Easy DIY Travel Journal: Turn a Map into a Memory Keeper

A DIY travel journal is a great way to turn your adventures into something meaningful and memorable. With just a few simple supplies and a little creativity, you can create a personalized keepsake that tells your travel story in your own unique way.

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A DIY Travel Journal for a Long Awaited Trip

Recently, my husband and I checked a major dream off our life bucket list—a trip to England!

Yes, tea time, double-decker buses, and actual real-life castles!

We were both exhausted and jet-lagged, but every single second was pure magic. 

And when we got back, I knew I didn’t want those wonderful memories to disappear into a cloud of phone pics and forgotten ticket stubs.

Sure, there are those fancy travel photobooks you can make online. But I wanted something more personal—something handmade, a bit quirky (like me), and small enough to tuck into a day bag.

I’m so glad I came up with this fun little DIY travel journal project using something delightfully old school…

A map! (Does anyone actually use these anymore? We do!)

If you’re looking for a great way to document your various travels, this woven map cover is such a clever and easy way to make your own travel journal feel totally one-of-a-kind.

Plus, it fit right into this month’s Handcrafted Society challenge! (which we both know is half the fun, right?)

The Handcrafted Society Challenge

Supplies You’ll Need

You probably have most of these things already, but here’s the list:

• Double-sided tape (don’t skimp here—this is what holds it all together!)
• A map – pick somewhere meaningful (where you’ve been or where you want to go!)
• A notebook – any size works, from mini composition books to big bound journals
• Pencil
• Straight edge 
• Scissors

Let’s Make Your DIY Travel Journal!

This isn’t just a journal—it’s a mini time capsule for all your travel memories. You can use it for journal entries, travel photos, bullet journaling, or even a map tracker of all the places you’ve been (or want to go!).

Here’s how to create your woven map masterpiece.

Choose Your Map and Mark It Up

Pick a map that means something to you—maybe from a road trip, a honeymoon, or that long trip you finally took. I used one of London because, well… Buckingham Palace. Enough said.

I chose to cut my map into two different areas. The first is the colorful “land mass” area and the second is the “water mass” area. This will help give your woven map a higher level of contrast.

Start first with the land area. Using your pencil and straight edge, draw horizontal strips about ½ inch wide.  

Cut enough strips to horizontally cover the width of your notebook when it is laid out flat with both the front and back facing upward.

Then, using the primarily water areas of the map, mark and cut vertical strips. Use the same width, but these need to be long enough to wrap around your notebook from top to bottom.

As you cut the strips, lay them out in order on a flat surface. This step is more important with the land area strips if you want there to be some location recognition in the final journal.

Don’t worry about being too precise—it’s supposed to look handmade!

Weaving Your DIY Travel Journal Cover

​Before you start weaving, line up the horizontal strips so they are touching on each side. It helps to anchor the ends in place. I just grabbed things on my desk to use as anchor but a single book would do the trick.

Now, take your vertical strips and start weaving over and under the horizontal strips.

As you finish weaving each strip, push it tightly against the previous strip so there are no holes in the weave.

Keep going until the woven area is large enough to completely wrap your notebook—front, back, spine, and about an inch extra around all sides. You’ll basically end up with a sheet of woven map fabric. 

Place a some clear tape along the outer woven edges of the map fabric so the strips stay in place. This step makes the woven piece feel more solid and less like a potential spaghetti map explosion!

​This would be actually be something pretty cool to frame at this point!

Cover Your Notebook

Now lay strips of double-sided tape across the front, back, and spine of your notebook. I was initially a little obsessive with making sure the tape was straight and flat.

Later, I realized this is not a big deal. Just slap the tape on and don’t worry about the aesthetics!

Lay the back of the notebook down onto the center of your woven map piece and slowly wrap the woven cover around it. Press firmly to make sure it sticks, then trim off any excess. 

Place a few strips double-sided tape on the inside covers of the notebook and wrap the woven map over the edge. Press firmly and the strips will stay in place.

Voilà! 

Or as the Brits would say “Well done, you!”

What to Put in Your DIY Travel Journal?

Now that you’ve made the perfect travel journal, you can use those blank pages however you want. That’s the great thing about this kind of diy project—it’s totally up to you.

Here are some diy travel journal ideas to get you started:

• Daily journal entries at the end of the day
• Quick travel sketchbook doodles (no one needs to know you can only draw stick people!)
• A running travel bucket list
• Notes on places you ate (because food is the destination)
• Mini travel scrapbook with ticket stubs, pressed flowers, and little souvenirs
• Snap-in pockets for travel photos
• Quotes overheard from funny strangers (you know there’s always one!)

This type of journal works for shorter trips, long trips, and everything in between. I plan to keep a separate notebook just for places I want to go—like a little pre-travel bucket list dream book.

Bonus Idea: These Make Wonderful Gifts!

Seriously, how cute would this be as a gift for a fellow travel lover? It’s thoughtful, personal, and says, “You matter more than a Starbucks gift card.”

Plus, there are so many different types of notebooks and different styles of maps out there—you could make one for every season, destination, or travel partner.

Packing Up the Memories

I love that this DIY travel journal isn’t just another notebook…it’s a piece of the journey itself.

It reminds me of the cobblestones we walked, the scones we devoured, and all those “pinch me” moments along the way.

If you’re craving a creative way to preserve your wonderful experiences, give this map journal a try. It’s a great idea to take your memories to the next level, and you’ll end up with something far more special than anything you could buy.

Now I’m off to start planning my next adventure—and yes, I’ve already got a map for that one, too!

​Let me know if you try this one out—I’d love to see your woven wonders!

Keep reading below and see what map inspired creations my Handcrafted Society friends came up with!

Cheers!

A Little About Me

The Handcrafted Society Creates with Maps

Past Handcrafted Society Project Favorites

Thrift Shop Find Decoupage Project

DIY Concrete Cement Birdbath Planter

Easy DIY Desk Pad

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Pin the image below to your boards on Pinterest (just click the Pin button in the top left corner). You can also follow along with me on Pinterest!

My Favorite Travel Items