How to organise old photos

I've already divided the family photos. I kept a small amount for me but the majority were split between my two children. It's less to do when I pop off

I have a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with albums my grandkids love getting them out when they come
I use two free print apps so they haven’t cost me a lot since techno took over ( you just pay the postage for 45 in one case and 50 free prints a month in the other)

vegans rock I am in exactly the same position as you so reading with interest. I must go through them all first and ditch the unknown pictures or the dull scenery ones.
They can make me a bit sad so I must choose some sunny days to do this job...not the current dreary days.

We had a grand clear out of photos before we moved. I binned lots of duplicates and chose the best out of multiple shops. Also I got rid of the shots of nameless misty hills or unknown seascapes etc.

I then stored them in cases like this. You can get different sizes eg 4x6 or 5x7. They stack away nicely. I’ve linked to one particular company that sells them but they’re available elsewhere including the big river company.

www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/coloured-photo-storage-boxes-6x4/?SKU=XSS228src=IGB9B2&src=IGB9B2&vsrc=IGB9B2&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20530882741&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Bf0lLv_8zi2GcIaACwiD8HgYrQ&gclid=CjwKCAiAv5bMBhAIEiwAqP9GuAuJvKmoxx1GHbTS0hqeTPCYJWEs1TnT7mM4RZrARL_9u_WLMd2QDRoCB4EQAvD_BwE

SueDonim

We had a grand clear out of photos before we moved. I binned lots of duplicates and chose the best out of multiple shops. Also I got rid of the shots of nameless misty hills or unknown seascapes etc.

I then stored them in cases like this. You can get different sizes eg 4x6 or 5x7. They stack away nicely. I’ve linked to one particular company that sells them but they’re available elsewhere including the big river company.

www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/coloured-photo-storage-boxes-6x4/?SKU=XSS228src=IGB9B2&src=IGB9B2&vsrc=IGB9B2&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20530882741&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Bf0lLv_8zi2GcIaACwiD8HgYrQ&gclid=CjwKCAiAv5bMBhAIEiwAqP9GuAuJvKmoxx1GHbTS0hqeTPCYJWEs1TnT7mM4RZrARL_9u_WLMd2QDRoCB4EQAvD_BwE

I have just done exactly the same as you and used the same type of boxes. They work perfectly. I did attempt to digitalise them all last year, but it was too big a job and there were so many that it was difficult to spot duplicates. God knows why we took so many pictures of scenery! They've all been binned! I shredded all the ones I didn't want, that was quite a job too.

Good thread about having a sort out.
Those storage boxes mentioned look like a good idea. Thank you.
I would, however, prefer them to house the photos vertically like with index cards, so i could flick through them quickly. Don't they all slip around laid horizontally on top of each other when you come to look through them?

My weakness was/is animal photos all around the world. I really need to dump them. After all, one horse or one bird is pretty much the same wherever it's from! And who needs a 16 photos of a kaola?

I digitalized all the photos I wanted to keep. It took ages but I think it was worth it in the end.

They are organized into collections, and it makes it easier to find the photo I'm looking for.

I also created a photobook for my grandchildren, with photos of ancestors, going up to the present day. They were (very briefly, I must say) interested. They may be more interested as they grow older. (They are teenagers).

vegansrock

Like a lot of people I have lots of pre digital photos of my children growing up, events, holidays etc. Some are in shoe boxes, others are in albums , some labelled, some not. I’m wondering what is the best way to do a sort out. I’ve thought of getting a nice new album for each of the DC and just putting in the ones they’d be interested in - their parties, first day at school etc and give them an album each. ( there’s 4 of them so it could take a while). Bin any of people I don’t know or wonky views etc. anyone else done this? What about the old school reports, my parents old pics etc?

I think buying an album for them is a great idea! Yes, bin any old views or people you aren’t now interested in.
A good job for a rainy day….plenty of those at the mo😖

I used to do scrapbooking and loved organising old photos and surrounding them with swirls and paper flowers etc . Eventually I reached 16 such albums so gave it up. Enjoyable few years though and I used to learn display tricks at U3A. I still have a lot of scrapbook papers from when I was doing it but I doubt I’ll use them. One of my daughters works in a hospital psych ward so I might give them to her for patients when they are recovering.

My photos used to be meticulously put into photo albums but then I bought some scrapbooks and stickers etc but never got round to using them.

Since then they were on CDs (lots of CDs!) now on a computer and never viewed.

I would, however, prefer them to house the photos vertically like with index cards, so i could flick through them quickly. Don't they all slip around laid horizontally on top of each other when you come to look through them?

I just get them out of the case they’re in and hold them in my hand to flip through them. Or you could stand them upright in the case with one hand and flip with the other.