This week's clutter challenge if you choose to accept it is to start a system for your new incoming photos. Once you have a system in place for dealing with the new photos you can deal with the backlog. Start small! You are not expected to get 18 years of photos into an album or scrapbook the week. Pick one thing to do and do it this week. You can get a handle on the piles... Here are a few tips to help out, you will feel better once you have a simple system. Oh and please, if you have old rolls of film to be developed drop them off this week. And if you have photos in your digital camera let them out by downloading them this week. 7 Photo Organizing Tips I. Gather all the photos. This mean you need to develop all outstanding rolls of film and disposable cameras. II. Sort the photos into piles by event, person, or chronologically (this is the easiest option.) Use the garbage can
liberally for photos that are not worth keeping. III. Store photos and negatives in a safe way, meaning acid proof boxes that are out of direct sunlight and not exposed to extreme temperatures. IV. Work in small blocks of time to sort the photos and then to put them into albums if you so choose. Do not work in marathon blocks of time. Instead, set the kitchen timer for eighteen minutes and sort a handful, some is always better than none. V. Place a photo on package at holiday time as a special bonus to the gift itself. VI. Share the memories; send duplicate photos to family and friends. When you find a photo slide it into an envelope and mail it off immediately. VII. Label the edges of the photo albums. That way you know what pictures are in what album without pulling them all off the shelves.
7 Do’s of Photo Organizing
I. Do collect all your photos and store them safely. II. Do collect all your negatives and store them safely (away from your photos in case something happens to the photos). III. Do make a plan to get them all in order. IV. Do store negatives in acid free envelopes or polypropylene pages. V. Do store photos in acid free boxes. VI. Do place photos in polypropylene pockets, adhere them to acid free pages or store them in the photo safe boxes. VII. Do go through this process with others. Turn the chore into a fun social gathering by inviting friends or family to sort their own photos with you. 7 Don’ts of Photo Organizing I. Don’t store the photos in your basement or attic. II. Don’t store them in humidity over 70% (they can mildew) or under 40% (they can become brittle). III. Don’t expose them to direct sunlight. IV. Don’t place them into magnetic pages in photo albums, as the glue will ruin the photos. V. Don’t adhere photos to black photo pages. They are not acid free and can damage the photos. VI. Don’t write on the back of photos with a ballpoint pen (it breaks the emulsion and can bleed through) instead use a photo safe pen. VII. Don’t leave them in a jumbled mess; instead work in small yet consistent blocks of time to tackle the backlog.
How to Organize Your Digital Photos
If you’re like many other people, to escape print photograph overwhelm, you’ve attempted to simplify by going digital. But you probably found out that having digital photos doesn't eliminate the overwhelm, in fact it can sometimes increase it! Now, you have to develop a system for storing and retrieving your favorite shots. And with more holidays just having past the better.
Your new system will start with a routine of downloading your pictures the same day you take them, no matter what. (If you are not sure how to download them, have someone help you or read the manual today. Many times you can call the manufacturers 1-800 number. And if you would not classify yourself as a “techie” don’t fear, it is much easier than you think.) Pre-step one: As soon as you download pictures from your camera, delete the ones that aren't so great. Or even better delete the not so great shots as you take the photos. Step 1: Make it a new habit to download the photos as soon as the event is over. (If you have a teenager you maybe able to delegate this responsibly to him or her.) Store all the accessories and cords in a single place so you don’t have to search for the cords or recharging station. Step 2: Create file folders on your computer with event names and dates and store the photos in these. Or opt for photo organizing software. For example, let's say you just took Thanksgiving photos. You may have also snapped a few photos of fall foliage and gotten a shot or two while holiday shopping. Then you’ll store photos “like with like” by naming a folder “Nov. ‘06Think of this folder as the hanging folder. Then inside the hanging folder create sub folders, like manila folders, named Thanksgiving 2006, Fall Foliage 2006 and Holiday Shopping 2006 Step 3: Inside each folder name the photo itself, give it a caption such as dinner table set for holiday mean or oak tree in front yard, Aunt Sue shopping in Macy’s and so on.
Remember to keep the same format for file names, do not use Nov. 㤎 and then 11/06 or finding photos will be a challenge.
The key is consistency. Whatever the new system is you have to follow it regularly. And if you fall a little behind catch up instead of continuing to fall even farther behind. Step 4: To get the photos from your computer onto paper you have lots of options. You can send the photos to a local store via the computer and then pick them up. Or you can use an online printer and they will mail the photos to you. Lastly you can print them yourself. Examples of online printers are: snapfish.com, Kodak.com, shutterfly.com and www.fujifilm.com allows you to have photos printed for pick up at stores like Walgreen’s and Drugfair. Step 5: Finally, you may choose to store the photos somewhere other than on your computer. You can do this by burning them onto a CD. Then once you have labeled it, store the CD in a CD case.
Again store like with like, so make a CD of all of a same type of photo. Try not to burn photos of a wedding and one of a holiday on the same CD. PS Photos are your treasured memories, making a duplicate copy of a very special CD and storing it at someone else’s home or in disaster proof storage is a precaution you should take. Also taking the time to back up your computer makes a lot of sense, in the event of a major crash your photos would be lost.
ASK JAMIE A QUESTION
Send in your question now! FEATURED PRODUCT OR SERVICE OF THE MONTH Click here to view past products of the month The first month of the New Year is the perfect time to start a new check register and start a new system for bills and receipts. A 13 slot accordion file allows you to label one slot per month. Use that pocket to place all the stuff from that month. At the end of the year write the date on the outside and store it away with your tax return. 13 Pocket Expanding Folder GET YOUR OWN CHALLENGE
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