Help for Whittling Down the Photo Pile

How many attempts have you made at organizing your photo collection? First, you had your childhood photos (still in a cardboard box), then the wedding album and baby books (only halfway filled), several family photo albums (all different sizes), cute little boxes (currently holding everything but photos) and crumpled envelopes in ugly bins in the basement. Is it such a mess that, instead of taking a trip down memory lane, you bury your head in the sand? If that’s the case, these six points will help you reflect on your personal feelings on the subject so you can transform the mess into a collection you can truly enjoy and share.

Keep calm and focus. Many people are loath to part with any photographs — the good, the bad and the ugly. But there are way too many to keep organized; this is how you got into this pickle in the first place.

Now don’t panic. I’m not going to tell you to toss out all of your photos. But to truly honor your memories, you’re going to have to extricate the most precious images from that stack of space wasters. And, like any organizing project, if it feels daunting to do all at once, do it just a few minutes a day or one box at a time, and I promise that little by little, you’ll get it done.


The practical rule of thumb. Dispose of photos that are duplicates, blurry, of people or events you don’t remember, and multiples of the same group (people, pets, palm trees, whatever …) in slightly different poses.

In fact, you really need to keep only a few images that best document your experience of any given event. While the practical approach may feel cold until you get in the groove, you’ll feel rewarded when you start uncovering long-lost gems. Sort by these categories: keep, toss, give away, and digitize (so you know you’ll never lose your favorites).


The emotional rule of thumb. Practical rules apply in photo organizing, but the fact is that this is an inherently subjective process. I tell my clients to go with their gut when choosing which photos to keep. If that blurry photo best captures the feel of the event, then that’s the one to keep.

Choose a funky little snapshot that brings you right back to that day over a gallery-quality image that stirs no emotion whatsoever. Choose the one or two shots that make you feel the ocean breeze and smell the coconut oil, and confidently toss the ones that don’t blow your hair back. And even if you know your mother would be embarrassed by a certain picture of her, if it captures a facet of her personality that you love, then keep it.


What if I don’t like seeing pictures of myself? Sorting photos of ourselves is a touchy business. The good news is that the person who has the photos has the power to present history in a complimentary light – your best light. However, if you intend to pass these photos on to your kids, please see the last sentence in the previous paragraph. If you absolutely cannot be objective, just keep the ones you like.


What if someone else might want them? Not sure if someone else will want the photos you’re purging? Ask and then pass them on right away, rather than storing them any longer. Keep in mind that the point of this exercise is to preserve the good stuff. It doesn’t serve anyone to pass along a mess.

What if not all of my photos are of happy memories? If some pictures dredge up negative feelings, consider saving them only if it’s important to you to keep a true journal of your life in pictures, but definitely toss them if you’d rather flush the memories of certain people or events.


Your photo collection should be something that brings you joy, a chronicle of people and experiences you want to remember, not just more clutter and guilt. Chip away at the resistance and chip away at the extras. Once your pile is manageable, you’ll be ready for step two: choosing a storage system that lets you enjoy your photos and the lifetime of memories they hold.

More:
Get Organized: Are You a Piler or a Filer?
Take a Picture: Decorating With Photographs
Picture This: Your Digital Photos Deserve Frames Too

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