HOW to DECLUTTER printed PHOTOS

In this video I share how to declutter printed photos. Thank you to Endel for sponsoring the video! The first 100 people to download Endel at app.adjust.com/b8wxub6?campai... will get a free week of audio experiences!
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[@BenitaLarsson]

The first 100 people to download Endel at app.adjust.com/b8wxub6?campaign=benitalarsson_may&adgroup=youtube will get a free week of audio experiences!

[@mayfair10]

Outstanding!! Thank you, Benita. We just moved my 97 year old mother and, in downsizing, a large cedar chest with family photos has come home with me. Your guidance has given a thoughtful, simple way to begin sorting through them. Can't thank you enough!!

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so happy if this is helpful to you!

[@sabinegoetz1448]

Wonderful and so very helpful. I went thru this process many years ago after my parents passed. It was interesting for me to process the different emotions that arose. As I have no one to leave photos to when I eventually pass, the process of what to keep was a bit different than those who have children and siblings. I sent some photos to extended family who I thought may enjoy seeing them. I kept very few for myself. There was some sadness realizing the photo life of my parents wouldn't continue on. My own photos from my youth were much easier to declutter. I gained much insight into myself, and I am comfortable with my decisions. Beautifully filmed Benita.

[@womaninreallife]

I find the idea of decluttering photos very intimidating, particularly because we just lost my dad last summer. But your wonderful video has made me feel I could accomplish this in the near future. ❤️

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Hopefully the video helps.❤️

[@ijaen]

"Random pigs" OMG! LOL! When my mom passed away back in 2014 I took on this task and oh Benita, I'm still doing it. Every time I open an envelope or review the "final" album I see mistakes made during my sorting and classifying....but with music and your partner, if any, the stories and memories are amazing.

[@BenitaLarsson]

So many random pigs!

[@voiceojane]

Wow, you nailed humans and cameras 😂 We’ve started this process but it’s gonna take a while. Great criteria for decluttering!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Hope the video helps!

[@carolfitzpatrick1139]

Oh Benita, what a heroic thing you have done for your Mother! I am the custodian of the photos of our family and boy, do they weigh upon my mind😳 They have been lurking on a high shelf for a long time and you have now given me the courage to get that box down and make a start. Feeling lighter already!

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so happy if this was helpful!

[@jayalexander6798]

I find sorting through photos so overwhelming that I can't even think of starting. This made it seem a little more atteinable. You are incredibly patient, disciplined and organized.

[@frithbarbat]

Benita I did it! Yesterday I decluttered my fabric stash and design-school notes. Today I did 35 years of photos and negatives! It feels fantastic, and you know what, those photos were so easy to go through once I got started.

[@tinekejoldersma]

I did this 15 years ago, roughly. My kids' dad died, it was so emotional. A couple of years ago I made different piles for all of us. Your idea gives me a lead on how to declutter and divide it more. Thanks, dear.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much for sharing!

[@anaalves3658]

I loved how you sorted and organized. I need to do that with my old photos. Now how do you declutter and organise digital photos, can we have a video on that as well please 🙏🙏🙏.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@Christine-ib5hf]

I would love to see a digital photo decluttering and organise video as well, thanks Benita for your great content and channel x

[@BenitaLarsson]

@@Christine-ib5hf You can actually use the same technique on digital photos. Just think of your computer desktop as your physical one and files on your computer as the box lid trays and later cardboard box!

[@brifren2]

@@BenitaLarsson Yes but what do we do when we also have copies of files with thousands of digital photos in our computer but also saved on external hard disks for fear of losing them? I find it managable to declutter and find duplicates on my computer but what about all the photos/files that were saved outside the computer? How can we compare the files in the hard disks and on the computer without risking to lose photos? I'm generally organized but this is so overwhelming and something that makes me very anxious because I'm thinking of my children and grandchildren and do not want to leave them a big mess...

[@JacyOnTheFly]

Where was this video when I needed it during the pandemic when I sorted through about 3,000 photos, that ranged from my parents' youth to my 48-year-old current situation?😄 It took forever to categorize and sort, but that was one of my big quarantine accomplishments.

[@DaniqueBrew]

Love this video! I never know where to begin so Thank you for the tips! Im feeling inspired, maybe next weekend I’ll have a look at my boxes full of old photos, and make a start!

[@BenitaLarsson]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it and hopefully it will make it easier for you!

[@karinmeyer8681]

Same!

[@prairierose1115]

Thank you for making me feel better about tossing all my negatives!

[@BenitaLarsson]

There are so many ways you can get photos reproduced rather than to have dig around for the negative!

