Start by sorting the photos chronologically. Any other sorting option is just too confusing and crazy-making. Think big picture by dividing first into two piles according to century. Next, sort each pile by decade—even if that requires a wild guess—and so on until you have them in general order.
Whether you prefer to stack photos in a box or arrange them in an album, it's best to look for a storage option that's free of acid and lignin (an acidic compound that gives trees their rigidity). It's also good to avoid dyes and recycled materials. That rules out shoeboxes.
Five Easy Steps to Organize a Huge Photos Library and Stop Feeling the “Mac Shame”!
40 related questions found
How do you store 100 year old photos?
Use preservation-quality folders and boxes that are large enough to fully enclose and support the photographs. Avoid using acidic cardboard shoe boxes! Photographs in poor condition or that have special value can be individually stored in stable plastic sleeves made from preservation-quality polyester or polyethylene.
The easiest way to start sorting is by putting “like with like.” Once prints, albums, or other media have its own box, you can start organizing the photos chronologically by using important dates or milestones. They can also be separated by common themes like vacations, hobbies, and heritage.
Kondo recommends that you go through each photo one by one and only keep those that truly spark joy for you. The easiest way to organize the photos that you decide to keep is grouping them by year. Another thing Kondo suggests is taking what sparks joy and displaying it for you and your guests to see.
To preserve your memories over time, professional organizers recommend backing up your photos in three places: external hard drive, a cloud, and a safety deposit box for example. 6. Implement storage. Once your photos are scanned, backed up and saved, store your printed collection in an acid-free storage box.
DigiKam Photo Manager is a free and open-source photo organizing software that can handle more than 100,000 images. The program has all the basic photo organizing functionality you will need like upload, delete and sort images. The program offers a folder system with main folders and subfolders.
While scanning is more accurate and provides greater detail, which is helpful if you ever want to edit your photos, taking pictures with your smartphone camera can be a cheaper, faster, and more convenient option. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what your goals are for digitizing your images.
The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.
An ideal container for storing printed pictures would have a sealed, water-resistant exterior, such as plastic, and soft but stiff dividers to separate prints on the inside.
How do professional photographers store their photos?
Storing Photos on an External Hard Drive. Photographers are in a unique situation when it comes to finding a quality external hard drive. You will need both a hard drive with quality speed and at a good size. It's no fun sitting around and waiting for a large collection of files to copy or transfer.
