What you need to know about documenting your year

Have you decided on how you are documenting your year? If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the incredible number of available options, especially when you’re trying to make a decision (I laid out twelve options here).

With SO many documenting options nowadays, what it really comes down to is just making this whole memory keeping thing work for you.

Before I shared my 2016 memory keeping plans on the blog last week, I actually ran through various options in my head before settling on pocket scrapbooking because it’s what works for me now. But really, there are plentiful options to choose from.

So how are you going to decide on your best option? Here are five things to consider (in no particular order):

Cost

What is your memory keeping budget? Is it something you are able to spend money on this year? How much do you want to spend on memory keeping supplies? The cost of documenting can be as little as a notebook from your stationery store, or as much as a fancy scrapbook album with all the extra frills – you get to choose.
Supplies

What supplies will you use? How readily available are these supplies in your area? Would you have to spend an exorbitant amount on shipping? Do you have supplies that you want to use up? Or are you starting from scratch?

You don’t need a ton of supplies to start documenting, so choose a method/system that fits the supplies you have or are willing to get.
Lifestyle

What roles do you have? Are you a homemaker? A student? A working adult? Consider your lifestyle and schedule, and choose a documenting option that is realistic, but also inspires, excites, and sparks your creativity.
Storage space

Since I live in an apartment, storage is something I constantly need to consider, whether it’s space for my supplies or for completed albums. If you don’t need to consider space, then maybe the sky’s your limit! Otherwise, you may consider going smaller or documenting sans albums.
End goal.

As Stephen Covey says, “Begin with the end in mind.” What do you want to achieve with your scrapbooking? How much detail do you want to document? Having clear goals will eliminate certain options and clarify others.