Tackling those family photos - organize and purge

[@tommokry4785]

I laughed sooooo many times!!! So many memories!!!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

🌺🌿 Oh, and those memories of pesky little cousins.... THOSE are the best ones to remember. ;)

[@sherdennis1698]

Thank you for opening my eyes that I do not need to keep photos that I don't like or have bad baggage to them. Let it go!!!! Hugs!! ❤👍♥️🥰

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

YAY!!! So happy to help!

[@vegascece]

I too have a ton of boxes of photos of folks I don't know that belonged to the dearly departed. Thanks for the "permission" to purge and let go. Your slumber party invitation....Gardena, CA...yeah! My high school (C74')!!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

What?! I went to Gardena too!!!! Graduated from a different school though. Go Mohicans!!! (Now Panthers.... it was changed after the class of 1998)

[@maryk.4941]

Never say Never!! I have eaten my words on the subject! :)

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

LOL If I am meant for a number three.... he better have a really nice RV! LOL

[@rpkent8884]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer LOL!!!

[@Jewels.by.dija.lifestyle]

Dear because of the innerpeace you show when you talk you always look great. Just remeber that. When i listen to the way you talk ot puts my mind at ease 💖💖💖

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

😊 thank you

[@EnticingNimue]

I would love the old photos you don't want anymore. I use them in Junk Journals and tags to trade and other things. Thanks so much for helping me organizing my personal photos.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Email me your address!!!! I have a few more I just found. [e-mail]

[@theresayap5449]

Thank you, thank you! I too inherited a lot of photos a year ago when my mother passed. She too had substance abuse issues. I have a cousin left who I am just now getting reacquainted with, along with his daughter. Anyway, I have to go through photos and it has become a haunting task. You have motivated me to tackle this troublesome pile of photos. I look forward to completing the job and feeling the weight lifted. Bless you for your help

[@deeaguilar2183]

I bought a digital Passport, in it I keep all my photos, videos, patterns, things I've made & sold etc. I keep the pass port in a fire safe case, just in case. Norrine like you I have no relatives but a cousin, and my children. The photos I do have are kept in 3 beautiful boxes I bought at Dollar General. Each photo has acid free papers in between. One box for each of my kids.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That's wonderful. They will so appreciate the organized photos later in life. 💜🌺🌿

[@vivianrose8304]

Thank you!!! I needed some guidance ❤

[@kathysoder5868]

You have done it once again...so many great ideas. Thank you so much ♥️

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are so welcome!

[@nettieletkeman5978]

Some very cool photos you have. I make junk journals with all sorts of pictures. I find making journals so fun and calming. Hope you have an awesome day 😁🇨🇦

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Thank you! You too!

[@bonnieallen2658]

I just completed the same project. I scanned over 590 photos and then put family pics on memory sticks and mailed them to my brothers. It was a great purge!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

GREAT WORK! How does it feel to be done?!

[@bonnieallen2658]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer Wonderful! Prepping to retire and move means I have to keep going, room by room, closet by closet. Need to reduce by 50 %.

[@rpkent8884]

I too am downsizing so I can retire in the country. Selling lots on Ebay and donating tons of stuff. every little bit helps!

[@colleenlucier3132]

Love, Love, Love!! Thank you for giving people permission to finally tackle this job without the guilt usually associated with it! And reminding us that we are keeping these to hand down; set it up in a way that our kids can enjoy, not be burdened with!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are so welcome!

[@deborahcarr4058]

Wonderful info! I inherited 2 boxes from my parents and grandparents! They have been sitting in my closet FOR YEARS! All my older generation are gone. I have a few cousins, but have sadly lost a few of those older than me.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

We are in similar situations with limited family. Keep and enjoy those that mean something to you. ❤

[@TheInongs]

This is one task that I really need to tackle

[@christined6013]

My mom passed away this March and I have systematically been going through generations of photographs and memorabilia. I started with 3 huge bins (the kind you might store large blankets in) and have whittled it down to 2 milk crates of file folders. My plan is to make 3 scrapbooks (for my sisters and I), as well as getting the rest to other family members. I loved the idea of a deadline-thank you Norinne! By the way you have a lyrical laugh! 😀❤️

[@patriciakumar115]

Excellent advice! Now, all I have to do is get up the courage to begin to tackle this arduous task. I appreciate your expertise. Thank you.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

One 15-min handful at a time!!!!! You've got this!

[@patriciakumar115]

Thank you for your encouragement.

[@bonniehoogeveen5235]

Having been a Creative Memories consultant for over twenty-five years, I appreciate that you addressed this topic. Keep in mind that the local historical society LOVES any information on their county's residents. This could include school pictures, "class of", programs, certificates, and so much more. Anything history related is so appreciated.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Great info, Bonnie!!!! Thank you!!!

[@deeaguilar2183]

Thank you for this great information, I have many photos of the area where I live.

