What would you grab first if your house were on fire?

Your family photos, if you’re anything like most Americans, would be somewhere atop your theoretical list.

We value those old albums passed down from our parents. We cherish the letters Gram tied with a ribbon from when Pops was at war.

But you know what? Those family mementos of old were typically part of small collections, often curated into albums or stored neatly in a single box. In other words, easy to move—and inviting to go through on occasion.

What of your own photos? Are they curated? (Doubtful.) Is the collection in one place? (Yeah, right.) Is it accessible—emotionally accessible, not easy to reach on a shelf? (Oh, you don’t even understand this question?)

Allow me to explain: If your photos number in the thousands, exist across multiple social media platforms and devices, and finding one image that holds meaning poses a challenge—well, that’s not an emotionally accessible family archive.

What does make for an inviting family photo collection?

Your descendants will be more likely to hold on to your photos if:

• they can find ones that matter to them

• they know who is in the pictures

• the stories behind the photos are evident

• they are not overwhelmed by the sheer volume and disarray of the photo collection.

I write often about finding the stories behind our family photos, and I believe those stories are what make those photos valuable in the first place.

There are plenty of approaches to whittling down our photo collections, from Marie Kondo minimalism to genealogy purists’ detailed preservation. And I’m more than happy to connect you with a professional photo organizer who can take on the grunt work for you according to your own values.

But I urge you to go beyond mere organization. Paring down and labeling your collection will certainly go far in making your collection valuable to your kids. Adding stories and curating your collection to convey meaning, however, will make your family photo collection invaluable to them.

Would you like to learn more about how we can work together to preserve the stories behind your photos? Please schedule a time for a free 30-minute consultation.

Would you rather begin such a project on your own? I’ve got some resources for that, too:

free download

Grab your free copy of this helpful guide chock-full of tips and ideas for writing the stories behind your favorite family photos.

recommended read

Your memories live in your head and heart, but family photos, heirlooms, and mementos sure do call those memories forth—here’s how to use them to help you begin to create a life story book.

advanced techniques

Interested in paring down your family photos? Photographers call this process culling, and I’ve put together some best practices for culling your family photo collection with intention.