The Tricks to Catching Up Preserving Your Pictures

Are you one of the millions of people who are behind in preserving your photos?  You take lots of pictures, capturing life's great moments, but you feel a little bad that those precious images are still on your phone or camera.  To make matters worse, you naturally keep taking more pictures , so you feel a little more hopeless about ever catching up on memory-keeping or scrapbooking as time goes on.

Well, no more!

Today I'm sharing a series of four articles I wrote to help you find your way out of overwhelm and into actually being a regular memory-keeper.  It really is possible to stay caught up preserving your photos.  You just need a few little tricks.

Let me share all the tricks I know with you so you can get going on this important goal!  Click each of the 4 links to learn more.

• This post {How to Be Successful with Your Goal to Catch Up Preserving Your Photos} is an introduction, with some motivational and perspective-granting links about why preserving your photos is actually really important.  This post includes a 40-minute video class (free) with a Two-in-One Plan for catching up preserving your photos so you can actually get ahead!!  There's even a (free) printable so that you can have the Two-in-One Plan and some helpful tips to refer to as you start getting caught up!
• Next, {Making a Plan to Catch Up on Your Photos} gives some ideas for how to make time for your pictures and offers some actual helps (I love these!) for making time.  You'll also learn why memory-keeping is worth the time.
• You'll find some organization tips at {Photos to Conquer?  Start With Organization!}--for organizing both physical (printed) photos as well as digital photos.  I even made a video so you can peek over my shoulder to see how I organize my digital photos on my computer so that I can find anything quickly and so I know what I've already preserved in a digital scrap page or book.  (This, honestly, is really key to how I stay consistently caught up preserving my pictures.)

These 4 articles will help you make memory-keeping a doable goal!  You can finally stop feeling overwhelmed by your photos!  There's really nothing like sitting down and re-living some good times you've preserved in a book or scrap page.  You'll be so glad you prioritized your pictures!

One of the best ways to preserve your photos is in print because they can be preserved not just as files but with the stories that go with them (your memories).  You'll find a variety of heirloom-quality print options here.

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Five Quick Ways to Manage Overwhelm - guest post by Brooke Davis

If you feel overwhelmed and exhausted, I have a great gift for you today.  I am absolutely thrilled to bring you a brilliant post today from guest blogger Brooke Davis.  Brooke is the CCO of Roots of Abundance, and she helps empower people to take a heart-centered approach to figuring out what they really need so they can truly enjoy life.  I asked Brooke to write for LifeTales Books because one of the things she helps people through is overwhelm.  I've stopped counting the number of people who tell me they can't do anything with their pictures because they're so overwhelmed.  While I have lots of tips, articles, and video tutorials about {how to stop swimming in your photos}, if there's more overwhelming you than just your number of photos, it's best to start there.  

Brooke has an impressive, thorough guide to managing overwhelm which you won't want to miss!  You can download the guide free {right here}.  (In fact, it's so thorough and amazing that I'm honestly a little shocked she gives it away!)  Below the free download to manage overwhelm you'll find a link to Brooke's online class "How to Manage Overwhelm and Do What Matters Most" if you'd like to "go whole-hog," as she calls it.  :)   Thank you so much for sharing this wisdom, Miss Brooke!  

I like to think I'm fairly good at managing overwhelm, but I learned a lot from this post!  So I won't keep you from it any longer.  Here are Five Quick Ways to Manage Overwhelm by Brooke Davis

Do you rush through each day feeling swamped by too much to do and too little time to do it?  Are you so worn down by the end of the week that you just want to collapse in front of the TV or  do something mindless to relax? If so, you’re probably living in a constant state of overwhelm.

Given the pressures you may feel at home and work, it's not surprising that you believe you'll never be “caught up” or have a moment to call your own. It's during these times that you need surefire ways to cut through the noise of the world (and the messages you tell yourself) so you can make progress on projects with the least amount of stress and worry. Here are five quick ways you can manage overwhelm and start taking action today.

1.  Manage Expectations - Or Others Will Manage Them For You

Nothing can derail progress faster than setting unrealistic expectations. And when you're overwhelmed, it can be easy to misjudge the time and energy you need to not only get going on a project but also to complete it. 

Managing expectations starts by getting real: with yourself, with others, and with your situation. What do you expect of yourself? Are your expectations realistic or are you setting yourself up to fail through taking on too much too soon? Who needs to be “in the know” about what you're doing and why? What type of support do you need from others and how can you ask for that support? 

Lastly, think about your situation or project and what would satisfy you without getting lost in perfectionism and overthinking. Setting reasonable expectations, communicating them, and then taking small steps toward your satisfactory (but not necessarily perfect) outcome will help you make progress without getting discouraged.

2.  Notice Your Focus by Prioritizing

Overwhelm is often caused by writing down everything you need to do and then thinking you need to complete every task RIGHT NOW. You dive into Get It Done mode without reflecting on what must be done now vs. what can be held for later. You can escape the trap (and the panic) of RIGHT NOW by developing the habit of prioritizing; what must be done immediately and what can wait? 

By prioritizing your focus, you move from a place of scattered chaos to a place where you can literally see the way forward. This allows you to confidently work through your list with a sense of purpose  which will leave you feeling productive instead of like you're spinning your wheels.

3. Organize To-Do’s by Should and Must

As you go about prioritizing your list (and hence your time and energy), it's critical to make the distinction between what you “should” do and what you “must” do. Shoulds are things that you and others expect you to do; musts are non-negotiable. 

Musts compel you to take action; they speak to your soul. Musts have to come first. Your focus and your musts work together as a beacon of light that leads you out of overwhelm and into a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Cross your musts off your list first and then look at your shoulds. 

Examine every should and ask yourself what would happen if you didn't do it. Be honest with yourself with your answer. Your feelings will guide you to what is a must and what is a should. Let those feelings help you decide if something absolutely has to be done and what may not need to be done at all.

4.  Learn to Set Limits and Boundaries

One of the main reasons many people stay stuck in overwhelm is that we don't take time to set limits and boundaries first with ourselves, and then with others. By setting limits with ourselves, we honor our time and energy, two of our most precious resources. This helps keep us healthy mentally, emotionally, and physically. We are then able to set limits with others through our own choices and conversations around what we do each day. Limits with others help us build and honor a foundation of mutual respect, commitment, and strong self-esteem and self-worth.

By asking yourself where you can set better boundaries with yourself and others each time you feel overwhelmed, you reclaim your power to choose not only how you live your life, but also how you can maintain your health, which benefits not only you but others as well.

5.  Use Your Precious Energy Wisely

The first four directives all lead up to this one: use your precious energy wisely. Each of us has the same 24 hours in a day, and each of us will use those hours differently. To get the most bang per buck out of your time, think about where and how it can be best used. Where can you do something that will save you time in the future? How can you take one action that accomplishes several purposes? How can you simplify a task so it can be done more efficiently? Where can you get creative and use outside the box thinking to solve a problem? 

Lastly, take time to look at what you must do and ask what would happen if you only spent a minimum amount of time on it. If you really want to be bold, ask what would happen if you eliminated tasks altogether.

If you find yourself dealing with overwhelm, take heart in knowing those feelings are normal and can be managed. By setting realistic expectations, focusing on the right things, sorting tasks as
must and should, setting healthy and effective boundaries, and using energy wisely, you can cut
through chaos and regain a sense of influence and control over your life.

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Don't miss my video tutorial on the simplest way I know of to stop photo overwhelm:  {How to Stop Being Overwhelmed by Your Pictures}.  Find more tips on how to stop feeling overwhelmed by your photos {here}, then find a memory-keeping method that will work for your time and budget {here}. There's no time like right now!  #dontletyourbabiesgrowuptobejpegs

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How to Preserve Your Summer Memories

Summer memories!  They’re some of the best kind.  The next several #familyhistoryfridays will be a series called “Giving from the Heart.”  These ideas will connect families and preserve wonderful memories, stories, and photos to look back on when summer is gone.

