I Love This Unexpected Spot for Displaying Photos (It’s Also a Clever Homesickness Hack!)
As the holiday season steadily approaches, it’s normal to start missing home more and more. I’ve been feeling some homesickness recently, and I’m counting down the days until Thanksgiving break. In the meantime, I just found a lovely new way to bring my family and hometown friends to me.
TikTok user Kate (@katherine.neave) posted a video showing a simple but creative way to add family photos to your space in a spot I’d never thought of before. Kate shows how her parents have taped old mementos and family photos on the inside of all of their cupboard doors, so that each time they open a cabinet they get a sweet hit of nostalgia.
Why You Should Display Photos Inside Your Drawers
The best part of Kate’s family tradition is that you can easily replicate it in your own space, even if you don’t have a kitchen. The first step, wherever you plan to display your pictures, is to print some of your favorite photos, which you can do pretty cheaply at your local copy shop, FedEx, CVS, or Walgreens. If you already have prints you want to use, you’re ahead of the game!
Once you have the photos you want to hang up, you can pretty much do what Kate showed in her TikTok video, with the permission of your roommate or roommates, if you have them. (Definitely don’t do this in a common room kitchen.)
No cabinets? No problem: You can easily display your favorite photos inside your desk drawers and closet doors instead. In the video, Kate’s family appeared to use childhood photos, but you can choose whatever memories will bring you the most joy, whether it’s a snap from last week or from 15 years ago!
This might be one of the easiest discrete dorm decor tips you’ll find, and it’s also a way to give yourself a dopamine boost throughout your day. Each time you pull your drawer open to grab a notebook or pen, you’ll be greeted with a heartwarming photo of a loved one or a reminder of a silly memory.
Plus, unlike framed photos, you won’t have to buy any expensive frames or put any holes in your wall. In the video, it appears that the family uses Blu-Tack to attach these photos, which works great for dorms and apartments because it doesn’t peel up paint or leave residue behind. Double-sided tape is a great alternative, too, if you’re putting the photos inside your own furniture.
Next time I’m getting hit with a pang of homesickness, I’m gonna reach for my desk drawer for more than a notebook; I can’t wait to have a way to bring my favorite photos of friends and family into my daily routines.
