So many old photos…

[Anonymous]

After Mom and Dad died, I somehow got custody of the old photos. I organized them as best I could, and then, over a series of Christmases, scanned them and made Shutterfly albums for my decade-older sister: young mom, young dad, young grandma, young mom and dad together.

And then, after backing up all the photos, I threw them all away, including the ones that weren’t labeled and thus gave me no info. It seemed silly to keep 90-year old photos when we didn’t know who was in the photo.

I guess my point is that, if you have a reason to organize the best photos into an album, like my sister’s enjoyment, then go ahead and do it. But if no one cares about the photos, including yourself, there is no point in keeping them around and adding clutter to your life.

As you can tell, I’ve spent many years on this kind of thing!

[Anonymous]

P.S. I’m sorry about your mom’s dementia. I know how hard that is.

[Anonymous]

Right there with you on album front. Sorry about your mom.

[Anonymous]

You could buy something like https://a.co/d/gdK0biB

I’ve had my eye on this. Yes it’s expensive but a scanning service will be more. So if you don’t mind this as a side project, it might be an option

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I uploaded a bunch of ours to ancestry.com so others who might be researching the family etc can enjoy them. Better than tossing them and for right now at least they are still available

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After Mom and Dad died, I somehow got custody of the old photos. I organized them as best I could, and then, over a series of Christmases, scanned them and made Shutterfly albums for my decade-older sister: young mom, young dad, young grandma, young mom and dad together.

And then, after backing up all the photos, I threw them all away, including the ones that weren’t labeled and thus gave me no info. It seemed silly to keep 90-year old photos when we didn’t know who was in the photo.

I guess my point is that, if you have a reason to organize the best photos into an album, like my sister’s enjoyment, then go ahead and do it. But if no one cares about the photos, including yourself, there is no point in keeping them around and adding clutter to your life.

As you can tell, I’ve spent many years on this kind of thing!

Try to understand how valuable those would be to a future relative. By tossing old photos like that you are preventing future family members from experiencing a unique connection to their heritage. Just because you don’t care that doesn’t mean that anyone else will never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After Mom and Dad died, I somehow got custody of the old photos. I organized them as best I could, and then, over a series of Christmases, scanned them and made Shutterfly albums for my decade-older sister: young mom, young dad, young grandma, young mom and dad together.

And then, after backing up all the photos, I threw them all away, including the ones that weren’t labeled and thus gave me no info. It seemed silly to keep 90-year old photos when we didn’t know who was in the photo.

I guess my point is that, if you have a reason to organize the best photos into an album, like my sister’s enjoyment, then go ahead and do it. But if no one cares about the photos, including yourself, there is no point in keeping them around and adding clutter to your life.

As you can tell, I’ve spent many years on this kind of thing!

Try to understand how valuable those would be to a future relative. By tossing old photos like that you are preventing future family members from experiencing a unique connection to their heritage. Just because you don’t care that doesn’t mean that anyone else will never.

She already said she scannned them. Photos disintegrate over time.

[Anonymous]

There is a service whose name I cannot remember. My DS used it for such a purpose as yours and ultimately gave all of us flash drives with copies of photos and videos. She did take the time to organize by date herself. It was an online service and cost about a thousand dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After Mom and Dad died, I somehow got custody of the old photos. I organized them as best I could, and then, over a series of Christmases, scanned them and made Shutterfly albums for my decade-older sister: young mom, young dad, young grandma, young mom and dad together.

And then, after backing up all the photos, I threw them all away, including the ones that weren’t labeled and thus gave me no info. It seemed silly to keep 90-year old photos when we didn’t know who was in the photo.

I guess my point is that, if you have a reason to organize the best photos into an album, like my sister’s enjoyment, then go ahead and do it. But if no one cares about the photos, including yourself, there is no point in keeping them around and adding clutter to your life.

As you can tell, I’ve spent many years on this kind of thing!

Try to understand how valuable those would be to a future relative. By tossing old photos like that you are preventing future family members from experiencing a unique connection to their heritage. Just because you don’t care that doesn’t mean that anyone else will never.

This how hoarding happens. Holding on to things "just in case".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After Mom and Dad died, I somehow got custody of the old photos. I organized them as best I could, and then, over a series of Christmases, scanned them and made Shutterfly albums for my decade-older sister: young mom, young dad, young grandma, young mom and dad together.

And then, after backing up all the photos, I threw them all away, including the ones that weren’t labeled and thus gave me no info. It seemed silly to keep 90-year old photos when we didn’t know who was in the photo.

I guess my point is that, if you have a reason to organize the best photos into an album, like my sister’s enjoyment, then go ahead and do it. But if no one cares about the photos, including yourself, there is no point in keeping them around and adding clutter to your life.

As you can tell, I’ve spent many years on this kind of thing!

Try to understand how valuable those would be to a future relative. By tossing old photos like that you are preventing future family members from experiencing a unique connection to their heritage. Just because you don’t care that doesn’t mean that anyone else will never.

This how hoarding happens. Holding on to things "just in case".

OMG yes! This is my mother's mentality with everything. She can come up with a guilt trip about why anything cannot be thrown away.