How to Declutter Digital and Printed Photos the Easy Way
Enjoy these smart, simple ways to store your digital and physical photos so you can be both snap happy and organised
Capturing memories and keepsakes in the form of photos can be so much fun, but knowing how to keep, store and access them can be a challenge. Here’s how to do it with minimum fuss.
For instance, if you have a box of slides, they’re not easy to integrate with the image files on your computer or with the hardcopy photos you may have previously printed at photo shops or chemists over the years.
Can’t bring yourself to declutter your photos alone? Find a professional organiser or storage designer near you on Houzz who can guide you through the process
Can’t bring yourself to declutter your photos alone? Find a professional organiser or storage designer near you on Houzz who can guide you through the process
People spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars trying to streamline their photo collections to enjoy them now and preserve them for future generations. If you want to go down that track, there are some great online companies that will handle the whole process and make everything digital for you.
If, however, your vision is to simply organise what you already have, here are my best tips to achieve that goal.
Before you start decluttering, set a plan for how you’d like to keep your photos, albums, digital files, photo boxes, frames and photography paraphernalia. Where do you want to store everything? How can you organise your collection so you can easily find what you want when you want it?
Before you start decluttering, set a plan for how you’d like to keep your photos, albums, digital files, photo boxes, frames and photography paraphernalia. Where do you want to store everything? How can you organise your collection so you can easily find what you want when you want it?
First, corral all your photos in one place. Bring everything: printed photos, photos in frames, negatives and, if you have digital files, bring your laptop or hard drive too. It can be very tempting to plan to scan all your photos, but before you start out on this mammoth journey, it’s important to declutter first.
How to Design a Family Photo Wall
How to Design a Family Photo Wall
If you have scenic photos with nobody in them, consider throwing them out or deleting them if they don’t hold sentimental value. Scenic photos are not the kind of photos you’d pass down to your children, so ask yourself if they’re worth keeping.
Tip: When I did this, I was surprised how many group photos I found where I couldn’t name a single person or remember what the occasion was. I decided if I couldn’t remember the people in the photo, it could go in the bin.
Tip: When I did this, I was surprised how many group photos I found where I couldn’t name a single person or remember what the occasion was. I decided if I couldn’t remember the people in the photo, it could go in the bin.
It’s inevitable that while you’re going through your image collection you’ll discover photos of old flames and partners you’ve had over the years. You may choose to throw them all out/delete them, but at the minimum I would suggest keeping ones of only the most significant moments.
Do you remember back in the ‘old days’ when you’d get a roll of film developed, only to discover a dozen unflattering photos? Give yourself permission to throw out/delete unflattering images if you have other nicer photos from the same event or era.
10 Ways to Get More Out of Your Printed Photos
10 Ways to Get More Out of Your Printed Photos
One thing that made me laugh when I did my photo declutter was how many doubles I had printed over the years, obviously with the intention of giving them to people, yet both copies were still in my possession – so every double photo went in the bin. This act alone reduced my photo collection significantly.
If you use a digital camera or a smartphone for your photographs, you might have taken ‘bursts’ – a function that lets you take lots of photos at once, nanoseconds apart. Go though these, delete all the extraneous ones, and keep only the best ones.
If you use a digital camera or a smartphone for your photographs, you might have taken ‘bursts’ – a function that lets you take lots of photos at once, nanoseconds apart. Go though these, delete all the extraneous ones, and keep only the best ones.
If you keep physical printed photos, it’s nice to have a way to remember the date or occasion. You could write an approximate date and people in the photo on the back or, if you have lots from the same period, keep the photos in a snap-lock bag, envelope or box and label them collectively.
If you have the will you can also organise photos into albums on your smartphone. Each album you can label with a place and time or year.
If you have the will you can also organise photos into albums on your smartphone. Each album you can label with a place and time or year.
Once you’re down to the printed photos you love and want to keep, store them in one location so you can access them when you want to. Photo-storage boxes can look lovely and will keep your photos in good condition.
A Dozen Novel Ways To Display Your Favourite Photos
A Dozen Novel Ways To Display Your Favourite Photos
Consider if there are some photos that you’d love to frame and hang, either on their own or in a creative display as shown here. Hallways and bedrooms are lovely places to display your family history and memories, though beautifully framed photos are a delight to see anywhere.
Your turn
Have you decluttered your photos before? Tell us your experience and decluttering tips in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Keen to kick-start your artistic side at home? Read how here with 4 Tips for Designing a Home That Sparks Creativity
Your turn
Have you decluttered your photos before? Tell us your experience and decluttering tips in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Keen to kick-start your artistic side at home? Read how here with 4 Tips for Designing a Home That Sparks Creativity
Each of these photography methods has its own way of printing and storing images which, traditionally, have been independent of each other.