The Mom's Guide to Printed Memories: FreePrints vs Shutterfly

by Kasie Gray

The Mom's Guide to Printed Memories: FreePrints vs Shutterfly

Hey everyone, Kasie Gray here! I'm a realtor and a mom, and like many of you, I'm passionate about creating a warm and inviting space for my family – and that includes preserving our memories.

As a mom, I feel a responsibility to curate my child's memories, but with so many digital photos it can feel overwhelming. Lately, I've been on a mission to find the perfect solution for printed keepsakes.

The Great Printing Debate: FreePrints vs Shutterfly

I decided to test out two popular photo printing services: FreePrints and Shutterfly. Here's a breakdown of my experience:

Chatbooks: A Blast from the Past

Before kids, I loved using Chatbooks for smaller, year-long photo albums. The quality was great, but with a newborn, the monthly mini-books felt too small and time-consuming to organize.

The Album Option: Perfect for Family Memories

I opted for a large photo album that holds 4x6 prints. This way, we can create big, beautiful family albums alongside individual keepsake boxes for each child.

FreePrints vs Shutterfly: The Showdown

FreePrints:
- Pros: Free prints with free shipping! Plus, you can order as many or as few as you want.
- Cons: Prints arrive out of order, requiring some reorganization.
Shutterfly:
- Pros: High-quality prints, with the option to order up to 500 at a time.
- Cons: While the prints are free, shipping costs can be high (around $50 for 500 prints!).

The Verdict: It Depends!

Honestly, there's no clear winner here. FreePrints is fantastic for smaller orders with free shipping, while Shutterfly might be better for bulk orders if you're willing to pay the shipping cost.

What about you?

I'd love to hear how your family organizes photos! Share your tips and tricks in the comments below – together we can conquer the photo organization beast!

Bonus:

I've included links below to both FreePrints and Shutterfly so you can check them out for yourself.

Let's get those memories preserved!

Links: