Photographs are intended to bring us joy. Instead most people feel anything but joy when it comes to their photographs. Most people feel challenged, frustrated, and overwhelmed by their photographs! The average person has shoeboxes and dresser drawers full of photos that are a jumbled mess. Many people have years and years’ worth of photos that have never even made it out of
film developer’s envelopes! Even worse, some people have even stopped taking pictures because they feel so guilty about their already out-of-control photo “collection.”
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your photos, then start by taking these simple steps to find joy in your photographs once again:
1. Practice Photo Safety
If you were to ask someone to name their most prized possessions, they would likely tell you that their photographs and keepsakes were most important. And yet, most people are unknowingly damaging these very items that they consider most valuable!
How about you? Are you damaging your precious photographs? If you have any photographs in shoeboxes, magnetic albums, manila folders, plastic baggies or standard film developing envelopes, then your answer is YES! If you have ever written on back of your photographs with a ballpoint pen, then your answer is YES! That is because all of these items expose your photographs to three biggest hazards: Acid, Lignin and PVC. Here's a quick explanation of these hazards:
* Acid: A chemical substance that can weaken paper and cloth, causing it to brown and become brittle. * Lignin: An organic substance that is present in wood pulp. It becomes more and more acidic as it deteriorates. (The yellowing effect of a newspaper is an example of lignin.) * PVC: (also known as polyvinyl chloride) A chemically active plastic that, when combined with moisture in air can emit hydrochloric acid.
This may sound complicated, but you don't need to worry about remembering details. Just remember that acid, lignin and PVC will damage photographs! Whenever you purchase photo albums and scrapbooking supplies, be sure that they are acid-free, lignin-free and PVC free.
You also need to protect your photographs from hazards in environment, such as excessive heat, light and humidity. For ultimate safety, you should store your photo collection in a windowless closet away from water pipes and heat sources.
This may seem like extra work, but practicing photo safety should first step in any of your photo organizing projects. The greatest organizing systems are useless if your photographs are destroyed in process!
2. Gather everything in one place.
It’s hard to organize your photographs if you don’t know where they are! Having everything in one place will bring an immediate sense of peace, and it will make it easier for your family to enjoy your precious photographs. There’s a security benefit, too! If unthinkable happens and you need to evacuate your house, you will be able to quickly gather your treasured items.
3. Don’t get hung up on “big picture”.
If you’re like most people, then just thinking about your massive photo collection is enough to discourage you from taking action. You see years and years' worth of photos and think you could never get them all organized, so why bother? Get rid of that "all or nothing" mentality!
