In an increasingly digital world, we are using more than just the standard print methods for preserving those precious memories of vacations and milestones. No matter how you like to engage in saving those special moments from trips and gatherings, this list will feature a variety of some of the best ways to preserve and share your experiences!
Journaling
Physical Journal: A classic. Find your preferred notebook and writing utensils to take with you wherever you go! Handwritten notes are so special and can be very meaningful in the present or in the future. Just be prepared to spend money on the materials and finding a good place to store them. While they can be expensive, I recommend saving all of your notebooks in a fireproof and waterproof box or chest. You'll want to consider taking an extra step to preserve those memories since paper is fragile.
Digital Journal: It's portable, can be accessed from multiple devices, can be password protected or encrypted, and likely saves to a cloud. There are far too many platforms to name, but I encourage you to look around to see what's out there. There are options that are completely free and others that you may decide to pay for if you want access to the full range of features. I journal daily and spent two years using Google Docs as my digital journal. However, I decided to try something new for my 2022 journal and started using an app on my phone called Day One. I decided to pay the annual subscription because I wanted to use all the features including audio (with a transcript), video, photo, and text. Like my Google Doc journals, it can be accessed from multiple devices. So far, I'm finding the multimedia digital journal to be better than just a plain Google Doc because I can record more information in real time. This is great for saving those unforgettable moments on a trip!
Scrapbooking
By no means would I say I'm a crafty person. However, there is no right or wrong when it comes to scrapbooks! Every scrapbook is unique and craft stores make it super easy to create one by offering a variety of materials and even some workshops. This is ideal for those of you who want to express your creative side. Save your tickets, boarding passes, print out photos and add those memories and moments to the book. Did you go on a trip with your group of friends or family? See if they want to make their own scrapbooks and have a scrapbooking party!
Photo Automatic Cloud Backup
If you are taking photos on your phone, make sure to have automatic backup of those images to a cloud. Apple and Google each have their own clouds and you can pay a relatively small amount of money for additional storage as needed. I actually use both iCloud and Google Photos to save my pictures. Although I have an iPhone, I still have access to all my photos from my Android days and changed the app settings to allow for automatic cloud backup of any pictures saved to my camera roll. It never hurts to have your pictures in a couple of locations. Digital files can be accidentally deleted, lost when a platform becomes extinct, or when files become corrupted. Clouds are like a safety net for your images and can make it easier to share photos. There are even digital picture frames that have clouds, so you may want to look into that as another option for your photos which you can see in regular rotation in your home.
Blogging
Of course, it's hard to write a travel blog that I actively use collect my travel stories and not mention blogging on this list! What I like most about blogging is my ability to reflect on my experiences and know that they will be saved forever. The internet is "forever" after all. I also have the option to add in maps, pictures, and other media to my stories. The hardest part about writing a blog is maintaining consistency, but your blog is what you make of it and you have total creative control. If you don't want to do anything as extensive as design a website and regularly producing content, social media is a good alternative. Facebook and Tumbler can work just the same as a regular blog without having to build your own website or find a special blog site. If you prefer a more visual form of blogging, consider using Pinterest or Instagram, which can also be used as digital scrapbooks. Microblogs, such as Twitter, are great for getting your thoughts, pictures, or videos shared quickly without the need to write a great amount. Similar to digital journals, there are numerous options for blogging.
Vlogging
This is the video form of the typical static blog. If you want to capture a wide range of details using a single type of media, this may be best for you. There can sometimes be a misconception that you need to have video editing skills for vlogging, but the truth is you don't. In fact, you can use videos from your trips as your opportunity to practice video editing. You can post your final video to YouTube, Vimeo, or any other video sharing platform and restrict the videos as much as your prefer. Whether you choose to upload your vlogs to a video sharing platform or not, I highly recommend saving them to a cloud or on a flash drive.
Feel free to leave comments below, tweet (@KimiThoughts), or leave a post/message on Facebook (@KimisTravelThoughts) and share how you save your vacation memories or if you plan to use any of the recommendations from this post!