Resolutions for the New Year

I’ve spent the last six months cleaning out every closet, file drawer and cabinet in my house. After 17 years in the same house, there was a lot of stuff. It feels good to start the new year with a fresh outlook.

If you feel the need to take charge of the clutter in your house, start with your photo collection. Here are some things to consider when dealing with all that photo build-up.

• Start small. Don’t take out all the boxes at once, try one shoebox at a time.
• You don’t have to keep everything. It’s o.k. to throw out images that don’t include individuals. This is also true for digital images. My husband is very organized. Every time he uploads digital images he immediately starts deleting those less than perfect shots.
• Back up those digital files. It’s a new year so start a new habit. Regularly back-up all your digital files. I use an online service so that I don’t forget to do it.
• Identify a photo at a time. Pick an unlabelled photo and start working on the clues. You’ll find lots of tips in archives of this blog. You can search by topic by using the search box at the end of the left hand column.

Use the comment section of this space to tell me about your photo-related resolutions. I’d love to hear them.

Happy New Year!

Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor: