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We all love to take pictures. It’s what to do with the photos after we take them that’s the problem. Not for everyone of course. There are those crafty women who joyfully put together museum-quality scrapbooks and the techies who take care of it all online. Then, however, there are the rest of us. We want a physical picture. We’d like our pictures to be in some sort of order so that we can enjoy them. And, most importantly, we would like whatever we do with our pictures to be fairly easy.

Start with the present

If you have years of unorganized photos, starting a new system with your most current pictures will keep you on track for new photos. You can get to your backlog as time permits.

Sort your photos

Decide how you’re going to organize your photos— chronologically, by event, by person etc. I would suggest chronologically simply because it’s the easiest. Put your photos in groups according to the system you’ve chosen. Get rid of duplicates and blurry photos. Put your organized groups of photos in labeled envelopes. That way you can come back to this project later and pick up where you left off. If you feel overwhelmed by the whole prospect, set a limited amount of time that you will work on your photos each day, week or month. Then stick to it.What follows are three no-fuss ways to organize your photos.

Photo Album

Get a photo album that has 4”x6” pockets for photos with a memo area to write a description. Make sure the album allows for the addition of more photo pages. Fill the pockets with the pictures you’ve selected. Put larger pictures or momentos in 8”x10” page protectors. Put photo discs or memory cards in a Ziplock bag. Use a hole punch to put holes in the page protectors and the Ziplock bag so that the holes line up with posts of your album. Unscrew the album’s binding and insert the page protectors where they belong and put the Ziplock in the back. Your pictures are all together with your momentos and if you ever need a copy you have the disc or memory stick right there.

Photo Boxes

There are all kinds of photo boxes on the market, from very plain to beautiful fabric-covered models. Choose whichever works for you. Then simply insert your sorted photos. If you want you could just leave them in the envelopes you’ve already put them in. Make sure you label the box and put your photo disc or memory stick in the box as well.

Photo Keepers

Photo keepers can be found at craft stores and online. They’re usually large, clear plastic boxes that hold smaller, clear plastic boxes. The smaller boxes hold approximately 100 4”x6” photos. Place your sorted photos in the smaller boxes, label each box and put it back in the bigger box. That’s it — all your photos are sorted and ready to enjoy. Whatever way you choose to organize and store your photos be sure to store them in a safe place away from moisture, light and extreme temperature.