We all love taking photographs, but few of us enjoy organizing our photographs into albums. Instead, all our cherished memories are relegated into boxes and piles, if not still in the envelopes that came from the photo developing studio. And for the many that have converted into digital photography, your organizing dilemmas are no different with your electronic clutter.

Memories frozen in time – to be brought out to haunt our loved ones at their weddings, anniversaries, or graduations. As much as they can bring a smile to your face, many look at their photographs with an overwhelming feeling of anxiety and guilt.

Later you say – when you have the time, you will sort through everything, label, and organize all your photos. However, notice how ‘later’ never comes?

Whether it is your photographs, piles of office paper, or boxes in your garage, there is a solution. I am often heard at my speaking engagements saying that ‘stuff is stuff’. Photographs are no different from any other pile that you may have.

Before you get caught up with buying fancy albums, photo pages, or photo boxes, you need to sort through all that you have. If you do not know what you have, how can you make an informed decision as to what to buy?

Here’s a question I will ask of you (even though I already know the answer…). How many of you have kept photographs that are not quite perfect? Photos of yourself with your eyes closed or unfocused pictures of your thumb? If you do only one thing and nothing else – throw out the obvious! Why were you keeping these? – if only to ‘what if yourself’ – ‘what if’ my eyes were open, it would have been a fantastic picture…

1. Before you can begin organizing your photographs, select your categories for sorting:

• Date – year, elementary, high school, college, university
• Theme – weddings, birthdays, baby showers
• Family – immediate, in-laws
• Event – Paris vacation, camping trip

2. Start with general groupings and then sub-divide as the piles get larger.

3. Go back to your categories and then take out from each category, pictures that are for show and those that are for storage.

4. Decide on the appropriate display album or container for your show pictures vs for your storage pictures. Remember that not all containers are photo-safe to preserve the longevity of your photographs.

You have already spent the big bucks on that expensive camera, then the film, followed by the developing & printing costs. Don’t throw away your investment and your memories by casting them away in a box or shoving them into a drawer. Display the best of your memories proudly.