Old scrapbooks

[laura&fam]

I started scrapbooking many long years ago with copy paper and a glue stick before scrapbooking was even a thing. I have so many scrapbooks I’m feeling claustrophobic. I’m trying to figure out what to do with the old scrapbooks no one looks at. So far I’ve considered just throwing them away, redoing them and reducing the volume (my first child’s baby scrapbook is pretty excessive), or storing them the only place I can in the garage with very high and low temperatures.
I also considered scanning them but I really prefer the paper format and I’m not sure the cost involved in scanning 12x12.
Any thoughts?

 

[Haimia]

DON'T store them in a garage. They will be ruined. Copy paper and glue stick (assuming not acid free) is not the best format (photos will change). Maybe scan them on your home printer and reduce the size to 8" x 8" and have an online store such as Shutterfly print them in books. You can get free photobook codes from them at various times.

Is your child old enough to be out of the house and in one of their own? If so, pass on some of the scrapbooks to them!

If you redo them, use acid free paper and glues. Mat anything that is not acid free to keep it off and away from your photos. There are many visitors to this site that can give you more tips when you decide which to do.

 

[laura&fam]

Shutterfly is a good suggestion, thank you! That way I’d still have a paper book but it would take up so much less space and preserve the earlier books. All of my later stuff is acid free, there’s just so much of it.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I've been scanning my pages into photoshop. My scanner is only 8 1/2 x 12 so I scan one half, then the other half and photoshop stitches the layout together for me.

 

[Haimia]

I've been scanning my pages into photoshop. My scanner is only 8 1/2 x 12 so I scan one half, then the other half and photoshop stitches the layout together for me.

That is cool. Makes it easy using a smaller printer!!