I remember opening the cabinet underneath our TV and seeing the rows and rows of giant photo albums my mom had compiled over the years. I loved thumbing through the pages and seeing my childhood laid out before me.
Although photos aren’t being printed like they used to, most households have at least some prints still lying around. The question is, how do we organize the photos we currently have in storage or collecting dust in the back of our closet?
There are four main organizational methods that I recommend to my clients:
- Organizing by person/child.
- Organizing by date.
- Organizing by event.
- Create photo books instead of printing photos.
It’s important to ask yourself intentional questions before getting started:
- Which organization method makes the most sense for me?
- How will I want to look through my stacks of photos in the future?
When you’ve finally decided to tackle your disarray of pictures, I always suggest starting by purchasing a photo organizing box from Amazon, Michael’s, or Joann’s. While there are many brands to choose from, they are mostly all the same – a clear bin with a lid and mini photo boxes contained inside. Each of the small inserts can then be labeled and categorized by whichever organization method you’ve decided makes the most sense for you.
Note that it is important to keep photos in a dry and temperature controlled environment. Photos quickly lose their shape and color if stored in a wet or hot environment like an attic or garage. Weather-tight bins are also a good investment to keep fragile or sentimental items in any storage space.
Once your photos are finally manageable, think about how you want to continue your photo journey. Do you keep printing hard copies? Or do you create a photobook with your favorites for easy viewing?
There are many companies that print amazing, customizable photo books to save on space and time:
While creating photo books may seem overwhelming, these companies make it easy with pre-designed templates and styles. All you have to do is upload your pictures! Photobooks are a fun way to look back at life’s special moments.
Whether you choose to print your photos or design a photobook, it’s important to allocate time on a regular basis to maintain new photos. Plop yourself down in a comfy chair, turn on a favorite show, and give yourself an hour to sort through your monthly camera roll. You probably don’t need 20 pictures of your toddler smelling a flower. Choose your favorite one and delete the rest! If the photo won’t matter to you in 5 years time, it is just clutter.
Disorganized photos are not serving their purpose. Keep your photos maintained so you can truly enjoy them for years to come!