[@lavondabland3179]

I don't know if you've found a place for those vintage photos but I would be so grateful I am trying to start a crafting / scrapbooking biz and I need some photos other than my own to make examples of the types of product I want to offer. Would be love to send you prepaid packing or whatever works best. I love your videos I always learn something new. Thanks for what you do.

[@LilianGuerrero]

I'm guilty of holding on to ALL the pictures; blurry, chopped, eyes closed, duplicates, etc. I am going to apply your method and decrease my pile. I do scrapbook but I have too many unflattering extras taking up space. TYFS! :) BTW, I love your curly hair. The bigger the better. :D

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Yes! Lillian, let those bad ones go and scrap the good pictures!!!! I agree... bigger is better. ;)

[@julieh2737]

This was SO helpful in so many ways! How to organize and let go of "physical" memories was so eye-opening to me!!!

[@rpkent8884]

I've heard somewhere that if its hard to purge physical things, not just memorabilia that you should take a photo of it first. then you still have that. but store it digitally!

[@debrajoyce4083]

I have been the keeper of the family generational photos and it is a big worry to get these processed and distributed. Thanks for the helpful tips and thoughts of how to let go and prioritize. Real hard subject for most of us to deal with.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You're very welcome

[@francescha66]

I've inherited all the family photos too. We moved states so a lot of family pictures are gone. There is only one baby picture of me that I have found. My parents passed away & so did my husbands parents. My in-laws were amateur photographers. So there are photo albums and pictures from my closet floor up to the ceiling. I'm very overwhelmed.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Go slow.... 15 min at a time. Consider me your personal cheerleader and giver of suggestions! 💜

[@francescha66]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer See I told you we had similiar things going on. LOL!!!

[@carolentringer8836]

Setting a date on a calendar is a great idea. I like to set a time limit also, so that I give myself permission work in small chunks, whether it's 20 minutes or longer. I like the organization of the labeled file folders. About ten years ago, I scanned all my photos and saved them on a hard drive. I kept the originals, thankfully, because my hard drive crashed. Lesson learned: save these digital files in more than one location.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Great tip!

[@naomiakulu-haulangi3502]

love this video Norrine. thank you you have great strategies for organising photos

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

So glad! Always nice to see you, Naomi 💙

[@maritzasantana2217]

As always, love your ideas 😍Have a safe and good week 😊

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Same to you xoxoxox

[@lalagamma4452]

Great job. Vintage pictures, old yearbooks, old papers, receipts paperwork are great ephemera to use in Journals. Dad's family went from Spain to Cuba then florida to New York. I use old ones we aren't sure who they are in my Art! 🤗🐞🥰

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Get out!!!!! My family took that route too.... Are we related!!! LOL

[@lalagamma4452]

Abad and Velasco are the family names.my cousins have a lot of the family history and I'm going to talk to them to see what I can get from them because I can't afford any of the sites that you do that but I would love to learn more about my family.

[@autumnreyna3512]

I have no one. I have lost all my family. My parents pasted years ago, along with my grandparnets, on both sides. All pictures are very dear to me.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I understand 💜🌿

[@rpkent8884]

sorry for your losses

[@tresgib]

Thanks so much. This is really a lot of help. So true most of the things I've saved from travel would be junk for my kids. I have these things just stored in a box. I'm having trouble with space and it's robbing that spaced. Getting rid of those things would free up space and make me feel so much better not to worry about not having room for things I really need the space for.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Consider me your personal cheerleader and giver of suggestions! 💜

[@lourdescintron4882]

I can't tell you how timely! I have two closets full of all sorts of photographs! I know this is going to take a few months to go through but it's good to know that there is a systematic way to do it. Thanks Noreen, you came to my rescue!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That is awesome! Keep me posted!

[@StrawberryPhys]

Great tip! Thanks so much 😁💜 it's SO hard to get rid of these kinds of things. It's ingrained in our DNA lol... Especially what you said at the end, about keeping maps and things like that from places you've been. If it makes no sense, get rid of it. Put the items you love in a shadow box or something similar so you can actually see them and not hide them away. That's what I do (hide them away in a pretty box) and there's a comfort knowing they are there, it's weird...

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I agree... I went to Spain in the early 90's and got a hand crafted nail from a church roof that was being redone from the 1700's. It was so cool to me!!!! Yet, it's in a box... somewhere. I HAVE to pull it out and make it into something special to match my memory.

[@StrawberryPhys]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer Oh wow! That is so cool! Yes! Let's see it!! That's so awesome!

[@rpkent8884]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer that's the kind of thing I would have kept!

[@dawnlittle946]

I just reviewed the best treasure- a book with my great grandmother’s life story with photographs of her at different times in her life. I also received a similar book about my great grandfather. His included pictures of documents, such as his birth certificate. I know all of these are digitally uploaded and I have access to them- but digital are so out of site out of mind. These books are put together as a story and are going to be great for getting to know them. Plus don’t really take up a lot of space. Once you create the digital albums of your family you may want to consider printing them in a similar format (they’re just spiral bound with clear laminate covers) . Neater, more organized, and easier to share with your kids.

[@dawnlittle946]

Might be a great way to document your life for posterity as well- your Momentos ets that you don’t necessarily want to keep stored, but write the memories down now, while you have them. I currently have 2 family members (one 91 & 1 99) with dementia and it has been years since they could remember things to share. We don’t think our lives are any more special than the next person- but our children (when they get older 😂) and grandchildren....... will treasure having these stories to get to know who they came from

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

It's funny that you say that.... after going through them and doing the video - I thought of making a book for my dad. Thanks for the great reminder. xoxoxo

[@jankitteringham8483]

A great video Norrine, it’s what I’m doing now. I’ve boxes of photo’s to sort. Sad to de- clutter but it’s the only way for peace of mind. 💓🇬🇧🌷

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

It does give you peace of mind. xoxoxo

[@leannemitchem8865]

Thank you for this video. My dad past away 2 years ago and I was given a suitcase full of pictures. Half of them I do not even know. I love the separation idea and putting the photos on my phone and tossing the originals. Thank you for sharing Noreen!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Sorry to hear about your father - hope, when you go through the pictures, you feel wonderful memories from times with your Dad. 💜🌿

[@leannemitchem8865]

Thank you.

[@dianeboileau2026]

Years ago my brother sat down with my mom and dad and they went through all the photos they had and my brother took cardboard (thick sturdy pieces) and used the little corner things (not sure what they are called) and inserted all the photos. He then wrote on the cardboard who was in the photos. He then punched 3 holes on the side of the cardboard and put in rings. I have 4 albums like this. Your idea is great but I will probably not do this because I don't have any children. I have 2 step sons but they don't know any of my family members and they have their own family. As I get older I will see if any of my cousins children want any of my photos. Norrine you sound like you had a very interesting but challenging life growing up! You are very lucky to be who you are today......a very caring person! Thank you for being you and sharing all your wonderful knowledge with us!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That book is already perfect!!!! It is organized and has the story of your family right there. 💙 Yes, I have had a very full life. It's made me grateful for what I have and given me a greater understanding of other people.

[@annerohrbacker6097]

What an inspirational video, Norrine! I have SO MANY photos that will be wonderful to deal with before it's time for my kids to have to. Have a wonderful day!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Thank you, Anne!!! xoxox

[@laurenaupton1162]

Thank you! This was so helpful.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I'm so glad! Thanks, Laurena!

[@stylesformiles79]

I am down to two large boxes since our move. You have been such an inspiration!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I am so proud of you!!!!! That is amazing!!!!

[@kmoutsoulas]

Great video and ideas! Tfs 💖

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Thanks for watching!

[@Nesie1965]

I did this several years ago when my father in law passed away and we inherited quite a few photo albums. These were really old photos, and many you couldn't remove from the album pages without tearing them. I wound up scanning the whole album page, and then I would crop and save each picture individually. The ones that I could remove, I sorted them, after scanning, by the person in the photo. My husband has 3 brothers, so I bought 4 photo albums, and I made an album for each one...so they would have their childhood photos. Once done, I downloaded the scanned photos onto CD's and gave each one their album of their personal photos, and the cd of family photos for Christmas. I still have a lot of photos to go through as I want to do our photos now. It takes a lot of time, but so worth it when done.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

What a huge job - but what a wonderful way to keep those family memories alive. Well done!

[@julietannOsfan1972]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer Thank you.

[@rpkent8884]

bless you for your hard work!

[@ellenlemen2271]

I really appreciate you doing this video. I too have bags and boxes of pictures and mementoes taking up space. Now I have some ideas of how to tackle them!

[@libharriss996]

I have about 6 banker boxes of pictures...my pics, my parents pics, hubby’s family pics...at it is overwhelming...My New Years resolution is to tackle one major project at month and January was paper...getting rid of tax returns etc which included all my dads stuff...almost done with 111 lbs of paper already taken to a shredding place...but still a little more to go...Pictures will have its own month...February is closet, attic month...wish me luck! Thanks for your inspiration!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

WOW!!! I am so excited and impressed with you!!!!! Consider me your personal cheerleader and giver of suggestions, if you need them! 💜

[@rpkent8884]

great method!

[@patriciawalling9642]

Thanks for the advice and tips. I started to work on my photos just before COVID struck and ended up putting them in boxes in my shed. When the time comes to organize them I will remember what you said and try to find this video again. 😂 Thanks Norrine.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Glad I could help!

[@patriciawalling9642]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer I am going to download them on to thumb drives as well and give a copy to my daughter to keep in case.

[@marcyb123123]

That is spot on. What a fantastic organizing project. Yikes we all need this. Yes who are those people

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

LOL Right???

