Category Archives: Photos

Photo Organizer Favorites: Forever Permanent Photo Storage Solution

Since May is National Photo Month, I thought it might be useful to highlight a few of my favorite photo organization tools on the blog this month. First up is Forever.

As a certified photo organizer, it’s part of my job to recommend cloud storage solutions for my clients’ digital images. Forever is the place that I’ve chosen to archive my family photo collection, and it’s the solution I recommend most to my clients.

Why Forever?

So many reasons! Today I’ll focus on permanence and privacy.

Permanence

Forever makes a pretty amazing promise to it’s members – a guarantee that their photos will be safeguarded for the members’ lifetime plus 100 years.

They are able to make this guarantee because of their unique business model, which includes a conservatively managed trust that continues to pay for your storage, beyond your lifetime as well as the lifespan of the company. You own your storage space in the cloud, unlike other storage services that allow you to rent storage on a monthly/annual basis. You are able to pass down your digital archive to other family members after you pass away so that your memories continue to live on for the next generation.

Your photos are permanently stored at the resolution level at which they were uploaded. They can be downloaded in high resolution without having to pay a fee (which can’t be said for all photo storage sites).

In 2015, the prevailing image format is a .jpeg file. Given the speed at which technology changes, it’s highly likely that our images may take on a different file format in 50 years. If so, Forever has you covered. Forever will ensure that all of your digital content remains accessible over time by automatically migrating your files to current digital file formats.

Privacy

Unlike many of it’s competitors, Forever puts a premium on your privacy. You maintain legal ownership of your content and are in full control of who can view your images via their comprehensive privacy settings.

In addition, Forever does not mine your data or sell it to advertisers. Read the terms and conditions of the current photo sharing site that you’re using to see if they can make that promise. Not likely (particularly if you are utilizing a free storage solution).

Organization & Editing Tools

Once you’ve uploaded your images onto the Forever platform, the real fun begins! You can easily apply tags to your images, which enables you to quickly corral your photos into albums based on theme, people, events, time frame, or any other category you want. This feature comes in quite handy for creating digital photo books.

Want to crop, resize, or adjust the contrast of a particular image? How about creating a black and white version? No problem. A wide array of basic editing tools is built into the Forever platform. You can choose to edit your original image, or keep the original untouched and create an edited image copy.

Mobile Access to Your Entire Photo Collection

As a photo organizer, I’m all about bringing my clients’ photos back into their everyday life. When I demonstrate how the Forever app enables you to access your entire photo library on any device to my photo organizing clients, they are ecstatic!

People typically use their camera roll to store digital photos taken with their mobile devices. These high resolution photos take up a ton of storage space, which limits the number of photos you can store on your device (raise your hand if you’ve ever had to delete photos in order to take new ones). With the Forever app, you can use the auto-backup feature to upload images taken via your mobile device to your Forever account. Once they are uploaded, you can delete photos from your camera roll and free up a ton of storage space on your device. Simply use the Forever app to view your photo library on the go!

Secure & Private Sharing

In addition to sharing your photos by letting others view them on your mobile device, Forever enables you to share individual photos or albums using their secure and private social features. You are able to share photos via email or social networks using a link that you control. Sharing recipients do not have to have a Forever account in order to view your photos.

You share what you want with whom you want.

Forever is featured in the Products I Love menu of the Refined Rooms website. You can click through and sign up for a free membership in order to test drive this great product to see how it can make managing your photo collection a breeze!

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

DISCLOSURE: This post was sponsored by Forever. The opinions expressed are solely my own, based on both my personal experience as well as the experience I have working with photo organizing clients.

Redundancy and Automation are Key for Your Digital Photo Backup System

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September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, and it’s that time of year when photo organizers everywhere are posing questions such as…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Major Takeaways from the 2014 Association of Personal Photo Organizers Conference

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If you’ve ever attended a professional conference, you can relate to that energized, yet frenetic post-conference feeling you have upon returning home. I have a “post-conference routine” that I engage in to ensure that I capitalize on my conference experience as much as possible. This routine includes creating a list of core takeaway messages, as well as a list of action steps for implementing all of the new business ideas that conference attendance invariably conjures up.

Earlier this week, I returned from the Association of Personal Photo Organizers (APPO) conference in Dallas and finally had a chance to create my list of core takeaway messages from the conference. In today’s blog post, I’ll share the list with you.

Takeaway #1:

There is a monumental need for photo organizing services

The photo organizing industry is a field that is currently in its infancy. The field has emerged as a consequence of the huge volume of photos that people have amassed since the advent of the digital camera, as well as the ever-changing sea of technology that has significantly impacted the way in which we capture our memories. People are often too busy and/or too overwhelmed to regularly manage and safeguard their photo collections on their own.

The need for help is significant.

Takeaway #2:

Our photos are sacred to us

It’s certainly not an earth-shattering revelation to say that our photos are very important to us. During the conference though, I came away with an enhanced appreciation for just how important a role photos play in our lives. This message really hit home as I listened to several presenters discuss their amazing stories of various photo rescue efforts following natural disasters that have occurred across the U.S. and Canada.

Because photos are so sacred, it is vital that we all take the necessary steps to ensure that our precious memories are safe in the event of an unthinkable disaster.

Takeaway #3:

Our photos are everywhere…and that’s a problem

One of the consistent themes throughout the conference was the need to address the universal challenge of having our digital photos scattered across many different devices. The typical person has segments of their photo collection stored on their phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, and memory cards/flash drives.

The first step for putting a photo management system in place is to establish a digital “hub”–that is, a centralized place where all images will ultimately be stored, once collected from the original image source.

This image created by my APPO colleagues at PSG Photo Solutions provides a useful illustration of the digital hub concept.

Takeaway #4:

Our photos are not properly backed up…and that’s a problem

Another key component of a good photo management system is setting up an appropriate back up system for your photos. Several conference presenters shared alarming statistics regarding the percentage of people who don’t back up their photos on a regular basis, or have NO back up system in place whatsoever.

In addition, many people back up their photos to CD/DVD and are under the impression that their photos are safe for the long-term, when in fact, the average shelf life of the typical CD/DVD is 2-5 years.

Takeaway #5:

The way that we share our photos has changed over time

We print less photos, but share more than we used to.

While rates of photo printing have decreased, the variety of ways in which people “interact” with their photos has increased. People are choosing to be more creative with their photos, using photo books and photo products for displaying and sharing.

Of course, the advent of the smart phone, tablet, and picture sharing sites have also contributed to the demise of the print photo.

Takeaway #6:

We take a lot of bad photos…but that can be easily remedied

During the conference, I had the opportunity to hear well-known photographer Nick Kelsh discuss the need for ruthless purging of bad photos (and according to him, bad photos are an epidemic). So many of us tend to keep every single shot we’ve ever taken. Don’t be afraid to throw away the blurry ones…and the photos of your foot that you took accidentally.

Nick also offered these simple, yet powerful tips to reduce the number of bad photos you will eventually need to cull from your collection:

Managing Your Print Photo Collection: Step 2 – Safeguard

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In Part I of Managing Your Print Photo Collection, we gathered our photos together with our photo organizing “tool box” on hand, and decided which photos were “keepers”. We then determined the sorting themes/categories for our collection, after first performing a rough chronological sort. Once we’ve completed the sorting and purging process, we need to take the necessary steps to safeguard our photos for the long-term.

SAFEGUARDING YOUR PRINT PHOTOS

Use only archival-quality photo boxes (to store B Photos) and albums (to display A Photos). Archival quality products are acid and lignin-free, so they will not accelerate the natural deterioration process inherent in print photos. Some great sources for these products include: Archival Methods and University Products.

Scan your print photo collection to create a digital version of your photos. If you have the time and the right equipment, you can complete this job yourself. Alternatively, you can outsource this task and have a professional photo organizer complete it for you. You’ll need to decide if it’s worth the investment to digitize your entire collection, or perhaps just your “A Photos”.

Once your collection is digitized, put a redundant back-up system in place so that your digitized print photo collection AND your collection of digital images are protected. Your back-up system should include an external hard drive back-up, as well as storage “in the cloud”. There are a large number of cloud-based options, including those that offer storage only (e.g. Drop Box, Carbonite), as well as websites that include photo management features as well as photo storage (e.g., Flickr, Photobucket). You may also want to consider using Picture Keeper as part of your back-up system. When you plug this flash drive device into your computer, it automatically finds and copies all image files located throughout your computer’s hard drive.

