Hello and welcome to another monthly organization challenge. During the month of February I'm challenging you (and myself) to get your PHOTO'S organized.
My photo collection includes both digital and printed photos from the past, which has made organizing them difficult. Throughout the month, I'll show you how to organize both digital photos and printed photos and how to display and preserve your memories.
Today I'm talking about organizing your digital photos, which in my opinion, is where you want to begin.
If your photo's are as unorganized as mine were a year ago, there is no way that you can get them all organized in one month. However, if you are where I was, please, please, please join the challenge and begin taking control TODAY. Trust me, you will be so thrilled that you did.
Spending one month on organizing your photo collections will do wonders. The longer you wait, the further behind you become and the larger the task of organizing your photos gets. That's pretty much where I was about a year ago.
Let me explain why this has been the biggest challenge for me. Before I decided that it was time to organize my photos, I really had NO rhyme or reason to anything. True that! I had absolutely NO organization in the photo department. I promise you, it was a MESS, a big unorganized (14 years worth) mess and it was driving me crazy. I HAD to take control.
My photo collection includes both digital and printed photos from the past, which has made organizing them difficult. Throughout the month, I'll show you how to organize both digital photos and printed photos and how to display and preserve your memories.
Today I'm talking about organizing your digital photos, which in my opinion, is where you want to begin.
If your photo's are as unorganized as mine were a year ago, there is no way that you can get them all organized in one month. However, if you are where I was, please, please, please join the challenge and begin taking control TODAY. Trust me, you will be so thrilled that you did.
Spending one month on organizing your photo collections will do wonders. The longer you wait, the further behind you become and the larger the task of organizing your photos gets. That's pretty much where I was about a year ago.
Let me explain why this has been the biggest challenge for me. Before I decided that it was time to organize my photos, I really had NO rhyme or reason to anything. True that! I had absolutely NO organization in the photo department. I promise you, it was a MESS, a big unorganized (14 years worth) mess and it was driving me crazy. I HAD to take control.
I had some printed photos and ones that weren't printed AND to make it all worse, I had NO clue what had been printed and what hadn't. The biggest challenge for me was deciding where to begin.
After pondering it for a while, I decided that the very first place I needed to begin was organizing the digital photos that I have on my computer.
After pondering it for a while, I decided that the very first place I needed to begin was organizing the digital photos that I have on my computer.
I've set up files in my computer to organize my photos:
FIRST BY YEAR
THEN BY MONTH INSIDE EACH YEAR
THEN BY EVENT INSIDE EACH MONTH
A very important step is to delete the unwanted photos. This one is hard for me to do, but I realize it's an important step.
I simply right mouse click on the thumbnail and click delete.
Now that you have your photos organized by year, then by month, then by event inside each month, let me show you my way of keeping track of it all.
Every time I connect my camera to my computer and upload the photo's, I write it down on a printable page that I designed and have added to my shop:
{click the photo to be directed to the item in my shop}
I keep the photo journal logs in a binder,
Which sits right next to my computer. It's right where I need it, when I need it.
I'm still actually a long way from having everything in order, but I
have a plan and a goal now and I'm on my way to having organizing bliss
in the photo department. Now that I have that, I feel SO much better
and I finally feel like I'm making progress.
The biggest thing that I would like to stress is this - START TODAY! Develop a system and STICK with it. It'll be so worth your time.
The biggest thing that I would like to stress is this - START TODAY! Develop a system and STICK with it. It'll be so worth your time.
Work backwards. Start from the current year and work your way back.
Don't expect to finish it all this month, it's a process that will take time, but starting today and focusing ONLY on organizing your photo collections this month will be one step closer to having your photos organized and your memories preserved.
Digital photos need to be backed up too. I will go into further details about that, later this month.
May you be a little inspired!
Until next time,
DaNita
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DaNita
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wanna join in on the Monthly Organization Challenge? During
the month of February, we're Organizing Photos! There will be a link
party at the end of the month for you to share your Photo Organizing
Posts. Join in, take pictures and blog about it. Then come back here at
the end of February to inspire us all and share your photo organizing
success.
Glad to see this post. Seriously need to do this with my photos, especially now that I have a baby!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! I have mine labed by year/month. but you've taken it a step further! love it! and the photo log is a great idea. i hate taking the time going through 10 folders to find the one event i'm looking for!
ReplyDeletehttp://adayfilledwiththankfullness.blogspot.com/
I already do this with my photos! great minds think alike, right?!? However I do not do the print check sheet, what a great idea! I need to implement this in mine. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is how I do my photos too! Except I didn't think to break it down another step into "events". Good idea. Looking forward to the piece about backing it up. We also do that but sometimes it is a headache if things have been added to old folders, some have been deleted on one and not the other, etc.
ReplyDeleteI really need to do this BAD!!! I tried to back my up a long time ago on a hard drive and it was too small with all the photos and videos so it just froze...but I have the same problem with knowing what I backed up and what I didn't...I would like something to just know what is new and not duplicate all the stuff that has already been saved.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote a blog post about this. I have a system very similar to yours. I love how easy it is to maintain, and start too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMission accepted :) I mentioned you on my blog! Keep a look-out for the next day or so! -Kelsey from Keeping Up With Kelsey
ReplyDeletehttp://kelseyhomolka-keepingupwithkelsey.blogspot.com/
So glad to see this. I have been telling my husband I need to do this with 30 years of photos to be organized. I look at the big picture and get overwhelmed. I keep telling myself that if I have 15 minutes, I can do a little at a time and it will get done before I know it. Thanks for sharing the information.
ReplyDeletePS. Just saw January's list and my recipes are another thing that need to be organized.
Catherine,
DeleteI highly suggest you start TODAY. Make a plan and stick with it. The longer you push it off, the bigger the pile and the further behind you get. {I know you get that} I promise you will be so pleased! I was 14 years behind and now, I'm making progress only because I decided it was time to start.
You can TOTALLY do this :)
DaNita
thanks for share.
ReplyDelete