Where is the best place to start a travel scrapbook?

Sometimes we’re asked “Where is the best place to start a travel scrapbook?”  I think the best place to start your vacation scrapbook is on vacation.   I’m not suggesting you bring your scrapbook supplies with you (unless its that type of vacation), but doing a few things while on your trip will make your scrapbooks more meaningful and easier to make.

First step, take pictures. “Of course I’m going to take pictures” you say, but what about taking an extra picture of the sign next to the display?  It will not only help you remember what you took a picture of, but maybe also give you some facts to use when journaling in your scrapbook.

Speaking of journaling, take a few minutes each evening to journal the day’s activities.  It doesn’t have to be a novel, just a few words so you remember what impressed you that day.  Include the family—maybe something your son said the first view of the Grand Canyon, or how you felt when your daughter told you about the painting at the Museum, or maybe how your husband liked the food at that quirky little restaurant.

Oh, did you save a napkin from that restaurant? Save everything you can; every ticket stub, every program, menu, brochure, etc. You’ll be surprised what you might add to your scrapbook when you have it. These things add color and interest to your scrapbook. Postcards are another great take away (though usually at a cost) to add to your memories.

Of course, vacations are about fun. These ideas don’t take a lot of time while you’re traveling, but can save a lot of time when you go to scrapbook your adventure.  And if you need help with your Travel Scrapbooks, check out the premium page kits for sale at TravelinDuckie.com.

Travel Scrapbooks: Organize your Photos

What a great trip!  And what a pile of pictures to scrapbook.  Where do you start?  Weed out those that don’t cut it.  Face it, not every picture is a keeper, and if you’re like me you take the same shot 3 times to make sure you got it.  First, remove those that are of poor quality and those that are very similar to others.  If you have physical pictures, sort them out and set them to the side.  Don’t throw them out yet, you may want to come back to them for something as you are making your scrapbooks.  If you are sorting digital photos on the computer, many photo programs allow you to flag or rate your photos (or both).  Flag as “reject” or give the lowest rating to those you don’t want to use.

A travel scrapbook tells a story about the places you visited or the things you did.  Sometimes the story takes you to a series of what may be quite different locales over the course of one trip. Like a road-trip, this is a story that’s well-suited to being told in chronological order (more or less).  Create a list detailing the different stops on the trip. After you’ve listed them all, go back through and think about whether they all really need to be included.  Does every stop need to be scrapbooked? Are there points at which chronology doesn’t matter?  Could repeat visits to a location that could be scrapbooked together on a page?

Some trips take you to one locale. Instead of sightseeing, it’s more about enjoying people, place, and activities—like visiting family, going camping, visiting an amusement park, or hitting the ski slopes.  This story could be told chronologically, but might also be told by grouping people, places, activities, and feelings.

Now go back to your stack of photos and sort them using the list you created.  Good pictures to keep are those that convey the sense of the place.  That’s why you took the picture after all.  You will also want to keep photos of interesting and relevant things you saw while there or of events and activities that are important to your adventure, like learning to hula dance.  If it doesn’t add to the story, set it aside.  If you are sorting digital photos on the computer, give those pictures you don’t use a low rating (not lowest, you used that for rejects).

Now you have an outline and great photos ready to scrapbook.