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Declutter Digital Photos {15 Minute Mission}

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Today's mission is to declutter digital photos, so in this situation declutter means delete.


Organize Photos Challenge
This mission is designed to be done while we're working on the Organize Photos Challenge, which is part of the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge.

Obviously I'm not asking you to do a mass purge and erase lots of precious memories. Instead, I'm wanting you to think about the fact that digital files can, in fact, be clutter.

There was a time when we saw digitizing everything as "the answer" to almost every problem with paper clutter. Well, it certainly does help in certain instances, no doubt. BUT (sorry to shout, but I think this is important) now that we've got lots of digital files to manage we can see it brings its own set of problems and issues.

Types Of Digital Photos To Consider Deleting

Today get rid of some of your digital clutter and delete digital photos that are not very good. Here are suggestions for the types of photos to delete:
  • Blurry

  • Random accidental clicks, such as pictures of your thumb, the ceiling, etc.

  • Those that are extremely unflattering

  • Duplicates or several that are quite similar, just keeping the best one

  • Delete down huge numbers from an event to the best of the best
How to declutter digital photos, including the criteria for which photos to just delete from your devices, and why you want to make this declutter mission a habit {on Home Storage Solutions 101} #DeclutterPhotos #Declutter365 #DigitalClutteruse this Pin it button to save to Pinterest
The benefits of this are significant. First, it can clear up memory space on your computer or in your backup. Second,
and more important, it will now be so much easier for you to find and enjoy the really good pictures once you've gotten rid of the duds.

Make Deleting Digital Photos A Habit

Depending on how many digital photos you've got this mission can take more than fifteen minutes. That's OK.

In all situations like this just work on it for 15 minutes at a time, and feel proud of what you accomplish. Working in small amounts, over time, really does get you results. You can even do this while listening to fun or relaxing music, or while watching television.

It is important to do this task regularly from now on, as consistently as you take photos.

It is cheap and easy to take lots of photos these days, so we do. But you need to get in the habit of culling down your photos as quickly as you take them so you keep the best and delete the rest!

In fact, when you're deleting some of the ones not worth keeping at all, it's also the perfect time to be organizing the ones you are going to keep.

If you haven't already, make sure to check out this article about how to set up a routine to organize photos, which has tips for organizing (and deleting) digital photos!

How to organize photos the easy way: set up a routine


Below I'm going to remind you of a couple more places to make sure you declutter, beside your computer, when doing this mission.

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to media and entertainment clutter.

Don't Forget To Declutter Photos On Your Camera & Phone As Well

When I discussed this mission above I specifically was discussing your digital photos on your computer, but the mission also applies to other devices where you've got digital photos.

So make sure to transfer all of your photos to your computer from such devices, including your smart phone and/or digital camera, and then delete from these devices as well.

It may be even easier to delete from these devices because once you've transferred the photos to the computer (and assuming your computer is regularly backed up!) you don't need to keep duplicate photos on these other devices.

So it may be as simple as doing a mass delete. Or you can do the same process you did on your computer and keep just a few special photos if you wish on these devices, although I would encourage you to keep far fewer on them than in your master computer photo files. I just know some people (including me) like to have a few extra special photos to show off to friends from your phone, for example.

The benefits of this are HUGE, especially when it comes to your smart phone. If you often run into trouble with your phone saying it cannot perform a function because it doesn't have enough memory, cull photos! That almost always helps!

Don't forget to delete photos from several albums, including your camera roll, Instagram folder, videos, and more.

Tell me in the comments how this mission is going for you. I'd love to hear!

Want To Do More Decluttering Missions? Get Started With Declutter 365 Today!

Declutter 365 missions: 15 minute missions for your entire home

Once you declutter one type of item in your home I bet you'll want to declutter some more. After all, decluttering gives you a great reward for even a small investment of time and energy.

The Declutter 365 system is designed to help you declutter, over the course of a year, your entire house, with just 15 minutes of decluttering each day!

Hundreds of thousands of people use this proven system to get rid of their clutter, and bring peace and calm back to their homes.

Declutter 365 works to guide you to clear the clutter without overwhelm, focusing on just one small area at a time, and without making a huge mess in the process, so you see consistent forward progress without all that "messy middle" that makes it even harder to function in your home than before you started.

In addition to building a daily decluttering habit, the Declutter 365 program, along with the accompanying 52 Week Organized Home Challenge, teaches you the skills, habits, routines, and mindsets necessary to maintain the clutter free and organized state of your home from now on, so it'll never be as messy and cluttered as it is right now, ever again.

If you haven't already, make sure to get your copy of this year's Declutter 365 annual calendar here (it's FREE!), find today's date, and do 15 minutes of decluttering on the day's mission. Then, repeat again tomorrow, and again and again. Over the course of the next year, if you do this 15 minutes per day, you'll declutter your whole house!


Click here to take me to this year's Declutter 365 calendar


Here's some related articles that can help you continue with your decluttering journey:

Here is how to organize computer files on your home computer.

How to organize computer files on your home computer


In addition, here's more ideas for digital clutter you can get rid of from your smart phone, tablet and computer.

delete apps and digital clutter from smart phones, tablets and computers


Finally, check out my round up of over 40 photo storage and organization products, that are all archival quality, that can help you with this task, on Amazon. To find the list go to my Amazon store (at the link), and then scroll down for that list. (referral link)

40+ photo storage and organization ideas

Photo courtesy of scottjacksonx

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Getting Clutter Free 15 Minutes At A Time Hall Of Fame

Go From Declutter Digital Photos Mission To Home Page

Comments for Don't Forget To Declutter Photos On Your Camera & Phone As Well

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How I organize my digital photos
by: Anonymous

I organize all of my digital photos by year, then month, then day (if I know the date - some of my old photos that I've digitized don't have exact dates). I also will label the folder with the event, if applicable. So in folder 2015, then folder July, there is a folder for 03 - Trip to Pittsburgh. Then I name the pictures by who is in it or what it is of. I also number them, so they are in order of when they were taken. So... 01 - Name and Name.jpg would be a picture. Makes it a lot easier if I need to search a folder. It is also time consuming though!

I use Dropbox on my phone and it automatically uploads any pictures I take to the Dropbox site. It makes it easier to transfer pictures to my computer where I can store them. Once the pictures are on my computer, I can delete them from my phone if I want. I also have an external hard drive that I use to backup all of my digital photos.

It works! Now to find more 15 minute segments of time!
by: Joan

When we recently had a power outage of about 45 minutes the only device that worked was my laptop. I used it to consolidate my memory device just to pass the time. I'm so surprised that it went from 258KB available to 9.78MG available space! It was just due to duplicated large files like pdfs and pictures. I always thought that I'd get bogged down if I tried to tackle my many memory devices but it was way easier than I anticipated. Making lemonade out of lemons, I am encouraged to take a few minutes every weekend to go through my digital documents and pictures to save my own sanity! lol

Digital sorting programs
by: Anonymous

Do you have any suggestions on programs that organize digital photos into date?

Back up
by: Marisa LoBretto

As a backup store your best photos on a thumb drive and put it in your safe or other secure area.

I'm a picture hoarder! now under control...
by: Deb

I was one of those who couldn't update my computer because of the memory issue and photos were the cause and videos, ugh! I couldn't download my phone to the computer, so my phone began to hate me as well! It has taken me a lot of time cleaning up the pictures on my computer, but I'm making progress! Thank you for motivating us, it is really changing my habits and I am less stressed with clutter!

Apple iPhone update to photo option 4x6, please?!
by: MimmyKat

Idk why but the iPhone photo editor does not include a 4x6 option. Whether I’m printing pictures at home or at a store (eg. Walgreens), 4x6 is the most common (and least expensive) option. With each iPhone update, I think it will be included, but it’s not. In fact if I remember correctly, it used to be an option back in the day. Is there anyone who can help get this suggestion to the proper group at Apple?

Save space on IPhone
by: Sally

Is there a way to delete photo’s from IPhone but keep on IPad, when they are linked together?

Answers
by: Birdnscrap

To sort photos by month or year on Apple's Photos program on a Mac, you can create a smart album for each month or year. The photos will then automatically be selected. I do this for each year all at one time, creating 12 smart albums. I also create albums for special events or topics like trips, graduations, weddings, etc. I am not aware of a way to make smart albums on an iPhone or iPad using the Photos app.

For the person who wants to crop photos to 4 x 6, just use the 2 x 3 crop. It’s the same thing.

Recommended app for filing and editing digital photos
by: Sian

Hi, had a nightmare last week as I had a hard drive malfunction, long story short I have tens of thousands of photos which I was able to effectively sort and edit as they were uploaded into windows photo gallery. However since installing new hard drive, and retrieving all photos, the software is no longer supported so was wondering what the best option for me to continue with folders for years, months and occasions as the photos app I currently have only stores in date order, thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing your recommendations (PS - non apple computer).

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