Remembering The Good Times

CURATING | by JANNA LUFKIN

IN EVERY FAMILY, one member usually emerges as the historian. If you are the one handling this important bit of family business, make it easy and organize the family treasures.

SOURCE: iSTOCKPHOTO.COM

Do you have stacks of snapshots, boxes filled with vintage family photos, various binders and albums, CDs, DVDs, plus a virtual collection as well?

If so, unpack your closets and drawers this summer and design a family photo library that is efficient and easy to use, now and well into the future.

WARNING: This project can become overwhelming! But, like most large projects, it’s knowing where to start that’s half the battle.

Here are some questions to get you going:

• Where do you want to store your library? A desk, a closet, on bookshelves?
• How do you want to organize your archives? Albums, binders, photo boxes or digitally? Do some research; the ideal system will most likely include both old and new technology.
• How do you want to access your photos? By date/year, by family member — or both?

Once you have decided how your system will work, begin to sort and stack snapshots. If you have unidentified family photographs (we all do!) make a separate pile of those.

Purchase your chosen system to accommodate your archives and begin to compile your library. Make sure you choose a system that can be easily labeled and added to.

Finally, take a family vacation — a summer trip down memory lane. Host a picnic or weekend reunion and share your newly organized library. Top off the celebration by making a game of identifying unidentified family photos. Spread them (or copies of) on a table and gather valuable information from older family members.

Organizing the family archives? It could be the ticket to the best family vacation you ever had.