[@vernonakenney2785]

We were in Boy Scouts, Foster Parents,and in VFW pictures were my job. So taking your idea take a picture put on Facebook to see who wants them. I have 20 different boxes of pictures. Right now trying to get my granddaughters scrapbooks done. I do 120 pages for each girl,that helps to down size.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Wow!!! You are BUSY!!!! Those 20 boxes of pictures must be filled with a lot of love. good for you! xoxox

[@rondaross4509]

This was awesome 😎 to watch, I need to finish going through my many boxes of photos🤦‍♀️.i needed the motivation 👍!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You've got this!

[@rondaross4509]

😊thanks👍

[@Grijsduif]

I really recognize the feeling of thinking I looked bad and seeing the foto's afterworths and realizing it was 't that bad at all! As you say, sometimes we are to hard on ourselves. I tray to keep it in mind now, but ....

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I know... I still have those 'but....' moments too. I had someone tell me this once - and it really clicked: "You are the BEST "you" today - cherish it." Looking back at those photos, I realize how right she was.

[@Grijsduif]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer Thanks

[@kimmason8373]

I have a family genealogy page on fb and I put the pictures of people I don't know on there and asking if anyone knows who they are. If they don't, they away they go.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Smart!!!!

[@lindaroberts2282]

I really enjoyed this one! Your process really seems concise and manageable. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are so welcome!

[@melanier7598]

What a fabulous project, Norrine! I did this several years ago but did not save them digitally so that will be my next step.

[@jodylynn8945]

Fun videos! I’m scrapbooking my life I don’t do digital so the originals are fun to use such as diplomas etc.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Great use of those things!!!!

[@antiquesrestoration3874]

This video was right on time! You should have a scanner on your cell phone. Plus, there are scanner apps.

[@manonwolfe2258]

I used an app called PhotoScan. It’s from Google. It has a feature for you to position your phone over each of the 4 corners of the photo and then combines them to 1, getting rid of the glare.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I love that!!! Thank you for sharing!!!!!

[@conniewallace4247]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer I jumped on just to tell you the same! Takes away the glare, and makes the photos easily sharable!

[@janclark1894]

Thank you Norrine I will have get stuck in to my photos, ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@libharriss996]

I use this too...

[@chercharliescrafts736]

Boy I need this one!!

[@dzymslizzy3641]

I have more than that--I have a very large suitcase full of photos...99% are 5x7 black and whites. My father was a prolific hobby photographer with pro-level skill. He even developed and printed his own pictures. There are a ton of photos of me, and of family vacations. (I'm an only child...so...proud papa...LOL) I've already gone through and disposed to a fair number of my own pics, but there are a lot more to go. Plus, the family history project I was working on for my late husband, and which I want to finish, in his honor and memory. That said, I am loathe to dispose of (good/worth saving) hard copies, because computers can and do crash, and if digital copies are all you have, then you really have lost everything. :-( I don't have prom pictures. Not because they were lost, but because they never happened. I didn't go to any of them: I just wasn't interested. Had to laugh at your "big hair" photo. I have always had the exact oppposite problem: straight, fine hair that won't do what its asked to do. My solution has always been a short pixie cut that I don't have to mess with. And just the other day, with salons still closed, I bought myself a trimmer and gave myself a buzz cut! :-O :-D I'm at the age where I've decided if someone doesn't like the way I look, they are free to look the other way. Meanwhile, I don't have to fuss with my hair! LOL

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Oh, I bet those photos are amazing to look at!!!! I just LOVE black and white prints! I'd organize those into files and keep digital too. Isn't it funny that we always want different hair then what we have?!?!?! I dreamed of perfectly straight hair. And have tried to have it done many, MANY times. I'm finally at an age where I just let it do what it wants.... we are finally getting along now. LOL

[@dzymslizzy3641]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer I'll probably scrapbook a good portion of those photos...one of these days...LOL...

[@trevahillyard2307]

Thank you for this video. I have boxes of photos and truly didn’t know where to even start.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@almachapman5409]

I can't do it..that's ok. My family has hurt me terrible. Right now all my albums. Will stay in boxes in the attic. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I thought I was alone in my experience with a family member - I was young and didn't know I had a voice that would be heard. As an adult, I learned my cousins ALL had trauma from this person - and all of us kept quiet. I don't know what your hurt is.... but write a letter about some of it.... it will be cathartic to let some of the pain out. Seal it in an envelope and add it to those boxes in the attic for when you are ready. If you never get to them... that's ok. At least your story will be told. 🌺🌿

[@rpkent8884]

so sorry for your pain! writing about my 2 first marriages helped me purge the bad memories. then I cut out all their pictures in photos and wedding photos and burned the lot! Felt so much better after that!

[@tammystreasures8766]

Also, you might be surprised what your kids, grandkids, and great kids will be interested in. I would give anything to have a small momento and picture of my great grandmother that died in the 1918 flu pandemic. Or a picture of my great grandfather so I could put a face to the name. I cherish the little things I have from my dad, like his wrist watch and driver license.

[@michellesmixedmediamadness]

Thank you for this video. I have been thinking about the old photos. I will be doing some purging, sorting and making digital books.

