• First you need to decide on the purpose of your memory box. 

  Do you want a box full of items to sit on a shelf and open in a year, a fun short-term project?  If so, you could use a shoe box to fill with keepsakes. The video shoes this option first.

  Do you want a box full of items to bury outside as a time capsule and open in a year or more? If so, you will want to find a more watertight box to pack with your mementos. The video shows this option second.

  Do you want a box to place items in over a long time, a memory box for the child’s growing up years? If so, you will want to purchase a large tote that will hold more items. I purchased a Rubbermaid tote in the 18 gallon size. The video shows this option last.

Ideas for a 1 year personalized keepsake box

• Let children or grandchildren help you gather their special items. Items that they would like to see again in a year or so. Pack into a shoe box size box.

  Ideas for a memory box- sports jerseys or t-shirts, medals, toys, crafts, artwork, schoolwork, special recognition papers, hobby keepsakes, travel souvenirs, nature finds, pictures, jewelry, money, etc. 

  I would recommend wrapping the box in paper and labeling it with a date for opening.

How to make a time capsule memory box

• Fill the waterproof box with mementos. Then wrap it again in plastic bags and duct tape to keep water out.

  Water still may leak into the container over time.  But our kids were still excited to dig them up! We got a lot of laughs from what they thought was important to save when they were young.

  Find a good place (approved by parents) where the child dig a hole and bury the box. This takes some determination! Mark the location with a stone or remember with a landmark.

Tips for a children’s long term memory box

• A long-term memory box for childhood takes a larger box of course. The 18 gallon tote was perfect for us. This gave us room for many items but also limited how much we could save.

  I do need to be clear that we had a separate box for the girls American Girl doll and the boys hobby equipment. They wanted those items for their own children to play with. 

  Also, I made a separate notebook for some various schoolwork (papers) and a separate notebook for some photos.

  Each person and family will be different in what they want to keep. I just wanted to warn you that sometimes adult children do not want many boxes and notebooks of items from their childhood! I found that my adult children did not want as much of their childhood stuff as I thought. They are all minimalists and sorted through the keepsakes, enjoyed the memories, and then gave some away.