Whether handed down to you in sepia tones from generations past, or accumulated over the years in printed or digital form, photos can prove to be an organising challenge.

Without going too technical on the safest ways to store your precious memories, today I will focus on how to ‘sort' them cohesively.

 

• Time and Place: Set aside a time to commit to this project i.e. 1-2 hours, one night a week, but try to be consistent, you are making a date with your ‘elephant', and as we know there is only one way to eat an elephant, and that's one bite at a time. Involve the kids. They will love the trip down memory lane and try and do this at a desk or table where you can spread things out.
• Edit & Reduce: Be ruthless. Only keep the good photos, not blurred or unflattering ones, duplicates, or people and places you either can't (or don't want to) remember.
• Tools: Gather together index cards, sticky notes, paper envelopes, and either old shoeboxes or photo boxes. These are to help you ‘sort' your photos into categories.
• Chronological Markers: Categories should work as close to chronological as possible for each member of the family. Mum and Dads individual lives before they met. The life they've lived together. Within these times, use year/event markers, e.g. school days, sports events, holidays, reunions, birthdays, Christmas etc., engagement, wedding, honeymoon, birth of each child etc. Write the title of the category on the post-it and attach to the envelope, pop the envelope into the box, the most recent event to the front. Eventually envelopes can be removed and replaced with labeled dividers, although if you want to keep the sets together keep the envelopes and write the title and any notes on it.
• Merging of Media Types: CD's of other photos belonging to an event can also be included in with printed photos. Oversized photos can be noted onto an index card with a locator reference to note its existence and where it can be located, e.g. in larger photo box or an album.
• Digital photo frames or computer storage: are great if used properly. Ensure creation of chronological folders with group titles and make sure you also back them up onto an external disk or drive. Scanning of printed photos can be time consuming, but worth the effort if you're committed.

A note on digital storage: As technology is constantly changing some photo archiving companies still recommend clients keep original photos and negatives.

Angela Miller-Davis is a Professional Organiser who helps people to find solutions for an organized lifestyle through her consultancy Less = More, Brisbane.

 

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