Photos contain our most precious memories. Thankfully for the invention of digital cameras, we can take thousands of pictures without limited film. However, more photos, means more clutter. How do you organize your photos? Below are some suggestions for an organized photo collection.
Organize printed photos in small compartments labeled by date or event.
Descriptive Photos – When loading digital photos onto your computer, store them in separate folders titled “Year/Month/Date – Description of event”. For example, “20100819 – Visit to Grandmas”. Your computer by default will automatically sort the plethora of folders by date. This way, the most recent folders are closer to the beginning (or end) of the parent folder thereby making them easier to retrieve.
Picasa – (www.picasa.google.com) Google’s free photo organizing and editing program will find all of the photos on your computer and organize them on its own. From there, you can edit the red-eyes and crop any photo you desire. You can share your photos with others by publishing them to family and friends. Photos can be viewed in slideshows and even arranged on a “global map.”
Flickr – (www.flickr.com) This photo sharing website allows you to upload a certain number of photos on the site and share them with friends and family in an organized presentation. One of the many features on Flickr is that you and your friends can tag any of your photos. This way, when you are looking for a specific picture, for example “the dolphin flip” from Sea World, you can search that term and the tagged photo will be found.
Printed Photos – Try storing printed photos in a storage case that contains inner compartments. Inner compartments allow you to sort photos according to year, month, event, description, etc. Storing photos in small compartments allows you to easily (and without damage) transport photos anywhere you please. Do you have a lot of negatives from the 70s, 80s, or 90s? If so, consider storing them in acid-free photo boxes to protect negatives from dust, dirt and light.Photo Albums & Scrapbooking – Organizing prints in an album makes for a beautiful presentation and can be a great coffee table book. Albums can be categorized into years or themes, such as holidays or seasons. If you are feeling even more creative, try creating a scrapbook. Every page can be a different event. You can use ticket stubs, receipts, and other paraphernalia from vacations and trips. Scrapbooks are great keepsakes and make thoughtful gifts.
We know organizing photos can be overwhelming. Always remember, start small and think big.
