Welcoming a new baby is one of life’s most unforgettable chapters. From prepping the nursery and celebrating baby showers to capturing those first sleepy smiles, every moment feels filled with meaning.

And along with those moments come the mementos—tiny hospital bracelets, heartfelt cards, that first swaddle you just can’t let go of. It all adds up quickly. While every item tells a story, figuring out what to do with it all can be overwhelming (especially when sleep is scarce and time is limited).

If you’re not the DIY type, we’ve rounded up five meaningful, low-effort ways to preserve the magic of your baby’s early days.

No scrapbooking required.

1. Turn Baby Cards into a Keepsake Book

The shower cards. The “Congratulations!” notes. The handwritten letter from Grandma that made you tear up. You want to keep them all, but let’s be honest, a shoebox in the closet isn’t doing them justice.

That’s where Plum Print’s Baby Card Book comes in.

Plum Print turns your growing stack of cards into a professionally bound, custom-designed book that captures all the joy and support surrounding your baby’s arrival. No need to sort, scan, or scrapbook, we do the work for you. The result? A beautiful keepsake you’ll actually want to display and revisit.

💡 Great for: Baby showers, hospital cards, first birthdays, and welcome messages from loved ones.

2. Make a Milestone Gallery Wall

Instead of letting your favorite baby photos sit on your phone, pick one image from each monthly milestone and frame them into a gallery wall (Mixtiles is a fun option!). Whether you go for a modern grid, floating shelves, or a playful photo string, it becomes a visual timeline of growth and exudes happiness.

You can update it each year, or keep the “year one” version as a permanent tribute to your baby’s earliest days.

3. Record a Monthly Video Diary

This one’s for the digital memory-keepers. Once a month, film a short video update. It can be a simple selfie video talking about your baby’s growth, personality, and routines or a quick montage of special moments from that month. The Happyfeed - Gratitude Jar on the Apple App Store makes this easy. 

At the end of the year, compile the clips into a one-year birthday video. It’s a beautiful way to preserve your real-time thoughts, emotions, and memories, especially those little details you might otherwise forget. And grandparents’ love it when you share.

💡 Tip: Set a calendar reminder on the same date each month to keep it consistent.

4. Preserve Keepsakes in a Memory Book

Some keepsakes can’t be uploaded or framed—like the hospital bracelet, the “coming home” outfit, and the pacifier that never left their side. These pieces hold real emotion, but they’re tricky to store well.

With a Plum Print Custom Memory Book, you can preserve these 3D treasures in a way that’s both beautiful and lasting. You send in your items (yes, they are sent back upon request!), and the Plum Print team photographs each item professionally, designing a custom book that tells your baby’s story in a truly personal way.

💡 Good for mementos of all shapes and sizes. Can easily be duplicated for gifting copies to grandparents or other family members.

5. Start a Birthday Letter Tradition

This low-tech tradition is packed with heart. Each year on your child’s birthday (starting with their first!), write them a letter. Share what they were like at that age—what made them laugh, what they loved, what you learned from them that year. Add photos, scribbles, or even a baby handprint.

Over time, you’ll build a collection of letters that can be gifted when they’re older, during a milestone birthday, or whenever it feels right.

✍️ You can keep them in a special box, email them to yourself in a private folder, write them all in a journal (we love Emily Ley’s in linen) or even turn them into a keepsake book someday.

No matter how you choose to preserve them, the little moments from baby’s first year are worth saving. With a bit of intention, you can create keepsakes that tell your family’s story for years to come.