This month’s guest blog is written by Amanda Littlecott of Clear Bubble Photo Organising
Overwhelmed by photos? You’re not alone.
We all have far more photos than we ever intended to keep. Between smartphones, WhatsApp images, screenshots, and old printed photos stored in boxes, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed because it’s hard to know where to start.
Sorting photos can be easier than you think
For many people, photos are one of the most emotionally loaded categories to organise. They represent family, milestones, loved ones, and memories, which is often why they get put off for ’another day’. A few simple changes in approach can make photo organising far more manageable.
Here are three practical tips to help you get started:
- Focus on your best photos first
A common mistake people make is trying to organise every single photo they own. This quickly becomes overwhelming and can bring progress to a standstill. Instead, start by identifying your favourite photos. Most phones and photo apps allow you to mark favourites with a simple tap. This works particularly well after events such as holidays, birthdays, or family gatherings. By selecting the photos you truly love, you immediately create a smaller, meaningful collection that’s easy to find again.
- Don’t start at the beginning
If your digital photo collection goes back many years, starting chronologically from the very first image is one of the hardest ways to begin. A more effective approach is to use settings on your mobile phone where your photos are stored, or use the ‘media types’ settings on your computer.
These automatically group photos into categories such as screenshots, videos, selfies, or images received via messaging apps. You can then quickly delete photos there that you don’t want to keep which will dramatically reduce the size of your photo collection in a short amount of time, making the rest of the process far more achievable.
- Digitise printed photos properly
Many people have boxes of printed photos at home and assume the easiest solution is to photograph them with their phone. This often leads to glare, distortion, and poor-quality images. Instead, it’s worth using scanning apps designed specifically for photos, such as Google PhotoScan or Photomyne. These apps are designed to remove glare, automatically crop images, and create clearer digital copies that are easier to store, organise, and share.
For larger or more delicate collections, flatbed scanners or professional photo organising support can help preserve original photos while creating a well-structured digital archive.
If any of the above sounds complicated or the terminology brings you out in a sweat, don’t worry, we can help.
About Clear Bubble Photo Organising
Clear Bubble Photo Organising specialises in helping people sort, organise, and safeguard their photos, both digital and printed, in a calm, supportive, and practical way.
Photo organising often comes up during times of change, downsizing, decluttering, supporting later life transitions, or managing a loved one’s belongings. It can be both practically and emotionally challenging. Clear Bubble works with individuals and families to break this process into manageable steps, creating simple systems that feel achievable rather than overwhelming, always at a pace that feels right.
Our support can include:
- Digitising and preserving printed photos and old media
- Organising digital photo collections
- Creating clear, easy-to-maintain photo systems
- Designing photobooks and memory projects
Whether you’re organising your own photo collection or supporting a loved one through a period of change, Clear Bubble Photo Organising is here to make the process calm, clear, and achievable. If you’d like to talk through how they can help, call on +44 (0)7821 526511 or email amanda@clearbubble.co.uk