One of the best things about scrapbooking is that it can be very inexpensive to get started. You will only need a few supplies to get started, and they don’t have to be too expensive. Unless you are planning on doing digital scrapbooking, you’ll need a physical place to store all of your memories. Therefore the very first thing you need to choose are high quality scrapbook albums.

The size you choose is your decision to make. The most common sizes are 8 1/2″ x 11″ and 12″ x 12″ (inches) but you could go with 11″ x 14″ as a common large-format choice. Even larger albums are available which could make a really special gift for a cherished friend or relative. You can find a basic 8 1/2″ x 11″ album for around and larger ones for usually less than . Fancier albums, theme albums and pre-made kits will usually be more expensive.

Even if you go with large or non-standard sizes, you’ll likely be able to find everything you need. Paper is sold in sizes ranging from 1 inch Post-It notes to giant pieces of 3 feet or more. Try looking in art stores as a second alternative if you can’t find just what you want in the scrapbooking section. You might have trouble finding the same unique printed patterns and designs, but you will find many sizes, textures and styles. Use a little bit of creativity and any scrapbooking problem can be solved.

You are now going to need some tools to cut and trim your paper. A good, sharp set of scissors is invaluable, and an Xacto knife will also be very helpful. If you are a little shaky with the scissors, or if you require accuracy for a lot of long, straight cuts, a paper trimmer or cutting board will really help. But, to save a bit of money, keep in mind that steady hands may come with practice.

Straight lines aren’t the only thing you are going to be cutting though. Your design is unique to you, and so sometimes you are going to going to want to use special shapes; round, hexagon, diamond, heart-shaped. If you can imagine it, you can try it. An interesting background or design pattern can really give a creative boost to your photos. In this case, a stencil or template will come in handy to you.

You may want to experiment with written words, and even drawings or illustrations if you are artistically inclined. So some quality (acid-free) pens and pencils are a must. Several colors will be useful to have. You might be tempted to buy a whole bunch of colors all at once. Just stick with a few basic colors and expand your collection as you go. For Christmas, you’ll want to have green and red, and maybe some other colors for the other major holidays. Do you have a favorite color? Choose that. You may also want to choose colors that match your album cover.

One of the most basic supplies you should always have on hand is glue or other adhesives for attaching photos, embellishments, ribbons, locks of hair or other pieces of paper or designs…. In short, anything you might want to put into your scrapbook! Old fashioned glue bottles with a brush in the top are versatile and work fairly well. Just make sure you always get the acid-free kind. But that can be a messy and cumbersome solution. Modern solutions include glue sticks, glue dots and double-sided tape for all of your adhesive needs.

If you’ll be designing on the computer, you’ll want to experiment with different kinds of paper for printing out your designs. CDs and CD burning software, while being a bit of an investment will come in handy for you. With this digital technique, you could record baby’s first words or a favorite piece of music, or even videos of your family. You can store a wide variety of multimedia, sounds and pictures on a CD tucked inside a pocket in your scrapbook.

As you can see, getting started doesn’t need to take a whole lot of money, especially if you are willing to be flexible and creative. However, in the long run, remember that if you are planning on making scrapbooking a lifetime hobby, you will eventually find that the convenience of having standard, compatible sizes for everything to be extremely helpful.

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