When scrapbooking was at the height of its popularity, I would look longingly at the beautiful crafted books that scrapbooking moms would create. They were just so beautiful! But scrapbooking required a lot of time and a chaos of paper, stickers and special scissors to be everywhere. Scrapbooking also required you to CUT your pictures, which is something I would agonize over. Alas, my scrapbooking career came to a screeching halt before it began. Which is why I have had to learn easier ways to record sweet family moments that only took a little time each day! So here are 6 simple ways to capture family memories in 2018 that only take minutes a day.
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6 Simple Ways to Capture Family Memories in 2018
Thanks to my lovely friend, Heather, I have seen the light…the digital light! The first several ways to record memories are with your phone and computer. And most of them are simple enough even my non-techie self can manage.
Journey App
Journey App is a simple app for your phone to create a picture and written journal. I used the Journey App all year in 2016 and absolutely loved it. Download Journey app for free, or you can upgrade to premium app and get started. Take a picture each day and write a couple of sentences about the day. If your kids like to take pictures with your phone, all the better because you can pick one of their pictures if you forget to capture a moment that day.
Journey App is so simple to use and record a whole year’s worth of memories by taking 5 minutes a day! If you like a picture that you took and want to share it with others Journey App allows you to share with others through social media like Facebook or Instagram. So you can pick and choose what to share. I love that feature because you can great an authentic journal of your year by keeping it private and just occasionally sharing pictures on social media.
Day One Journal App
Day One Journal App is very similar to Journey App. You take a picture each day and record a few words or sentences about what happened that day. Day One Journal does have more categories so if you want to record multiple journeys such as tracking your travel, fitness and work life, along with family memories you can choose to do so.
It works on all devices and is current on the updates! The reviews say that you can use Day One Journal app on multiple types of devices so that you can record and track your memories on whichever device you are using at the moment and they will integrate!
1 Second Everyday
This is such a cool app. Take a quick video each day and then choose 1 Second Everyday from your video. The app then puts all the videos together capturing moments from your life into a longer video. My friend showed me her app and it was so amazing when the 1 second clips were put together. I think this would be a great app for teens too!
Create a 365 Blog
Using WordPress.com you can create a free blog page. Each day you record at least one picture and a short (or long) summary for the day. You can set your blog on private so only you can see. Post a picture and a few sentences for each day. The nice thing about creating a blog is that it allows you to capture multiple pictures and have plenty of room to write.
If you like more of a creative outlet, you will enjoy the freedom that a 365 blog will give you. Find a good explanation on how to set up your free blog at WordPress.com here. A blog page will take a little while to create and figure out how to post on WordPress. So there is some technology involved. However, some of you will truly enjoy seeing your writing and pictures come together in the story of your family.
Love more ways to connect as a family? Read my post here on 10 Healthy Ways to Strengthen Your Family Bond!
Chatbooks on Instagram
If you enjoy Instagram then you will love Chatbooks! Chatbooks was actually created by a busy mom who asked her husband to help her create a photo book program that worked for busy moms. Download the Chatbook app. Start taking pictures on Instagram and every 60 photos on Instagram, Chatbooks will send you a photobook with your photos for $10.
I loved the idea of the program when I first saw Chatbook’s crazy commercial. Then when I heard the back story of the company when Brilliant Business Moms interviewed Vanessa Quigley, I was intrigued even more. And now that I’m finally on Instagram this year I will have to check it out:)
5 Simple Ways to Capture Memories
So for those of you all who are more low tech and love paper and pen…
Moments to Treasure: An Inspirational Five-Year Memory Book for Busy Moms
This wonderful little book is such a great idea for busy moms. Under each day there is space for 5 entries, each entry a different year. The space is enough to record a simple sentence or two of something that happened that day. No more big journal pages looking pointedly at you making you feel guilty for not writing more.
So you can record 5 years worth of precious moments by taking just a few minutes a day. I received Moments to Treasure as a gift and loved it! I use to enjoy journaling, but found it hard to find an hour each day to reflect and write. So if you still want to record silly things your kids say or keep a log of things you are thankful for this is a wonderful idea!
It is hard to treasure every moment when it is happening. That is why I appreciate when I take the time to record the event is some way. I hope that these ideas will give you some fresh ways to easily capture your family’s moments in 2018!
YAY! The Reluctant Cowgirl is now on Instagram. Grow with us @thereluctantcowgirl!
What terrific ideas! I’v been wanting to do this for years!
Kim, I hope one of these ideas is a perfect fit for you and your family in 2018!
What great ideas. I had never heard of any of them. I’ll definitely have to check a couple of them out. I also love the picture of you at the fence in the white coat. Such a cool shot.
Oh I’m so glad I was able to tell you about some new family journal ideas you had not heard of yet. Aww, thanks:)
Great ideas! I do one photo book each year and they are fun to look back on. I’ve never heard of the journal app and will have to check that out!
I know! It is so great to be able to look back at old pictures. It always reminds me to be thankful for every day.
So many great ideas here. I check some of them out soon!
Thanks Deneen.
These are fabulous ideas! I really need to get better at recording our adventures! Thank you. Definitely going to try (or more) of these ideas.
Oh my goodness, Miranda! You really did your research to put up this list together. I’m really loving using the 1SE app and am having so much fun recording these clips each day. Looking forward to seeing what it looks like after a year! And as for techie abilities, you’ve definitely passed me on your blog… Proud of you, my friend!
Your 1 second clips look amazing already!! Yes, that will be fun to see them after a year. Aww, thanks!