Monthly Archives: September 2014

Redundancy and Automation are Key for Your Digital Photo Backup System

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, and it’s that time of year when photo organizers everywhere are posing questions such as…
Digital Photo Backup
Did you know that September 27th is Save Your Photos Day? As a member of the Save Your Photos Alliance, I feel that I have a mission to educate folks about the importance of having a system in place to protect your digital photos/videos in the event of a catastrophic data loss. A catastrophic data loss can take on many forms, including the accidental loss/theft of your computer, the destruction of your computer as the consequence of a natural disaster, hard drive crashes, or even an epic computer hack.
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Creating a backup system for your digital photo and video collection does not have to be complicated or time-consuming.  When creating your system, you should  keep in mind the two key features of an effective backup:  redundancy and automation.

Your collection needs to be backed up in multiple places

There’s a saying in the industry that your data should not be considered backed up until it exists in at least three places. Redundancy is your insurance against Murphy’s Law and just plain bad luck. Hard drives go bad, devices fail, and cloud services go out of business. If one, or even two of these things happen to you simultaneously, you’ll still have a copy of your precious memories in back up #3.

Keep in mind that your backup copies also need to exist in at least two physical locations so that the offsite copy can serve as insurance in the event that your house burns to the ground or is leveled by a tornado.

The back up process needs to be automated

The more you can create a backup system that doesn’t require any manual processing on your part, the less opportunity there is for human error to enter into the equation. We are busy, overwhelmed, and (let’s face it) lazy at times. So using backup methods that work in the background without any effort on our part sets us up for success!

My 4-pronged approach for safeguarding your photo/digital collection

1.  EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE WITH BACKUP SOFTWARE

Purchase an external hard drive that includes pre-bundled automatic backup software. Your hard drive should remain continuously connected to your computer so that it maintains a consistent, real-time backup of your files (your digital photos/videos, as well as all of the other files that live on your computer’s hard drive). A typical 1 terabyte hard drive will cost approximately $100.
Hard Drive

2.  ONLINE “ALL PURPOSE” CLOUD SERVICE

There are many online data backup services to choose from, including Carbonite, Backblaze, and Mozy. I’ve used Carbonite for years and have been very satisfied with it.  I’ve experienced two catastrophic hard drive crashes in the past few years, and was able to retrieve my data seamlessly from the Carbonite cloud service both times. Take some time to research the options; just be certain that the one you choose backs up your files automatically.

3.  ONLINE DEDICATED PHOTO STORAGE SERVICE

I know what you’re thinking…a second cloud service? The all-purpose cloud services are great for a nuts and bolts backup, but if you have any desire to edit, organize, and share your photos, then I highly recommend uploading your photos and videos to a dedicated photo storage and sharing site as well. The only disadvantage is that for most of these sites, you’ll have to manually upload your files (but you’ve got an automatic backup in 2 additional locations, so it’s all good!). When choosing a service, here are a few important questions you may want to ask:

  • What is the cost involved for the size of my digital collection?
  • Are there any file size limitations?
  • Can I download my images in full resolution?
  • Can I control the privacy settings for my collection?
  • Do I retain ownership of my images?
  • What organizing and editing features are available?
  • Can I create photo gifts, products, and prints directly from the service?

Some of my favorite photo storage services include Forever and SmugMug.

4.  PRINT COPIES

Creating printed copies of digital photos counts as a back up method…believe it or not! Remember that a print photo can be scanned to create a digital photo in the future.

printed photos

Some might consider my backup method “overkill”, but when it comes to my family’s memories and our legacy, I feel like there is no such thing as being too cautious. If this 4-pronged approach feels like too much to take on, or if you are not the type who spends a lot of energy fussing over your photos, just complete #1 and #2 and consider your back up system complete.

If you’d like hands-on assistance with implementing your photo backup system, schedule a free phone consultation to learn how I can be of assistance to you.

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Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Organizing Kids’ Art

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Now that the school year is in full swing, it’s the ideal time to set up systems for processing the various types of paper that you’ll begin to find in your child’s backpack on a regular basis. In a previous post, I proposed a system for handling school memorabilia.  Today, we’ll tackle the vexing problem of what do with all of that artwork .

Create an Art Gallery Wall

Find a place in your home where you can prominently display your child’s best pieces of art. Your kids spend a great deal of time and effort producing these gems; creating formal displays that go beyond the front of the fridge demonstrate to them that you value their hard work and creativity! Switch out the pieces on a regular basis as new art comes in.

Organizing Kids Art1
In addition to using traditional frames to create a kids’ art gallery in your home, you can get creative!  One of my favorite methods for displaying art is to use a simple wire and clip system on a long wall. I also love the Lil’ Davinci Art Cabinet, which provides another hassle-free way to frequently change out your art display.

 Designate a Temporary Holding Container

For artwork that isn’t quite “gallery-worthy”, designate a container for each child that will serve as a temporary place for all incoming art to be stored until the end of the school year. Make sure that the container is sufficiently large to accommodate oversized paintings and 3-dimensional pieces. I like to use under-bed storage boxes, since that’s where the holding containers live at our house.

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Review Your Collection at Year’s End

At the conclusion of the school year, take some time to sort through the holding bin with your child and determine whether the collection needs to be culled down prior to “archiving” it. As you review the collection, you and your child will likely identify pieces that are not significant to either one of you (e.g., coloring pages, etc.).

Give yourself permission to discard these and keep only the pieces that reflect your child’s talent, creativity, and interests. I recommend conducting this end-of-year review with your child; that way, you won’t be tossing any piece that is important to her (even if you don’t attribute any significance to it).

Archive and Share Each Year’s Collection

Once you’ve culled your collection, you may choose to keep the original art and store it in an archival quality container. Alternatively, you can archive the collection by creating digital images of each piece of art. I am a huge fan of this method.  Not only does it eliminate the necessity of devoting space in your home for storing tons of artwork, it opens up so many possibilities for sharing your child’s precious creations!

Artsonia

Artsonia enables you to upload your digital images to create an online art gallery to share with friends and family. It also serves as a “virtual museum”, in which your child can display their artwork publicly on the web. This service is available to parents, as well as school teachers!

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Artkive

The Artkive app is another option for creating an online art gallery that can be shared with family and friends. Artkive is a free app that boasts some great organizing features, including the ability to categorize your art by school grade, child, and child’s age. You can even name each piece of art. In addition, you have the ability to produce a photo book of your child’s art collection with a few clicks of a button.

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Photo Books

Creating digital images of your child’s art work enables you to take advantage of the dizzying array of online resources for creating digital photo books. Sites such as Shutterfly, MyPublisher, Snapfish, and Mixbook make it easy for anyone to create a photo book these days.

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You can create a digital photo book for each school year, or create larger books that curate art across several school years. I’ve created photo books for my children’s artwork using Artkive, Shutterfly and MyPublisher. These books can get pricey, so I suggest searching Groupon for current deals when you are ready to create your books.

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Photo books are a terrific way to enjoy your child’s artwork for years to come…

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 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn