The Ultimate Key to Scrapbooking Success
Like most families this past summer break, yours also probably spent at least a week at some resort, vacation spot, cruise ship, or a city you’ve always wanted to visit, in order to spend quality time. You want to make memories with your children, I get it.
But now that the break is over and the kids are back in school, you find yourself with thousands of pictures. Kudos to you if you’ve actually uploaded those photos from your device to a computer and ordered prints! You can pat yourself on the back now ‘cos you’re on your way to being a scrapbooking Jedi!
If you’re one who orders photo books, good job! You can live your life now.
But if you’re one who prefers to create your own scrapbook, with every sheet, sticker and caption your heart desires, then this post is definitely for you. You need to hear from me, the wanna-be-scrapbooking-mom who has unlocked the ultimate secret to making sure you finish—yes, you heard me—FINISH your scrapbook project once and for all.
I have one word: Procrastinate.
I know it’s counterintuitive but hear me out…
Delay your scrapbooking. Take your time. Don’t rush to do it. I speak from a place of expertise. I am now finally close to finishing our family scrapbook showcasing our Disney World photos from 2012! I let five years go by and I am now finally almost done. I never knew this day would come and I feel like crying, shedding Mickey Mouse-shaped tears in one eye, and Buzz Lightyear ones in the other. I’m not necessarily advising you to wait as long as I did but putting the project aside does have its merits.
Somewhere along procrastination road, the realization hit me that I did the right thing. After all, wise people do say that good things come to those who wait…and wait some more.
Here are my top reasons why procrastination leads to scrapbooking success:
1. You will be more selective with your photos. When I first had our photos printed, the pile measured over 3 inches. I sorted them chronologically and thought I was set. Wrong. If I include all of our photos, nothing becomes remarkable anymore. Besides, there were clear duplicates and images that were plain insignificant and would be a waste of scrapbook space. Choosing to wait gives you better perspective in choosing which images deserve to make the cut. You’ll be more honest that not every smile, group hug or mascot needs to be memorialized. The less photos you’re left with, the less overwhelming the process becomes, which increases your chances of finishing your project.
2. The focus moves from perfection to completion. Five years have gone by. The face of my child in real life has changed from what I see on my five-year-old photos. I don’t think focusing on the ‘pretty’ and ‘fancy’ embellishments would be wise for me at this point and I see that now. As I worked on my long overdue scrapbook, I was less obsessive about making everything Pinterest-worthy, or finding the cutest sticker that can go with a photo. I just worked with what I had, forgave myself for not being a scrapbooking goddess, and focused on finishing. A mediocre scrapbook is still better than an imaginary one.
3. You’ll save more money by choosing to wait. By not rushing to finish your scrapbook, you’re more likely to encounter sales and be able to compare prices when you buy your materials. Trust me, those cute stickers do add up if you’re not careful. If you take your time, you can shop around and come up with more creative, cheaper ways of jazzing up your scrapbook. If you wait as long as I have, you’ll find that most anything will do for decorations and you’ll force yourself to just make it work. You’ll be the MacGyver of the scrapbooking world!
4. Self-love will be an unintended consequence of the process. And who in their right mind would say no to that? Here’s what I mean…If you wait long enough, you may notice that you looked differently in your old photos. Maybe you’re skinnier now compared to your photos from years ago, and you’ll feel happy about your weight-loss journey. Or maybe you’re heavier now so then you’ll end up appreciating how skinny you were before and simultaneously realize that if you’ve done it before, you can do it again! Hooray for motivation!
No matter what you looked like, celebrate the fact that you survived that vacation without losing your mind, or having anyone strangle another, and for that you are a superhero!
5. You will have a greater appreciation for the profound nature of time and of memories. In getting reacquainted with your photos after putting them aside for several months or even years, you will realize how time passes so subtly and quietly, and yet carries so much with it. Nothing ever stays the same, and as you glue or tape each photograph on your book, you whisper a quiet pledge to not take any moment for granted from here on. Of course you will fail, but you will try harder, knowing that memories fade and that what’s more important than capturing a photo is just being present in each moment.
Whether you follow my advice or not, just remember that you’re not there to create the prettiest scrapbook, but the most personal one. Enjoy!
Joy Page Manuel is a writer, blogger, hopeless romantic and full-time over-analyzer who lives in Middle Tennessee with her husband and son. She was born and raised in the Philippines and was an academic who taught Sociology in that past life. She blogs at Catharsis where she indulges all her cerebral meanders as she navigates the world of parenting, mid-life angst and everything in between. You can follow her on Facebook and Google+.
