How I Store My Photo Prints!
I may be the world’s biggest advocate for printing out your darn photos to have hard copies in your house whether it be in frames, albums or storage boxes. They don’t deserve to just live their whole lives in the digital world where they could be so easily lost. Also - as fast as technology is changing, who knows what will happen to our files in 5 years or even 50 years.
SO…my best advice (and what I do) is to store images in a REALLY simple and very cost effective way. Ya ready?!
The first step is to print your pictures! I use the Shutterfly app on my phone and order all of my iPhone pictures there. They have free 4x6 prints- you just pay shipping. When I am printing professional prints, I order through Mpix. You can use this code for $5 off your first order (and I get rewards points.) Mpix runs specials all the time on different products so definitely take advantage of that.
I buy these photo boxes from Hobby Lobby. If you catch them on sale they’re usually between $2-$3 and they include dividers in the box. I know they also have plastic, bigger boxes as well but I like the look and size of these.
When I get the images in and/or make time to do it - I write on the back, in pen, the month and year the photo was taken or any info I have that may be important. If there are a lot of folks in the image I will write names on the back as well. Basically - someday you and I won’t be around to tell the story or ID people so the future generations will thank you.
I use the dividers provided with the box to separate the photos by year and then I put them in chronological order by month within the year so everything stays in order- hello Type A personality.
I keep these boxes on a table in my office and every now and then I like to thumb through them. Sometimes I will go through them to change out some of the framed images throughout the Parker Casa. The most important part is that they’re printed out and something tangible to hold and keep forever.
TADA - enjoy your organized, printed out photos!
