October is coming to an end, and I'm ready to work on my monthly memory roundup. Before November begins, I like to look back at the photos, activities, and everyday moments that made October memorable.
I'll scroll through my photos, review my calendar, and gather the stories I want to remember. October usually gives me plenty to document, with fall activities, Halloween, family time, creative projects, and all the other things that fill our days. But I also want to remember the quieter moments, interesting discoveries, and little things that made me smile along the way.
Our October theme was A Sense of Wonder, so I've included a few prompts about things that surprised, fascinated, or amazed us this month. I think those experiences can be interesting additions to our usual monthly memories.
Quick Start
Review: Scroll through your October photos and calendar to remind yourself what happened.
Gather: Collect photos, screenshots, ticket stubs, receipts, programs, or other keepsakes from the month.
Record: Write down highlights, favorite moments, celebrations, discoveries, and stories you want to remember.
Make It: Turn your memories into a scrapbook page, journal entry, photo book, blog post, or simple monthly roundup.
Short on time? Set a 10 to 15 minute timer and try “1 photo + 5 bullets.” Even a small roundup gives you something meaningful to look back on.
What Is a Monthly Roundup?
A monthly roundup is a simple record of your life from the past month. It can be a few sentences, a collection of photographs, or several scrapbook pages. The idea is to capture enough of your experiences, thoughts, and favorites to remember what life was like during that particular month.
You can create your roundup in whatever format works best for you. I enjoy making digital scrapbook pages, but a notebook, journal, planner, photo book, or blog post can work just as well.
I think one of the best things about monthly roundups is how they help us remember the ordinary details of our lives. When I look back at roundups from previous years, I often find things I'd completely forgotten about. Sometimes those little details are just as interesting as the bigger events.
Pro tip: Start with a few favorite photos and the stories you remember most clearly. You can always add more if you have time.
Roundup Prompts for October
October's theme was A Sense of Wonder, so I've included a few questions about curiosity, surprises, and interesting experiences along with my usual roundup prompts. You can answer all of them, choose three to five, or simply use the list to remind yourself of things you might have forgotten.
What did you watch? Shows, movies, YouTube, or performances
What did you listen to? Music, podcasts, or audiobooks
What did you read? Books, articles, magazines, or newsletters
What surprised or amazed you this month?
What caught your interest or made you curious?
Did you discover something new or visit an interesting place?
What did you create or work on?
Where did you go?
Who did you spend time with?
What did you celebrate?
What made you laugh or smile?
What was newsworthy in your life, your family, or the world?
One of the things I've enjoyed about our Sense of Wonder theme is thinking about the experiences that stand out because they were unexpected or particularly interesting. Maybe you learned something fascinating, discovered a new favorite place, saw something beautiful, or had an experience that turned out differently than you expected. Those are all things worth remembering, even if they weren't major events.
If you need a few more ideas, think about your October traditions, Halloween activities, fall decorations, favorite meals, books you've finished, projects in progress, or time spent with family and friends. You could also document something you purchased, a funny conversation, a memorable outing, or an ordinary moment that captures what October felt like.
How to Gather Your October Memories
Before you begin creating your roundup, spend a little time collecting the photographs, notes, and other things you might want to include. I usually start with my calendar because it's a good reminder of where I went and what I did during the month. Then I scroll through my photographs and choose the ones that help tell October's story. Sometimes I'll find a picture that reminds me of an entire experience I'd forgotten about.
Don't forget to check your messages, social media posts, and screenshots. I often save screenshots of books, interesting articles, things I'm researching, purchases, and other little details that help me remember what I was interested in at the time. You might also have physical keepsakes from October, such as tickets, programs, cards, notes, or brochures. These can be scanned or photographed if you're creating a digital roundup. And, of course, make sure your favorite photographs are backed up somewhere safe.
Pro tip: Create an album or folder called October Roundup and add your favorite photographs and screenshots as you find them. Having everything in one place makes the creative part much easier.
How to Complete Your Monthly Roundup
Now that you’ve gathered your materials, it’s time to create. There is no right or wrong way to make a roundup.
Make a simple list using the prompts above
Design a scrapbook layout or digital collage
Write in a bullet journal, notebook, or planner
Share a post on your blog or social media account
I think the most important thing is finding a format you'll enjoy using regularly. I've been creating monthly roundups for years, and I love having that record of our lives. Looking back through them reminds me how much can happen in a single month, even when it doesn't feel like we've done anything particularly unusual.
Begin Your October Roundup
As you look back at October, think about the things that made this month different from the others. Maybe you enjoyed some favorite fall traditions, spent time with family, completed a project, visited somewhere interesting, or experienced something that surprised you. I also encourage you to include a few of the ordinary details. What were you reading? What were you working on? What did you enjoy doing in your free time? What little moments made you happy?
Those details are some of my favorite things to discover when I look back through older roundups. They remind me of what our everyday lives were like, what we were interested in, and how things have changed over time. I'm looking forward to gathering my October memories and adding another month to my collection. I hope you'll take a little time to document yours, too.
If you share your roundup on Instagram, use the hashtag #roundupyourmemories so you can connect with others who are also documenting their months. The more often you do this, the more you’ll see how it helps you appreciate the everyday moments that make up your life.
Watch My Roundup Video Tutorial
If you would like to see the process in action, watch my video tutorial on how to create your own monthly roundup. It walks through the steps and gives you ideas for keeping this tradition going all year long.
Begin Your September Roundup
Take a few minutes to look back at September and think about what you would like to remember. Include the bigger events if you had them, but don't overlook the ordinary parts of the month. What you were reading, what you were learning, where you spent your time, what you were working on, and who you were with can tell just as much of the story.
That's what I love about doing these roundups. Month by month, all of those details add up to a record of what my life actually looked like.
