7 reasons to start scrapbooking

Scrapbooking has been around for many years now, in one form or another. People will create scrapbook layouts for several reasons, for themselves or their families. There is no right or wrong answer, as everyone will get something different out of scrapbooking, whether it is traditionally, with scissors and glue, or digitally, on their computer.

Keep memories of people and events

Many years ago, people would share their memories by telling stories. Grandpa would tell stories of when he was young, when he caught that big fish, when he got lost in the woods, when he proposed to Grandma, when he took the train for the first time, etc. Nowadays, we have photos or objects that are associated with similar memories, and we want to keep them and showcase them. We want those items to tell the story of those people and events.

When scrapbooking, we have a tangible way to capture those stories for later for ourselves, or for others to enjoy too.

Document milestones

Many parents have a baby book where they recorded the growth of their child. The first tooth, the first haircut, the Christmas, etc. Creating layouts with photos of those milestones will make a great document in 5, 10 or 20 years.

One can also document their whole journey through training for their first marathon, or their weight loss. Adding photos, stories, and anecdotes is a great way to relive that journey later on, or to share it with those who might not be geographically close to us.

Therapy

Well, I am not sure it is the main reason for most scrapbook lovers but for some, it gives them a way to express their feelings and deal with painful memories or events. Whether it is the loss of a loved one or a difficult journey, scrapping has been found to be a beneficial outlet for some.

Since scrapbooking is not always done with photos, a lot of it could be journaling. And written text can also be embellished and presented in a scrapbook format.

Be creative

Some people simply love to create. They love the artistic expression, no matter if the photos are great or not. They are enjoying the activity, and create pieces of art with their layouts. Some artists like to paint, others like to sew, then some like to create scrap pages. Remember that layouts also include journaling, so if you are into poetry, it is a great way to display your literary art and share it too.

Socialize

Yes, scrapbooking can also be a social activity. You can find groups of scrappers, get together, chitchat about everything under the sun, share little tricks and suggestions, even share stories about the photos and the layouts. Whether it is with a suitcase full of paper supplies, or with a laptop stuffed with digital goodies, it is an activity that can be done together.

Clean up

Yes, why not? Maybe you have boxes of photos gathering dust down in the basement, or up in the attic. Getting them out, organizing them, and creating layouts with them is a good way to “clean up”. Unless you have very few photos, do not expect to use them all.

Once all those photos are scanned (and backed up!), you can then even give away the printed versions to someone else who might want them, or just collect them into photo albums (without stories) and give them to the people they relate to. My mother-in-law cleaned up her photos and grouped them in albums for each of her 8 kids. Now she has fewer photo boxes, and we have pictures that I can scrap!

Just for fun

Scrapbooking is not a rigid type of activity. You can scrapbook for many reasons. You can scrapbook in different ways. You can scrapbook all kinds of photos and stories. There is no fixed rules.

It is your time to tell us why *you* like scrapbooking. If you want to start digital scrapbooking for free, get hold of our quick pages, and I will guide you step by step. Now, leave us a comment and share why you would like to scrapbook.