Are you ready to pull out those shoe boxes filled with photos and finally organize them?
If so you follow these steps!
Step 1 Decide what you want. You’d be surprised how many people spend hours sticking photos into albums only to realize they don’t like clunky books and would have preferred a photo box. Or maybe you’ll be sorting family photos into containers – one for each child- so plan this before you get started.
Personally I’m a photo box kinda gal. I do make single, smaller albums for specific events. But honestly to scrapbook every photo would be a full-time job!
A great photo systems for traditional prints is to choose decorative photo boxes, label them by category or chronologically. If you use a cropper hopper box (see below) you’ll have flexibility to move photos around.
Step 2 To catch up on the backlog of photos grab a handful at a time, maybe while watching a movie or chatting on the phone. Sort the handful into the pre-labeled boxes and then do another handful the next day.
Sorting photos can be a family or social task. Gather friends and family, everyone brings photos and a box. Then sort photos and share stories, after all that’s why we take the photos in the first place 
TIP: As you sort the photos keep envelopes handy, you’re bound to come across duplicates which you can place directly in the envelope and mail out to family and friends. Even if you do now know their address off the top of your head, write their name and fill in the rest later.
Photos that are a no brainer to toss include blurry photos, ones where people’s heads are cut off, ones where you do not recognize the people or mistakes (like a photo of the floor or ceiling.)
Start using your new system today for the new photos. Work on the backlog in small amounts. If you wait until you sort the backlog to do today’s photos you will never catch up!
This is what I personally use to get my photos in order:
