This post is sponsored by OneDay.
Most of my childhood family memories are preserved in one giant black photo album that my siblings and I have robbed over the years, leaving the photo sleeves with hundreds of empty slots. There are boxes of old slides we’ve discovered over the years with a few more memories to fill in the gaps, stories my parents have told us and some sketchy details from mostly blank baby books. I went through a pack rat stage after college where I saved every graduation, birthday and thank you card anyone ever sent me, but I’ve lost most of those which sadly included my grandma’s handwriting and my mother’s beautiful farewell when I decided to move to Florida. I wish I had more pieces of the past preserved, I wish I had more handwritten recipe cards, I wish I would have thought to video tape just one morning when I lived with my grandma and grandpa–not only for myself but to pass those memories on to my kids.
A lot has changed with the introduction of more technology, but the result can be overwhelming. With so many places to store our memories, our kids might wish we only left them with a recipe card and a box of slides rather than a stack of hard drives, a box of old laptops, some baby books and a million passwords to all the old sites we used to store photos and videos. The Snapfish Era, The Flickr Years, The Facebook Phase, The Instagram Years, The Blog. Sifting through memories and stitching the years together could pose a challenge.
OneDay has created a beautiful way not only to store all your family’s memories and keep them organized but to share them with your own community—and only the people you want. In one home and with very simple steps, you can combine all your photos and videos from around the web, social media and your home computer and build stories to pass on to your children.
Here’s my favorite part. You get to build a vault for anyone you choose, full of time capsules that can be opened (or sent if you have an e-mail for recipient) on designated days in the future. Easily write letters (or scan handwritten ones!), include pictures and record video today, and keep them locked up to be opened on your son’s 16th birthday, your daughter’s wedding day, your fiftieth anniversary, the day your son leaves for college. OneDay stores it for you, allows you to designate trustees for the time capsules and create specific dates for opening, and takes care of getting that memory to its rightful owner on the day it is to be opened. This is always one of those tasks I swear I’m going to do (I used to be so good at sealing envelopes and tucking them in baby books for the future), but with three kids, the job seems intimidating enough that I keep putting it off. OneDay makes it so easy to pop in your account and record something quickly, and you don’t have to worry about it ever getting lost.
OneDay also allows you to add family members to your account and manage the way each of those members share things, so that your children can join in on the fun of creating memories and stories, grandparents can share—and all held within your account and shared with only those you choose.
The possibilities for connection and appreciating heritage are endless–grandparents can record their wise advice and store them in your child’s vault to be opened on the day before he starts his first job, and late night letters you write–all sappy and in love with your newborn–can be kept until she’s a teenager and driving you crazy.
Time capsule messages can be short and sweet–as easy as storing this photo to be opened in 15 years with a short message:
Dear Lainey, I took this photo today as I watched you play with your brother and saw how much he loves you and looks up to you. Just thought I’d remind you of that. Wherever you are right now, remember how much you are loved and that your little siblings are always looking up to you. I love you so much–even more 15 years later when you’ll open this! ~Mom
I love thinking about my children growing up and regularly getting e-mails and letters, funny stories and photos from me and Brett, written while they are young, reminding them of how much they are loved, how capable they are, how important their family ties are, how much we believe in them.
I always love seeing you smile. Hope you’re smiling today!
See how I’m looking at you? Still love you that much today…and more. Have a great day, honey!
Hold someone’s hand today. We need each other.
We’ve enjoyed so many sunsets together. Today you collected an entire bucket of pink and white shells, and you danced under the dock with your friends while it rained around us. Hope you find somewhere to dance today–and enjoy that incredible big world around you! Love you.
You’ve always loved adventure and you’ve never been afraid to jump in. I’ve loved that about you from the very first table you climbed! Enjoy your adventures today, and know I’m always cheering for you! Love, Mom
I love what OneDay is doing to make preserving, sharing and connecting easy and fun for families. Our stories and memories powerfully connect us to each other and to our potential.
I started a vault for each child. I’m excited to fill them! …one day at a time.
