If you’re anything like me, you still have a shoebox full of printed photos. They may be old photos, or they may be new depending on your camera preference, but one thing is sure: they’re not doing anyone any good sitting in a shoebox.
So let’s get organized! (Organization is one of my favorite things, by the way.)
I’ve stopped printing many of my photos. With the switch to digital, I now find myself printing only the ones that I have a specific purpose for. So while I’m not compounding my shoebox problem, I haven’t taken the time to remedy it either. Well, that’s about to change. Here are a few things I’m doing to get my photos organized and in a more useful format.
* Go through your photos. Start with a classic dejunking. Do you really need the photos you and your girlfriends took of crazy faces you made in high school? What about all those photos of you and your first sweetheart (who you haven’t seen in years, and don’t really care to)? Duplicates can also bog you down unnecessarily. You never used to know when you might need that second print, so of course many of us bought them religiously. And there they sit…. The garbage can is your friend—be generous to it.
* Take your remaining photos and start separating them into appropriate themes. Perhaps you want to chronicle your growing up years or separate your best shots to use in a portfolio. Whatever your purpose, sort your photos so they make sense to you.
* Once your photos are sorted, make a plan to display them. Sometimes the most effective thing is to get them into an inexpensive album so at least you can leaf through them. Or you may have bigger plans.
* Carry out your plan. This part may take the longest, but it will be the most rewarding.
Whether you’re putting together a scrapbook, a portfolio, or simply wanting to get your photos out of the box, getting started is probably the hardest part. But you can do it. Now go dig out that shoebox.