Guest blog post by Rachel Arbuckle, founder of 2000 Paces Photo Organizing
Organizing your photo collection is a task that is easier said than done and may get overwhelming if you don’t have a plan in place. Some may choose to hire a professional photo organizer to avoid the hassle, while others will want to tackle the task on their own. No matter which approach you choose, organizing your photos is definitely a task you want to move to the top of your list to make certain they are protected and preserved.
Most of us have an impressive collection of old photos, probably spread out in multiple albums, frames, boxes and media. Have you ever wanted to share a particular photo, but had to give up when you realized you had no idea where to find it? It is frustrating not being able to find and share your precious memories with others simply because they are not properly organized.
If you are not yet convinced that organizing your photos and memorabilia is worth the effort, here are some of the most important reasons you should do it:
Ease of finding that one photo
This is probably the most obvious reason why you should organize your photos. If you cannot pick out a certain photo that you want from your archive at any given time then it is a sign your photos need organizing.
To rediscover precious memories
Consolidating all of your physical photos and memorabilia together into one system is an important part of the photo organizing process. During this process, a review of your inventory often uncovers special memories long forgotten.
To protect your memories
This is probably the most important reason for organizing your photos and memorabilia. From personal experience, I can tell you how heart wrenching it is to have a fire (or any other natural disaster) happen near your home and to have to evacuate leaving all of your memories behind. Protecting these memories will ease your anxiety and provide peace of mind.
To easily share them
Photos are best enjoyed when we share them with others, but how can we do that, if we cannot find them? When your collection is properly organized, sharing becomes easier and is actually fun!
Here are some tips to help you get started on this wonderful journey:
For digital photos:
- Remove the “stuff” (screenshots, last week’s dinner, a paper with a phone number…)
- Organize chronologically or by event with each year or event in a single folder
- Back up your collection in 3 places
- Update and backup your collection regularly
For print photos:
- Remove duplicate photos and those that don’t tell your story
- Organize photos in archival boxes by year and/or event
- Use index cards or dividers to label groups of photos
- Digitize your photos
- Back up your collection in 3 places
I hope you are inspired to start organizing your memories, transforming a chaotic collection of photos into an organized, preserved one that can be shared and enjoyed for generations to come.
About the author: Rachel Arbuckle is the founder of 2000 Paces Photo Organizing, a San Diego-based photo organizing business dedicated to providing authentic, compassionate solutions to transform the chaos of photos and memorabilia into an organized, preserved collection that can be easily shared and enjoyed for generations.