Photo Organizing: 15 Things to Let Go of Now

Man, who’s that chubby kiddo on the tire swing? Oh wait, that’s me. And yes, that’s also my photo collection, friends. Is anyone else taking a trip down memory lane of late? With all the craziness in the world right now, I’ve become super clear about what’s most important, and friends and family memories top the list.

I know, I’m old school. Millennials be like, printed photo collection? But friends, I love my printed photos as much as I love old records and rainbow glass, my Trapper Keeper, and my box of notes from high school. These are the last remnants of my favorite memories and there’s just something special about those memories. But the endless piles, nonsensical bins, and old school albums met their match in this pro organizer.

Although my printed collection was organized several years ago, I recently inherited a few more boxes from a family member and I can’t wait to get them into my spanking new archival boxes. Yellowed albums and sticky garage photos no more!

This month we’re celebrating memories and all things photo organizing, so follow along all month. And since inquiring minds want to know, we’ve launched these archival photo boxes in our shop! Follow along with the aid of my book or this post to guide your photo organizing journey. To get you started, here are 15 things to let go of now:

15 Things to Let Go of Now: Photo Organizing Edition

1. Duplicates

Keep only the best version of each photo to streamline your collection and reduce overwhelm.

2. Bad or blurry photos

If it’s unclear or unintentional, it’s not worth the storage—let it go.

3. Similar photos

Choose your favorite from lookalike shots and ditch the rest to avoid visual clutter.

4. Unflattering photos

You’re curating your story—not every awkward angle needs to be preserved.

5. Yellowing albums

Remove photos from degrading albums that could damage your memories over time.

6. Mismatched albums

Let go of storage that’s not working or cohesive to make your collection feel intentional.

7. Envelopes

Toss those bulky photo lab envelopes that only take up space and hide the good stuff.

8. People you don’t know

If the faces don’t spark recognition or joy, they don’t need to stay.

9. Bad memory photos

You don’t have to keep pictures that bring back pain—release them with care.

10. Redundant locations

Multiple shots of the same scene? Keep one that best captures the feeling.

11. Unidentifiable scenery

If you can’t remember where it was or why it mattered, it’s safe to part ways.

12. Unused film

Unless you’re planning to develop it, undeveloped film is just taking up space.

13. Old cameras you won’t use

Donate or recycle outdated gear that no longer fits your lifestyle or tech needs.

14. Negatives

If they’ve already been digitized or printed, it’s okay to let the originals go.

15. Excuses

The stories that keep you stuck in clutter can be released—you’re ready to move forward.

For more photo and archival goodies, check out the Simply Spaced Shop and Favorite Photo products in our Amazon shop, and don’t forget to grab a copy of my book with a special chapter on photo organization.