OneDay is currently in Beta but offering free lifetime accounts for our readers with promo code KelleH (click “enter code” when signing up).
Thank you to OneDay for sponsoring this post and thank you readers for supporting the sponsors who help support this blog.
Jess says
It sounds like a great idea! Iove keeping memories but they do have the capacity to take over my home and life! x
Abby Jenness Stempien says
are you still a Target partner?
Raelyn says
Kelle….
I love, love, love these pictures!! Especially the “old” one of Lainey holding baby Nella!! 😉
Love you later, Raelyn
Nichole Josey says
This is an incredible idea/concept!
Allyssa Idell says
I just love reading your blog. You are full of so much inspiration and love.:)
Brittni Hayes says
Kelle,
I’m a new reader of your blog. What a beautiful family you have! I’m so happy you’ve taken on the task of preserving these memories for your kids. I think about all memories I’ve lost, or missed out on, throughout my life and wish that some of the technology that’s around today had been there for my parents when I was a kid. Make sure you preserve your memories, and your parents, too, because one day, when your little ones are all grown up, they’ll have questions and want answers!
All the best,
Brittni
http://www.storycall.us/
Jill says
As an archivist-in-training, I would just add to make sure you (and any who may purchase this product) to back up all of that information, the notes, and the photographs- even a great company/third-party vendor may not last forever, especially in this day of quick digital turnaround and format obsolescence. If you’re able to download all of that from OneDay into an external hard drive, then you REALLY got your money’s worth! Love the pics and the idea though!!
Jill says
As an archivist-in-training, I would just add to make sure you back up all of that information, notes, and photographs- even a great company/third-party vendor may not last forever, especially in this day of quick digital turnaround and format obsolescence. If you’re able to download all of that from OneDay into an external hard drive, then you REALLY got your money’s worth! Love the pics and the idea though!!
Jill says
As an archivist-in-training, I would just add to make sure you back up all of that information, notes, and photographs- even a great company/third-party vendor may not last forever, especially in this day of quick digital turnaround and format obsolescence. If you’re able to download all of that from OneDay into an external hard drive, then you REALLY got your money’s worth! Love the pics and the idea though!!
Jill says
As an archivist-in-training, I would just add to make sure you back up all of that information, notes, and photographs- even a great company/third-party vendor may not last forever, especially in this day of quick digital turnaround and format obsolescence. If you’re able to download all of that from OneDay into an external hard drive, then you REALLY got your money’s worth! Love the pics and the idea though!!
Classic Grl says
Kelle,
What a lovely post. Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s such a wonderful idea. I have to admit I’m constantly thinking about how quickly life passes us by and worrying about forgetting special moments – this will be a wonderful way to treasure special memories.
xx
dt Michiels says
This is amazing! I can’t wait to get started, thank you! Kelle, you have such a way with words…such encouraging and affirming treasures for your children to read!
Warmly,
Tara
http://unwraphisgifts.blogspot.com/
Kelsey Nannemann says
This is ah-mazing. I thought it would cost TONS of money because this seriously solves half of life’s problems. I just signed up and am in the process of getting started. Yay!
nicole says
This is great — thanks so much! Quick question…. when signing up there was no place for me to enter the code. I just entered my name and email address and it looks like I am in the basic plan…. is that right? Thanks!
Alycia Isaacson says
I just signed up but is there a way to organize and then backup all of the date on an external hard drive? I would hate to lose all of these wonderful memories (with the notes) if the company doesn’t make it =/
CMB says
The one where Lainey is holding Nella’s hand is when Lainey was your little “cubby bear” 🙂 <3
SarahBeth says
HI Kelle, I know you’re probably way too busy to check up on this, but I just tired to upload pics to my (formerly) beloved OneDay page, and found I can’t access anything but a giant ad for the app (which apparently only makes movies, it’s still downloading so I’m not sure) can you get into yours? Are all my wonderfully organized faulted pictures gone? (I think I have backups, but I’m not positive?) If they did change/delete everything it was with no notice, at least to me, I checked my email archives. If you have a minute would you be so kind as to just try to log into yours to see if it’s available still, I am terribly upset. Thanks!