If your traveling on a budget or trying to eliminate baggage weight, you might want to consider the versatility of a calendar as a souvenir. Calendars typically don’t take up much space, and the right one can become inexpensive art.
I found a calendar in the Cinque Terre that reflected the vibrancy and color of the coast. Not only am I enjoying each month, but I have started to frame the scenery. It is not complete yet, but when I am done, I will have a great gallery of art prints that cost me about $40.
Do you have any souvenirs you’ve bought that have served more than one purpose? I’m all about purchasing souvenirs that can be constant reminders of memories. To discover other meaningful purchases, check out my video on making the most out of souvenirs.
Liberated Traveler 
I like calendars too. And I actually use the services of some of the photo processing and printing websites to make calendars of my own photos. Makes good souvenir Christmas presents and reminds me of my past holidays. Another souvenir that someone told me about that is also cheap and light weight is tea towels. She told me she loves to use them to dry her dishes and remember the place where she got the tea towel. I started doing that as well and I also sometimes use push pins to hang one up in my kitchen.
We always try and buy things for the kitchen, because we know we will always use that, a pizza cutter from Tuscany and tea-towels from San Francisco, Cornwall…
Kitchen souvenirs also come to my mind–French or Italian tablecloths, napkins, trays, herbs, coffee in tins. My kitchen always reminds me of the wonderful trips I have taken. And they are lovely to use when I have company.
I have always been able to find 6×4 or slightly larger original water colors. Usually from street vendors. I frame them in frameless glass and have made a collage in my bathroom. I look at them everyday. I love pottery so, I also try to find a handmade coffee mug. It has to be handmade or I won’t buy it.