To make it even easier for you to put a back-up system in place for your photos, Picture Keeper is offering a deep discount on their products during the month of November:

Once you’ve organized and safeguarded your print photo collection, it becomes much easier to integrate these precious memories back into your life. By creating digital photo books, online albums and traditional scrapbooks for yourself and others, you and your family members will be able to enjoy reliving these special moments for years to come.

Need assistance putting a back-up system in place for your photo collection? Contact Natalie Gallagher at Refined Rooms LLC to learn more about photo organizing services. We are a proud member of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers.

Managing Your Print Photo Collection: Step 1 – Organize

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PAPER REFINEMENT SERIES

Did you know that Paper Management is the number one reason that people hire a professional organizer? Despite our society’s best efforts to “go paperless”, excess paper clutter is a universal challenge in the homes in which I work. This post is the second in a series of blog posts that will focus on paper management.

If you ask people what possessions they are most likely to salvage from their home if it was on fire, they are likely to say their photo collection. Ironically, managing our photo collections is typically a very low priority on our “To Do” list. Dealing with those shoeboxes full of print photos is one of those tasks that most people plan to tackle “someday”. A disaster is not the only way photos can be destroyed. If your photos are improperly stored, you run the risk of losing your precious memories to damage caused by acidic papers, inks, and glues, as well as mold and mildew. By setting aside time to properly organize and safeguard your old print photos, you will be better able to enjoy them and share them with others for many generations to come. In today’s post, I’ll provide some basic tips for tackling the organizing process.

ORGANIZING YOUR PRINT PHOTOS

If your photos are scattered throughout your home, the first step is to gather all of your photos (including loose photos and photo albums) in one central location. This location should contain a large, flat work surface. A dining room table works great for this purpose.

Before you begin sorting photos, make sure you have the necessary tools available. Your photo organizing “tool box” should include:
- Cotton gloves (to protect photos from skin oils)
- Post-It notes/pen (for labeling your categories)
- Photo safe pencils (for writing notes on the back of photos)
- Dental floss/hair dryer (for removing stubborn photos from any “peel and stick albums”).

Complete an initial “rough sort” by sorting your photos by decade, using shoe boxes to contain each decade.

Next, go through each “decade box” and fine-tune your sort. I recommend sorting photos by theme. Some common themes include: Holidays, Travel/Vacations, Sporting Events, School Days, Celebrations, etc. Sorting categories are based on both your personal preference and the content of your particular collection.

As you complete the fine-tuned sort, implement the “ABC’S Method” (developed by the Association of Personal Photo Organizers) to determine which photos to throw away, pass along to others, archive in boxes, and set aside for display/sharing:
- A Photos: A stands for Album. These are your most important and cherished photos; to be displayed in an album, frame, and/or shared online with others;
- B Photos: B Stands for Box. These photos are important enough to keep, but not worthy of displaying necessarily; to be stored in archival quality boxes;
- C Photos: C Stands for Can (as in Trash Can!). These photos are not worthy of keeping; to be thrown away (blurry, unflattering) or given to others (duplicates);
- S Photos: S Stands for Story. These photos that might seem unimportant at first (for example, an older photo of a random house), but actually tell an important family story (the photo is the house in which your grandfather grew up).

Try to move as quickly as possible during the sorting process and avoid reminiscing. There will be plenty of time for that once your project is complete!

In my next post, we’ll discuss the ways in which you can safeguard your print photo collection once the organization process is complete.

Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher and Refined Rooms? Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com.

Refined Rooms LLC is a proud member of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers!

Your Home… Refined

Tips and Resources to Help Homeowners Create a Home that's Organized, Stylish, and Sellable

Category Archives: Photos

Organizing Kids’ Art

Create an Art Gallery Wall

Designate a Temporary Holding Container

Review Your Collection at Year’s End

Archive and Share Each Year’s Collection

Artsonia

Artkive

Photo Books

Managing Your Print Photo Collection: Step 1 – Organize

PAPER REFINEMENT SERIES

ORGANIZING YOUR PRINT PHOTOS