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.”  -James M. Barrie

What Do You Want to Remember?

Some summers consist of special family vacations, others of family reunions or just evenings on the patio sipping lemonade.  Did you attend a wedding this summer?  How did you celebrate Independence Day?  What pictures did you take?  If you took a poll among family members, what would the Top Ten Memories of your summer be?

Taking time to write down memories is good for the heart and soul, and it’s especially beneficial when coupled with photos.  Too often photos of special moments just float around in the cloud or stay on phones or cameras indefinitely.  Instead of letting your summer memories fade, preserve them.  It’s a way to give from the heart both to yourself and your family.

Unfortunately, we take pictures because we want to remember and then we treat them like we want to forget.  Let’s change that this summer!

Memories can do powerful things for us.  Here are three articles everyone should read about memories!

• {The Importance of Memories to Personal Growth}
• {The Surprising and Unwanted Effect of Suppressing Memories}
• {Memories Connect Us}, make us who we are, allow for growth, enable relationships, deepen bonds, and much more

What to Do First

Memory-keeping is one of the first things to go in our busy society.  If our memories didn’t matter, it wouldn’t be a big deal.  But our memories DO matter.  We benefit from sitting down to put our experiences to paper, and we benefit from our photos in tactile (hand-held) form just as much.  Memory-keeping in this way is cathartic and even increases happiness!  Studies show if you want to {be happier instantly, look back at happy times}!  There are lots of {other benefits}, too.  So let’s get you started!

The first thing to do is to set aside time.  Like all worthy endeavors, memory-keeping doesn’t just happen on a random Tuesday when you unexpectedly find yourself with a couple of hours of free time.  (I mean, how many times has that happened to you so far?)  If the thought of making time for preserving your summer memories seems a little overwhelming, I would first suggest thinking outside the box a little.

For example, have you ever thought of this:  What makes memory-keeping Mom’s job?  Why not make it a family activity?  You could even make it a family tradition!  In fact, here are some {steps to making memory-keeping a family tradition}.  

Another great way to make time to preserve your summer memories is to do it with someone else!  If you make an appointment with a friend or sibling or a group of friends, it’s on your calendar and much more likely to happen!

If you need a little more help finding time, I have some really fantastic ideas and suggestions for you {at this link}, including:

• how to make time for the things you love
• how to actually create time
• ways to look at time and “time management” differently
• why we’re sometimes too busy to be productive and what to do about it
• what a digi-crop can do for you

After you’ve set aside time, choose how you want to preserve your summer memories and photos.  If you need photo organization help or help getting your pictures from your phone to your computer, {go here next}.

Options to Preserve Your Summer Memories

Photos are a fantastic guide to trigger memories.  It’s important to preserve photos in a way that allows you to write out your memories, too.  It’s one reason that {digital photo storage is not really the goal}.  Why would you focus so much on STORING something that you actually want to SEE?  What good does a photo in the cloud do us if we can’t tell its story?  Writing out what you remember about the event or the person in the photo is how we get the roses in December.

Back in March we looked at some of the most popular ways to preserve photos and memories these days:  {digital scrap pages}, {digital storybooking}, and {paper scrapbooking}.  (Didn’t you love the history of scrapbooking in that last one?  I thought it was so interesting!)  Of course, there’s also the decades-old tradition of {printing up your pictures} and putting them in a simple album from any craft or big box store.

Quality has come a long way in recent years, but it’s still one of the biggest things to look for. You definitely don’t want to spend the time (or money) to preserve your precious summer memories and photos only to have it fall apart 5 or 10 years from now.

