Keys to the Past: 5 Crafty Ways to Remember Your Former Homes

Members of the military community often struggle to get a true sense of home while they are constantly moving.

One way to improve your attitude is to create crafts and art that represent the different places you have lived so you'll always remember where you've been and be able to take them with you.

Check out these great crafts and ideas to help you channel your memories of past homes into great visual and mental reminders.

Key Art

A unique way to always have something around from your past homes is to make something out of the keys you once used. You don't have to be an especially crafty person to create something that will look great on a wall or coffee table.

Love Stitched posted this easy project. With a little spray paint, burlap and magic marker you can create a stunningly simple shadow box that looks great anywhere.

Family Photo Collage

The most simple approach to remembering your past homes is to create a great photo collage combining photos of your family in front of your former home. These "front door family photos" look great together, and serve as a rememberance where you've been and how old the kids were when you lived there. Post them all on a big bulletin board for a collage look or in a frame on the wall for a more professional appearance.

Craft Houses

If you're looking for something more customizable, check out little model homes that you can then paint and label with your former location. In the example we found on Life Lessons of a Military Wife, fairly standard model homes were customized and the different locations were painted on the roofs in white paint. Placing these in your living room not only reminds your family of former lives in different places, but can also be a great conversation point during a party.

Christmas Ornaments

A really simple way to remember your past home is create Christmas ornaments. Whether you buy an ornament that signifies something from that location or decide to create something yourself, having an ornament from the different places you lived is a great way to personalize your tree for a military family.

Map Art

One of the most unique ideas we ran across on the Minimoz blog was a love map. Essentially, you find an old map and cut out special locations — where you fell in love, where you met and where your kids were born, for instance — in the shape of a heart. Then paste them on a piece of paper to be framed.

The end result looks like professional wall art from the store but is actually personalized to your story.

No matter how you choose to remember your former homes, physical or mental reminders can help you feel grounded no matter where you end up. These projects can help you learn how to make 'home' a mindset that is always easy to pack up and take with you as a positive outlook.