The only problem I find with traveling with hand luggage only is the fact that it limits the amount of souvenirs I can bring home. In this guide we look at the best souvenirs that you can buy when traveling with carry on only so you won’t be forced to check luggage on your return journey!
But before I get into the best souvenirs when traveling hand luggage only, I just wanted to give you a word of warning about things I definitely avoid. Firstly I never buy anything liquid this includes not only wines and local alcohol but also things like delicious olive oil in Italy. The reason for this is the liquid allowance you are allowed when traveling with only carry on. There is nothing worse than having condensed all your packing into carry on then being forced to check in bag or throw liquids away because you bought the wrong souvenir.
Also depending on how confident you are packing delicate items and what kind of bag you have, you may want to avoid very delicate things i.e. glass as you don’t want these to break as you return home.
And of course anything heavy or large that is going to send you over your carry on allowance.
So know you have my words of warning about what not to buy while traveling here are the things that I look to purchase that I know will fit into my carrier on case.
Magnets
Magnets are obviously the classic travel souvenir. They are usually lightweight, hard wearing and can be easily packed into carry on pack. Just be sure not to put them close to any bank cards as magnets have been known to demagnetise bank card and strip them of data.
Christmas Ornaments
Christmas ornaments are absolutely my number one favourite souvenir. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love to decorate my tree with mementos of my travels. There is something nice about seeing the ornaments seasonally only as there is something nice about getting them out of the attic every year and talking about our travels as we decorate our Christmas tree.
Stickers or Patches
Souvenirs don’t come much smaller than stickers or patches. Personally, I am not a very good sewer so I tend to lean more towards stickers that I do patches for luggage or clothes, though I do love the idea of decorating luggage with patches so you can see it more easily as it comes round on conveyer-belts!
Instead of patches I do like to collect stickers though, especially in the national parks. I got this cool Great Smoky NP one on my most recent trip and can’t decide whether it should go on my car or my hard sided luggage – decisions decisions!
Clothing
Now if you use a capsule wardrobe at home as well as when you travel this one probably isn’t for you. However if you don’t a t shirt or cap from your travels is a great addition to your wardrobe and a really easy souvenir to pack in your carry on.
Postcards
Again they don’t come much smaller than this but we don’t even pack postcards into our carry on. Instead we like to buy postcards as we travel around and write them on the same day posting them straight back home. They are either there waiting for you when you return or are a nice surprise when they do arrive. They are great additions or alternatives to the traditional travel journal!
Artworks
Anything flat and 2 d is a great idea for minimalist travelers. Just be sure you know the dimensions of your case before making a big purchase. We normally only do this when we know that we can safely pack works of art between two pieces of cardboard in our carry on so we know it will arrive safe and flat.
Mugs
Now I always like to buy local when I travel but there is one exception for me – the classic Where you are Starbucks travel mug. These come packaged quite well so I just leave these in a box and don’t fully underpack them until I get home.
I love the illustrations on these mugs and the fact that they stack so well on top of each other. And the range seems to be getting more extensive with mugs for theme parks and even cruise ships now.
Shot Glasses
This is not something I have ever collected since I never use them, but if you want something for the kitchen smaller than a mug then the traditional travel shot glass is the answer.
And there you have it out favorite souvenirs for minimalist travels! What is your favourite travel souvenir that you can fit in your carry on? We would love to hear about what you collect in the comments below!