnetic board inside your RV 
• Create a magnet display strip on the wall or around your slides 
• Store them in a box for later (If you prefer a more minimalist approach) 

Magnets not only remind you of each location but can also spark conversations when friends or family come by! You can easily move them around so you can enjoy different ones on display! 

3. Postcards

Postcards are number 3 on our list and arguably one of the most popular! They are flat, lightweight, and easy to organize. The best part? They can double as a memory journal if you jot down the date and a quick story about your time there. Here are a few creative ways to use them: 

• Keep them in a binder with clear sleeves creating your own travel book 
• Hang your favorites as rotating wall art - In frames or on a cork board 
• Mail them home to yourself for a fun “postmarked travel journal” 

This one is a simple and meaningful way to remember your adventures while saving space and keeping your budget in check! 

4. Patches

This one is much more unique than our first 3, however patches can be a very versatile souvenir! Although they aren’t as popular in many roadside locations, most National Parks Sites do have patches in stock! What would you do with them? Easy! You can iron or sew them onto: 

• A travel quilt or blanket 
• Backpacks or tote bags 
• A wall hanging or banner in the RV 

Over time, the collection grows into a colorful, personalized piece that tells your family’s story! It can be kept even if the item wears down and the patches can easily be removed and resewn onto other items as necessary.

5. Keychains

This one might be the largest of our Top 5 and although keychains are often not as flat as postcards they’re still small and fun to collect! Most travel locations carry a wide variety of keychains in sizes and shapes that can fit how you want to store and display them. To try and help avoid clutter you can: 

• Clip them onto a backpack or travel bag - rotate through your favorites 
• Organizing them on a keyring or display hook on your wall 
• Letting kids choose one from each stop for their own mini collection 

Keychains are a great option as they’re inexpensive, cheerful, and bring a little bit of each destination back with you!

BONUS Idea for the Minimalist 

6. Digital Souvenirs

If your family prefers to keep physical clutter to an absolute minimum, consider going digital! Take plenty of photos, create custom digital postcards, or even design yearly photo books of your travels. These options save space but still capture all the memories in a meaningful way! 

Collecting souvenirs is half the fun and the other half is displaying them! Even in a small RV, you can add cork boards for stickers, magnets and postcards OR use fabric banners or wall organizers to display patches! Involving kids in organizing the family’s souvenir collection can also turn it into a fun family project. 

Traveling in an RV doesn’t mean giving up the joy of collecting souvenirs. By choosing compact keepsakes like stickers, magnets, postcards, patches, and keychains, you can celebrate your adventures without overwhelming your space. Each tiny treasure holds big memories and together, they tell the story of your family’s journey on the road! 

Happy Travels! 

Kristina Bram