[@NikkiSixxIsMyGod]

Oh you should keep a cutesy, dorky photo or two of yourself...it shows your personality. I have tons of photos I need to go through. I bought a few cardboard type photo storage boxes from Michael's crafts years ago that are filled...I tried organizing by dates and want to put in albums/scrapbooking pages. I plan to save them digitally as well. But definitely need to edit down on all the photos. I know I found some duplicate and triplicate in the past on a quick go through. Btw, marriage...ugh...done once and don't know I care to again either. 💖 I'll see ya in our crafty/clutter Facebook group. ~ Cas 💖

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

TRUST me - I have plenty of dorky pics! My girls and I take goofy photo shoots to make the weirdest look. LOL

[@dianepecora1201]

Great video Norrine!!!! Thank you.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are so welcome!

[@christinavallem5669]

Great tips! This is on my list.

[@traceyhayden8804]

I'm the last one to remember who's who in a ton of my pictures. I really doubt my kids will care anything about them. At least not beyond my parents and grandparents. All the aunts uncles cousins and people they've not had a relationship with will probably be discarded at some point. I need to do this. Badly. Thank you for being so organized. I long to be more like you.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I'm here to help you get there. 💜

[@rpkent8884]

when my Dad passed away, my sisters and Mom made a memory board for the funeral and reception out of a tri - fold foam board. She gave us boxes of photos and albums to go through and we filled up the board with all his adventures and hard work. I see now some people set up a video at funerals and birthdays, quincenerra's, etc with photos that scroll through each one. Also I made a shadow box years earlier for him with his medals and pins and such memorabilia, which he treasured.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Glad you were able to make such a lovely tribute 🌺💜

[@julietannOsfan1972]

Great tips. My Dad was the main photographer in my family when I was a child & I’m really blessed that he wrote the date on the back of most of the pix. With my pix I store them in acid free photo sleeves & A4 punched pockets in lever arch files/ring binders. I don’t like photo books very much, as they don’t protect the pages. Even tho I think digital pix are great, one of my biggest regrets is that I haven’t had many pictures printed for about 10 years. I do plan on getting some printed soon. A tip about printing pictures, it’s best to have them printed on a proper photo printer rather than an inkjet one. If you can water on inkjet pix they’ll be ruined.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

So true! I had photos that were printed on an inkjet printer - they do not match the quality of good photo paper!!!

[@brendaalbright8451]

Thank you so much for this video. Now I will finally keep putting off all my photos.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Wonderful! Keep me posted!!!!

[@elizabethvera5321]

Loved this video! I definitely need to do this.

[@olderendirt]

I watched just to take away some ideas, but as genealogist and historian unless the photos and mementos are not publicly shared, like on a genealogical website, once they're destroyed they're just gone. Some of the items might be of value to a school archive, church archive, local, or state if they pertain to those subjects. If they're historical or military photos, letters, or memorabilia one can contact the United States National Archives or country equivalent. I like to see my photos digitally so I can enlarge to see more detail, but I prefer to have them in physical books. When sharing them also think of the recipient because not everyone is technologically savvy. As a hobby photographer also, having the folders or dividers in photo boxes is very helpful. Your breakdown of family division is excellent and can work for other subjects, too. Thanks for sharing your story as well as your organization skills.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Great advise!!!!! Thank you for that!

[@dianamiller2448]

So funny that you decide to do this video because I started today sorting photos and just putting in photo pages for now. Decided to add embellishments and scenery etc.

[@robertadunn1572]

I went through photos a few years ago and I collected all the pictures of nieces and nephews that we had pictures of them that their parents gave us years ago, so I called them and asked them if they would want them and they said Yes and I sent them their pictures and they said half of them their own parents didn't have them any more and they really enjoyed them, so that made me feel good to get rid of them and that they were appreciated , Love all of your videos! hugs from Lancaster, Pa.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That's how I got mine - and I am so thankful they shared them with me!!!

[@rpkent8884]

people do lose photos and treasures with natural disasters like floods, fire, and hurricanes. My girlfriend lost her whole bottom floor in Hurricane Harvey and eventually her whole house along with so many special things.

[@beckiegriffin4768]

I am a family historian so I have lots of photos, I don't know some and can't find out who they are. I use them as era photo on pages talking about the times and area's around the stories. But I still have some to get rid of. Keep up the good work.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Thanks for sharing!

[@iamscrappinhappy444]

i love vintage pix! i make junk journals and love putting t hem and old paperwork and receipts, tickets, etc, in the journals. i am SO envious!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Want them?? I'm happy to send them to someone who will enjoy them!

[@iamscrappinhappy444]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer YES! i’ll happily pay postage!

[@sandrecunha5297]

I would love too have some too. For same purpose.

[@KBish]

Ok, first off let me just say “jealous” because I always wanted naturally curly hair (I guess we always want what we don’t have) yours is beautiful by the way! Second I totally need to do this. Thanks for the inspection!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are sweet.... I think I spent the first 3/4 of my life fighting my hair - it's much nicer to me now that I let it do what it wants. LOL Thanks for watching!!!

