Top 5 Mistakes New Scrapbookers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Starting your scrapbooking journey is exciting—full of creative possibilities, personal memories, and yes… a little bit of overwhelm. If you’re a new scrapbooker (or thinking about diving in), you’re not alone in wondering where to start and what to avoid.

We all make mistakes at first—it’s part of the fun of learning—but knowing a few common pitfalls ahead of time can save you time, money, and creative frustration.

Let’s talk about the top 5 mistakes new scrapbookers make—and how you can avoid them while building a hobby you’ll love for years to come.

1. Trying to Buy Everything at Once

When you're new, it’s tempting to think you need a fully stocked craft room to start. You might find yourself filling an online cart with stickers, dies, paper, adhesives, stamps, cutting tools… and suddenly you’re hundreds of dollars in before you’ve made a single page.

How to Avoid It:

Start small and intentional. Choose a simple color palette or theme (like baby photos or a vacation) and buy only the basics for that project:

• A scrapbook album or binder

• A paper pack (digital or physical!)

• A few embellishments you truly love

• Adhesives and scissors

✨ Tip: Digital scrapbook paper is a great starting point—affordable, space-saving, and endlessly reusable.

2. Overthinking Layouts and Perfectionism

Scrapbooking should be joyful, but perfectionism can sneak in fast. You might feel pressure to make your pages look like they belong in a magazine or on Pinterest, which can keep you stuck in “planning mode” instead of actually creating.

How to Avoid It:

Give yourself grace and remember: done is better than perfect. Your pages don’t need to be museum-worthy—they just need to reflect you. Start with simple layouts. Use sketch templates or digital mockups to take the pressure off.

✨ Encouragement: Your future self (or your family) will treasure the memory, not the perfect border alignment.

3. Ignoring Journaling or Skipping the Story

Many new scrapbookers focus only on the visual side—pretty paper, photos, and embellishments—but forget to include the story. Years from now, the photos will be even more meaningful if there’s a name, date, or memory attached.

How to Avoid It:

Include a small journaling block on each page. It doesn’t have to be long—just a sentence or two about what happened, who was there, or why it mattered.

✨ Idea: Try typing your journaling in Canva using digital paper as a background, then print and trim to fit your layout.

4. Using Poor Quality Prints or Inks

You’ve made a beautiful page, but your photos look grainy, smudged, or faded. Low-quality printing can really affect how your final project turns out—and how long it lasts.

How to Avoid It:

Print your photos on photo paper or use a professional printing service. For home printing, adjust your printer settings to the highest quality and use the right paper for best results.

✨ Bonus Tip: Always print a test sheet before using up your favorite digital scrapbook paper!

5. Not Backing Up Digital Supplies

If you're using digital scrapbook papers, embellishments, or kits, it's easy to forget one essential thing: backups. Many crafters have lost their entire collection to a computer crash or file error.

How to Avoid It:

Keep your digital files organized and backed up:

• Store them in clearly labeled folders.

• Use cloud storage (like Google Drive or Dropbox).

• Back up your entire stash regularly to an external hard drive.

✨ Pro Tip: Keep a small visual catalog of your digital kits so you can “shop your stash” easily when planning a layout!

Final Thoughts

Scrapbooking is a beautiful blend of creativity and memory keeping—and like anything worthwhile, it comes with a learning curve. The good news? You don’t have to be perfect to make something meaningful.

Avoiding these common mistakes can help you feel more confident, save time and money, and—most importantly—enjoy the process.

Remember: this is your story, your art, and your journey. Start where you are, use what you have, and let your creativity grow from there.

💖 Ready to Start Your First Layout?

Check out my collection of printable and digital scrapbook paper packs—designed to make your scrapbooking simple, stylish, and stress-free.

And I’d love to hear from you! What’s one thing you’ve learned since starting your scrapbooking journey? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments!