Once upon a time before the creation of smart phones or even digital cameras, printing and collecting pictures was the norm. Now you have a generation worth of hundreds of reproduced images that feels overwhelming. To reduce the quantity of your collection, we suggest you spread out your checkered blanket and settle in to begin the process of sorting a lifetime of memories.
Your nostalgic picnic, if you will, should begin with you deciding what kind of categories your photographs will be sorted into. For instance, you could create sections based on life events in decades such as your own childhood, adult single life, marriage and when your children arrive. Label Ziploc bags or photo boxes accordingly and slip your sorted photo piles into the appropriate containers. As you’re looking through your photos, put aside duplicates, blurry photos and pictures that have no meaning – who is that man mustache-deep in fondue from 1972? This purging will immediately help you reduce the number of photographs in your collection. Identity each picture you are keeping for your family archive.
Be prepared for the emotional work associated with purging memories recorded on film. Give yourself time to enjoy each image and reminisce about the past. Working on a smaller collection at one time is often easier to enjoy and more manageable than tackling your entire photo collection at once.
Consider digitizing your printed photos by scanning them and storing on your hard drive or moving to an external hard drive such as a USB or SSDs. If scanning is too much for you, consider using a professional service to get the job done. By digitizing, you will be reducing the space printed photos occupy in your home plus you’ll be preserving family pictures for the next generation – a seamless way of passing along memories.
Like a picnic basket filled with your signature spreads, a thoughtfully preserved photo collection can hold the best memories that you’ve enjoyed throughout your life. Savour every delicious moment.
