Paper photos from grandparents, parents, or your own lifetime do no good sitting in boxes in your closet.
Does this sound like you?
Many of my customers have multiple boxes of photos and family memorabilia stashed in closets or attics or basements. They have a vague feeling of guilt when they think about them. They either collected them over a lifetime or they inherited them, and it is daunting to even start through them.
If this is you, I want to encourage you to tackle this project. These precious family memories are so fun to find! Our family have been doing this and the joy it brings as we share with extended family is worth the work.
That said, I understand the stress! So let’s keep it simple.
Like everything I advise, take it slow, do not stress, and take it one item at a time. Breathe. Have some water to drink nearby. Also, be prepared for this to take some time. It likely took you (or someone you love) a lifetime to gather these photos; you won’t finish sorting them in one afternoon or even one weekend.
Choose a flat surface where you can work, preferably one that won't need to be used for a while so you can walk away and not lose progress or place.
Set out three containers and label them A, B, and C.
Divide them into 3 groups:
The A photos are your best ones, the ones you definitely want to keep, the ones you just love. These are worth digitizing and preserving. They bring you joy! I recommend you record details about them on a Post-it and attach them to the photos as you go, or write gently with a photo-safe pencil on the back.
The B photos support the stories of the A photos. They can and should be kept but are not favorites. They will be archived but not necessarily digitized.
The C photos are the ones you do not keep. Yes, it is okay to throw photos away! Examples are duplicates, triplicates, blurries, or simply bad photos. They can also be photos that cause you pain or memories you don’t want to keep. This is YOUR collection - make it what you want it to be.
If it isn’t an A or a B, then it’s a C. Be ruthless. One rule of thumb is to eliminate 80% of your photos. Keep that in mind as you go through your collection.
Above all, have fun with this! Try to keep moving but enjoy the process.
When you're ready to tackle your tough organization project, I am here to help you learn how.
Let's RETHINK organization together.
For more information, visit the RETHINK website today.
Mandy Thomas is a professional organizer fulfilling her lifelong passion for creating order out of chaos. She finds joy in helping people tackle their most overwhelming spaces and collections to create the optimal living space and enjoy their homes.
RETHINK organization is on a mission to help you develop long-term patterns of organization that you can maintain and feel good about long after our work together is done.
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