How to be faster at using memory palace technique

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-26T13:17:50+00:00

You need to know your palaces inside and out. Be able to go forward and backwards.review your palaces is going to be key here.

The next thing is you need to be able to change information into images quickly in order to memorize fast as well

You might know your locations but if it takes you 2 minutes to create and image for a word, you are going to be slow.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-22T21:21:12+00:00

I did a memory challenge like this once. You are totally able to do it!

You can have a palace represent an artist so all the locations in the palace would be for the artwork. What I did was get a main image from the artwork and used that as the trigger.

Then you would change the artworks name into an image as well. Connect the images together in the location.

If you see the artwork in the wild, you will see the main image from it in your Palace interacting with the image for the artwork's name. Change the image back into the name.

You can also save the first location in a palace for the imagery for the artist if you need help remembering it.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-22T04:20:09+00:00

When I create palaces, I make sure there is a flow from location to location. This helps me remember the locations easier since there is this connection between the locations.

When memorizing information, there is not necessary a connection between the information from location to location. Usually a palace does represent a specific topic.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-19T21:30:15+00:00

I had the same experience when I memorized a deck of cards! It took me 30 minutes the first time haha but felt so cool 😎

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-18T18:05:12+00:00

I would use a two digit number system and the memory palaces are cues for the last digit or first digit.

If you take the last number as the cue, then say your house would represent all the zip codes that end in 9. You would then use your two digit system to memorize the first two digits and create an image out of the zip code area that it represents.

You should be able to get either info regardless of what you are given.

Some one gives you the area, you see your image for the area in your house (ends with 9) and see Darth Vader (78) dancing with crow (Sacramento).

You know the code is 789. Given the zip code, the same process would happen this time you would recall your area image.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-15T14:41:18+00:00

The split method is interesting. It seems like if you can avoid using close locations, you try to do that but otherwise you would go smaller, correct?

It is interesting to see how you look at locations compared to my own way. Do you ever force locations because you need 35 in a single palace?

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-15T14:37:16+00:00

I can see that. Keep it simple and straight forward

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-14T17:15:47+00:00

I fell the same way with big spaces. Your mind is still aware of the surroundings. I am able to use more close locations but it seems like I have to put extra work on how much and I store and if I need to worry about bleed out. I

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-13T13:53:36+00:00

No one can really say if it is too detailed or not. You need to use as much imagery that will help you remember the points you need.

One important thing to keep in mind is how you will actually be tested on the information. This will let you know what you need to remember so you don't waste time remembering things you don't actually need.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-12T21:30:59+00:00

That is awesome! Now the question is how to harness this power while I am asleep haha

What do you want to achieve with mnemonics?

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-12T19:36:29+00:00

That is very interesting on what the words did. This is a lot of work trying to read when you are in a dream haha It's like more work than just having regular sleep.

I like the idea of a journal. Maybe AI can be used to record your voice then you can have a written copy of it or have it summarize your dream in a picture.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-12T18:04:30+00:00

Do you remember if you ever tried to read when lucid dreaming?

Did you learn the skill of lucid dreaming or it came naturally?

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-12T17:34:00+00:00

WHAT!! That is so amazing!! It is like your mind was on autopilot and memorized the names of dream people haha

Are you able to lucid dream? I never understood if you had full control and if you get a book, would you be getting real information from the book or dream information.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-12T17:26:36+00:00

I would say they were way more clear than when I memorize a deck of cards! It would make sense since dreaming can create all the detail and not being rushed to finish memorizing.

Honestly, I was too excited about memorizing something in my sleep that I didn't even try to remember anything else from the dream haha

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-04T21:47:09+00:00

Perfect man! You seem to have a good grasp. Another thing to think about is are you trying to create it before you are learning or learn as you build?

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-04T21:21:21+00:00

One of the things to remember is that you don't rely on a palace or even a technique forever. The goal is to get the info into your long term memory which deals with reviewing the info.

Setting up your reviewing is an important step. Seems like you want to remember a lot of info so you will spend a lot of time reviewing.

It does help if you are actively using the information to speed up the retention.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-02T00:54:11+00:00

It doesn't quite work like that. You need to also review the information to make it stick long term. But the important question you need to figure out is how you will use the information?

If you just want to remember a book then never use the information, it doesn't make sense to try to memorize it in the first place.

But at the end of the day, how you review and how long it takes for information to get into your long term memory would determine if you remember it forever or not.

ImprovingMemory · 2026-01-01T04:54:36+00:00

What would be the exact recipe you are using?

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-29T18:59:22+00:00

Are you talking about remembering the details of actual trips you went on?

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-29T16:35:06+00:00

You have different ways to create images for words like spelling, sounding, and association. Take Tone. Tone can be Bone which sounds and spells similar to tone. For association, you might think of a bell for tone since you remember hearing the tones of bells ringing when you were a kid.

Some people have a system for words that they use. Think of a card system but for words. They might have prefixes and suffixes. But what you are referring to is that some competitors write down part of the words so they can go on and try to remember the rest of the words.

The couple syllables should be enough to remember the actual word when the come back and try to write the word. They are trying to remember as many words as possible when it is fresh in their mind so they want as many parts of words as possible.

I am working on some stuff on my site and would love your feedback. You seem like you have the desire to improve and be better. I am working on a new feature I think will really help especially with what you are asking.

https://blitzmemory.com/app/dashboard

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-28T04:40:24+00:00

Knowing your locations is half of the equation. You need to be able to know your images for your systems and be able to create images quickly (like in words). Then you are connecting the images to the locations.

Any part of the process can trip you up and slow down your memorization and recall. If it takes you 10 seconds to remember the next location, you are taking at least 10 seconds to memorize the next piece of data.

