My Three-ring History

There it sat in a pile, the contents of my would-be life story. It had come a long way, though, from an attic full of mementos to a cardboard box. The problem now was to organize it.

After considering many different systems, I decided on one that I knew would work for me. I could include almost everything—photos, cards, letters, programs, awards, and journal entries—in a three-ring loose-leaf binder.

I’ve organized my record chronologically, with a subject divider for each year. I mount photos on loose album pages and paste heavy items on plain sheets, reinforcing the holes so they can accommodate the extra weight. For old letters or items too small to anchor, I punch three holes in the side of a manila envelope, place it in the binder, and file those treasures inside. I write my daily entries on journal filler paper.

I concentrate on keeping my journal up-to-date; at the same time, I’m gradually incorporating the contents of the cardboard box.—Jamie Johnson, Logan, Utah

Props by Shauna Mooney, photography by Philip S. Shurtleff