Last-minute photo book: how to make it fast and get it there in time

A last-minute photo book is still possible, as long as you plan for delivery. With klikkie the book itself is ready in about 2 minutes once your photos are in, because klikkie picks the photos, designs the pages and writes the text for you. The rest of the time is delivery, so the trick is to order as early as you can.

The birthday is on Saturday, the anniversary is next week, or you simply forgot. It happens to everyone. Here is how to make a book fast, how long it takes to arrive and what to do when the calendar is against you.

How fast can you make a last-minute photo book?

You can make it fast, because klikkie does the choosing and the design for you. Once your photos are in, klikkie builds the book in about 2 minutes. Tell klikkie what it is for, like “a birthday book for my mum”, and it picks the best photos, designs the pages and writes the text.

After that, you only check it. Swap a photo, change a line, pick the cover. You do not start from an empty page or drag every photo into place yourself, which is where most people lose an evening.

One tip for when every minute counts. Pick photos from one album or one day first, so klikkie has a clear story to work with. A birthday book does not need fifty photos. Ten good ones with a few words each say more than a hundred without. And if you are not sure where to start, just tell klikkie who the book is for and let it make the first version.

How long does photo book delivery take?

Delivery takes a few working days, and that is the part to plan around. These are the usual times from order to doorstep.

• Netherlands, usually within 7 working days
• Elsewhere in Europe, usually within 8 working days

Countries further away can take a little longer. These are estimates that depend on the local post, and weekends and public holidays do not count as working days. So count back from the day itself. The sooner you order, the more room you have.

Do you need to be home when it arrives?

In the Netherlands you usually do not, because most klikkie photo books come through the letterbox with PostNL. Only the XL photo book comes as a parcel. That is handy when every day counts, because a missed doorbell will not hold your gift back. In other countries it depends on the local carrier.

Which photo book is the quickest to make?

The Pocket photo book is the quickest, from €14. It is 10 by 10 cm and starts with 18 pages, so a handful of photos is enough to fill it. Small enough to slip into a card, big enough to make someone cry happy tears.

Got more photos or a bigger occasion? The Large photo book is a hardcover from €40 and also takes about 2 minutes to make. More photos simply means a little more time to look through the pages before you order.

Why is talking the quickest way to finish?

Talking is quicker because you say in one sentence what would take a paragraph to type. Talking is about three times faster than typing. Tap the microphone, say who the book is for and what you want them to remember, and klikkie turns it into the text. “This was the summer you learned to swim.” “Put the photo with the cake on the cover.”

You can change the book the same way. “Make this one bigger.” “Leave out the blurry ones.” It keeps you moving when there is no time to fiddle with layouts. For more examples, see what to say to klikkie agent.

What if your photo book will not arrive in time?

Then give a gift card, or give the book a little late with a promise. Both work better than you might think.

• Give a photo book gift card. They choose their own photos and design the book themselves.
• Make the book anyway. Order it, then tell them it is on its way. A surprise that arrives a few days later is still a surprise.
• Write a card that says what is coming. A few lines about the photos you picked make the wait part of the gift.

How do you avoid the rush next time?

Start the book the moment the photos are taken, not the week before the occasion. The easiest way to create a photo book is to begin right after a trip or a party, while the photos are fresh and the stories are easy to tell. Your book is saved in klikkie, so you can add to it later and order whenever you are ready.

Some moments come back every year, so you can plan for them. A yearbook from your phone takes about 2 minutes once your photos are in, and an anniversary photo book is a gift you can start long before the date. When you compare options, the best photo book service for a busy life is one that does the design for you and is clear about when your book will arrive.

What people say about klikkie

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