Photographs are, without a doubt, one of the top items treasured in our households. Photography captures moments in time which helps to tell our story and communicate history. If you have old photographs in an old drawer or box and don’t know where to begin when it comes to sorting and storing then now is the time to “bite the bullet” and protect your precious memories from damage or decay. Likewise, if you have an abundance of memories captured on your computer, phone or other devices, how do you store them so you can access and enjoy them as the years go by?
Gather all your photographs in one place
Begin by locating all of your photographs. If they are printed, gather photo albums and boxes of photographs together in one place where you can sort your images. If you store your images digitally gather your discs, USBs or on SD cards and images already on your computer.
Protect your images
Once you have your images in one place be sure they are protected. Either scan printed photographs to your computer or be sure they are stored in boxes that will protect them from decay. Digital images can be backed up on a hard drive or stored online via a service such as Dropbox, Flickr or Adobe Creative Cloud, just to name a few.
Create a system to archive your photographs
Decide on the way you would like to sort your photographs. There is no right or wrong here. Whatever works best for your collection. Create boxes or files ready to sort your images. This could be by year, theme, place or person.
Sort your images into your system
Begin sorting your images one at a time. As you go, file them for easy access in the future. Be sure your photographs don’t remain in storage! Have your favourite images printed to frame or create a photo album.
Restoring damaged images
Technology has come such a long way. Do a little research and see if you can’t have old photographs restored. They may not be too far gone after all!
Hire a professional
If the thought of sorting your photographs just seems overwhelming there are professional photograph organisers who can help. They are available to sit with you in the comfort of your own home and help you sort your photographs.
Treasure those precious memories and share them with your family! It is a great way to connect and share your experiences and life lessons with others.