16 March, 2014

Mission Accomplished (Almost)!

Six months ago I turned our dining room into a photo documentation center. Using the full length of our dining table (with two leaves in place) and two additional folding tables for sorting purposes I was well on my way to organizing a  lifetime's worth of photographs into designated, labeled, boxes.
Long ago, before photos were saved onto onto hardrives, they were stashed in boxes, bags and drawers; you name it, I had pictures squirreled away there! Well, as life happens and, eventually, the dining room was needed for its intended purpose, the sorted photo piles needed to be moved. Out of sight, out of mind; that saying held true for this project. This past week I decided that the time had come to conclude this epic task! What caused me to lose my motivation late last fall?
This did! I opened the armoire in our guest room to find boxes, and a basket filled to overflowing, with more photographs that had missed the initial sorting/documentation process. At the time I sighed and closed the doors back up, feeling defeated. My husband urged me to not let that get the best of me and to carry on with finishing up what I had already started. I did just that! All of the photos that I had begun with are now neatly stored away, grouped chronologically by year; 1950's through 2005! Can I get a shout out? I will, gradually, tackle the newest "finds" and add them to the mix. I'll need another storage box from The Container Store, to get current, but will wait to buy one when they run them on sale again; that won't stop the sorting and organizing, though! This is the system that I am using:
These individual boxes allow for additions and deletions within each box; a brilliant system. Now to get on with the remaining piles. Wish me luck!
Life is Good!

10 comments:

AnnieO said...

That's a huge thing you've been working on! I've got photos everywhere too, some organized, many not. Excellent organizers would sure help--I'll have to look into that system you've started. Congrats on conquering decades of photos!

Lcrrkhs said...

Great job! Now start scanning them for safekeeping!

Millie said...

The Container Store totally rocks. My house would be a mess without them.

Quiltdivajulie said...

AWESOME . . . OUTSTANDING . . . (shouting from afar)

I love the Container Store products, too.

Wow -- Just thinking about the gad zillions of individual decisions you've made to get your photos sorted . . .

Anonymous said...

I bet that was a huge task to take on. It looks like you did a wonderful job. -Brittany

Janet O. said...

I am so impressed--and I feel your pain. I think I would have done the same upon discovering more.
I love that storage system!

Anonymous said...

Probably the next step would be scan them to save forever that way too. It's impressive what you've done...care to tackle my shoeboxes full of them? Lol

jude's page said...

You are inspiring me, I have the same job awaiting, and including slides. I purchased a 5 in 1 scanner this week, to start on this mammoth job. YOu should feel very pleased with yourself.

Unknown said...

Wow! Good for you! I spent a winter scanning all of mine one year

Gloria said...

Oh, what an overwhelming job!! I face the same problems and I can't bear to start working on the photos that are stored everywhere. GREAT JOB!
Gloria
gyates625@bellsouth.net