A goat’s head. Crabhouse menu. Beaded sunshine. They all came home with me from far away, and make my house a beloved museum of memories.

My property is packed with mementos from travels worldwide. Big tip: Select small souvenirs (art, okay?), as they are easier to schlep in your luggage, and you can fit MORE of them in your home. My sauna is lined with small, exotic masks. Carved human forms in indigenous garb stand atop the bookshelves. Painted scenes from Grenada to Stockholm line the sun porch walls.

One problem (and another Big Tip): Sometimes, the memory blurs about what came from where—and some (especially carved masks) can look rather alike. So…Go ahead and write a short Sharpie provenance on the back. As the years go by, that’ll kick that memory in!

As a friend once said, “Moments make memories.” So do these many precious keepsakes.