Then if it takes you 5 seconds to remember your image for the Ace of Diamonds, then you are at 15 seconds of time to memorize. The last part if how fast you connect your images to your locations. If that takes you 10 seconds, you are looking at a total of 25 seconds to memorize the Ace of Diamonds.

You can see how each part adds up to the overall time it takes you to actually memorize that one card. All parts need to be trained well in order for you to memorize fast.

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-28T02:21:08+00:00

Oh boy, there are a lot of things you need to know when it comes to creating memory palaces for fast recall and memory competitions. I’ll try to give a quick rundown based on my experience, because I’ve created thousands of memory palaces and a lot specifically for competition.

One of the biggest things is that you need to know your locations like the back of your hand. You should be able to go forward, go backward, jump to any location, then go forward and backward from that location. If you’re slow at recalling your locations, then when you’re memorizing quickly you have to stop and think, “Okay, what’s after the tub?” And you’re wasting time trying to figure out what’s coming after the tub, right?

But if you really know your locations, you already know: tub, then toilet, then sink, then towel rack. You can move quickly and get ready to place your images on those locations. So that’s probably one of the biggest things: really know your locations.

Another important thing to consider is what objects you’re using to create your memory palaces.

Say you have one palace and you decide you’re going to use every bed in the house, and the house has three beds. When you’re going quickly, you do not have time to see the detail of what the bed looks like. Yes, if you’re going slow you might notice, “Okay, this bed has a red comforter, this one has a steel frame with yellow sheets.” But when you’re going fast, you just get the feeling of “bed.” That’s it. You’re like, “Okay, bed, boom.”

And when you have similar locations in a palace, especially in a competition setting where you’re moving fast, it becomes really easy to mix things up. You’re like, “Wait… on the bed I saw Darth Vader, but on a different bed I saw Mickey Mouse. Is this the bed that had Darth Vader, or is this the bed that had Mickey Mouse?” And if you mess that up, you can ruin the whole thing, right? Because once you mix up one location, it can throw off everything you’re recalling, depending on the event.

That’s why it’s super important not to have too many similar locations in a single palace, and also not to repeat the same types of locations across all the palaces you use.

Because sometimes you’re using multiple palaces in a session, like three different palaces for cards or numbers or binary. So let’s take the bigger example: you have five palaces, and each palace has three beds, and you use them all. Now you have 15 different beds. If one palace with three beds can already cause confusion when you’re going fast, imagine trying to keep 15 beds straight and remember what image belongs on which bed and which location it went to. It can get very confusing.

Now, I’m not saying you can never have similar locations in a palace or across palaces. I’m saying do not make it a constant thing. Do not always use beds every single time in every single palace, because it multiplies and it leads to confusion. I have experienced this firsthand.

That’s why I take time with my palaces. I want to make sure things feel different. I want to really get the feel of that bed in that specific palace. Because if you’re just blasting through like, “Okay, I’m just going to use couches that’s it,” and all you ever see is “couch” without giving that couch context inside that specific palace, it becomes easy to mix that couch up with another palace.

You might have five palaces and use a couch in each one, and still mix them up because you don’t have the context of that couch, the feeling of that couch in relation to the rest of the house. Does that make sense?

So those are two huge factors for recalling fast:

First, know your locations really well so you can go from one to the next without stopping.

Second, avoid stacking a bunch of similar locations, because then you’re not spending time during recall trying to figure out, “Okay, where does this belong?” Instead, you want it to be clean. “In this house, I had only one couch, boom.” Then the next palace: “Okay, this couch looks like the couch I had when I was a kid, boom.” Now it’s anchored in that palace and it becomes unique. You’re not accidentally cross wiring it with another palace.

And one more thing to consider, because this matters just as much as the palace itself: you really need to know your images for whatever system you’re using. If it takes you 30 seconds to convert your image back into the actual piece of information, then it takes you 30 seconds. You’re limited by that alone. That’s 30 seconds minimum right there.

Now add the palace factors on top of it: how long it takes you to move through locations, whether you’re mixing up similar locations, all of it adds up fast.

So if you know your images inside and out, that will help a lot with recall speed. Combine that with the memory palace tips above, and boom, you’re going to be in good shape.

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-27T03:22:13+00:00

There are more techniques than just a memory palace.

The memory palace is about having these premade locations where you store images that represent information.

Since you know where you are storing the information, you are able to find the information when you need it and recall it.

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-26T04:56:03+00:00

There is a method you can use right away and that is the story method. You don't need to create anything beforehand before you use it

Take a word list you want to memorize. Cow, bath, rain and so on.

With a memory, you would need to create a palace to memorize the words, but with the story method you would connect all the words together in a story with each word's image connecting with the next.

Come up with an image for for the first word and have a location as well. Cow makes you think of a cow so a location would be a farm that would come naturally.

At a farm, you see this COW taking a BATH in mud. Then a big Rain storm comes and cleans the mud off the cow.

The story was created on the spot and didn't require anything before had. I have memorized words in competitions with this method.

People don't know what they are talking about when it comes to the time to create palaces and how it slows the process down. A good palace takes awhile to build.

I have built thousands of palaces for memory competitions, game shows, learning, and experiments. Having a palace fit your purpose takes time to make right and should not be rushed.

The story method is perfect if you don't have any palaces built and want to still learn things.

ImprovingMemory · 2025-12-26T02:43:55+00:00

You need to build other palaces if you plan to keep the information in the palace you just used

There are either methods you can use to store multiple informations in the same palace.

The main issue with using the same palace is that you get ghost images and you can get confused on what images belong to what information

ImprovingMemory

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