[@Kim-jy8cz]

Yes, the negatives were also hard to decide how to deal with! Thank you!

[@jacoblawrence6580]

Great video! Thank you for doing this. I am in the process of doing this with mine and my parents photos. I am 27 and still live with my parents. I have kind of put our pictures on hold for a while since we are going through my grandparents belongings. My grandparents were born in the 1920's and lived during the great depression so they saved everything!!! There are pictures of not only my grandparents and my Dad and his siblings, but of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, Great grandparents, great great grandparents and so on. I also discovered a while back a box of negatives. I originally wouldn't want to keep negatives but I happened to keep some of the older ones from the 30's, 40's and 50's. I actually took pictures of a few and uploaded them to a site that transfers them to positive images. There were a lot of negatives that I had never seen printed copies of. My grandfather loved to take pictures and would even take pictures of friends and neighbors. Thank you again so much for this video!

[@Kim-jy8cz]

I started this very project before the pandemic. I stopped because I got overwhelmed. That may have been because I started digitally scanning all of my photos. I thought I should do this because we live in a hurricane prone area of the US, and it’s not possible to evacuate and worry about bringing any photos. AI thought having them digital would be good in the event the hard copies were destroyed. I wish I had thought of using stacking trays, that would have taken up less space in between working sessions. I abandoned the project, and no I didn’t take it back up during lockdown. I just ended a contract job so I have some free time again-maybe I will start again using your very helpful advice. I looked up articles on the subject and never found any thing as straightforward and helpful as this. Thank you once again! Loyal follower since your blogging days!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Digitizing is a massive job so doing a big declutter first Is definitely the way to go! 💪🏻

[@RobEbbutt]

Such a useful video, Benita! Brought back memories of decluttering my own photos a few years ago, 23 albums down to now 3! I digitised most of them and they are stored on a couple of external hard drives.

[@patriciad.7309]

Hi Benita, this was great! I'm sure your mum is very glad that you took on this job - I know myself how hard it is to let go of old photos.

[@amma7244]

What a great video Benita! When we downsized my grandmother and mother i digitized and sorted by branch of family and subject and gave a backup copy to each of the extended family to share. They loved it. My error I think ( maybe not error but my stage of life) is I want to go back to digital files and cull because they are too big to be enjoyable for us. I created a book of a few subject areas for gifts and let go of all the paper copies to kids and family. My mom still has the albums that we can hold up for her to see and rest of us have a lighter closet and nothing to sort when she dies, sisters can share them. I think some kind of folder of best of best and let files go so we actually enjoy them now that they are preserved and shared already. ❤️🇨🇦

[@nancyesposito1020]

Thank you so much for this video! I've got boxes full of loose photos and it seems overwhelming to go through! You really gave me the inspiration and I plan to get this done!

[@lilyan98]

Did anyone else notice young Benita😍😍😍

[@BenitaLarsson]

Haha, those school photos!😅

[@erinl7930]

I went through two large bins of photos and kids school work a few months ago. I kept one of each year school photo and threw away the rest of the packets, discarded duplicates and blurry and also offered pictures to my children that might be special to them. I discovered that I am the most sentimental about photos and my family wanted very few. I am now down to two photo boxes of printed photos and a few pieces of artwork/letters from my childrens younger years. It wasn’t an easy project but I am glad to be done. Your method looks great…wish I saw this before I tackled the project but it will be very helpful to others!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Great job on that declutter!✨

[@bedhead1981]

I'm still watching, but this video makes me really sentimental and I want to go print all my photos now ❤️

[@BenitaLarsson]

Only the best, though!😉

[@iriswelch3553]

I did this last year! I threw out two full bags of duplicates, bad shots, negatives, etc. I arranged them chronologically and some went into albums. I try to go through my phone once a year, print a few shots, and then delete everything. It feels so much lighter, and years from now my kids can enjoy the albums which are labeled so they will know what they are looking at! Great job!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Great job you too!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@musikfreak1992]

Do I have any printed photos? No! Do I love whatching your video ? Yes!

[@amandamartelli8811]

Such a timely video Benita - I’m just doing this at my parents house and with my own photos.

[@peachpathfinder]

My mother moved overseas, and to prepare her for the big declutter, I had her watch some of your videos along with some on Dostadning. She pared down to one medium-large suitcase of clothing and just five banker boxes of personal effects, three of which are being stored with me in the States. I became the keeper of all the family photos, and I must've thrown out one large black rubbish bag full initially, and now I am doing the secondary cull. This is by far the most helpful video available, and I just appreciate you so much! Thank you, Benita! ♥️🙏🏼🌻

[@BenitaLarsson]

Oh wow! What at great accomplishment! I’m so happy if my videos have been helpful. Thank you so much for the love!💕

[@ruthpaino6171]

Awesome information, motivation and explanation of what in reality is involved. I do feel motivated now to start going through my collection

[@sanwalbud]

Excellent organization and ideas for a project I find overwhelming. Thank you Benita.

