Your family narrative tells the stories of who you are. When you look back on memories from birthday parties, graduations, weddings and other special moments, you are provided with a greater sense of self.
Digging out the boxes of your family “archives” can leave you feeling unsure of where to start when it comes to preserving the memories. Here are a few tips to help you find enjoyment as you look back on — or learn more about — the memories that make your family who they are.
Digitize favorite memories
Look for moments that symbolize important parts of your family history. If photos and videos don’t hold a special memory, it’s okay to let them go. Once you have hard copies sorted, you can use a service like Legacy Box to create digital copies, or do it yourself using apps like Google PhotoScan.
It’s a good idea to save photos in two locations to ensure they’re preserved and accessible across devices. By saving one of the copies on a shared service like Google Photos, DropBox, iCloud or a family blog or website, you can also share the link with other family members.
Start digital scrapbooking and storytelling
Digital scrapbooking tools and storytelling apps, like RememberThis, are a great way for you to create presentations of your family history. Combining photos, videos and audio recordings can enhance the storytelling experience and engage younger loved ones.
You can record your memories, stories and anecdotes to provide invaluable insights into family heritage for future generations. To have stories compiled into a book, consider using a service like StoryWorth. To have stories compiled into videos, consider the StoryCatcher app.
Try genealogical research
There is a wealth of online resources available for genealogical research, such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com. These websites offer access to historical records, census data and family trees. Most require a paid subscription.
Preserve stories that aren’t recorded yet
Are there favorite stories your family likes to share that haven’t been recorded yet? Spend some time with family members and have them recount significant memories. Using a smartphone or digital voice recorder to capture oral history is a great way to digitize and preserve family history.
Enjoy your family narrative
As you start to dig into your family’s photos and archives, you might feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of the task. Instead, enjoy the process.
There are many ways to make it easy to look back on these memories, whether that be a printed album, an online site or an app you view on your phone.
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