I think this week's post came at an amazing time because it seems like nowadays, we rely so much on technology and things that require an outlet, that when power goes out, our lives are lost.  This happens many times in the winter here in Michigan and even in the summer when large storms come through. And with many of us not venturing out and doing as many things, I feel like we can take this time to get things organized and a system in place!

What this blog series is meant to do, is to not let your memories of your loved ones and your life become lost when the power is lost.  Also it is meant to get you started in a system that you can begin as a habit to stay up to date on your photos!

So let's dive into week 2: choosing a method to organizing your photos(I switched week 2 and 3 from the schedule b/c I felt this needed to come first!). Essentially this week is how to develop a SYSTEM:)

I want to preface this week's info with saying, this technique works for prints and digital so if you are sitting on boxes of unorganized photos, don't fret, you can join in too!

This weeks assignment may seem like a very time consuming and difficult task when you look at it. Especially if you have years worth of photos that are unorganized.

Try not to panic.  I know it seems overwhelming, and I want to help you through this process, so if you get stuck please message me or comment and I will help you out as much as I can.

Step 1: Choosing an organizational method

  This is the MOST IMPORTANT step to all other steps in this process.  If you do not have this step in place, you will be in the same place you are in now, but in 5 more years and with 5 more years of photos not organized, printed and stored properly.  What this step is, is choosing a method to the madness(the madness of having 1,000's of photos). But really, you need to choose a method that works for YOU b/c that means you will do it.  

So first you need to choose how you want to organize your photos. Do you want to organize them by event, by child, or chronological? What is going to make the most sense for you?

I recommend starting with chronological and categorizing from there.

For Example.  If you have a bunch of photos on your computer(or your phone or a box of prints) start but making a Master Folder with the year, "2021".  Then in that master folder, break it down by "month".  So January 2021, February 2021, and so on.   

In each of those months, you can either categorize by event, "Teddy's Birthday Party" or if you have just a folder of miscellaneous images, you can categorize those by time and date. Or once you have it broken down by month, you can easily locate and make prints or an album of all your favorite images from that time period.  My next book I'm going to print is Christmas 2020, but I need to go back and put them in a folder so I can easily make it.

This step is KEY to getting you in the habit of organizing your photos.  And guess what, you can also do this on your phone.  You can make a specific folder that will house your images for each month or event. Start right now making one for January 2020 and adding all the photos you have taken this month into it.  Then same for February, March etc..  If you do it each day, or week, it will only take a few minutes of your time, but you will be able to find your photos you need in the future! And ultimately you will be able to print, organize, and store them easier.

Once you have established what method you want to take, then the future process becomes easier.  You may still have the issue right now of a backlog of images and prints from years and years ago. That is OK.  Start figuring out what you want your method to be, and implement it this month and then work your way back. So I'm going to start by organizing this month, and then work my way back to December/November 2020.

But that is why you are doing this. To slowing start putting these pieces in place so you can continue on and have your life's memories available in the future when you need them.

So you are probably wondering what the next step is.

Step 2: REALLY SIT DOWN AND THINK HOW YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS AND START WITH JANUARY 2020.  :)

I don't mean to yell it, but this really is the most important step.  If setting it up by year doesn't make sense to you, then you won't be inclined to continue on after our journey.  Maybe you want to organize by family member, so a master folder for each child, so I would have a folder of "Teddy" and then "Emmy" and then "Jenny" and then "Family", "Friends", etc.

Then within each of those you have years, months, events.

There is no right or wrong answer here. It is just how your brain works and how you store and recall these that works for you.  Maybe you have a whole other system that works for you.  Awesome.

ACTION STEP:  Figure out how you want to organize your photos so it works for you and your family, and then WRITE IT DOWN.  I don't know how many times I come up with something brilliant, and think I will remember it, and then BOOM 10 min later I have forgotten it already.  

THEN start with this month of photos on your phone, computer or prints and work your way backward. Try to set up a timeline of getting 2021 organized by the end of this week. and Luckily we only are a couple weeks into 2021 so this should be easier:)

Then start going backwards with 2020.

BONUS STEP: Learn to use the DELETE button. 

This really is a useful tool because it helps clear the clutter.  If after you organized your January photos, go thru the album and delete images that are duplicates or ones you don't love as much or screenshots of dumb things(I have lots of those).  Just because we can take and store 1,000's of photos, doesn't mean we need to keep them all.  I have some of my kids or family, or myself and I'm like. "EH, no don't love it."  Then just delete it.  Once you get rid of that photo, you will probably never remember it again.  Key thing to think about is, do I want to print this photo to keep forever?  If you can live without it, then hit DELETE!

I hope this was helpful and gets you thinking on how you want to organize everything.

Remember, you can’t eat an elephant all at once, you must do it with bite sized pieces.
Don't try to eat the whole elephant at once and get overwhelmed with this process. Just start by working 20 min a day on this. 

Let me know what you guys think of this week's blog post:). Until next week!

If you missed week 1, you can go back and check it out here