The simplest way to organize photos

So many of you reacted to my post on the pain of putting together my wedding photo album with an “Amen!” The problem is that folks tend to equate “organized photos” with “perfectly polished photo album,” so they stall on doing anything in-between. There is SO much that can be done in-between these two points!

One client of mine had hundreds, if not thousands of old photo envelopes between hers and her late mother’s photos. In preparing for a renovation she was confronted with an immediate need to thin them out. Here you can see how we did it; I’ve done it this way for countless clients. 

Using a few sets of plastic Tupperware-type 3-drawer sets that she already had, we lined up the keepers according to categories. (Yes, she gave me permission to use this photo with the family names.) These categories started off as piles on the driveway. (Outdoor organizing during a pandemic works!) She has 5 more drawers just like the one pictured here.

What’s beautiful about this simple system is that early on in the project we reached a tipping point. As we found random pics of parties or anything else, we were able to drop them behind the sticky note. “Random” dissipated fast. We reached a satisfying point where 9 out of 10 photos to keep already had a labeled section.

She may upgrade this system, but really doesn’t need to. It’s not beautiful, but it will always be hidden. She can now clearly find any photo that comes to mind, and that’s what matters most. If you’re at a standstill on photos, find some old boxes and some sticky notes. Don’t complicate it!

Is this something you’ve done or need to do? Please share in the comments!