[@jjgille1]

This video was so artistically done and full of helpful information. It was also a real treat to have you share the pictures with us. Thank you!

[@angelatuson972]

This was so helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

[@dellnichols4625]

I also did this recently with many, many boxes and albums of photos. What a chore! I was able to get rid of 90% of the photos (I had to laugh at your “backs of people you don’t know”). I did not get as far as categorizing, so will definitely utilize your idea of a box with dividers!

[@crbravenna]

Super helpful! Points me in the right direction on how to get started on sorting photos.

[@carolinesmith5730]

This is absolutely the video I needed! What a great gift you gave your mom.... the time and decisions are endless! I appreciate all of your ideas, and the box lids are brilliant.I am so overwhelmed by pictures that I am not sure how or where to start. SO thank you so very much for these ideas.

[@susan5661]

This is an incredibly helpful video. I’ve only done a little photo organizing, so now feel the courage to dive back in. Thanks Benita!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you found it useful!

[@ilovegermany99]

This is brilliant! Thank you for the inspiration. Also…the last shots with your patio in the background look so calm and lovely.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much!🌿

[@OleksandraDietrich]

Awesome video, definitely original content with a very important topic for many people

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@torybishop2033]

So my mom has a very large, very close-knit family who are all camera happy individuals. She was basically the family historian and passed away back in 2020. As the oldest child of the oldest sibling in her family, I have inherited all the family photos. They take up an entire bookshelf in my teeny tiny apartment, displacing some of my items. She had them divided up into these photo boxes already and by year. The problem I face is that she had 27 of these boxes with photos from the 1910s to the late 2010s (not including the 4 massive photo albums). So I am thinking the best solution is to scan the majority and give boxes to other family members, but it is a DAUNTING task lol.

[@sanidasuwachirad3329]

5:30 I saw a postcard from Thailand and my heart skipped a beat. I recognized Thai alphabet 😊 รัก ค่ะ❤

[@kellymartin5475]

Useful and inspiring. Thank you!

[@Robug44]

Hi Benita, very helpful thank you. I have many boxes, lots of duplicates. I have culled some and used a few of the methods shown, but seeing you work through the process was super inspiring. 🌺

[@tuttsclumpcottage7911]

Thank you Benita! With thousands of photos to sort through you have given me a starting point. I had already started to only take pictures with people several years ago when I realized that noone will want the "pretty flower, landscape, or street scene" when I am gone. Some photos are used for reference in my paintings usually for the colour remembrance but once used I declutter.

[@cire8614]

I needed this step by step soo badly. Thanks so much Benita!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@janetstevenson8521]

Geat video and sorting ideas. I feel like I have working on my photos for years and it is time to give it another go. Thank you Benita.

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m happy if you found some inspiration to pick it up again!

[@EstherCarbajo]

This video helped me today, Oct 2023. Thanks!

[@sherri.]

I appreciate this video so much, thank you for sharing the process. It was fascinating to watch!

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@krisstahler6665]

This is the most helpful video I have found on this subject! Thank you!

[@TK09876]

Thank you Benita! It so much helpful, without any drama and tragedy made hard task.

[@linseymain254]

Benita, thank you for this video, I've been thinking about getting all my photographs in order and you've given me a great idea 💡 😀

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you got some ideas!

[@cyclingonplants7444]

These were great tips! I have a few boxes of old photos that I haven't done anything with because I was overwhelmed with how to even start but your box lid sorting method makes it super easy. Thank you so much Benita 🥰

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@deanacincotta2236]

This was so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!

[@hettytravels]

I’ve done all this too and your video brought back memories, good and bad but glad I took the time to do the culling.

[@alexisquinn2784]

Detailed, concise and specific. Brilliant video, and in my view, your best yet. Your guidance has helped me, and l believe it will help people everywhere because it demonstrates this is a project that can be completed in a timely way with your example.

[@ToolsfortheJobofLear]

Really like your idea of using box lids for sorting categories. It took me three years to sort my mom's photos, since I had so many questions about the people, year and locations. Those photos made many trips back and forth between my house in Virginia and my parents' house near Chicago! Years later I digitized and edited many family photos and old 35mm slides. The colors in old slides are outstanding. Many of these digitized photos made personalized gift photo albums for Older relatives.

