Scrapbooking Insight

I say start with the old stuff. It's easier to look back and see which photos and memories were most important and the most special... If you do something now, you will end up choosing to include a bunch of things that are special right now, and it will never end. It is too easy to get carried away. Especially with 5,000 photos.
My son is 16 months and I planned [and still plan....] on doing a baby book after his first birthday so that I could look back on the whole year. Well that hasn't happened yet either but I know it will be easier than if I had done it spontaneously as things were happening

Congrats on the scrapbook room! I love it when I make the time, but getting motivated can be difficult! Having a room helps when you can keep projects out.

I'm all over the place with my scrapbooking. My 4 year old doesn't have her baby book finished yet, but I just worked on my Easter photos from this year. As long as you have post-bound albums so the pages can be dropped in, I think you can work how you like. If I find my two page spreads don't fall well together, I'll add a single photo with journaling to document a day in the life or something not date specific. I think anything goes.

What I have been doing is printing out all the pictures I would like to use... I am a little behind too (only 2 years) but I know I have pictures printed so I can sit down whenever I am getting that creative urge. I find when the weather is crummy is when I get the most done (or when I stay up way late till 3:30am, but I would not recommend that because next day is horrible).

I have been a Creative Memories consultant for over 5 years. I have seen people have the most success with starting to work on current pictures. They keep you excited and interested. Then as you have time, go back and do the older pictures. It seems when people start on the old pictures and are always behind they get discouraged and lose their inspiration. Just what I have seen work. I hope that help.

C.