Scrapbooking the Many Faces of Your Home

Ok, you can’t stand that horrendous carpet in the living room or the nasty vinyl linoleum in the kitchen. Come to think of it, both rooms could use some sprucing up and maybe you’ll finally be able to install that beautiful bay window so you can look out over the garden. Perhaps the garden could also stand a little refreshing too. And just like that, you find yourself planning a remodeling project (or three).

While you might think you’ll never forget (or miss) all the annoying little irritations that will be addressed in the remodeling, those are precisely the idiosyncrasies that inhabit many of the good memories of times spent in and around your home. Document the before, during and after of each new project or remodel you undertake and create a scrapbook showcasing your home and yard. Here are some ideas to help you get started:

This Old House
While this seems rather predictable, be sure you take photos of the before, during and after of your home’s remodel. Create pages showing each room’s progress and include the paint chips, sketches, clippings and material samples. If you’re creating an all-digital scrapbook, simply scan in these additional items to add to your pages. This type of scrapbook is a record of the project from start to finish. Recording the details of the project such as costs and contractors, hiccups and disasters as well as the happy surprises can be a big help down the road if you need to contact that plumber or buy more red paint to touch up some scuffed areas.

Brand New and Beautiful
Chronicle the building process of your new home from architectural renderings to move-in day. The entire undertaking of building a new home is an emotionally draining and exhilarating experience and much like having a baby, you’ll forget many of the details but emerge on the other side of the adventure with a brand new addition to your life.

Track the Growth
This is an ongoing project but one that will be a favorite for many years. Plant a tree in your yard to celebrate a momentous occasion such as the birth of a child (or grandchild) or a milestone birthday like your child’s first day of school. Take a picture of the person being commemorated next to the tree. Every year after that on or around the same day, take another picture next to the tree to show the growth and changes of both the plant and the person. Collect the photos in a scrapbook in chronological order. A rather romantic idea would be to plant a tree on your first wedding anniversary or when you move into your home. The pictures would show the growth of your relationship and tree. As children and pets came along, they should be added to the photo op for a touching record of your home, family and spouse as they grow and change.