It’s time again for the Aaron Brothers 1 Cent Sale! Ready to make 2016 the year you get those photos out from dusty photo boxes or freed from the confines of digital storage? Over the next few weeks, I’ll help you accomplish just that by sharing some of my knowledge on an area that can be intimidating by breaking it down into digestible bits. Do you scatter photos everywhere? Focus on a photo wall? How many and what size? To mat or not, etc.?
Let’s start with planning a photo wall. A family photo wall creates a lifetime of memories for your family. And the great news is that there is no right or wrong way to create one. Here are some of the choices you’ll need to make with tips to get you started.
Sara Eizen
Pretty Designs
Private vs. Public
First, decide if you want your photo wall in a private or public location in your home. Hallways and stairwells work really well, so just figure out how visible you want your wall to be. Outside an upstairs bedroom is a nice private spot, and a front hall is sure to attract attention and generate conversation with guests.
Sara Eizen
All in the Family?
Next, decide whether to focus on your immediate nuclear family or include extended family. The inclusion of different generations can be a great starting point for introducing your kids to family history and helping them connect with their roots. Baby photos that span generations are a fun way to identify family resemblances and, of course, kids are always shocked to realize that their parents and grandparents were once their age!
Having photos of family and capturing moments of good times up around the house not only helps remember those fun times, but also actually boosts children’s self-esteem – it helps them feel connected and valued as a member of the family. Photos and artwork also help your space feel more welcoming and less austere, especially if some thought is put in to the display of them.
It will take some time to cull through photos, especially if you have a lot of great pictures, so decide what would work best for you in tackling it. Do you dedicate 15 minutes each night or would you rather look through one box/file at a time, pick your favorites and then have a final narrowing of the choices to those that make the cut? Don’t forget to ask other family members for their input, as well. Letting each child pick at least one special photo of a memorable time for them helps further recognize that their special times and opinions matter to the whole family.