My Favorite Methods

Although some people prefer a more hands-on method for preserving photos and memories, I like digital books and scrap pages for two reasons.  First, you get to skip the extra step of printing photos.  Second, digital allows for multiple copies (to give multiple kids, for example) without extra work.

This fun 12x12 hardbound Disneyland storybook template can be personalized {here},
and even the template is 100% editable so you can adjust whatever you like!

My usual method for preserving my own pictures is with Heritage Makers scrap pages.  Quality is a big reason that I choose this method for my own memory-keeping, and the fact that digital scrapbooking is really fun.  Because this is what I do for ALL my memory-keeping, I preserve my summer photos this way, too.  

Thanks for stopping by.  We have a 2023 UPDATE before you read on:  Heritage Makers and Snap2Finish became YPhoto under Youngevity (which purchased Heritage Makers in 2013).  YPhoto uses only templates, so the creativity showcased here is no longer available there, and they also no longer have capability to print previously-created projects like these from the old system. YPhoto is not a photo storage site like Heritage Makers was. 

Best-in-the-industry quality and permanent cloud photo storage with guaranteed privacy are required for anything recommended here by Photo & Story Treasures, so we highly recommend Forever for:  

·        creative digital scrapbooking applicable in a variety of photo products using Artisan software

·        easy photo-memory books using free AutoPrint and Design & Print software programs

·        private, permanent, secure, and guaranteed photo and video cloud storage (triple-backed-up and bank encrypted)

·        white glove digitizing services for old memories like VHS tapes, slides, old scrapbooks (scanning), 8mm film, audio tapes, and much more

Learn more here to  find similar products at top-quality with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

___________________________________________________

If you’re looking to preserve only your summer memories and photos in one place, go for books! 

This other template is just perfect for a collection of summer memories, I think.  This summer memories book is a little 5.5×5.5 size.  It’s softbound.  (If you like the idea of a softbound book because they’re cheaper, be sure you’re getting one that uses {PUR binding} like this one from Heritage Makers does.  Most companies use glue, not PUR.  Glued-in pages can crack over time, causing the pages to fall out.)  At $9, it’s a pretty wallet-friendly way to give your summer memories and photos a good home, too! 

NOTE: Forever also use top-of-the-line PUR binding. 

Whether heirloom-quality books or scrap pages are your thing, simple options or detailed digital scrapbooking, I’ve got a variety of videos to help{get you on your way} right there at that link.

What to Do Now

Set aside time, decide if you want to preserve your summer memories as a family or by yourself or with friends, then choose your favorite method.  Then GO!  Whatever high-quality method you choose, it’s the best one–because you’re doing it!

When you’ve given your precious photos and memories a home that will be treasured for years to come, show it off!  My Facebook group is just the place!  {Request to join here} and then take photos of what you created and post them in the group.  We’ll congratulate you on being the hero of your family and celebrate with you.  I can’t wait to see what you’ve done.

Everyone has summer memories!  Save and share this post on social media.

This post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on August 17, 2018, by Jennifer Wise.  You can read more #familyhistoryfriday posts about photos, memories, stories, family, and connection by clicking the hashtag below next to Labels.

Why Digital Photos Aren't Good Enough

There are few things in the world with the power a photo has.  It can instantly draw you back to a place, a time, an event.  It can bring back the memory of someone dear who is long-gone.  It can even allow you to "be at" events you weren't around for or "meet" people who died before you were born.

There's just one caveat.

You have to see it.

 

The Photo Dilemma

How many photos do you have on your phone right now?  How many on your camera?  Have you seen them since you've taken them?  

If you're like most people, you have so many photos you haven't done anything with that you're a little embarrassed to answer the question.  Here's the truth:  you're normal.  You're average.  You're in the majority.

But, as they say, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?

Just because everyone does it that way doesn't mean it's for you.  Photos do so much good for the heart and soul that we actually NEED them.  

What Your Photos Can Actually (Amazingly!) Do For You

Have you heard of the scientifically-proven benefits of preserving photos and memories?  I fly through them pretty quickly here, but this should help you think about your photos a little differently.

