5 ways to display postcards as art
your Monday ritual for women who love beautiful places and meaningful experiences
Hi! I’m Katie, a cultural and social psychologist—but you can think of me as your BFF with a PhD. I explore the magic that happens when you step out and into the world. Here on Psychologie, I unpack the psychology of travel—how it can heal, reveal, and transform us. Bienvenue et bon voyage!
Postcards are souvenirs, yes. Some of the best, in my opinion. But, they’re so much more than that. They’re fragments of beauty, time, and place. Each one captures the magic of a single moment. The texture of a city, the color of a memory, the echo of someone’s thought in the way they handwrote it. Whether you’ve received them in the mail or collected them yourself along the way, postcards are tiny works of art that deserve to be seen all year long.
Here are five beautiful ways to display them and great reminders that connection and wonder can live right on your walls.
1. The Corkboard Gallery
A classic for a reason. Pin postcards on a corkboard and let them overlap like a collage of your lived moments. Your very own visual diary of where you’ve been (and where you’re still dreaming of going). Over time, your board becomes a kind of emotional map and proof that you’ve moved through the world and been changed by it.
2. Twine and Clips
For a simple, effortless display, string twine along a wall or window and use small wooden clips to hang your postcards. It feels casual but intentional. Like something you’d see in a Paris studio apartment or an artist’s attic. The best part? You can swap them out with the seasons, creating your own rotating exhibition.
3. Framed Collage
Choose a handful of postcards that belong together. Maybe all from one trip, or all in the same muted palette. Then, frame them in a grid or shadowbox. The repetition makes it look gallery-ready, while the handwritten backs remain hidden secrets known only to you.
4. Inside Your Journal
For those who collect memories on paper, postcards make perfect journal companions. Tape or tuck them into pages beside entries, letting them become tactile layers of your story. Later, flipping through your notebook will feel like you’re traveling again. One small card at a time.
5. Leaning Shelf Display
Line postcards along a bookshelf or picture ledge, propped casually against books or candles. It’s an easy, sculptural way to mix travel mementos into your home decor. They’ll catch your eye in the simplest of moments and invite you to pause and remember.
However you choose to display them, let your postcards remind you of the things in life that last. Connection, memory, and the art of noticing.
Something beautiful is coming next week. It’s called A Handwritten December: A Postcard Advent Series for those who still believe in the beauty of paper, wonder, and analog connection. Subscribe so you won’t miss it!
Cover image by Shepherd used under license
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Dear reader: do you display postcards in your living space? They act as a psychological boost in two ways; lifting your mood through both beauty and memory!
I like using mine as bookmarks!