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Your memory book

Turn your memories into a book

Are your writings, pictures and small memories gathering dust somewhere? Maybe you’ve written down a short story at some point. Or saved a picture. Or maybe you brought home a small souvenir. But after that it was left somewhere.

It is a shame to leave those stories unused!

In this article I will show you how you can make your own memory book from all those separate memories.

From notes and old photos to special objects from your home: everything gets a place and a story.

I share practical tips and give examples from my own home. I also share inspiration from the book Een huis vol (no, it’s not the Dutch docusoap) by Bill Bryson. The book shows how ordinary things acquire meaning.

Bring together everything that matters to you in your home

In your memory book you collect what you have already recorded in memories. Maybe you already wrote down individual thoughts or short stories on sheets. You can now bring them together. You can also supplement it with old pictures, clippings or small finds that mean something to you.

This way, your memory book will grow into a tangible whole.

It is a pleasant activity to do, and at the same time a valuable document for later.

A hundred stories in your home

A great way to start is to start from your own home. Look around and choose objects that have a story attached to them: crockery, a photo on the wall.

Take pictures of it. Write down what they mean to you. Write down what memories they evoke. Explain why they stayed with you.

For example, you can “… stories at my home’ .

The … can be filled in by you. A book full of small and big moments, for yourself, but also for later.

For the day when you may no longer be around and your children empty your house. Maybe they will stop and think about your words for a moment.

Maybe that’s why I kept all those little things when cleaning up my grandmother’s house. Because there was a story attached to it.

And maybe your children will also choose that one object to keep later on. They do this precisely because there is a story attached to it.

Example

Here is an example of a story based on an object in my house. A story about being generous.

Looking for inspiration?

If you’re looking for inspiration for your own memory book, read ‘A House Full’ by Bill Bryson. It’s full of ideas.

In this book, Bryson describes every part of his house with a lot of humor and an eye for detail. He goes from the rooms to the smallest objects in the closet. He also adds the history behind it.

A real eye-opener. Really!

Do you want to make a memory book yourself? Then this book will help you see how you can give meaning to ordinary things.

It invites you to look around in your own home. Pay attention to the objects that surround you. Find out what stories are attached to them.

A chair, crockery, an old photo or a small souvenir can be the basis. Together, they can form a beautiful chapter in your own book.

Bill Bryson’s book

In the beginning, Bryson’s book is a wonderful read. You will be carried away by his personal stories and anecdotes.

In short: ‘A house full’ may not be the most exciting story. It’s not something to read from start to finish in one go. But as a source of inspiration for preserving memories, it is an absolute must.

You can find it at your Standaard Boekhandel, on Bol, Amazon, etc…

And… there is even a podcast on VRT in which Sofie Lemaire talks passionately about how strongly this book has affected her. You can safely skip the introduction. Don’t start listening until minute 6. To get a good idea of the book, this podcast can certainly count.

How to make your memory book

Here is a practical, step-by-step instruction:

• Collect your loose notes, sheets and thoughts.
• Choose a beautiful book, notebook or scrapbook as a basis.
• Paste photos, clippings and small objects that mean something to you.
• Write briefly for each item what it means to you or what memory it has.
• Work from home: Choose objects with a story, take photos of them, and describe them.
• Give your book a name, for example: ’10 stories in my house’.
• Complete it step by step, without pressure. It’s about preserving your memories.
• For example, you can make a memory book about your journey with healthy eating. Why you started eating healthier. How your body and your mood changed. What worked, what was difficult, and what you learned. This makes it not only a book about food, but about growth, self-care and conscious living.

If you would like to share such a story, I would love to hear (read) it. Contact.

Emma