[@asddsa28]

i need to show my mom this

[@sharonh.harris1924]

As the family genealogist and digital scrapbooker, I've been working years on family photos. I was so blessed to have had elders who began taking photos very early on and I followed in their footsteps. I inherited a wicker chest full of old photos, boxes of slides. I didn't procrastinate but I did it in chunks. First thing I did, and it was the most valuable thing I did, was go through the chest while my Mom, aunts and uncles were still alive. They could tell me who was in every picture. So we sat around for a few hours pouring through the photos. I had my pencils, sticky notes and notebook. I took notes and stuck them on the back of the photos. I would never have been able to figure it out if it hadn't been for them and I at least got every photo identified. Then I began scanning them. I would do some and then do some work with them. For instance, using Adobe Photoshop Elements I could fix the ones that had faded, color eroded, etc. I then would put labels on them telling everything I knew about the photo in a text box right on the picture and save it as a separate file. That way I might have Christmas1963 and Christmas1963labelled. When you label them, please use the full name of the people in the photos not just Dick and Jane but Richard "Dick" Thomas Smith and Jane Elizabeth Smith Doe. Also try to put place names, addresses, GPS coordinates, and/or stories. I also would do digital scrapbook pages using them and journal around them if there was a story. My uncles had a bunch of them professionally digitalized and I've organized them in digital folders. My photos, on my hard drives, are very organized. I did the slides myself using an inexpensive slide scanner. Over the years, I've been through a good many of them. I've done dozens of books and have printed a lot of them through Shutterfly. These are books that are much easier to store than the photos and have all the journaling and stories. I include the photos, recipes, stories, newspaper articles, maps, family tree info, etc. I have told my family that when I die, they can try to divide them up for themselves or donate them to a museum or library for local history (it helps that my uncle was a state senator for about 40 yrs so there is some local history that would be of interest to others). I hate to see photos dumped, thrown away, discarded but if you don't know who is in the pictures, and you don't know the stories, they are worthless. This way I have preserved our family history and the stories and identifications with them, both digitally and in printed book form. It's not something to tackle in a weekend. It's something you start and then work on in chunks but don't procrastinate either. The main thing is to get your old pictures with the notes that identify. Write on the back, use a sticky note or use index cards. But don't leave it like that forever because index cards and sticky notes are not acid free. Use a pencil or acid free pen if you write on the back of the photo so it won't ink other photos or bleed through. The next thing is to scan them and then use photo editing software to add the information directly to the photo and save as a separate file. That way you have the original and the labelled photo. Then store the photos in acid free photo boxes. If you don't have room to store the originals, you have good digital ones but be sure and backup to a separate destination. I have 3 external hard drives that I back up to AND I backup on the cloud to be sure to keep all my genealogy and photos safe and shareable.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

WOW! Sharon, you could write a book on mastering family photos! I am so impressed!!!! The acid free part is just so important, and yet... so many people don't know! Thank you for such a detailed and information filled comment! I hope others find as much value as I did!

[@stellagardner4005]

I was just working on my pictures wondering what to do with them. Thank you, now I know.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Glad I could help!

[@andrealavigne7824]

We have several carousels of slide photos that my dad & his parents took over many years. Not all of them are full (each carousel holds up to 140 slides), but there are still at least a few thousand slides! We don't have many (in fact, maybe just 1 or 2) places here that will digitize old photos, VHS tapes, etc., and I wouldn't trust them with something that irreplaceable anyway. So I set myself the task of scanning them all into the computer. I have a flatbed scanner that can also scan 4 slides at a time, so it is kind of slow going, but I've already done at least a couple of thousand. Some of them are from trips my grandparents took to Europe in the 1960s. It is really fascinating seeing pictures that are that old, and in pretty remarkably good condition. I don't plan on keeping every single one, since some of them are not good quality, or over- or under-exposed, etc. But I am scanning them all initially, since I don't know ahead of time what I want to keep. Then I can just go through on the computer when I finish scanning everything & evaluate. I'm naming each scanned photo file to reference which (numbered) carousel that slide is in, along with its sequence number in the carousel, so if I ever need to find the original slide, I can. I don't plan to get rid of the slides. We have a large bookcase in an alcove that they are stored on, so they don't take up any real estate I feel could be better utilized. I also went through a lot of print photos from my growing-up years. I found a LOT of duplicates, and others that weren't worth keeping, that I just chucked. My first pass on those was just a case of keep or trash. I did loosely organize the keep photos by person or event or whatever. I'll make a second pass later. I also plan to photograph each of my dad's old T-shirts (he used to collect them when we would go on trips), then donate the ones that are still in good shape to a local thrift store. Lots to do, for sure, but I enjoy that sort of thing! I can also keep the photos on an external hard drive in a fireproof lock box, so if there is ever a disaster & we lose the originals, we still have the digitized copies. Anyway, sorry for the long comment--you really inspired me! LOL Thanks for the tips, Norinne. Take care, & have an awesome day! :)

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Hi, Andrea! I don't mind long messages! WOW! What a task that is! And, yes, you can't made a decision from a slide!!! I'm so glad you are taking it in small chunks. Let me know how the 2nd pass goes when you do it!!

