The other day, I was walking downtown to my local coffee shop, as I do most weekdays, when I came across what appeared to be a Little Free Library. Now, anyone who knows me knows I have more books in my “to-read” pile than I do floorspace in my apartment. Still, any time I see one of those “take a book, share a book” initiatives, I can’t help but participate.

However, the small wooden cabinet, situated in front of our town’s newest plant store, wasn’t filled with books. No, it was decked with trinkets. Stickers, crystals, beads, and mini goodie bags sat patiently on the shelves, awaiting their newest owner. 

“Take a Trinket” was written in marker on the cabinet window. 

Don’t mind if I do, I thought as I sorted through the small offerings. Just like the Little Free Library, this mini trinket station added a dose of whimsy to my day. 

Is Trinket Swapping the New Little Free Library?

I thought it was a unique idea, but that next morning, I noticed an article published on The Guardian titled, “‘It’s a tiny bit of joy!’ How trinket swapping is making the world a happier place, one china sheep at a time.”

In the article, writer Emma Beddington detailed her experience at a trinket exchange:

“Boxes filled with tchotchkes that visitors exchange for their own trinkets are popping up everywhere,” she wrote. “Emerging in the US last autumn (Philadelphia had one of the first using a ready-made electrical junction box, a popular format), they’re a new iteration of a phenomenon that started with Little Free Libraries and diversified during the pandemic into myriad neighbourhood installations.”

In conducting further research on this initiative, I found a Reddit post from seven months ago that included a photo of a “Free Little Library of Trinkets and Treasures,” similar to the one I saw in my downtown. 

“I just finished building my free little library of trinkets and treasures,” the Reddit user shared. “I made it mostly because we could all use a little extra joy right now. The bulk of it is an old curio cabinet I got off marketplace. I hope you like it.”

Everyone in the comments did, in fact, seem to love it.

And thankfully, this idea isn’t expensive or difficult to maintain. The entire premise is to take what you want and give what you can.

For the Love of Trinkets

Perhaps my favorite part of this trend is learning what others deem to be “trinkets.” In other words, what’s special to them? Is it a seashell they found along the shore? A colorful guitar pic they used when learning to play? A hair clip, a handmade bracelet, a butterfly pin, a magnet from their favorite band?

This initiative reminds us how different we all are, offering a glimpse into each other’s minds and hearts. You know what they say: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.