One minute they’re small precious angels in your arms, and the next they’re off to school and talking back to you. Where does the time go?
The journey of a child is one that goes so fast that you want to cherish as many of those special moments as possible. Which is why a memory box is a perfect keepsake to begin creating right from the moment they are born.
A memory box is a place where you can store all of those special gifts, notes, and keepsakes that you collect throughout their early life. A treasure box of those milestones and special memories.
If you’re expecting your first, or have just welcomed your little one into the world, let us give you our top tips for creating a memory box that you can share with your child when they have children of their very own.
Choose your box wisely
When deciding on a box to place your treasured items within it's essential you choose something that is sturdy and will last the test of time.
While a cardboard box may seem like a logical idea or even a beautifully decorated gift box, these can easily become affected by changes in temperature and become home to little bugs and moths. This means they can become less sturdy as time goes on, and not protect your treasured items in the best possible way.
Instead, it’s best to choose a wooden or metal box that will remain airtight once closed, and not be easily penetrated by any house bugs looking for a home.
There are a number of beautiful wooden treasure boxes you can find, and many independent retailers will even add an engraving or emboss your little one’s name on the box to make it extra special.
What to keep
It doesn’t matter whether it’s your first or your fifth, your child is precious which means you want to keep everything. But rather than overwhelm your memory box and end up with boxes filling up your loft or garage, you have to think about what really matters.
This can feel overwhelming, but when you focus on what you would really like to pass on, and the stories you’d like to share with your child, it becomes much easier.
Here’s a list to help you get started on what to add to your child’s memory box;
Store it well
Once you’ve begun your box and decorated it with your baby’s name, it’s important to store it well.
As paper items such as photographs and journals are extremely delicate to the elements, the box should be stored at room temperature instead of a cold garage or loft. This will ensure that when it gets too cold your items won’t be affected by damp or moisture, and when it’s too hot the die in the photographs won’t bleed.
Instead, we would highly recommend keeping it in a spare room in the house, or perhaps under a bed. This way it remains safe, but won’t be impacted by the changing elements.
Plus with it being in an easy to access place in your home, it can be added to without too much trouble.
Continue adding to it
While you may have lots of items to add in those first early years, don’t forget to continue adding to it throughout the years.
From their first finger painting from nursery to their first report card from school. There are going to be many moments to come that you will want to keep and treasure forever.
If it’s easier, you may want to look at creating different boxes for each stage of their life. This can also be fun, as you can spend time decorating it with pictures or items that they were really into at that time in their life.
Get others to contribute
As parents you will have many special items and memories you will want to add to the memory box, but don’t forget to also extend the invitation to godparents, close friends and family.
Whether it’s a letter they would like to write to the child in the future, or family keepsakes they would like to pass on. Having your loved ones all contribute to the memory box can make for a truly special box that will make the child realise how loved and supported they are.
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