Step-by-Step Checklist to

Declutter and Organize Photos

Have you ever wondered how many photos there are in the world? According to 2022 reports by Photutorial, 12.4 trillion photos have been snapped since the first in 1826. And with a camera in our back pocket now, the average person in the US takes over 20 pictures every day. Do your stuffed closets and bins feel the weight of all those photos? If you're like most of us, you have around 2,000 images on your phone alone. When you include all the printed photos, taken by not only yourself but your parents and other relatives, you've got a motley crew of disorganization on your hands. With every milestone of your life and your family's life, the pile grows deeper and taller. And let's face it: are they serving their purpose? Are you looking at them and enjoying the memories captured? Or are they simply shoved into a shoe box, causing stress when you toss something else into the pile? Or scattered through different phones, computers, thumb drives, and storage apps? What to do? You need a plan and a few basic supplies. If you follow a simple step-by-step checklist, you can declutter and organize your photo collection. Just look at the difference in these before-and-after photos!  Let's get started with your print photos! Step 1: Put on your Marie Kondo hat! Go through every closet, every drawer, every box, and every wall. Pull out all the photos you can find: albums, framed prints, shoeboxes, photo storage boxes, bins, and bags. You'd be surprised how many places photos can hide! It's time to make one big pile so you can sort through everyone. Don't skip this step- you'll see why it's important as you go through the process! Step 2: Gather Supplies • index cards • sticky notes • pen • sorting boxes • archival storage boxes • external hard drives Step 3: The Great Sort Go through your photos and remove: • duplicates • poor quality photos • any that don't tell your story • any that you just don't want anymore (yes, it's okay to let go of what no longer serves you!) Step 4: Organize with Purpose Pick one: A. Timeline: I want a chronological photo collection (best choice if you want a story of how life unfolded) • Organize your photos in the order they were taken: o Write a simple timeline of milestones in your life. o Create an index card for each milestone, listing the year. o Place all photos for that year, in chronological order, behind the index  card. o Put each group of the index card and photos into your archival storage box. B. Events: I want my photos grouped by the events in my life (best choice if it's hard to remember when things happened) • Organize your photos by creating groups for each event: o Write a list of special events and categories: school years, weddings, births, road trips, vacations, holidays, pets, etc. o Create an index card for each o Place all photos for that group behind the index card. o Put each group of the index card and photos into your archival box. BONUS STEP: Scan, Store, Search, and Share Now that you have an organized photo collection ensure it's not lost in a disaster. All those memories! And now that you've seen all those blasts from the past, don't you want to share them? You can easily save your photos forever and share them with anyone by following these steps: • Scan each photo and save it to your external hard drive. Use unique file names that describe the photo (for example: 2005 01 January 08 Keri's Wedding 0001) • Assign keywords and facial recognition for each person in the photo • Store in an online photo-storage website • Create an account with your favorite photo-storage website; a popular choice is SmugMug. • Your images have been named by event and year with keywords and facial recognition. Uploading them will: store them in an accessible place, allow you to easily search for any file at any time, and quickly share them with anyone! • Share your digital files, and even better, create photo books for gifts! You've probably wanted to make a photo book or two but keep putting it off because the thought of finding the right photos is discouraging. But now you have a system- creating those books is right at your fingertips! Check here for a list of photo books that make great gifts. DOUBLE BONUS STEP: Back up your collection online Consider this your insurance plan. You have your print photos, external hard drive, and online storage and sharing site. What happens if these collections are lost or damaged? • Be prepared by backing up your files with an online solution such as Backblaze. This isn't meant to be pretty or used for sharing- it's just another copy to guarantee your photos aren't lost forever. Use this link to sign up for a 15-day free trial today! Are you feeling overwhelmed? This is simple if you just take it one step at a time. You will be overjoyed with the tidy photo boxes and elegant digital system you created! Don't be intimidated. Just get started by pulling out your photos and gathering your supplies. The momentum will build, and you'll be on your way to a de-cluttered, organized, efficient photo collection. If you need help, professional photo organizing consultants are always available to step in and finish the job. Even better? They love it when you just give them the whole messy pile. With their tried-and-true expertise, photo organizing consultants can complete your project faster than you can set the timer on your camera. But if you’re a DIYer, with this checklist, you can begin today. Now pull out all your photos and get ready to spark some joy!