[@leesbees9412]

Lovely, well done video. I'm almost done my first pass thru my photos. Ur way is great + answers some of my questions + gives me a plan for phase 2! Thanks. Shalom

[@cathyellis248]

Thank you for this very good information! I have a box of photos that need sorting. Now I will get to them ASAP! Love all your videos. Looking forward to your next one! Thank you!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Happy if it was useful to you!

[@CarmenRamirez-fu8yk]

Gracias Benita, es una excelente forma de organizar las fotografías 🥰

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@Luma994]

This video was very helpful. I have so many old photos and I procrestinate sorting through them. You have many helpful tips. Thank you ❤️

[@BenitaLarsson]

Happy if it’s helpful!

[@abil5837]

Thank you for the video. Never tought of decluttering pictures can be so important. Need to start looking for duplicates & picture of people i dont know

[@lily-im3bv]

Thank you so much for this extremely helpful and well produced video. Not only was it full of useful advice, but it was also very calming.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jackiewhitty4225]

This is by far the best video I have seen on decluttering printed photos. Thank you so much!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Wow, thank you!

[@librarylady6mena368]

Brilliant, what a well composed and useful video. Bravo, Benita! Your cinematography keeps getting better and better and the subject matter was so creatively and clearly explained. A classic. Thank you.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much!😊

[@tinalemna7998]

You did a great job decluttering the photos. I’ve culled mine twice but now thinking about taking them out of the photo albums and putting them in all one acid free box. Thank you Benita for the inspiration 🥰

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you found some inspiration!

[@penny3767]

A worthy and tricky decluttering topic. Thank you for your tips and tricks, and the Endel app.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marianacao215]

Thank you very much for this video, I was looking for this and your video helped me a lot. Greetings from Argentina. PS I love your videos!

[@buffybowman1192]

That was perfect! Sooo motivating!

[@amykelly3242]

Wonderful tips and ideas on how to declutter a very sentimental subject! Your mom must have loved it when you brought the new box to her - perfect!

[@BenitaLarsson]

She’s getting it when I go see her next time!

[@lisabourque1321]

This was so helpful and inspiring, thank you from Canada 🇨🇦❤️

[@ILE6367]

Thank you for this video! I need to do this with all my photos plus those at my Mom’s house. Inspiration to get started😊

[@mimi1578tube]

Thank you so much for this video! It’s the best one I’ve found on the process of sorting photos and decluttering them. I appreciate hearing your thought process!

[@katig.4094]

Benita, you did an amazing job. I need to do that with my photos. I’m been procrastinating because it’s not an easy job to do. Well done! From Canada 🇨🇦

[@BenitaLarsson]

It is a big job but the end result is very satisfying.

[@francesbonatsos3329]

This is so helpful!! I had my children go through all the photo albums I had created and let them choose what they wanted. I still have several bags of pictures in envelopes that I never got around to putting in albums and old photos I took when my mother passed away 11 years ago. I’m going to use your sorting method and pair everything down to one memory box to keep for myself. Thanks for sharing this🙂

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful!

[@spacerecordingsound]

Outstanding -- and very timely. Thanks so much.❤️

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@melissaalp5972]

Love this !! Great tips on sorting through photos !!

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so happy you think so!

[@Ripplesinthewaters]

I love this idea Benita!! Thank you! I have many pictures from my grandmother’s family in Italy. Those have been sorted and stored. However, the photos of my kids from the past 20 years fill several large bins in my garage. I’ve been thinking of starting on photos. Thank you for this idea!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Happy if you got some useful ideas!

[@lyndathomas8469]

Benita! I was procrastinating starting my photo organization project today by grabbing a cup of tea and checking out your latest video. Lo and behold, you provided the answers to getting this big project done. The box lids for sorting was brilliant! I'm ready to tackle these photos now. Thanks.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!

[@gillianbuckfield5128]

This is soooooo helpfull I have not sorted my photos for 20 years and your thoughts and tips have given me a vision on how to take it thank you so much❤

[@alexenright1743]

I've inherited so many photos over the last couple years, this really helps!

[@athanasiapipiki8182]

Amazing idea for a video like this📷📸 All the tips and organisation are so helpful!! Thank you Benita for sharing🌷I really loved your dogs🐶🐶they reminded me of the ones of my grandparents💗💗 and for all the inspiration🌷🌷Happy summer to all🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧🫧

[@BenitaLarsson]

So happy you enjoyed it. Our doggies were the best!

