A roundup of the best memory keeping books
One of my passions as a photographer is memory keeping and creating tangible items that embody your precious moments in time for years to come. This is where The Story Keeper stemmed from, this continual series explores all areas of creating, preserving, organising and maintaining your own family story // Bec Zacher
I’m sure that when you had your first baby you had a baby record book that you diligently filled out for a while, maybe you even finished it. But as our little ones get a bit older and new babies arrive on the scene, these memory books usually drop off and there isn’t too much of a detailed record after that first year of bub’s life.
The key I have found to be able to successfully stick with a memory keeping book is finding one that is simple, timeless and doesn’t have a ton of questions but gives you room to make it yours and fit with your own family story. I’ve had plenty of these baby books and after lots of research and online browsing, I have managed to narrow down my favourites for you:
Keepsake books are journals that are pre-created and include areas for you to document milestones, stories and images of your life and your children’s life. The key to a great memory keeping book is a timeless design, simple prompts and room to make it your own.
FOR PREGNANCY & THE BABY YEARS
Write to Me – Pregnancy Book
Guided linen journal and prompts
Expecting You – Pregnancy Keepsake Journal
A journal walking you through each stage of your pregnancy with simple, timeless prompts to record your story.
Write to Me – Baby BookFrom birth to five years old. Simple, timeless prompts and lots of journaling room.
Linen cover, embossed title. Available in grey, pink and beige. High-quality paper stock.
Mushy Books – Baby Book
From birth to five years old. Clever interchangeable pages so you can customise the book.
Layflat design and protective sleeve provided with each book. A variety of designs.
FOR 5 YEARS AND OLDER
Books that cover the childhood years (not just the baby stage) are harder to find! These are the best I’ve come across to preserve your child’s entire journey.
Write to Me – Childhood Book
Record from 6-12 years old. Yearly sections with prompts and lots of room to journal.
Linen cover, embossed title. Available in teal blue, A4 size. High-quality paper stock.
Rhi Creative – School Days Book
Sections covering pre-school through to all primary school. Prompt pages and plenty of journaling pages. 56 pages, spiral bound. Printed on 100% recycled cardstock.
Promptly – Entire Childhood
Journal covering pregnancy days until a child is 18 years old. Simple, timeless design and helpful prompts. Image areas and a variety of colours available.
MY MONTHLY PROCESS
I have a book for each of my children and every month I sit down and update them. I spend about 1-2 hours doing this so it’s super simple and doesn’t take long. I also batch print images a few times a year by ordering them online and avoiding heading to the shops. Lastly, I get my children to journal as well and write or draw in their own books.
Let me know what book/s you love the most and if you’re already doing this process how is it working out for you? Comment below!
Questions? + Join the Story Keeper Community
I really hope that you have found this helpful and gleaned some tips for yourself that you can start implementing today! I know you might have questions so come join the Story Keeper Private Facebook group where we all chat and share tips together.