I created this 10-week digital photo organizing challenge to provide motivation, as well as a blueprint for completing what is typically a daunting organizing project. I want you to reap the benefits of an organized digital photo collection!
LAST UPDATED: JANUARY 2023
Even the most organized among us struggles with disorganization when it comes to photos.
Our digital photo collections are particularly messy, since we take so many photos from so many different devices, without ever giving much thought to what images we will keep, where we will store them, and how we will ever retrieve them if we need them.
As a former APPO-certified photo organizer, I’ve helped many people bring order to their digital photo chaos. I’m super excited to help YOU as well!
How Does The Digital Photo Organizing Challenge Work?
Every week for 10 weeks, we’ll tackle a specific step of the digital photo organizing process. At the end of the post, there will be a set of assignments to complete during the week as part of the photo organizing process.
This time around, I’m providing a printable To Do list you can use as a weekly guide (see below).
The Digital Photo Organizing Challenge assignments are as follows:
- Week 1 – Establish your hub
- Week 2 – Inventory your collection
- Week 3 – Create a backup system
- Week 4 – Create your core file structure
- Week 5 – Sort images
- Week 6 – Remove duplicates
- Week 7 – Rename images
- Week 8 – Add tags/ratings
- Week 9 – Create a maintenance plan
- Week 10 – Celebrate and share
This challenge does require you to complete the assignments in the order in which they are assigned, as each set of tasks builds upon the previous ones. So, if you have a really busy week and aren’t able to complete the assignment, go ahead and complete it the following week, knowing that you’ll be a week behind.
If it takes you longer than 10 weeks to complete the Challenge, no worries. You’ll still reap the benefits of an organized photo collection that you can fully enjoy when you get to the end of the process!
How to Prepare to Complete the Digital Photo Organizing Challenge
As with any organizing challenge, there are three things that you can do to set yourself up for success.
1. Know Your “Why”
In order to sustain your motivation throughout the course of any organizing challenge, it’s critical that you focus on the reasons why you’re doing it in the first place.
What are your goals for the end of the Digital Photo Organizing Challenge?
For some of you, it might be the peace of mind knowing that you’ve finally backed up your digital photo collection . For others, the goal might be to spend less time searching for important images for that photo book/gift that you want to create.
Write down your vision for your newly organized digital photo collection at the end of the challenge. Refer to it when you feel your motivation waning.
2. Find a Challenge Buddy
Find a friend to do the challenge along with you. You will be so much more likely to follow through with the challenge assignments if you have an accountability partner who will be checking in regularly to see your progress.
Challenge buddies can serve to encourage one another, and provide another perspective on how to approach an organizing challenge. It’s more fun than taking on the challenge alone!
3. Schedule Challenge “Appointments”
As with all organizing/decluttering tasks, you’ll need to make a firm commitment to making the weekly photo organizing assignments priority this fall. My best advice for your is to plan appointments in your calendar each week in order to complete the challenge assignments.
The length and number of appointments may vary, depending on the size and the current state of your photo collection. Treat those appointments as sacred.
4. Grab Your Free Digital Photo Organizing Resources
I’ve created a Digital Photo Organizing Tool Kit as a companion resource for Challenge participants. Also, be sure to download this Digital Photo Organizing Challenge Checklist/Planner to help you stay on track and motivated over the coming weeks.
So…Whose with me?
Let me know if you’re joining me in the Digital Photo Organizing Challenge this time around! Get ready for your first assignment — establishing your digital photo hub.
Love a good organizing challenge? Be sure to check out my other organizing challenges:
- The Organize and Refine Your Home Challenge
- The Organize Your Holiday Challenge
- The One Pile at a Time Paper Decluttering Challenge
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I would like to do the 10 week photo organization challenge
Awesome! This is a do-at-your-own-pace challenge. All of the links to each week’s Challenge assignment can be found on this page. Also, be sure to download the free Digital Photo Organizing Toolkit (see bottom of post). Good luck!
DPO Challenge, I’m in!
yey!
Can you suggest how to offer this to residents in an active retirement community? We have a large screen, laptop, and all audio visual equipment.
Hi Riki — It’s so awesome that you are looking into providing this as a resource for the community! I’m a bit stumped as to how you could utilize the blog post series to create a presentation. What I would suggest is perhaps inviting a local certified Photo Manager to deliver a live workshop/presentation to the community. They will likely walk you through a very similar process (since I was trained in their methodology). Best of luck!
Great framework! I could probably benefit from doing the challenge but I think it would take me weeks for each step, or at least some of them.
I am in! I am so excited to find this site. Last fall I decided to figure out how to organize my photos after the new year. I was very nervous about messing up, wasting time. So glad to find a system & someone who can teach it to me.
I’m in. I’m very happy I found your site, not only I will try this challenge, but review your other resources, thanks so much!
Thanks Jessica! Glad to have you as a reader and good luck on your photo organizing journey
Hi. I was looking for info on how to create a digital photo book (as opposed to a printed one) and came across your site. I’d like to declutter and organise my photos (I’m an Apple user) and wonder if I can take up the challenge now and do it at my own pace?