Have you ever thought about how your life would change if you {unleashed the power in your photos}?  Photos weren't meant to be stored in the cloud or on a computer, they were meant to be seen.  The only way that can happen is if we print them somehow.  {You don't keep something as powerful as photos in a box.}  

I know that some people say, "But I look at them on my computer."  Actually...  Most people don't, and I would wager that it doesn't happen very often.  

The main issue with just digital photos, though, is that they have no information with them.  They are missing their story--the whole reason they were taken.  Who is in the photo?  Where was it taken?  Was it a special event or an everyday one?  What happened before or after the photo was taken?  What made it a photo-worthy moment?

photo credit: Brooke Mehr

Photos with their stories have the power I outline in that video clip.  

How to See, Enjoy, and Share Your Photos

If you prefer the traditional print method--printing photos and putting them in a photo album you might find at a big box store--just make sure you're using high-quality products to put those photos in.  And don't forget to record the memories and details that go with them!  

If your photos are already digital, though, it's convenient to print them in {a digital book or digital scrap pages}--and be sure those are high-quality, too, because many these days aren't.  (The options listed at that link ARE!)  

These days we have too many photos to be able to see and appreciate them without some actual time and effort.  But I've got great news about that.

That effort pays great dividends!  Many things {don't produce immediate rewards, but memory-keeping isn't one of them!}  You'll feel happiness, satisfaction, a sense of belonging, and even gratitude as you start preserving your life's story through photos and memories.  (Check out that link to see what I mean.)

Some Helpful Resources to Get You Started

If it feels a little daunting to even start because your photos are everywhere and you're overwhelmed, don't worry!  I've got your back.  

Here are five steps to get you going on high quality (private & guaranteed!) memory-keeping!  There's even a photo organization video tutorial there for you, and information on preserving not just photos but family memories in video, too.

If you haven't preserved your photos and memories for a while, these two resources can be a lot of help!

• How to Catch Up On Your Photos (including video tutorials and ideas)
• How to Find the Time for Your Photos (lots of resources!)
• Personal Help with a Memory-Keeping Consultant

Because isn't it about time your photos were a source of joy again?

We all need the power in our photos, so Pin, Tweet, or share this post!
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#friyay -- What People Love About Heritage Makers

It's the first Friday of the month!  That means it's #friyay here at LifeTales Books--the day we hear from Heritage Makers users/lovers!  We're going to see a couple this month so we can finish our #friyay feature by the end of 2018!

Our first #friyay today comes from one of the sweetest people I've ever met, Karin.  I've quoted Karin here on the blog before as saying, "I've decided it's important for me to do the things only *I* can do."  She had 20 years' worth of photos ready to go into digital photo and memory books, and she knew it was important to do the important things.  I used to live near Karin, and I loved seeing her completed books!

Our second #friyay is from Cassie, who suffered a stroke several years ago (and she's young!).  She's doing fine but has trouble with some of the fine motor things that she'd always been used to doing like card-making, gifts, etc.  I love how much she LOVES Heritage Makers and the difference it has made for her, allowing her to do the things she loves in a different (digital) way.

2023 UPDATE:  Heritage Makers and Snap2Finish became YPhoto under Youngevity (which purchased Heritage Makers in 2013).  YPhoto uses only templates, so the creativity showcased here is no longer available there, and they also no longer have capability to print previously-created projects like these from the old system. YPhoto is not a photo storage site like Heritage Makers was. 

