So many memories, so little time… Do you feel there’s just not enough time to scrapbook? Rest assured that you’re not the only one! Many scrapbookers are looking for ways to find more time for their memory keeping.
Let’s look at some tips that will help you find the time to scrapbook:
- Make scrapbooking a priority.
- Schedule a time to scrap.
- Make it easy to scrapbook.
- Set scrapbooking goals.
- Scrapbook with a friend.
- Get some scrapbooking inspiration.
- Turn the tv off (or on!).
- Make scrapbooking family time.
- Make scrapbooking fit in with your lifestyle.
- Simplify your other tasks.
Now let’s elaborate on these tips!
1. Make scrapbooking a priority
We all make time for the things that are important to us, whether it is in our jobs or personal lives. You make the deadline at work, the kids get to their activities, laundry and cleaning get done and you hardly ever forget to brush your teeth. Scrapbooking is important to us as well, as a welcome “me time” hobby and as a record of our family history, and it therefore deserves to become a priority to us. Don’t make scrapbooking the last item on your “to do” list, don’t wait for “leftover” time to do your scrapbooking. We all know there is never any time left. Stop feeling guilty about spending time scrapping and put it on your priority list! If you feel like you need permission: HERE, you have permission!
2. Schedule a time to scrap
Now that scrapbooking is a priority to you, give it a place on your calendar. Schedule specific scrapbooking time and hold yourself to it. Should you have to cancel, make sure to reschedule! Make sure your scheduled time fits your lifestyle ánd scrap style! Are you a morning person or a night owl? Is it easy for you to scrap with your kids around or is it better to schedule time when they are in bed or in school? Do you prefer to scrap in long sessions or in smaller blocks of time? These questions will help you to determine where and when scrapbooking fits best into your schedule. Your family needs to understand that scrapping is as important to you as their activities are to them. The best way to accomplish this is to stick to the schedule!
3. Make it easy to scrapbook
If you have to gather your supplies, tools and photos from all over the house every time you sit down to scrapbook chances are you just won’t do it. Make it easy for yourself to start your scrapbooking session by considering the following tips:
Have a designated space for scrapping
You don’t need a whole room (although that would be super!). A basket with gathered supplies, photos and tools for a specific project in an easy to reach place or a stack of drawers will work just fine. Even better is to find a table or desk in an area of your home where you can set up and leave out your scrapbooking supplies and half finished projects.
Build a library of sketches and layout ideas.
Knowing what you want to put on your page (and where!) will kickstart your scrapbook session. As a paper scrapper you might want to sketch out ideas on cards or into a notebook. Alternatively, if you are a digital scrapbooker, you can save images in a designated folder.
Organize your supplies.
This will make it easier to find what you need. As a paper scrapper, keep your supplies in labeled containers or find another way to organize your supplies that works for you. As a digital scrapper, create a folder system on your computer for your digital supplies (ánd your photos!). Does finding coordinating papers and embellishments take too much of your precious scrapbooking time? Consider using kits (paper or digital) to eliminate the difficult time-consuming choices. Also, make it a habit to tidy up after completing a project by putting everything back in its proper place. This way you can start “fresh” with your next project.
4. Set scrapbooking goals
Setting goals will help you to get more scrapbooking done. You’ll be more likely to keep to your scheduled scrap time if you have given yourself some sort of deadline. Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and have a Timeline). For instance, you may decide on a goal where you scrap two layouts a week over a course of three months. Should this prove to be too easy or too difficult, adjust your goal. Goals are meant to encourage, not discourage.
5. Scrapbook with a friend
The great thing about scrapbooking with a friend is that you can both work on your own projects whilst enjoying each other’s company (and encouragement). Making an appointment with someone else will help you to stick to your scheduled scrapbooking time. It might turn out to not be as efficient as scrapping alone, but you may enjoy the time spent with your friend so much, that you’ll be motivated to continue scrapbooking by yourself.
If you don’t have a scrapbooking friend nearby, consider going to a scrapbook crop (visit your local scrapbook store to see when they are hosting one), joining a scrapbooking club or take a scrapbook related class. Find someone to teach your scrap skills to. Helping someone discover your favorite hobby is tremendously inspiring ánd you’ll have a scrapbooking buddy to boot!
6. Get some scrapbooking inspiration
Find inspiration on paper or online.
While waiting for dentist appointments, doctor appointments, haircuts or your kids to finish their activities, get yourself inspired by reading scrapbooking books, magazines or browsing your favorite blogs, apps and Pinterest online. Listen to your favorite scrapbooking podcasts. Have a notebook (either paper or digital) handy to jot down your inspiration: a sketch, an idea for a layout, the bullet points for journaling a specific story, etc.
Take a scrapbook related class.
Sign up for a class at your local scrapbooking store or take an online course. Learn new techniques and try them out. Finish a specific project together with your course buddies. Although there are free scrapbooking classes out there, a financial commitment can often stimulate you to keep participating and finish. And the newfound scrapbooking skills will motivate you to continue your scrapbooking with newfound enthusiasm!
Let your photos inspire you.
Without our photo supply, we wouldn’t be scrapbooking. Keep your camera (or phone) on hand at all times. Capturing those small everyday moments will encourage you to write your family’s story.
7. Turn the tv off (or on!)
There are two ways to approach the “tv on or off” debate: either you don’t get distracted by tv and you can combine catching up with your favorite tv-show with getting lots of scrapping done, or you do get distracted and need to turn the tv off for some creative scrap time. Either side has its merits and you need to decide for yourself what tv approach is best for you. The most important thing is that because you are tired you just drop yourself on the couch in front of the tv because it is the easiest option. Consider using tv time to scrapbook, either with the tv on or off!
8. Make scrapbooking family time
Since you are recording your family’s history it only makes sense to include your spouse and children in your scrapbooking. Have them journal their own experience. Let them help you choose the layout decisions for a particular page or have them sort the embellishments by color. Encourage older kids (ánd spouse!) to send you some photos on their phone, perhaps even with a little note about the stories attached to those images. Scrapbooking together can create some magical family moments. Let your kids start their own creations, whether to record their memories or to create cards fort heir friends.
9. Make scrapbooking fit in with your lifestyle
Simplify your scrapbooking.
You may consider stepping away from traditional layouts and speed up your process by switching to pocket-page scrapbooking such as Project Life. You can save a lot of time by just putting photos in pockets, adding some journaling and calling it done. Should you feel the need to be more creative, embellish your pocket pages or mix in a more traditional layout whenever you have more time.
Go digital.
If you have a very busy life where large blocks of scrapbooking time just don’t fit in, you may want to try the digital approach. One of the many advantages of digital scrapbooking is that you can stop and start your projects with no setting up or clearing away afterwards. If you use an app you can do it wherever you want on your phone or tablet. And since we’re mentioning technology, there are many ways you can use technology to make scrapbooking easier and faster: create photo books, type your journaling, format and upload photos for printing. Put your technology to use!
10. Simplify your other tasks
Create more time for scrapbooking by organizing and simplifying your other task. For instance, try cooking some meals in bulk so you can freeze them and leave yourself some free time to scrap on those afternoons or evenings when you don’t have to do meal preparation. Or if you currently grocery shop once a week, double up. Shop once every two weeks. On your off week, scrapbook! And please remember that you don’t have to do all those tasks yourself. Involve your family members to get the chores done quicker and create yourself some scrapping time!
