How are you dealing with piles of past paper work and memories? When my business ended I was left with 27-years of line sheets, ads, customer letters, photos, and a plethora of memories and marketing material. Ten-years-ago, I spent a weekend stuffing them into drawers, cabinets and boxes at my studio. We’re moving from the city next year, and I will not be taking all this paper junk along. I’ve found a way to clean up my past. Maybe this post will inspire others.
A Video of the Finished Project
I set up tables in the studio last week, and pulled everything out into the open. Just look at this photo—the whole photo, foreground and background. I have stacks and stacks of this! For years this was too painful to drudge up, but it can’t go on forever—so it’s time to pull on my big-girl pants, and deal.
First, I compartmentalized everything into categories. It’s important to break it up into sections. For me that would be my couture plush line, Tweakie P. for Michaels’s Stores, furniture and accessories, customer letters, and Piper the Puppy for the American Red Cross.
I started with Piper the Puppy because it was very defined. I stacked everything about Piper on it’s own table, selected what I wanted to always remember, and began scanning documents and photos.
But what do you do with this stuff after selecting it? Right? I read reviews on photos books. Now there are many, Shutterfly, Lulu, and many others. I chose Mixbook. While all book companies are very similar, Mixbook read well for me, and their tutorial was easy to follow. I also saw a group of ladies at a Thai Restaurant looking at a beautiful travel book. It was gorgeous, so I asked about it…that’s right—Mixbook.
Each category of my past will finish in this same way.
- Select what I want to remember.
- Photograph and scan these pieces for creation into a photo memory book.
- Select the best pieces to display in a glass case—along with the memory book.
- Photo how the display is arranged.
- Place everything to go on that display shelf in a storage box—with a printed photo of the arrangement.
- Walk everything else to the dumpster.
- Now, when we move into our new place my past is organized, and I display the treasures that best represent my past work.
Tune into my podcast, The Literary Catcast
Well, Yamqueen, here we go again with our connections!! Did you know i am a Disaster Spiritual Care Service Associate for American Red Cross? I am currently deployed virtually in Louisiana on Hurricane IDA. I cannot believe all the ways our lives have intersected through time since childhood. Let me say Im not totally surprised because we both love people, care for our communities and try to positively impact our spheres of influence. Be well Phebe! hugs
Hi Laura,
Oh my…we continue to be on the same path. Love, Love ~ Phebe
loved it so very much Remembering all of your lovely creations.
Hi Ceil,
We had so much fun! ~ P
Loved listening to your calm voice. Very enjoyable
Hi Carolyn,
So sweet…Love, Love You! ~Phebe