My Old Photos

Yesterday I spent time pawing through my old photographs for a project and was appalled at the disorganization. Randomly distributed across three large plastic tubs, several smaller boxes, and a couple of other miscellaneous containers, many photos were still in their original envelopes. I also found several old photo albums that I had forgotten about, all of which are slowly damaging the photos within. At least, I tell myself, all of my photos are geographically co-located. Up until a couple of years ago, quite a few of them were in my sister’s attic in Massachusetts.

My goal is to get all of these photos organized and stored safely. Quite a bit of memorabilia is mixed in with the photos as well, some of which will require special handling and repair in some cases. What a challenge!

A emotional question I have is what to do with the large number of photos I have from my wedding and honeymoon 25 years ago. (Married in 1981, divorced in 1986) Some are professional photos, others mine. Again, they’re spread across several containers. I don’t want to dispose of these photos, but I don’t necessarily want to look at them either. They should be grouped, labeled, and safely stored. It’s the kind of task that makes my mind go numb. Since it is a task that should be done, I’ll find a way to do it. Make a project plan. Do bits at a time. Create a reward system. Play happy music while doing the task. Go for a walk afterwards to clear my head. Make sure someone else is present to help me keep my sanity.