Top 5 Tips for Tackling a Large Family Photo Project

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You can do this.

Seriously, you can.

Here are my “Top 5 Tips” to keep you on track:

1. Your entire collection does not need to survive 200+ years. That means you don’t have to give all of it the Cadillac treatment. Invest only in the shots that mean the most to you. And by invest I mean invest real money in high quality enclosures, and invest time to write the stories behind your photographs.
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2. Lose the dreck. Don’t be afraid to edit. Don’t apologize for being choosy. You’re not doing future generations any favors by leaving the editing up to them. Especially since each further generation will know fewer and fewer names…and they might not know any of the stories behind the photos.
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3. Big projects are scary. Just remember: “Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.” Every step forward is progress. Every. Single. One.
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4. Break your project into chunks (see #3) but keep in mind that the smaller the chunks, the longer it will take to complete your project. Reserve half a day for this project and you’ll see some real, visible progress. And real progress is the BEST motivator.
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5. The more fun you have doing it, the more often you will work on your project. Crank your favorite music while you work. Or take advantage of the buddy system and schedule a monthly photo date with a friend who lives in town but who you don’t see often enough. Or host a brunch and call it a photo bee. Whatever works best for you. FIND THE FUN.

..:: Pssst….Is it January? If the answer is yes, that means you can purchase my “How to DeClutter Your Photos Like an Archivist” kit. It has all the hand tools you need for this project, plus archival storage for up to 1,000 keeper photos and hours of instruction from me so you know you’re doing it right. “Lose the drek, treat the keepers right.”