Although archiving your personal history can feel like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be. The key is to create a sustainable system for yourself, whether you plan on documenting your life through journal entries, photographs, mementos, or a combination of these. Focus on doing a little bit every day, week, or month; by just setting aside a few minutes each month, you’ll have all your precious memories sorted and be able to find and enjoy them whenever you want.

 So, if you are looking for some creative ways to document your family memories, here are some ideas to get you started!

Digital Days of Photo Memories

Whether we realize it or not, most of us already archive our day-to-day lives via social media.  Apps such as Instagram and Facebook can be great tools for keeping track of photos of those little moments you don’t want to forget, provided you use them thoughtfully. Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook used Instagram to document the first year of her son Ben’s life by taking one photo every day and posting it onto a dedicated account. Taking and posting one photo a day only takes a few minutes a day and is much easier and far less overwhelming than sorting through a year’s worth of photos at the end of the year! 

If you plan on using this system, it’s worth taking a few precautions to make sure your photos and privacy stay safe. Making a private account that strangers don’t have access to can be a good idea, especially if the photos you post are of your children. Also, to make sure you don’t lose all your photos if you accidentally get locked out of your account, make sure you periodically back up your posts. This article gives a step-by-step walkthrough on how to download all your Instagram posts. It’s easier than you think! 

This memory documenting system is perfect for everyday life and those little moments that mean so much but slip away so easily.

Book-bound – Photobooks, Scrapbooks, Journals!

Books, in one way or another, have long been the most popular way to preserve memories. Whether this is in the form of a journals, photobooks, scrapbooks, or traditional photo albums, there’s one out there for everyone to store and share their precious memories. 

If you’re especially proud of your Instagram account, many book printing companies, like chatbooks, offer monthly subscription-based photobooks that you can print directly from your Instagram or Facebook account, with no cutting and pasting on your part! If you’d rather start making photobooks from scratch, it won’t take you too long if you’re smart about it! This blog from rooms need love shows how it only takes 15 minutes a month to make a photobook that you can be proud of!  On making a family yearbook by rooms need love will show you how it only takes 15 minutes every month to make a photobook you can be proud of! You can also choose to support local by getting your photobooks made by a Canadian company like Annex Photo in Toronto.

If you’re more of the hands-on crafty type, scrapbooking might be more your speed. Scrapbooking can be more labour-intensive than making photobooks digitally, but it’s also a popular and therapeutic hobby that many people enjoy. If you’re interested in scrapbooking but don’t know where to start, How to Make a Scrapbook Page by The Spruce Crafts is a good place to start! If scrapbooking is a little too intimidating, a simple old-fashioned photo album can be a good alternative. Simply slip your printed photos into the pockets and you’re done!

This memory documenting system is perfect for birthdays, holidays, and family events.

Special Storage for Your Photos and Other Memories

If organization isn’t your strong suit, not to worry! Boxes can be just as effective for storing memories as photo albums and photobooks. Going through memory boxes can feel like an adventure, a way to discover special moments all over again!

To make one, first pick the event or timeline you want to work with. This could be a wedding, a special trip you took, or your child’s first year; the possibilities are endless!

Next, chose a box that will fit all the photos and mementos you have from that occasion. If you want a few more ideas, check out 5 Fun & Creative Memory Box Ideas by Personalization Mall. If you want some inspiration on how to decorate your box, check out How to Make a Map Keepsake Box for Your Travel Trinkets by Travel Channel.

This memory documenting system is perfect for weddings, family trips, and travelling abroad.

Hang it Up! Create a Photo Collage

If you have a lot of photos but don’t have the time, energy, or storage space to create a photobook or memory box with them, wall art might be just the thing you need!

Making a collage print means you don’t have to pick just one or two photos; you can incorporate may of your favourites into one print. Plus, you can make it as big or small as your space demands. Get some collage inspiration from 32 Photo Collage DIYs For Your Dorm Room, Apartment or House! at diys.com. Collage prints are easier to make than you think. Annex Photo has customizable templates to make your collage prints; just upload your photos, drag and drop, and you’ve made a beautiful collage! 

A few ideas for incorporating several great photos in one memory project: photo coasters, custom photo mugs, and photo calendars. All can be created right her in Canada so you can support local business.

This memory documenting system is perfect for picturesque occasions, special events, trips, and anytime you’ve got lots to show but not much to say!

Remembering the Past with Photobooks, Memory Boxes, and More

We hope you like some of the ideas we’ve shared and use them in your own archiving adventures! Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; you may need to tweak someone else’s method to work for you. That’s the beauty of making your own family memories archive. Your memories and life are unique and the way you archive them should be too!

Explore photography creativity options to document your family memories.