I know it’s early to think about Christmas, but I am two years behind in organizing my son’s photos for his annual photo books. Just thinking about a massive number of photos stored on various devices makes me feel overwhelmed, and I don’t want to look through all of them! I know they are cute and happy, but there are SO MANY of them! Who has the time?
However, there is hope. One thing my husband and I did well (at least through the baby’s first two years) was to select our favorite photos from each month and share them through Dropbox with family and friends. This made us narrow down our favorites immediately, and putting together that first book was easy. Sadly, we got busier and busier, and we started procrastinating.
Quick Tips
- Download photos regularly from your devices (phone, tablet, etc.) in one central place. I use my laptop as a central place for all downloads and downloads from various devices once a week.
- From here, back up your photos and then back them up again. I use an external hard drive and online storage for backups. I back up client work immediately, and I back up photos and videos from my phone once a week.
- Some people do not like online storage because it is vulnerable to hacking or because Big Brother might be watching. Some don’t mind, as they feel there is nothing to hide. Either way, the choice is yours; just don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
- On your computer (or other central place), delete the pictures you know you will never print or share with family and friends. Yes, all those over- or under-exposed pictures, blurry ones, or the ones where everybody’s eyes are closed – yes, those are the ones I’m talking about. You saved them elsewhere but don’t need them to clog up your central device.
- Create a monthly folder (create on your computer or in online storage) and save 20-30 favorites. These should represent the major events in your life at that particular time, and you should be able to easily decide which ones go into the folders. For even more organization and an easier way to find your photos, in addition to dates, give your folders names that will help you remember what is in them.
This quick guide is neither the only nor the best method for organizing photos, but it has worked for us. Let me know if you have tried this method and if it worked for you. If you use another method of organizing your photos, please comment below and help others get organized!
