Did you know that September is Save Your Photos Month? Join us for a month-long quest to protect and preserve your family’s lifetime of photos, film, and memorabilia. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 20: Back Up the Mess

Before you begin sorting your digital images, back up the mess. Then no matter what happens while you’re organizing in the working copy, you’ll have a copy of the original files. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 21: Create a Digital Photo Hub

Your digital photo hub is a designated location, such as an external hard drive, where all your original digital and scanned photos live. Copy your digital photos and videos from all your various devices including phones, camera cards, USB sticks, etc. Then begin to sort by date or theme, or whichever organizing structure you’ve determined. As you scan prints, add those image files to the hub. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 22: 3-2-1 Backup Strategy

Use the 3-2-1 backup strategy to safeguard your digital files. Create THREE copies of your digital data (photos, videos, documents, etc.) stored on TWO different types of media or devices (a computer and an external hard drive, for example), with ONE copy located off-site (another physical location or the cloud). #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 23: Scan Your Photos

Scanning your printed photos extends the lifetime of your pictures, creates a backup, and increases your ability to share and enjoy your memories. Don’t forget to digitize your slides and negatives as well.
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Day 24: Adding Metadata

Metadata is information that is digitally attached to your images and can help identify key information. This data makes it easier for you to search for your images and helps tell the story of the photo. Photo organizing software allows you to embed this information into your image files. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 25: Store Prints Safely

Your printed photos and memorabilia should be stored away from light and dust in archival containers and located in the main part of the house, with average room temperatures and low humidity. Avoid basements, attics, and garages – your photos should live where you live. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 26: Schedule Regular Maintenance

Once your photos and videos are organized, your collection will need regular maintenance and attention. Schedule time at regular intervals on your calendar to delete extraneous photos from your phone, ensure backups are running, and add new images to your digital photo hub. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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© The Photo Managers

Did you know that September is Save Your Photos Month? Join us for a month-long quest to protect and preserve your family’s lifetime of photos, film, and memorabilia. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 13: Create a Timeline

Preparing a family timeline aids in the sorting process as you begin to tackle your photo and video collection. Begin by plotting significant milestones like marriage or birth dates. Then add school years, moves, vacations, and other details. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 14: Start With Digital

Tackle your digital photo collection first. Your images may be at greater risk than your printed photo collection if you don’t have sufficient backups in place. You will also be creating a home for your soon-to-be scanned photos. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 15: How to Organize

How should you organize your photos? There is no right or wrong way, just whatever makes sense to you. If you already have some chronology in place, look for ways to build on that structure. If your photos are unsorted, start organizing by theme: holidays, vacations, kids sports, etc.  #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 16: Eliminate Duplicates

Do you have too many duplicate images cluttering your photo collection? There’s an app for that! Use a duplicate finder to locate and eliminate duplicate and near-duplicate images. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 17: Make Good Choices

When you choose photo organizing software, you need to consider your comfort level with technology, your operating system, your time, and most importantly, your lifestyle – how will you access and maintain your photos? #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 18: Beware the Chemical Sandwich

Old magnetic or “sticky” albums contain unsafe components that act as a chemical sandwich for your photos. The acids from the plastic and adhesive are very harmful to your photos and will cause them to deteriorate. Remove the photos as quickly as possible! #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 19: The Two-Second Rule

As you sort your photos, resist the urge to reminisce and linger; there will be plenty of time for that later. Hold a photo only as long as it takes to determine which pile it should be in – about two seconds. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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© The Photo Managers

Did you know that September is Save Your Photos Month? Join us for a month-long quest to protect and preserve your family’s lifetime of photos, film, and memorabilia. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 6: Collect Your Supplies

Gather supplies for organizing such as cotton or nitrile gloves for safely handling photos, empty boxes for sorting, sticky notes or index cards for categorizing, and an external hard drive for collecting digital photos. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 7: Convert Home Movies

Time is wreaking havoc on the audio and video quality of your old home movies. Take them to a trusted professional for conversion to digital files. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 8: Dealing with Videos

Videos, both converted home movies and clips from your phone, are an important part of your memory collection and should be organized and stored in your digital photo hub with the rest of your photos. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 9: Play Detective

Need help dating photos? Family documents and letters contain dates and information that may unlock some mysteries. Use context clues in photos such as signs, wall calendars, or birthday candles. Even the size, markings, or type of photos can be informative. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 10: Saving Kids’ Artwork

Use a flatbed scanner for 2-D artwork and snap photos of oversize, 3-D, or glitter-covered masterpieces. Even better, record your child talking about a project while holding the artwork. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 11: Take an Inventory

Once you have finished gathering your items and placed like items together, take an inventory. For example: 6 photo albums, 4 shoeboxes of photos and letters, 10 photo CDs, 3 slide carousels, etc. This is the first step in managing your project. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 12: Make a Plan

What needs to be tackled first? Do you have photos to share for a milestone birthday? Are some in poor condition and need to be scanned before they deteriorate further? Use this information and your inventory to create a plan for organizing and digitizing. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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© The Photo Managers

Did you know that September is Save Your Photos Month? Join us for a month-long quest to protect and preserve your family’s lifetime of photos, film, and memorabilia. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 1: We Are Overwhelmed

In 2019, there were over 1.4 trillion digital photos taken. There are also an estimated 1.7 trillion printed photos in boxes, albums, and drawers. No wonder we are overwhelmed! The Photo Managers can help. Check each day throughout September for tips! #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 2: Set a Realistic Goal

The first step of photo organization is to picture the end result. As with any goal, you must have a specific vision and a timeline for completion. How do you want to share and celebrate your photos? #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 3: Set Up for Success

Designate a temporary workspace in your home that allows you to spread out and that will be undisturbed. When your project is visible, you are more likely to remain focused and achieve your goal. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 4: Include Keepsakes

Kids’ artwork and family documents, as well as tangible keepsakes such as souvenirs and family heirlooms should be considered as part of your photo organizing goal. These can be scanned or photographed and added to your collection. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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Day 5: Prepare for Emotions

Photographs allow us to reflect back on our lives, both the good and the bad. Many emotions may arise when you open long-stored boxes of photos. Allow yourself time with these feelings. #SaveYourPhotos2020

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© The Photo Managers

Only two days until September and #SaveYourPhotos2020 month!

Save Your Photos Month is a public service outreach campaign developed by The Photo Managers to teach you how to preserve life’s irreplaceable photos, videos, and documents, in case of an unforeseen accident or disaster. 

Every year in September, photo organizers, companies, and photo retailers come together to raise awareness and educate the masses on the benefits of safeguarding their photos.

Join us this year on social media, through online courses, and educational events: https://thephotomanagers.pages.ontraport.net/save-your-photos-month