Some people seem to be natural organizers: they know where things ought to go, and they put them there, seemingly without even thinking about it. I am not one of those people. I like my things to be organized, but I have to work at getting — and keeping them — that way. 

For years, my photos were all over the place. Prints were stacked in a box and stuffed in a closet; slides were in slide trays and plastic sleeves in a notebook, in slide boxes, and in shoeboxes; digital photos were on CDs, phones, computers, and old devices that I no longer knew how to work. I’m saying this publicly so that you can be assured: I will never judge you for the state of your photo collection. 

However, it’s worth getting it together and getting them organized. Here are some benefits that can result from developing and maintaining a good photo organization system:

• Preservation.  Photos that are not carefully stored might be at risk of deterioration. Taking care of them gives you the peace of mind that they’ll likely be around for generations to come.
• Access. When your photos are organized, you can find them quickly and easily. 
• Enjoyment. What’s the point of having a photo collection if you don’t take a look at them now and then to cherish the memories they hold? With an organized collection, you can quickly and easily find your favorites, search for particular themes or dates, or browse without needing to look at bad shots, duplicates, or things you’d rather forget.
• Sharing. When it’s easy to find what you’re looking for, it’s easy to share them, too. This is especially true if you have digitized (scanned) your collection.
• Passing them along. At some point in their lives, most kids will be thrilled to see pictures of their parents in their younger days as well as photos from their childhoods. Most parents would like to hand them down at some point. But if they’re a jumbled mess, it’s hard for anyone to make much sense of them. 

If you’re not sure where to start, you’re in the right place! Subscribe to our newsletter so that you never miss a post, as we’ll share tips on organizing all kinds of photos and getting started telling the stories that go with them. And if you’d like a hand, we’ve got you covered. Give us a call today!