[@rpkent8884]

when you're ready to purge the original slides, see if someone wants to buy them. I heard one reseller say they sold a box for $500!

[@carolwhittlesea7683]

Love your video photos are so difficult to let go I went through mine , wow what a difference sometimes you are right let go off the photos that I don't know who they are, wow it takes time to do them.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

So true! It takes time - so set that timer..... and enjoy the trip down memory lane. xoxoox

[@rpkent8884]

and some of the old polaroids start getting filmy and deteriorating. good idea to preserve somehow before totally lost.

[@pamelacochran3209]

I so need to do this! Thank you for this idea♥️

[@rpkent8884]

I think your hair is so cute! In the '60s and '70s I wanted straight hair and would sleep sitting up with my long hair rolled in clean, empty orange juice cans! What I did for beauty!! I enjoyed this video so much I watched it twice to get all the steps down. I too have huge boxes of photos, albums, etc. to go through. thx, Norinne for this step down your memory lane and thoughts on doing mine.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Oh... the things I used to do to try and get straight hair!!! LOL Hope you've embraced your curls! xoxoxo

[@rosebuhr]

You’ve encouraged me to do the same with mine.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Yay!!!!!

[@auntieann3000]

I totally need to do this along with a whole house purge...someday. 😂

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

My favorite day of the week... I'm here to encourage when you are ready.

[@grandmaraps]

I started a whole house edit also. In reference to photos (and everything else) just start. Eventually you'll see progress. It's tough, I know. Good luck.

[@marydieudonne9267]

Love this video! I can do small chucks of things. Thanks for giving us details on how to purge pictures.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@katzarm]

OMGoodness! I currently have, no lie, 45 photo albums that are 3"-5" thick, stacked in my living room that I removed from my craft room. I bought myself a photo scanner for Christmas that I can just insert the photo and it's scanned in 4 seconds to your computer, never thought of using my cell phone or digital camera to do that. The photo scanner sounded like a good plan, however, I was afraid to actually start the project and start throwing away soooooo many photos that I myself took over the last 55 years, as well as photos given to me by family members. But I sure do want the space back that those photo albums take up! So I will try your plan and adjust my plan as needed. Thanks for posting another informative video.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Sort first!!!! This will actually save you from having to go through all of those digital files later!!!!!!! And, if you can, set up the computer file that the photos go into ahead of time - you will be happy you had that scanner. 💜🌿

[@sheliaberry877]

I appreciate your sharing this particular "need" - going through my photos. Your ideas will really help me. Thanks so much.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

You are so welcome!

[@tammystreasures8766]

This was so hard for me to watch. As a genealogist, it breaks my heart to see people throwing away vintage photos. There are people who specialize in finding out when photos were taken, where, and who is in it. I was so happy you kept the items from Spain.

[@anaschulz8084]

I just started doing this so very timely advice! Another thing we have in common! Family from Spain and Cuba 💕

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

What?!?!?! Amazing!!!!! If I could go back, I would have learned to cook from my Grandma - MAN, that woman could cook!!!!!! I've never been to a Cuban restaurant that came any where close to her cooking.

[@anaschulz8084]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer you ever come my way I will cook you up a storm!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

@@anaschulz8084 DEAL!!

[@jeannepickens359]

I feel your pain! I have that hair too!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

In the last year (Covid perk?) I've stopped doing anything at all to it - and I feel like my hair looks better now! LOL

[@beckyb4074]

Thanks for sharing a bit of your life in photos. I have a ton of photos to go through as well. Thank you so much for the tips, much appreciated. Take care and God bless you and yours. Sincerely Becky B from Arkansas

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Thanks for watching, Becky! oxoxox

[@jacoblawrence6580]

Great video and tips! I have been going through our pictures (me and my parents) and it is overwhelming at times. I have gotten rid of a lot of duplicates and bad pictures and am only saving the really special ones. I do have all of my grandparents old pictures that are in boxes and once I get done with our pictures, I am going to go through theirs and organize it by family (my grandparents before they married, when they married, etc.). The oldest pictures I have are from the 1850's so it is quite an extensive collection. There are even duplicates of the ones from the 40's, 50's 60's etc. so those are going to my cousin.

[@hazelmeldrum5860]

You can download a scanner to your phone,

[@galememeeof6688]

I just can't get rid of a picture. I just recently threw away all the negatives that were in the sleeves with the pictures. That was a big step for me. I have photo albums full of pictures and I have a lot of empty new albums just waiting for photos. I was thinking about using file folders and separating all my hundreds of pictures by years then putting them in the labeled albums.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That would work! Anything but a box of random/mixed photos. File folders are great because you can drop a picture in easily as you get/find new phots.... and you can pull out a person/time when you want to see them. :)

[@rpkent8884]

i recently purged all the old negatives and some photos. every little bit helps!

