Printed out photos in check.

Had to share, my newest art project.

Sure I blogged about how motivated I was to create, via coffee, dogs and sunshine. But realistically I started a project 2 days ago, and wanted to finish it up.

I worked on organizing my printed photos. Don’t freak out, it’s easy to do once you get a system and stick too it. For the most part they were about 80% organized. But it’s that whole ‘stick to it’ part I slacked on. Messed them up a bit.But 80% organized for me is impressive.

Let me tell you a few years ago I spent MONTHS organizing these pictures. And by ALL these pictures, I mean only since 2006 (when Tink was born) ALL the ones prior too, are in the cardboard photo boxes… semi organized as well.

Here’s my current system. I know we all have what works, but for those of you who are looking to organize your printed pictures fast and have easy access to them. Here you go.

I have two of these  cases, which each holds 6 of the smaller boxes, and each smaller box holds about 100 photos each.

If you buy the case, you get the 6 smaller cases included (about $15 and up. Go to JoAnn’s or Michael’s with your coupons for these)

The smaller cases can be bought separate  for $2.49 each (I’ve paid less, but they are SO worth it!) You can label them, so you can know exactly what you’ve got going on in each box.

If you buy more the one of these cases like I have they stack super nice too.

I’ve got one of the big ones as well. I saw where I was going with the smaller ones and finally got one big one.

These run about $30, and like a double of the smaller case. Again including all the little cases. For the money it’s like your buying all the little cases and getting the big one for free.

Oh DO NOT pick the big one up by that white handle to carry it!! That is for show only, or to pull it towards you if it’s on a shelf. It pops off… and the box falls… not broke. Just not really made for the weight of 1200 pictures I guess?

I had to do a bit of reorganizing like I said. Here is how I break down my pictures.

• Tink 1. Tink 2. Tink 3. My daughter is almost 6, and I consider 300 pictures to be pretty good. This is not counting what is in my done scrapbooks.
• Buzz 1. Buzz 2. My son has just 2 boxes he’s almost 4.
• Sophie. Maggie. Cats+. My obsession with taking pictures of dogs, has made it clear that I need one small case per dog. And the cats, and reptiles get one box.
• My parents & family get 4 boxes. My sister gets a box. My in-laws family gets a box.
• My best friend gets a box. And then I have a ‘Friends’ box for all my other friends.
• I get 3 boxes. I’m not that conceited, I also count photos I take of my coffee cups, and random ‘Me things’ in these boxes.
• I’ve got a home and garden box. This is all things home, painting around the house and gardening.
• Then there are some events that are SO big, they get filed in boxes via event. We used to see this band ALL the time, so I have a whole box of just those shots. My 30th Birthday in Chicago, a box. And the P!nk concert is it’s own too.
• Holiday. I’ve got one box for Christmas, Turkey Day and Halloween shots.

Now I have many boxes for specific people. But it’s not a hodge podge mess of pictures in those boxes. Let’s take my family boxes. They are grouped by family reunion, get together, birthday party. Sure there are some random shots, but mostly by event.

YES I’ve got all those pictures from before 2006, like I said in boxes. Some what organized. But I also have a HUGE bed comforter bag FULL of photos from when I was growing up. AND a HUGE bag of shots from my wedding (not professional. Those are in an album) Sigh. LOTS of organizing to do.

But being a scrapbooker, I had to quickly tell myself that I can’t go back and catch up on the last 33 years and expect to stay on top of my pictures now. I just can’t. I’d go crazy trying to do it.

I hope this was helpful. I’m always trying to find that ONE way to organize that works for me. This was it. Take the time to organize them. If it’s clear boxes, great.

If you don’t scrapbook, them frame your pictures. I have a wall going up my stairs I rotate out each year of the best shot of each of our family members. I do have albums from before digital.

Oh I could go on and on. Let’s just say I’ve got this much down for photo storage. I’m still working on digitally saving them. I’m trying to do less on my hard drive, and more on flash drives, I’d like to get one big hard drive and call it a day. But till then, I’ve got my flash drives, and my Shutterfly website.

JCat McGack