Do you have stacks of photos crammed in a closet? Is your digital camera overloaded with images you’ve yet to print? Do you have a “junk drawer” full of pictures? Do you wish you could remember dates, places and who are in some of those pictures?
I am old school so I have LOTS of pictures floating around. Since we moved (8 years ago) some are in those dreaded rubbermaid containers, some are in boxes while others are just scattered in drawers. These tips will get you started – remember baby steps
Are you like me with print pictures, try this:
- As soon as your photos are developed, sort them. Toss out duplicates or bad shots.
- Place photos in envelopes labeled with the month, year and the event. This is easy peasy. You can even put little notes on the back to help you remember things that you might otherwise forget.
- Store by the year or by event in a safe dry place. Moisture, humidity or extreme temperature will most likely ruin photos over time
Are you a digital person? Do you only print pictures when you need them or want to share them with someone else? Honestly, do you know where they are on your computer hard drive? Here are some tips for you:
- Put all of your pictures on a CD or flash drive so that you can save it.
- Label photo cd’s or create separate files on your computer that are labeled. It makes hunting for things so much easier.
- For the techies, there are photo websites that you can use that have unlimited storage as long as you keep your account active (usually with purchases). Sites include Kodakgallery, Shutterfly and Snapfish
Don’t try to conquer years worth of pictures in one shot. It can be overwhelming and you may find that it consumes your whole day especially when you start going down the memory trail. You now have a system in place so you can keep on track as new photos come in.
Now that you know where to find your pictures, you can share them with family and friends. Wasn’t that the original plan? Choose some favorites and use mini albums with sleeves or paper corners to show off a special event or trip. Digital photos can be emailed to family and friends. Or shared on social media. It is a great way to keep grandparents, relatives and friends in the loop.
Once you have a system in place; you are ready to go back in time and begin the process for years past. Remember it is much easier to deal with a season (or a pile) at a time rather then the entire year.
What is your best tip for organizing photos? Are you a digital person or a print person? Love to hear your feedback.
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 