How I Put My Scrapbook Albums Together

I was talking to a friend of mine a few months ago and she mentioned that while she loves to see all my layouts, she was curious how I put my albums together. So this post is about that; how I collect all my pages into a neat and tidy album that my family can sit on the couch and look at.

I do a family album every year. The only additional album I will do is a travel one if we have gone on a big trip.

I have been buying the same style albums from Michaels for the past several years. I do this so I can buy the corresponding package of refill pages in bulk (which is cheaper) and just keep using them year after year when I put my albums together. Everything works together so there is no waste or fuss.

I pick a different patterned album for each year. If I have created a lot of layouts in one year, I buy two of the same patterned albums for that year so that when the albums are on the shelf it is easy to see which ones belong together.

This is the album that I am using for my 2014 layouts:

I often have to buy longer posts (the cheapest ones are available in the hardware aisle at Home Depot) and use cardboard spacers (I make my own by cutting scrap cardboard to size), so that when the album is all together  the pages are lying flat. When all is said and done, I want my album to be the same height at the spine as at the open edge.

To begin, I put all my pages in order by date and slide them into page protectors. I then add a page, followed by a cardboard spacer or two (as needed) onto the posts (the longer posts are in the above photo) until all the pages are in the album. If I have more than one album for the year, I simply divide the pages between the albums.

Once I close my completed album, I check to make sure it is the same size at the spine as at the outer edge, and that all the pages are lying flat.

I also label the inside cover of my albums with the year and the volume (if there is more than one album for that year)

This is the shelf where I store my albums.

Organized. Colorful. Pretty. But full.

Finding a storage spot for my future albums is something I am going to have to work on.

In the meantime, I have my 2014 album completed and ready to show. Each and every time I browse through one of my scrapbook albums, I fall in love with this hobby all over again; is there anything better than recording stories and memories.