Smartphones have changed the way we take pictures. We all carry devices in our pockets that allow us to snap away on a whim.
It’s great for documenting vacations or capturing the moment, and smartphones make it easy to share those experiences over social media. But this convenience also translates to massive digital photo libraries.
Besides the storage problem (which we will leave to another post), it also brings the challenge of how to organize photos on your computer. This is an important question to ask because it addresses how we access these images in the future. And, if you are not on top of it, it can get out of hand.
Fortunately, there are a few basic things you can do to keep your computer photos organized. Keep reading to find out how.
Establish a Method for Sorting New Photos
One of the most important things you can do when learning how to organize photos on a computer is to set up a method for handling new pics. First of all, you should not rely on your phone as the primary storage device.
There are any number of cloud-based services (Apple iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox) you can use to backup photos. Most of them offer free options for basic storage.
Even if you pay for larger backup storage capacity, you will still need to organize them. How you do so depends on how you plan to consume these images in the future.
At least once a month, organize them into folders. One easy way is by year, then subfolders by month or event, or both. Events folders allow you to easily share pics from vacations or birthday parties.
Tackle Old Photos
For older photos, you can use cloud services in two ways: storing them or organizing them on your computer, then use the cloud to back them up. Either way, follow the folder organization method you established for new pics, and work your way backward on older photos.
Especially for those who have very large photo libraries, it can feel overwhelming to organize them in one fell swoop. Doing so over time can be more manageable. Set goals of accomplishing a few months of photos every week.
One important aspect of organization is deciding which photo library files to keep. Besides blurry ones that never got deleted from your phone and end up in the backup, you may have six or eight (or more) of the same picture.
Take the time to determine which one or two capture the moment, and get rid of the other ones. Not only will this keep your storage sizes down, but it will make it easier to view these photos in the future and find old pics you’re looking for.
Learn More on How to Organize Photos on Your Computer
If you still feel overwhelmed, you might consider hiring a professional computer photo organizer. They can either tackle the job themselves or teach you methods on how to organize files.
Now that you have an idea of how to organize photos on your computer, you can get your photo library under control. It will help make personal viewing and sharing of these life moments more manageable and enjoyable.
We hope you found this information helpful. If so, be sure to check out some of our other technology posts, as well as those on business, news, health, and many other topics.
