Photos are the reminders of places, spaces, and faces we’ve held near and dear, and most people have thousands on phones, computers, albums, and in boxes. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and put off sorting them, waiting for the “someday” that never arrives. But with a few simple steps, you can easily take control of the chaos.
Give yourself some grace and space.
Spend just 10 minutes a day organizing your photos. Focus on one small batch, like yesterday’s photos, a folder from your desktop, or a handful of prints. Set a timer, start sorting, and once the time’s up, put everything aside until the next session.
The 10-Minute Rule has been proven to increase productivity by breaking complex tasks into manageable micro-tasks, rather than delaying the entire process due to overwhelm. Before you know it, the seemingly impossible job of sorting through decades of family photos will be done.
Stay focused on your photos.
Don’t just clean at random, but rather, have a goal: “collect 500 great family photos by Labor Day,” or “organize 2024 Christmas photos by next weekend.” Having a clear objective and an end date will prevent you from getting sidetracked by other tasks.
Decide how to sort your photos.
If you’re using folders, sort by year or event. For digital or digitized photos, use a tool like Mylio (mylio.com), an online media library with a free trial, to tag people and places for faster searching later. PRO TIP: use simple, consistent names like “Italy 2019” or “Mom’s 80th birthday” rather than “IMG_3948.”
Safely store hard copies.
Keep your physical photos in a cool, dry, dark place away from heat and moisture, stored in air-tight plastic bags or boxes. Back up digital photos on an external hard drive as well as in the Cloud.
Related: For 50 Years, Golden Triangle Has Saved Family Photo Memories
