I make Blurb photo books for each year, for each of my kids. My kids love looking through their books and being reminded of the funny things they used to do. I also want to be able to hand my kid their life story when they are older and know that I haven’t forgotten anything. It condenses what would fill boxes and boxes, into beautiful, compact books.
There are lots of programs that will do this type of thing, so find what works for you. If you post everything on social media, there are ones that will take it directly off those platforms with no work on your part. I like Blurb.com because I don’t post very much on social media, and it allows me to add captions and have more control over what the final product looks like. Blurb photo books are of great quality, with lots of options available.
What I do:
I keep a document on my phone for each year and I periodically add things that happen, info from trips, or funny things kids say or do. Then I reference that document in January when I’m making the book for the previous year.
I also sort my photos by year, month, and sometimes by activity/trip if there are a lot of photos, by using folders within folders. I try to edit them as I download them to my computer so the task is not so daunting in January. If I have pictures with only one kid, I’ll add the first letter of their name to the title of the photo so all of the ones of just them get grouped together, making it easier to know which photos upload.
Why I like photo books:
It’s cheaper and takes up less space than traditional photo albums.
Everything associated with that year is all in one place.
You can add words with your photos like locations, stories, and captions.
They have different layouts depending on the number of pictures you want on each page.
Once you print, it saves everything for you and you can print the book again if you need to.
It also saves me from having to answer random questions about when they were little. I just tell them to go look in their books.
I don’t feel bad chucking all the stuff they create or bring home from school. The best stuff is preserved in their books.
What you could include in your books:
Baby: sonogram photos, birth story, pic of pregnant mom, cravings during pregnancy, blessings, pic of hospital bracelets, weight, measurements, time of birth
Certificates, awards, birth announcement, blessings
Milestones, growth stats
Funny quotes, stories, where you traveled
School photos, school papers they love, art projects, cute crafts, lego creations
Notes from them, Mothers/Fathers Day cards, Journal entries, birthday cards
Pictures of how they decorate their room, pictures of Mom and Dad
Birthday and Christmas presents
Note:
1. Blurb is always doing some kind of sale, so make your book, then wait for an awesome deal before you print.
2. If you’re scanning old photos to make a photo book, be sure to scan in a very high resolution for the best quality. Also, be sure to include pictures of 3D items like toys, furniture, clothing, etc. that you have saved as well.
Read more about organizing photos in these posts: Summer Photos and Organizing Memory Lane. If you want one-on-one help organizing a space, call Colleen at 208.736.3306 for a free consultation. I’d love to help you on your organizational journey. Virtual options are also available.