Like many parents, you may have kept several photos, finger paintings, and school report cards of your children when they were young. Unfortunately, if these memorabilia are boxed away and stored somewhere in your basement or attic, it’s practically impossible to enjoy them. With 309,142 births recorded in Australia in 2017 alone, it proves that families keep growing, so there’s definitely a need to capture and preserve moments in time. What unique ways can you use to preserve your family’s memories? Here are a few ideas.
1. Set up a digital photo archive
Technology is here to stay and is continually undergoing upgrades. When you create a computer file, transfer all digital photos from your phone or camera. As a tip to enhance storage space, select only the best images. It is also helpful to back them up on an external hard drive or a Cloud Service. You may prefer to print a few pictures to frame and display them at home or on your desk at work.
Perhaps, you are a new parent and planning a baby photoshoot. This will be a wonderful time to create a new digital album. Indulge in as many photos as possible to capture and track your child’s milestones and funny moments. Record videos that you can all laugh at in years to come. This not only brings back memories but it also allows your family to engage in great bonding moments.
2. Record family interviews
In a digital age, creating video content is gradually taking the lead in the memory preservation department. In a bid to keep family narratives evergreen, you should try to record family interviews during celebrations or hangouts. Have your kids, siblings, or parents answer questions on things they love about the family. Thankfully, this is not a strict journalistic piece that requires specific lines of questioning. The aim of this is to make it as much fun as possible for everyone involved.
Better yet, ask your family to generate their question areas and plan on how they would prefer to answer each. After this, ensure that the recorded file is uploaded to a shared Google drive where all family members can access it. Dropbox is also an excellent choice for this method of family memory preservation. Fortunately, you do not need to fear losing these files should your computer crash. They are easily retrievable on any other smartphone.
3. Display sentimental pieces picked up during vacations
A vacation creates an opportunity to relax and reconnect with the family. For many people, the highlight of a holiday is to return home with souvenirs. Imagine how many pieces of memorabilia you may have stored away in a box at home! You may have collected rocks, shells, or miniature statues of tourist attractions. Whatever the item, you can make some space around your house to display for all to see. You can store collected rocks and shells in clean, transparent jars. Leaves or flowers you pick up must be well-dried and flattened and used to create beautiful portraits. Not only does showcasing your souvenirs add an aesthetic feel to your home, but it is also a viable way to deal with anxiety.
4. Keep larger pieces in a box
Scrapbooking is fun and a great way to store your memories. However, what do you do to the larger pieces of memorabilia you can’t stick into your book? A plastic storage box (they come in various sizes) is meant to keep those large items that a scrapbook cannot contain. It could be a prop from your child’s first play, project work, or a handprint portrait made in elementary school. Plastic storage boxes are a better option as they do not decay, compared to cardboard types. In addition to that, plastic storage boxes help keep out moisture and dust accumulation. They are more robust, stable, and durable. In a few cases, families prefer to use perforated plastic boxes to enhance air circulation. These memory boxes act as a time capsule. Some time soon, you will present it to your kids when they move out of the home. In many cases, these become sentimental gifts passed on from one generation to the other.
5. Write down your children’s funny expressions
In the early years of parenthood, you are bound to witness countless expressions from your little ones. Children tend to blurt out the cutest and funniest sayings without knowing its humorous impact. As you age, these memories take the backburner, and you forget all. However, when you decide to keep these witty sayings close to your heart, write them down in a scrapbook. Add details such as the date, location, and hour it happened. To make it even more memorable, let it become a Christmas Eve or New Year’s tradition where the family goes through the list of funny sayings. If paper storage is not your style, create an online journal where these things are recorded and easily retrievable.
6. Turn baby clothes into keepsakes
Are you good at sewing and stitching? If this is your passion, why not get to work right away on old clothes your children wore as babies? Onesies, socks, mittens, bibs, and tiny T-shirts are great ways to preserve family memories. To carry this through, you should first purchase a plain-coloured quilt from the local store. The quilt becomes a canvas on which all your selected baby clothing will be sewn to create an organic design. Another option is to wash and thoroughly dry all selected baby clothing. Proceed to wrap each one in archival tissue paper; these materials are acid-free. A plastic bag may not be the safest option because they tend to cause mildew growth on clothes. When each one is wrapped, store them in polypropylene plastic lidded containers.
When you preserve these memories, you ensure that each stage of your family’s life is captured for future reference. People who can look into their past with pleasant memories tend to develop a passion for creating better ones for their children.
