Many people would love to start scrapbooking but are simply unsure where to begin. Those boxes of photos may seem overwhelming and walking through the aisles of supplies may be intimidating.

I’ve found there are five simple steps you can follow to get started scrapbooking.

1. Gather Your Supplies. No, you don’t need one of everything. Start simple.

Choose an album, a few sheets of acid-free paper, acid-free adhesive, maybe some stickers, rubber stamps or embellishments and the pens you’d like to use to add captions or journaling.

2. Organize. Take out your photos and memorabilia (if you want to use them) and sort through them. Discard any photos that you simply cannot use. Next you’ll want to choose which ones you’ll include in your scrapbook.

You may also want to take a little extra time to sort other photos into shoeboxes or organizers for future scrapbooks.

3. Take a Class. Taking a class is an excellent source of inspiration and motivation. You’ll also learn techniques that are sure to make your first scrapbooking experience more enjoyable and memorable.

4. Be Creative. You’re scrapbooking for fun so go ahead cut away, hearts, stars, whatever you like. And don’t be afraid to crop your photos.

You may even want to try a pair of edgers to add some decorative edging to your photos. Add some stickers or try out rubber stamps. Then lay everything out and play with your arrangements until it’s just the way you want it.

You may want to check out some of the layouts that can be found in galleries on scrapbooking web sites.

Remember, it’s your scrapbook, so why not make it what you want it to be. There’s no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook, the choices are personal.

5. Take Your Time.Set aside a little time every day, or a couple times a week, to work on your scrapbook. Doing this you’ll be less likely to lose interest since you’ll be able to see your scrapbook coming together with each session.

Equally you’ll be less like to rush through it and end up disappointed.