Tips for Maintaining Family Memories

Keeping Memories Alive
Give these simple projects and activities a try for keeping memories alive, organized and ready to enjoy for generations to come.

• Recipe Story Book: When you organize your recipes in a box, binder or folder, collect your family memories at the same time. Check out Recipe Organization for a variety of methods for creating a recipe system, then try a few of these ideas for making it memorable and customized to your family:
  • Think about collecting not only your own favorite recipes, but also recipes from family members and close friends. Creating a family cookbook with loved ones can make a great gift or keepsake for weddings, baby showers and more.
  • Add family stories or other fun tidbits and remembrances associated with the recipe to the back of the card or page.
  • Include a photo of the cook who created the dish or photos of the family cooking and enjoying the recipe.
  • Include the handwriting from the person who came up with the recipe by attaching a photocopy of an old recipe card or note.
  • Add in fun samples of cooking memorabilia like old package labels and logos to decorate pages. Collect items from family members or search online and print.

• Playroom Pack-up: Get the family involved in sorting through and packing away old toys. As your family outgrows toys and games, there may be a few favorites you want to hold onto for memory’s sake:

  • Give an acid-free storage box or container lined with acid-free paper to each family member. Have everyone cover or decorate his or her box with wrapping, paper scraps, pictures, paint or markers.
    • When looking for suitable containers, you want them to be acid-free. Chemicals from wood found in regular paper can cause discoloration and staining. Look for suitable containers and paper at office supply, craft or home storage stores.
    • Breathable storage is better for preventing mold and mildew growth. Plastic containers can trap moisture, so they’re not ideal for paper and photo memorabilia.
    • If using a plastic or tightly sealed container, add a “desiccant” such as silica gel, a bundle of chalk or box of baking soda to absorb moisture.
    • Add sachets of lavender in a box with fabrics to help keep moths away.
  • Each box can then be used to store any items that have been outgrown, but have special meaning or memories attached. It can be kept in each person’s closet or a separate storage area where other keepsakes are housed. Be sure to dust and vacuum closets regularly (about once a month) to help keep insects away.
  • Have everyone label the box with his or her name and the contents. It can be added to over time and offers a personal and organized option for passing down treasured toys and items that hold special memories.

• When I was Little Basket: Great for immediate and extended families alike, this simple activity will get everyone talking around the dinner table:

  • Use a basket, tin or even a shoebox to collect slips of paper with simple thought-starters. For example: Describe your first day of school. What was your favorite toy as a child? What was your most memorable family vacation?
  • Use the thought-starters to bring back memories for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa or aunts and uncles. It’s the perfect way to pass down your family history to younger family members.
  • Have someone record the stories in audio, video or writing for future reminiscing at family events.

Keepsake Quick Tips
Keep these simple rules of thumb in mind when caring for and storing precious items:

• Store on the Main Level: Paper and fabric keepsakes should be stored on the main level of the home where temperatures and humidity levels are more consistent. Temps in the basement or attic tend to fluctuate, and can cause rapid damage to your items.

• Save the News: Newspaper clippings should be photocopied onto or stored between two pieces of acid-free paper.

• Protect Textiles: Keep precious textiles (quilts, scarves, embroideries) inside clean, white pillowcases in a cool, dry place. Fold items neatly inside the cases and place on top of acid-free paper or tissue on cedar-lined shelves or inside a cedar chest to help keep pests at bay.

• Enjoy Keepsakes: Keep at least a few of your favorite mementoes (like photos or drawings) easily accessible so you can take them out and enjoy them, without having to search around. Try keeping a beautiful Decoupage Photo Box or a decorative Box of Memories filled with special tokens from your life on your coffee table.

• Organized Memories: For more projects, organization and care tips for items that bring back warm memories check out these articles:

  • Perfectly Organized Photos
  • Protect Your Precious Heirlooms
  • Family Tree Calendar
  • Mini Memory Holder

  Your home and your family are filled with memories both large and small. Keep our simple ideas in mind and you’ll be well prepared to keep your memories alive and well for years to come.