Best-in-the-industry quality and permanent cloud photo storage with guaranteed privacy are required for anything recommended here by Photo & Story Treasures, so we highly recommend Forever for:  

·        creative digital scrapbooking applicable in a variety of photo products using Artisan software

·        easy photo-memory books using free AutoPrint and Design & Print software programs

·        private, permanent, secure, and guaranteed photo and video cloud storage (triple-backed-up and bank encrypted)

·        white glove digitizing services for old memories like VHS tapes, slides, old scrapbooks (scanning), 8mm film, audio tapes, and much more

Learn more here to  find similar products at top-quality with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Bringing Family Stories to Life

Family history sometimes gets a bad rap.  It can be viewed as one of those hobbies people pick up when they’re old and don’t have anything else to do.  This reputation is unfortunate because the fact is that we all need our history.  

We all need our stories, and we all need our family stories.  Stories connect us, give us strength, and help us realize our place not only in the world but in OUR little world of influence.  What would change if you wrote down your own story?  What would you learn if you wrote down your family’s story?

Today for #familyhistoryfriday we will look at a few ideas to get inspired about family stories.

Stories Matter

I’ve always been a journaler and photo-preserver.  Writing things down helps me get in touch with myself, sort through how I feel, and learn from and appreciate my experiences.  As I’ve made this my actual business in recent years, one of the things I’ve been amazed at is that there’s been research done on the effect that knowing family stories has on kids.  It’s quite remarkable!  Family stories aren’t just warm fuzzies that people talk about at reunions.  They’re the experiences that make us who we are.  Knowing that Grandpa did a hard thing gives you courage.  Hearing the funny story of Christmas 1969 helps you realize you should laugh at yourself a little more.

Remembering is great, but since memory fades, it’s so much better to write the stories!  How, then, do you go about creating the family stories?  

• {Click here for some ideas for creating family stories (and the surprising research I mentioned before).}

Preserving and Sharing Family Stories

Just like your family, and just like your story, the way you preserve and then share your family stories can be different from someone else’s.  The one thing that matters is that you do it.  

Hand-writing something in a notebook and making copies for family members works.  Typing something in a computer document and sharing with the family works, too.  (Just don't save it on the computer and assume people will know it's there, know where to find it, or be able to access it.)  

• {Read here about why knowing family stories isn't just "nice"--it's a necessity!  And the astounding effects of knowing family stories, too!}

My favorite way to preserve and share family stories is through {storybooks}, but there are other ways, too.

I like the personal, special touch that a family storybook has.  This is one of the first ones I ever created, and what I loved about it was the photos and the simplicity.  There’s a photo of each of my ancestors as far back as photos go (or as far back as we have them), and I wrote a one-page introduction to each of those people.  

2021 UPDATE:  You can find additional platforms for heirloom-quality photo-storybooks here.

My main goal was to have my children be able to digest the information easily (as opposed to a 200-page life history).  

My secondary goal was to let my kids put faces with names and to connect with their ancestors.  If they could say, “Oh, Great-Great Grandpa loved reading, and so do I!” or “Wow, how cool that they lived on a farm,” I felt like I had accomplished something.  

The connection that comes from family stories validates kids, {among other things}.

Other Creative Ways to Share Family Stories

Although I do love my family history storybooks, there are a lot of other ways to preserve and share family stories.  

What if you don’t really have a whole story, or what if you just want to preserve and share something Mom always used to say?  It’s fun to have some variety.  

What about family matching card games or Grandma’s quote on a lovely canvas in your kitchen?  How about cookbooks to capture your family’s history through recipes?  Read more about these fantastic out-of-the-box ideas:

• {Four Creative Ways to Share Family Stories}
• {Your Family History in a Recipe}

This 12x12 gallery-wrapped canvas can be personalized {here}.

Family Stories Are For You

Sometimes we feel so far removed from people who didn’t own a car or farmed their own food.  What can we possibly learn from them or from their experience?  Far more than you might think, I promise!  

Take some time to talk to your parents or aunts and uncles.  Talk to your grandparents if you can.  Ask about their parents and grandparents.  

The things they remember and know and have learned from life can strengthen yours!

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This post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on August 3, 2018, by Jennifer Wise.  You can find more #familyhistoryfriday posts by clicking the hashtag below next to Labels.

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