Hey Lyn,
You sure can! Just bookmark this post, which has links to each of the 10 Challenge posts, and complete the steps in each post at your own pace.
Good luck!
I have over 300,000 digital photos that I know have tons of duplicates. Please let me know if your system will
A) get rid of duplicates
B) let me create albums
C) add several tags to each picture
My mother in law passed and it took me HOURS to find pictures of her. I want to be able to sort by date, event, location, and person or persons.
I currently have PS elements but all it does is freeze up my computer even though I have everything saved to 3 external drives.
Please Help!
That is a HUGE collection Debbie. My digital photo organizing process does walk you through how to delete duplicates, explore ways to display and enjoy your photos, and rate/tag your photos. Your pain point (not being able to find pictures when you need them) was the primary reason I created this Challenge! It’s so satisfying to be able to put your finger on the specific photo that you are looking for within seconds!
Be patient and hang in there. It can be done!
What is the cost to take this challenge class? I amvery interested…
Hi Mary! The Challenge is free 🙂
I just found this. It fits perfectly with goals my husband and I have for this year! Slides. print and digital with years of marriage, moves, kids and travels we just have way too many!
Awesome Linda! I wish you the best of luck on your 2021 photo organizing journey!
I have a stack of photos that I need to scan or something in order to get organized. I don’t want to keep them in albums since I’m trying to declutter and minimize my belongings.
Scanning is definitely the perfect solution!
Hi Natalie,
Wanted to say Hi and and thank you! I’ve found your 10 week Digital Photo Organizing Challenge and it has been a much needed distraction from the current state of things. I’ve been trying to organize my photos for years and fell victim to using programs to help only to find I don’t use it anymore and have backed up my photos with no organization, not even sure if they are originals. So, this week I’ve embarked on the challenge and have completed the first 2 steps so far and excited to continue. To play it safe, I copied all sets from everywhere to my “Original Chaos” file that now contains approximately 147 thousand photos, pretty sure my de-duplicator software will be well worth the money as I suspect I have the collection at least 3 times! But I’m so thankful for your challenge, I’ve been wanting to do this and lacked the complete process but you’ve laid it out so nicely and it makes so much sense. Thank you so very much for sharing your experience and giving me something productive to calm my anxiety over the crisis we are currently facing. My new structure is name “Organized Chaos” because I know I’ll have trouble parting with photos of my kids from every angle in every possible scenario….so I’ll keep them all, even some blurry ones because it makes them seem more angelic ;). Anyway, thank you and I hope this finds you and your family safe and well.
Jennifer,
I’m SO excited that you’re using this unanticipated time at home to tackle this super important organizing project. It takes time and perseverance, but you will be so very happy you did it once it’s completed! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be able to find any photo you’re looking for with a quick search. It’s so very rewarding to hear that you’re finding the Challenge to be so helpful. Thanks for reaching out 😉
Is this current? I just found the article today -and I DEFINITELY need to organize my digital photos. I’m running out of cloud space everywhere!
Hi LouAnn! The Challenge is self-paced. If you subscribe to my community/mailing list (sign up box at end of post), you’ll receive weekly Challenge assignments delivered to your inbox. Welcome aboard!
Hi!
Just finding you today through Pinterest. Most of my photos are on my phone or on CDs.
I’ve been working on reconstruction of an old album for my Mom so I’ve scanned some very old photos to CD. Is that a good way to keep the heritage photos?
When Is the 10 week photo organizing challenge going to start again?
Will I be able to do the challenge, not being very computer tech oriented ? Thanks in advance.
Unfortunately, CDs have become an outdated form of backup technology. Scanning to an external hard drive (as well as a secondary cloud-based storage option) would be the approach I would take (see my post about recommended back up strategies here.
You can sign up at the bottom of this post to receive the weekly challenges in your email inbox. Going through the process does require a certain comfort level with technology. If you find yourself overwhelmed, you can always outsource your digital photo organizing project by hiring an expert — go to APPO.org to find one in your area. Good luck!
This is super! I’ve gone through my photos and taken out all the duplicates, and to be honest, I’ve thrown a lot out. I realized that I didn’t need to keep some of the hard copy of photos. More and more I’m realizing that the memories are carried in my heart and I don’t need the photo. But there is a stack that I need to scan or something in order to get organized. I don’t want to keep them in albums since I’m trying to declutter and minimize my belongings. Visiting from Monday Madness.
Hi Angela!
Stick with me over these next 10 weeks, and I’ll touch upon the issue of scanning the print photos. I typically recommend tackling that piece after we get the digital photos organized. Thanks for stopping by!
As a new APPO member I will be following this closely!
Hi Hazel!
Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to APPO! Glad to have you along the ride for the Challenge! There is such a wealth of knowledge to tap into among the APPO membership. You’ll be very happy with your decision to become a member!
I’ve tried many methods to organize my thousands of digital photos, which are now on multiple hard drives as I remove them from my laptop. This may be just what I need.
Susan,
So glad you found the Challenge…you are just the type of person that I designed it for! Hoping to see you and hear about your successes in the coming weeks. Welcome!