[@minervacuervo4662]

I just did a photo declutter a week ago. My Mom got emotional and we argued because I wanted to get rid of some photos. Then she actually had fun looking at them with me and we separated some for my aunt that lives abroad. We will digitalise it for her. I used nearly the same criteria you used here. Good job!

[@BenitaLarsson]

Decluttering can be difficult but I’m glad you found a way to go about it that made you both happy! And your aunt!

[@mtz123ish]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[@Metanoia-Mulher]

Very necessary video! Thank you, Benita! Love from Brazil 🥰😘♥️🫶🏻

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kathrynp7595]

This was so helpful, I have a big cupboard of photos I didn’t know what to do with 👍🏼

[@BenitaLarsson]

So happy if this was helpful to you!

[@faithdijkema6785]

Thank you! very much needed.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Happy if it’s helpful to you!

[@emummy2]

I will be tackling my family photo's (both sides of the family) this winter. Watching this video has helped me set guidelines -before I pull out the photos so I don't get sucked down the sentimental path quite so quickly. Thank you.

[@wendyk5042]

Perfect timing for me, thanks Benita 🤗

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so happy to hear that!

[@chrismacklen6124]

Thank you for this Benita - I had made a start some time ago by removing all the blurry shots, random flowers, scenery etc and now I know how to organise the remaining ones a lot better. I like your suggestion of acid free paper dividers. Very clever.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you got some ideas!

[@linedallaire9631]

Always hit thumbs up before watching, cause I know it will be great 👍.....love from Canada 🇨🇦 ❤.

[@BenitaLarsson]

That’s so sweet, thank you!

[@giselacomino7335]

Muchas gracias por su tiempo y su trabajo.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much!

[@juanitaacosta8430]

So useful Benita, thank you so much!!

[@BenitaLarsson]

So happy you enjoyed it!

[@traceymp1405]

Hello Benita! 😃 Incredibly organized ~ I love the step by step breakdown (this was so relaxing to watch)❤ We have an incredible amount of photo albums (my mom was so organized like that) - they are very heavy to move - I have many bins full of albums (memories). This is giving me some ideas on how I can possibly combine some of those albums - I know that everything can all be done digitally but I love pulling out the albums, turning the pages, and my mom also wrote underneath each photo (names, dates, and places) - I really don't know how she had all the time to do that, my mom was always so busy! 💓💗💓 Thank you again for sharing - I am going to pull out my kids baby👶 albums and reminisce tonight! 🌼🌷🌼

[@BenitaLarsson]

I made quite a few albums for Wille and they’re SO heavy!😅

[@annacoffee]

Excellent thank you x

[@MaggieLoveMTC]

Great tips in this video...thank you! Love your channel.

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thank you so much!

[@jane584]

My mom and I did this recently when she moved from a house to an apartment--hard to start (mostly for her) but incredibly freeing in the end. We used the same decision-making process you suggest and it work wonderfully. The more we did, the more my mom felt ready to part with. On another topic, might you do an exacto knife tutorial sometime? How you selected your tools (exacto blade and holder, cutting mat, straight edge, triangle if you also have one of those). I've never learned that skill but I'd love to have it, likely applying it in ways similar to yours. Thanks for all the great content, Benita. You're an inspiration, and have been for a long time now.

[@phoenixjones660]

Thanks Benita for a wonderful and well-timed video. I have such a box of photos which glare accusingly at me.... I'm going in right now.... wish me luck! The ideas of categories and box lids was super helpful 😊💛

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad it was helpful and best of luck!

[@mariamacdonald1007]

Super helpful! I have a lot of work ahead of me, but this will help me get started. No to get my family’s blessing on the project. I am not too sentimental or attached, but trying to clean out or house.

[@wendymalatios8907]

Thanks Benita for making this video… I have started sorting 47 years of photos many times and have culled some but I see now that your way of initial cull then refining later is probably a better way for me to go. Otherwise I spend too much time pondering whether to keep each photo or not. Im inspired to start today especially since we have no electricity today due to an upgrade it’s the perfect time to start🌷

[@BenitaLarsson]

I’m so happy if you found some inspiration!

[@lilygpcx]

Love this, you are amazing 😍 Would love to see how you keep digital files organised, great tips in this video 👍

[@BenitaLarsson]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@mistyblue6061]

Agree! I’m trying to do this at the moment and changes in technology over the years has made it a very long job ...

[@mmulligan7360]

Very well made video Interesting to watch

[@uexcited]

Such an interesting video, loved the idea of sorting by theme. Amazing 😀❤️

[@BenitaLarsson]

Glad you enjoyed it!