Making Time for Memories

I kind of find if I don't put a time frame to things, they don't get done. Just set aside a day or two a month and just do them. Before long, they will all be done and up to date. You have to have an end date for it to work. Just saying something does not make it happen.

Time management is the way to go. It seems I get a lot more done when I have a whole lot to do then when there is little to do. You work at home and the time that you were working could be used to do the books.

Good luck to you. You will find what works best for you.

the other S.

I guess you need to figure out whether or not this is something you actually enjoy doing enough to make time for? I get the whole scrapbooking/memory book making/paper crafting for people who find it to be a satisfying hobby and a top way to relax. If you're not one of those people though, we cares? Just don't do it.

I started a scrapbook for my oldest son prior to his first birthday. I stopped at 4 month old. He's 17. Guess what? It's not getting done, ever. And I have 3 more kids whose lives are equally void of a pretty book that someone spent way too much time on. And none of us cares a bit about it. For me, life is too busy to give up actual time with my loved ones to memorialize time spent with loved ones.

But let's assume for a second that this is something you actually value and enjoy and find that is energizes and relaxes you? If so, make a date with yourself once a week when your son is in bed and you're normally doing something else (watching a favorite show perhaps) and have that be your time. My hobbies tend to be ones that I can pick up and put down quickly (reading) or do with minimal equipment (jogging or biking). Scrapping is a pain because of all of the "stuff" involved but maybe if you keep a basket or bin in your family room with all of your supplies handy, you can work on it for 20-30 minutes here or there?

But again...there is no obligation to actually do this and if you have better things to do...pack it up and let it go.

Hahaha, I used to make a photobook for my kids every year at their birthday, with the best photos from the previous year. I'm about 4 years behind now, so I feel your pain, but I've got nothing...

ETA: I guess eventually they will go off to college, and then I'll have time to catch up on 18 years worth of books?

I often think I should sit down one day and start scrapbooking or making photobooks, then I decide I would rather go out and make some new memories than waste my time preserving old memories. Same thing goes for taking pictures when we are out having a good time. I have to remind myself to put down the camera and just enjoy the experience! I figure that at some point my kids won't want to hang out with me anymore, and that will be when I sit around reliving all those good memories by scrapbooking them.

We're supposed to be doing that? Whoooops! 😁

When my kids were younger I felt like I had more time because they napped, we weren't as busy, etc. I also did more books, like ones for holidays, or vacations or what have you.

Now, I set a goal to do one book a year and it's a whopper! I do all of our memories from that year in one giant photo book. Having this goal of one year makes it easier I think because you have sort of a natural deadline of the calendar year. You can do it gradually (like I always say I will) or you can start in like October and work all hours of the night to try and get it done before the next year is half over (like I usually do!). I will say the more time between the memories and the assembling of the book is helpful because I use less pictures from that event. I notice that my more recent memories have more pictures because I find them all adorable!

But, that being said, you need to finish that baby book first, Girl! ;) Just sit down and do it. So what if the kids watch a little extra TV this week while you're on the computer, make it happen!

Snapfish creates photo books where you select pictures, and they put them into a format, you can change the background themes, layout etc add captions and the rest. Takes me about an hour - 3 hours from start to finish. With the deals they run proves economical too. I like that it is self contained and tidy too.

Best,
F. B.

I remember being 18 and when I left home, my mom handed me this box of my cherished keepsakes.

My mom didn't make scrapbooks or keep individual albums for us. I keep thinking I have to do this, but then I give myself a break and realize if I hand my kid a box, that's fine too.

So anything beyond that I do only for fun. Because otherwise it's a labor of love, it's just labor.

One idea I really like is what my sister did with her girls when they were teens. They went through their boxes of keepsakes, and they scrapbooked together - just their top memories. Best friends on one page, sports on another, recitals on another, etc. It was a lot of fun, and they treated it like a getaway weekend.

I think I'm going to try that. I don't have time at the moment and it would be more fun to have them participate if they want to later on.

One year for fun, I did a DVD movie of their favorite pictures from birth up to their age (I did for each of their birthdays). It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't even in chronological order - I just took an afternoon and whatever I came up with was good enough. They loved it. Set to their favorite music. I had fun with that. But it was just pictures off the computer - if I had to scan, or really think about it, I would never have started.

So I agree - if it's not fun, leave it for now. Some day it might be. Or break it into small fun projects. I love the getaway idea (my sister does that with friends, goes scrapbooking).

Good luck :) glad I'm not the only one!!

I agree with J.B. on this one. If it's something you're doing because you feel like you should (instead of because you want to) then it may not be worth it. Maybe you can narrow it down to specific tasks within the process? Tell yourself you'll only tackle the first year or first 6 months for every kid, then move on to the next year. Or just tackle the photo organization process, or the design process, or whatever. Scrapbooks do take a LONG time, especially if you want them to be more than just pictures glued to a piece of paper. Consider making it easier or more fun, or just don't stress about it at all.

With the schedule you're describing I'd probably make time during the day, maybe right after breakfast and getting kids off to school. That's when I'd do it. Right before I went to work and had all my concentration. I realize if you do calls that you might have to get right to work as soon as they get out of the house but I'd rather try to do that in the morning than late at night when I'm tired.

When I am busy with work or a specific goal then I don't take time away from other things. I do spend a lot of time on a craft or a project with I get started.

I have an extra room in my house that I use for sewing and crafts and when I don't want anything touched or bothered while I go do something else I can leave and shut the door behind me and lock it.

I won't lose my place or lose my spot or anything until I go back in there and start up again.

I do think you can do this when you have time. Don't fret about it. Put your scrapbooks on a book shelf and also put your papers and stickers and trims and stuff in plastic storage bins, I use the ones from Hobby Lobby that are sets of 3 drawers. I have my 12 inch papers on one size then my other stuff in the smaller size. I like how tidy the whole shelf looks. I keep my photos online until I'm ready to print them off OR if they are actual photos I put them in an expanding file made for photos of different sizes, also from the scrapbooking section at Hobby Lobby.

So my area is very organized and I can pull out a project and work on it, if an emergency comes up I can put it down, walk out and lock the door, or slide it into a drawer and pull it out when I come back in.

I think that your family is more important than scheduling time in the evenings and weekend. That's why I'd work on doing it when they're not there.

I have a friend that's into scrapbooking. The only way she can get it done is to go off on retreats for the weekend. A bunch of ladies get together and bang it out on set weekends a few times a year.
If it makes you feel any better, my kids' pictures are in shoe boxes with their names on it. At least when I put them in the box, I add the newest to the front so they are in chronological order. I have digital photos organized in to folders and these rotate on the screen saver at home. Sometimes we sit in front of it and laugh or talk about our old pics. Anyway, this is how I like to think back over memories and also create new ones at the same time.