A memory box is a tangible way to keep your memories alive and share them with future generations. They are the perfect way to commemorate special occasions, such as births, graduations, and weddings.
However, the contents of memory boxes often deteriorate over time due to exposure to light and air. Additionally, photos and videos can be lost or damaged during house moves or due to things like spillages.
Specialist services can help you preserve your memories forever. As well as converting “retro” media into digital formats, you can also use restoration services that aim to bring photos and videos that have deteriorated over time back to life.
Why create a memory box?
Memory boxes are the perfect way to preserve your family history for future generations. They are also a great way to remember events that made you happy or celebrate life's milestones.
You can fill memory boxes with anything you want; trinkets, photos, and anything else with personal significance.
Nowadays, memory boxes have entered the digital age. They can be online or USB collections of videos, photos and sound clips converted into digital files. These memories won't deteriorate over time, and you're far less likely to lose them altogether.
Memory boxes make lovely baby, birthday, and Christmas gifts in whatever format you choose. They are unique and can be personalised to suit the recipient's taste.
They are also brilliant aids for people with dementia. Creating memory boxes with someone who has dementia helps them exercise their senses and creativity. They're also great conversation starters and help individuals and families remember life events they may otherwise forget.
How do I create a memory box?
Memory boxes come in all shapes and sizes. A keepsake memory box is a beautiful way to store precious memories and keep them safe for years. If you're looking for a unique gift idea, a memory box is a thoughtful and personal option that is sure to be cherished.
Physical memory boxes
When choosing a memory box, look for one made from high-quality materials such as solid wood. You may also want to personalise the box with a special message or inscription.
It's easy to find personalised keepsake boxes online. If you prefer natural materials, you can easily find things like wooden memory boxes, too.
Once you have your memory box, you can begin filling it with mementoes and keepsakes. Include items such as photos, letters, cards, artwork, and anything else with special meaning.
You could also label each item to remember when and where it was collected.
Memory boxes can make great keepsakes or wedding gifts. Or, if you're looking for that personal touch, it's an excellent idea for a personalised gift, especially if you pick a beautiful wooden keepsake box.
Digitising your memories
For many of us, the memories we make nowadays are primarily digital. We have photos and videos stored on our computers, phones, and social media accounts. But looking back on our family history, much of it is still in physical form—tapes and pictures that are slowly deteriorating.
Research shows that tapes lose 20% quality every year, so they will eventually and inevitably be lost forever. Photos deteriorate, too - even photos kept in the dark fade over time. And that's without considering accidental tears, scratches, and spills that are bound to happen when we look through our memories with loved ones.
Thankfully, you can take steps to preserve photos and videos for as long as possible. But the sad truth is that all physical media has a shelf life and will eventually be lost forever.
While it may seem daunting, digitising memories can bring your family and loved ones together in a whole new way.
By reconnecting with family members—children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren—we can rediscover our family history in a way that would otherwise be impossible.
We can also discover footage of loved ones who are no longer with us, reliving cherished memories or learning new things about them. For many people, this process is emotional and deeply meaningful.
So if you have old tapes and pictures sitting around your house, consider digitising them before it's too late. Who knows what hidden treasures you may find?
Are there any disadvantages to digitising my family memories?
Not really. But there are still some instances when a physical memory box might make sense. For example, a baby keepsake box containing your baby's first lock of hair or first finger paint art piece might need to be kept in a nice storage box instead. But nothing is stopping you from having both!
Also, some people may feel that digitising your memories has some risks. For instance, you usually need to post your original photos and tapes to a company to digitise them. It's only natural to worry your precious memories might get lost in the mail.
Still, much like you probably want digital copies of the photos taken on your wedding day, there’s just something more robust about a virtual memory box. And those wedding memories will hit the same regardless.
So if you’re looking to preserve your memories for generations to come, you should check out services that allow you to clean and digitise old photos and footage.
And you could still include a USB stick containing a copy of these memories in a beautiful jewellery box or Christmas Eve box. It would work even better if you could have enhanced originals or hard copies to go along with it too.
And this type of gift will work just as well whether the occasion’s a baby shower or a beloved family holiday.
Restoring your memories with EachMoment
EachMoment helps you restore and digitise your family memories. So not only will your physical media be cleaned and restored to its former glory, but you'll get a digital copy too. It's the best of both worlds!
The way it works is simple too. You select the option that works best for you, and they send a memory box that you fill with your tapes, photos, and sound clips that you want cleaning up and converting.
Then, you arrange a collection through their online portal. And don’t worry about losing your precious memories in the post. EachMoment uses the most secure courier service in the UK – it’s the same one used by A-level exam boards to transport marked papers to their headquarters. Your package will be collected from your doorstep, or you can take it to the Post Office yourself where the courier will pick it up.
When your box arrives at EachMoment, they work to clean and restore your photos and footage to improve their quality as much as possible. Cleaning is done by hand before the media is converted to a format of your choice using state-of-the-art scanning equipment. EachMoment can put your memory box onto a standard or luxury USB stick, a DVD, or an online album.
You then receive your newly cleaned, higher-quality physical media and digitised memories in your memory box.
Secure collection and redelivery and cleaning of your physical media is included as standard with every EachMoment memory box package.
At each stage of the process, you can go to EachMoment and use your unique tracking number to find out where your package is and when you can expect to receive it back.
Then all that's left is for you to get together with your family and relive some beautiful memories. And who knows, you might even rediscover bits of family history you hadn't come across in years or ever before. Seeing someone you don’t recognise holding you as a baby might even start you down the path of discovering your family tree and reconnecting with long-lost relatives.
Why it’s worth creating a memory box
We all have memories we cherish. Sometimes, it's a physical object that reminds us of a loved one or a happy time in our lives. Other times, it's a specific scent or a song that takes us back to a moment we'll never forget. And what better way to preserve those memories than by creating a memory box?
A memory box is a place where you can collect mementoes and keepsakes that remind you of memorable times in your life. It can be as simple as a shoebox filled with old letters and photographs or as decorative as a beautifully carved wooden box lined with velvet. The modern solution is to ensure your memories are stored digitally to ensure they stay safe for generations to come. The important thing is that it's a place where you can go to reflect on happy memories and share them with others.
Whether you want to restore old and fragile polaroids and video or are looking to ensure your memories will always be available in a digital, accessible format, EachMoment can take care of all your needs.
