For the Love of Lists

Engineering life one step at a time

How to Scrapbook Without Scrapbooking

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I don’t know about you, but I am bombarded by beautiful scrapbook pages every time I walk into a Michaels.  My friends post tons of creative ideas for different layouts and intricate hand-crafted details.  I’ve even found packaged kits promising “easy” assembly of my very own book.  But here’s the truth: I have no time to scrapbook.  As much as I’d love to recreate the designs I find on Pinterest, it’s just not in the cards right now.  And I know I’m not alone.  So I started thinking about what people can do to preserve their favorite memories with the time they do have.  Here are some ideas to “scrapbook” without scrapbooking:

  • Memory Jar
    • What it is: Write down your favorite memories on slips of paper and store in a container.  Once a year (New Year’s, birthday, anniversary, etc.) open the container and read them with your loved ones.  You can even make a family or couple’s memory jar.
    • Setup: Find a jar, box, or other container where you can store your additions (mason jars work well).  Decorate it if you choose, and locate it in a prominent place along with pens and pre-cut slips of paper.
    • Advantage: Memories can be large or small, and you don’t need to remember photos or lengthy details.  Plus, reflecting on happy moments has been shown to make people feel happier overall.
  • Listography
    • What it is: The Listography series is a collection of books written by Lisa Nola.  In them, prompts direct readers to create a written scrapbook of lists such as “List people you’ve lived with” and “List your favorite restaurants”.  The same concept can be employed in any notebook full of your own lists.
    • Setup: Purchase a book or brainstorm some prompts for your own “scrapbook of lists”.  Use bold titles and add whenever you see fit.
    • Advantage: Memories are sorted into categories and you are offered guided prompts to facilitate quick entries.
  • Photo Collection
    • What it is: Create physical or virtual photo albums for your favorite events or years.  Add details through captions or handwritten notes on the back of photographs.
    • Setup: Purchase an album to populate with prints or setup a whole book through Shutterfly.  Alternatively, you can generate a purely online album via Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, or another favorite photo site.
    • Advantage: Camera are now always handy via phones, and online albums are free and easy to share with family and friends.
  • Keepsake/Shadow Box
    • What it is: Showcase your memories by displaying items and photos in a frame or store them safely in a dedicated box
    • Setup: Find a decorative box or create one of your own.  Or, for a shadow box, find a frame and decide on a general layout.  Fill both with mementos and loose photos, including any remnants that you have saved.
    • Advantage: Great for small, loose items that you’re holding onto.  Can also be themed by event or by trip (ex. keepsake box for your family vacation to the Grand Canyon).
  • Smash Book
    • What it is: The “Un-Scrapbook” – a loosely structured album of assorted scrapbook-type memorabilia.  Unlike the decorated pages of a traditional scrapbook, smash books focus more on the inclusion of the content itself over the layouts.
    • Setup: Check out K & Company for a full description and ideas for setup.  Packages are available through their site, Amazon, Michaels, and others, or just start your own notebook from scratch using similar materials.
    • Advantage: Get the benefits of scrapbooking without the pressure of making everything look perfect.
  • Q&A
    • What it is: Similar to the Listography idea, but uses questions as prompts instead of categories.  This is a great idea for including your elder family members in your scrapbook and helping them preserve their memories.
    • Setup: Setup a notebook with a question per page.  If you’re including answers from multiple family members, provide multiple pages or store responses in individual envelopes secured to the page (like in a smash book).  Send out prompts to your extended family, or visit and record their responses in a video.
    • Advantage: Preserve memories from all of your family members and compare their experiences.
  • Collage
    • What it is: Create a one-of-a-kind piece of art with photos, articles, quotes, and decorations.  It can be physical or virtual.
    • Setup: Choose a theme and collect items for your medium.  Fasten photographs and memorabilia to a base and frame, or use software to put together a quick virtual collage or slideshow.
    • Advantage: This is great for themes such as childhood (my mother-in-law created one containing my husband’s favorite subjects growing up) or couples photos (I made a desktop collage for our first dating anniversary).
  • Blog
    • What it is: Create a free online journal to document your trips, milestones, or even daily life.
    • Setup: Use a blogging site such as WordPress to create a free website you can share with your family and friends.  Post entries and photos, logging interesting thoughts and details of your adventures.
    • Advantage: Great for travel diaries, this method is easily shared via link and can be a great way to document milestones such as an engagement or life with a new baby.

These are just a few ideas to get you started.  Choose a method that works with your available time and meets your needs, whether you’re looking to simply remind yourself of the good times or you’d like to document all of your family’s endeavors.  Do you have any other ideas?  Please share below!