Dear Just Be: I want to organize all of my old photgraphs, but I feel like I've opened a huge can of worms! Is there a method to the madness?

Don't fret...though organizing months or years of photographs can seem daunting, it can be done. One step at a time, just like everything else we do in life. First before you start pulling out the photographs, set aside some dedicated space in your home for the project. As you work through the photos daily, weekly or monthly (as time allows) in your schedule, you will not want to necessarily set and pack up the project each time. Also, go into the project with realistic expectations and objectives. Knowing that it is unlikely that you will finish this project in one night - instead, that it may take days, weeks or even months, will lower your frustration level and stress related to the project. Instead, set aside dedicated time daily or weekly for as long as it takes, but realize you'll be taking a walk down memory lane which can be a fun journey. Celebrate the successes with this project - organizing photos of a past year, labeling all of the photos...set small milestones that you can easily attain and then pat yourself on the back for getting the job done.

So the next question becomes, where to start?!?!

1. Gather all of the photos from all over the house; those in books, nooks and crannies, and the ones stuffed into drawers.

2. Sort the photos. Most people find it easier to sort chronologically versus by event. If you don't have time/date stamps on the photos, give it your best guess using clues in the photos - how old or young people appear, how tall a tree in the yard is, etc. Sort first by year, then by month within that year. Put similar dated photos with one another.

3. As you sort, label the photos on the backside. We recommend you use a special photo pen for this purpose so as to not damage the photo by using a regular ball point pen. In your labeling, include pertinent information that other people in future generations may like to know - not only date, but also the full names of people in the photo and the location the photo was taken.

4. As you are sorting through the photos, don't feel guilty or badly for tossing out bad photos. Not every photo has to be preserved and in fact the old adage, "less is more" can be used here. Imagine thumbing through an album years from now seeing page after page of boring landscape that is not distinctive or of people that were accidentally cut in half by the frame. As you look back on the pictures as some point in the future, you'll appreciate reminiscing over the pictures that truly conjure up the images and experiences the photographs were trying to capture. This will also cut down on the time to complete your task at hand!

5. Once all of you pictures are sorted you will need to decide how you want to preserve them. You can buy photos albums for each year and insert the chronologically ordered photos in the album, you can place the photos in order in photo boxes, again labeled chronologically. You can also scan the photos to preserve them digitally. If using this option, which makes it easier to share the photos with loved ones, be sure to create electronic files detailing which photos are in the file and then save those scanned photos into the correct file. You will also want to back up the files on an external hard drive or on CD/DVD's. (You may also want to store the photos in boxes that are labeled.)

6. Are you still at a loss of where to start? Just start somewhere then. Pick a box or an envelope, find an event or special occasion and start sorting & labeling. Once you've got one under your belt, choose to go forward or backward in time. we advise you more forward in time with your photos so that you can eventually catch up to the present and feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Then, when you have more time go back tot he latest date that you organized and start working backwards. Again, remember one step at a time.

Another option is to hire a personal assistant to assist you with this task so that you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing your families memories will be organized and preserved.

Enjoy your trip down memory lane!