Finding the Time to Scrapbook

With the hustle and bustle of modern life, we find ourselves constantly struggling to find time for the "necessary" tasks of the day... let alone finding time for ourselves. With the determination and precision of a CEO for a major corporation, we plan the weeks meals, jot down school activities in our day planners, make play dates, and yet still find time for loved ones. When asked how our scrapbooks are coming along, many of us reply "I really haven't had a whole lot of time to work on it"! We all know that scrapbooking is important, not only for ourselves but for our families memories. We long for the day that the old shoebox full of unorganized photos will be a thing of the past in our home.

The truth is that we all have time to scrapbook. We must organize, manage our time and develop time saving habits if we wish for more time to scrapbook.

Organization

Are you organized? Not sure? Here's a test. Think of a few scrapbooking items you own. Not just your paper trimmer, how about that circle cutter you never use? Now, see how long it takes you to find them.

Did you find them right away? Good for you. Either you are a very organized or you don't own enough scrapbooking stuff!

Could someone have read "War and Peace" in the time it took you dig out that circle cutter? If you answered yes, welcome to the majority! Below are three quick tips for getting organized:

1. Get Rid of the Trash!
Let's face it... we're all pack rats at heart. The thought "I could use that scrap of paper on another page" has run through all our heads more than once. The truth is that when a page comes along that we could use that scrap, we will have forgotten that we kept it! Now I'm not saying throw everything away, but a good hard look at your "supplies" needs to be taken. If you really need a scrap paper collection, try organizing in accordion style folders or boxes by color.
Have something that you never use anymore? Perhaps you bought something else to replace it. Check with your local scrapbook store and ask about a "Garage Sale Day" where they can get rid of your used scrapbooking stuff. The bottom line is: if you don't use it, get rid of it!

2. Group!
Once you've cleaned house it's time to group similar items together. Decide now how you would like to store your supplies. Folders, drawers, boxes, or even scrapbooking totes will work fine. Place similar items together. Adhesives, glue sticks, photo squares, etc. could be grouped together for instance. If you have a few items you use with every page, you can make place them together.

3. Label!
Now that everything is grouped, the next step is to label everything. Label so that someone who has never seen your scrapbook supply area could find what they were looking for. You don't have to label the outside of the coffee table drawer, just place an index card taped inside. Labels serve two purposes:

1. It shows you where things are without having to open drawers, folders, etc.
2. It tells you where to put things back when you're done with them!

Time Management

One of the best methods for finding more time to scrapbook is effective time management. It may sound simple, but most of us waste more time during the day than we realize. So where do we start? The first thing you will need to do is to document how you spend your time. Carry around a small note pad and a pen for a day or two, recording when you do things and how long it takes. Try and write down everything. Also, be aware that since you are paying attention to what you are doing, you will be less likely to waste time. Try to be as accurate to your actual day as possible. Depending on your schedule, you may need to document a whole week.

Now that you have some idea of how you spend each day, it's time to evaluate. How much time did you spend watching TV, talking on the phone, etc.? How much time do you spend in your car each day? Are there any tasks that could be shortened? Are there any tasks that could be combined? Perhaps you spend 20 minutes each day waiting for your children to get out of school. You could use this time for getting ideas for pages by reading magazines or drawing out ideas in a notebook. Be creative and make sure you include time for yourself, even if it's just a few minutes each day.

Is there any time during the week that you could set a specified time block aside to scrapbook? Get your spouse involved (if you have one). Maybe while you scrapbook he can play a game with the kids, and in return you'll let him have some "me" time while you take the kids out another time. Better yet, get them to scrapbook with you. Let him use the paper trimmer because "I just can't get the darn thing to cut straight". He'll feel macho because he's using a tool and you get to spend time with your partner. Just don't tell anyone he scrapbooks! :)

Time Saving Habits

A lot of us feel we can't start scrapbooking because we only have a few minutes before we have to pick it all back up again. If you organized your supplies, this should be less of an issue. Also, a great time saving tip is to keep each layout in progress in it's own page protector. You can pull it out, work on it for a few minutes, and then put it back again. I've heard of people keeping layouts ready like this on the refrigerator, so they can pull them down and work on them while they prepare meals.

Having a good idea of exactly how the layout is going to look when finished save a ton of time also. Several designers use a note pad and pencil to sketch out ideas. You can easily change elements and get further ideas by sketching it out first. You don't have to be an artist either. If you can draw a rectangle, a circle, and a square you are well on your way to being able to sketch out rough drafts of finished layouts.

Of course, time saving habits can be for other things than scrapbooking. Any time saved gives you more time to scrapbook and spend quality time with friends and family.

I hope I've inspired you to find more time to scrapbook, spend more time for yourself and your families, and be a little less stressed in this high speed age. Happy scrapbooking!