[@suearcher8708]

Ohmagosh Norrine I really need to do this. I am an only child with no kids and as far as I know no living relatives. From the time I was in high school until my late forty's I was religious about putting all photos in albums (there are about 20 of them). For some reason I got lazy about it, and then digital photos happened. Like why on God's green earth do I still have my wedding photos?

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Ok.. I can't let my wedding pictures go for some reason?? It was still a day of celebration to me with my friends and family.... so I kept them. LOL

[@jerseygirlmillie]

Excellent tips. I have to do this too!

[@craftykat1634]

Timely for me. I’m working on my room now and sorting and boxing, I have 4 office boxes filled with photos that were my Moms. I had mentioned when I stacked those boxes that I would be planning on going thru each box over the summer. I did scrapbooks for each of my siblings and my mom while she was living. I only have myself to do for now, so I’m going to do all digital and if my nieces and nephews what them I’ll put them up somewhere for them to get. Thanks for your guidance.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I know it will be hard. xoxoxo Take it in little sessions.

[@kimberlywalker1015]

Really good informative video. I recently went thru my photos....and, put them in piles...just this alone was SO HUGE! For so long, I DREADED this task....but, after just sorting...the task became more manageable. I put them in labeled boxes for now...EXCEPT...the 2 boxes that I've had FOREVER, it seems.....These, I knew I was going to have to do something with them....SOOOO....I came up with a plan. I have no desire to spend HOURS scrapping each group....(there are probably 100 groups of pictures)....so decided.... They would sit on my scrapbooking table in their respective boxes, until I could put them into notebooks.....the notebooks themselves maybe acid free....who knows...I believe the notebooks came from Michaels. I set some rules: 1) The project cannot take any longer than 30 minutes....once the cardstock and pictures are chosen. 2) In my handwriting( which is quicker for me on these photos), I will give a short description....and, if I choose to use a couple of stickers...fine....BUT, I stick with the time frame: 30 minutes. A couple of notes on this: I did the first random set....and, I would say the time frame was close to 30 minutes..... AND WHAT A RELIEF....Every time I would look at these boxes...I just would almost get queasy....I knew SOMETHING had to be done....Computer tech is not really my thing....I know it works for many ....and, I applaud them....I have tell you getting that first project DONE....YAYYYYYY! I think you're right....putting this task on the calendar is HUGE....AND, that's what I need to work on....in fact, I think I'll go home now....put the next 3-4 projects of putting these photos in these notebooks on the scedule. Those of you on the wall...just start....I had to....I WAITED YEARS.....before digging into this project....I like you, dreaded it. I don't know if you did...I DID.....but, just getting started is half the battle....it empowers you. Thank you again, for sharing...I picked up some great tips.🙂

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

Kimberly - you are 100% right!!! Just getting started IS half the battle.... I had one of those boxes sitting there for 10 years. WHY?!?!?! I love the way you approached this - and I regret not saying in my video how much I DO love finding handwritten notes from my great grandma and my great aunt. I have scanned those for my memories. So happy you have tackled this and now have the value of those memories. xoxox

[@heatherwitt908]

How did you know,,I have just started sorting through a mountain and I mean a mountain of photos. I have both sets of my husband's parents and mine along with allmy children and grandchildren. Its been hard but your last comment when I eventually die what will my children do with them .yes bin them so I must make sure what's kept.is at least identifiable. However there are a great pile from the turn of the last century (1890-1910)which I have no idea who they are but will be great in junk journaling. P.s.only recently found your channel and I just love it ,why did it take me so long!

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I'm so glad you are here now!!!!! Take that mountain one 15-min session at a time!!!! Consider me your personal cheerleader and giver of suggestions! 💜

[@vayes7958]

Another great video. I have a bunch of negatives that's I'm having trouble parting with. I have a scanner for negatives and I've been thru them...but still difficult

[@hazelpoole1954]

Then don’t get rid of them, they will deteriorate but if you are happier keeping them just now do it.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

I found an envelope of projector slides from my 2nd birthday! I'm trying to find a way to get them printed!!!

[@vayes7958]

@@TheCraftyOrganizer I bought an imagelab scanner to do my negatives. I think I only spent like $20 for it. Didn't want to spend too much as I'd only need it once to do the negatives I had. It does negatives and slides.

[@suzum.9713]

Here's an idea, maybe much easier, depending on the goal: I plan to lay out several photos on my nice bulletin board, or large generic frame, then snap ONE photo of the whole group. For instance, I had a great aunt who was raised separately from her other siblings. I don't know the people who raised her, but we inherited quite a few photos of them together. I will lay all of those on a board and take a pic, upload it and make sure I put her photo history on a flashdrive to share. One pic of ALL her pics.

[@TheCraftyOrganizer]

That's a great idea! However it works for you..... is wonderful!!! :)

[@rachelburgener819]

Awesome info...! Thank you ❤️😀