Out of Chaos
an organizing newsletter
July 2003 - Issue No. 3
Photo Organization
Here comes summer- the season of family vacations and new rolls of film, so what better time to tackle that photo album project you've been postponing…
There are several things to consider when you begin to think about photo storage. While it's great to put together albums, and they're very user-friendly, they are also far more labor intensive than storage boxes.
Albums can range from the relatively simple, with pre-sized slots to insert photos, to the more versatile scrapbook style. There are also increasingly efficient ways to organize photos digitally.
www.adobe.com (go to Photoshop Album) > organizational & editing software
www.ulead.com > organizational & editing software
www.picasa.net > organizational & editing software
www.snapfish.com > photosharing websites
www.shutterfly.com > photosharing websites
www.studioline.biz > photosharing websites
www.ofoto.com > photosharing websites
Ask yourself:
- Do I want to be able to caption the photos?
- Do I want to be able to paste mementos into the book as well as photos?
- Are all my pictures the same size?
- Photo boxes are easy. They look neat and usually come with index cards, which you can use to label and categorize your photos.
- For a group of special pictures (a recent vacation, a family wedding) get a small photo album. Look for the style with a frame on the cover; so it can do double duty.
- Frames: A lot of us have a tendency to go out and buy a new frame every time we get a good new picture. At a certain point our tabletops begin to look Victorian in their clutter. Resist that urge and instead replace an old picture with a new one. After all, how many pictures of the family in ski-clothes do you need in one room? Tip: When you replace last year's portrait of your child with this year's, put last year's in their memory book
Philosophical Considerations: Photo albums are one thing it is better to do less frequently. If you put pictures away each time you get a roll developed, you tend to keep them all. If you wait until you have four or five rolls, you will be more discriminating.
Containers within Containers
With summer coming you are hopefully looking forward to a lot of travelling both quick trips and longer vacations. With all that packing and unpacking, it's a perfect time for me to tell you about my one of my favorite tools, the container within the container. You know how wild I am about everything having a place: this is a way to give a home to those things that are constantly in transit. Basically, having containers (for example: a makeup pouch) within a container (a purse) allows you to change the outer container (purse/suitcase/tote bag) and take exactly what you need without rummaging through a bunch of loose items.
Many people already practice this to one degree or another. You probably have a toiletry kit in your suitcase, and perhaps some items live there, while others you add when you pack. Obviously this same kit can go from a small overnight bag to a big suitcase for a two-week trip with minor adjustments. This is a great start. It is well worth the few dollars it will cost to buy a few sample size shampoos, or even little bottles to transfer your own shampoo into so that your kit is completely outfitted, and your packing will become hassle-free.
Below are some variations on the mini-container. These examples may not apply to you…but they may inspire you to dream up mini-containers that suit your needs.
MAKEUP : I have a very small makeup pouch (Sportsac) that I carry in my purse. However, I keep the makeup I wear on a daily basis in a slightly larger Sportsac in my medicine cabinet. When I travel I just toss that into my carry-on and I'm set.
WORK : Some of you may have seen the little black pouch I carry when I work. I fit my label maker, a Sharpie marker, a stapler, extra batteries, a few sets of keys and a box cutter into this pouch; which I can then toss in my purse. When I get home I take it out so I don't end up schlepping my label maker to the playground.
FOLDERS : Many people carry papers, but not necessarily briefcases. A clear-plastic envelope can help keep them neat in whatever bag you carry.
FILOFAX : A Filofax is like a mini desk. You can transfer it from knapsack to purse and you have everything you need in one spot.
THE DIAPER BAG : When my son was little, I kept the essentials of his diaper bag in a plastic pouch (the kind that you get when you buy pillowcases). I could then throw this pouch into my knapsack, the stroller, my purse or his backpack, without having to worry about forgetting anything, and without constantly dragging around an enormous diaper-bag.
If you begin to think in terms of mini-containers you will find it easy to transfer essentials from one purse to another, and from one suitcase to another. Better yet, you can work to eliminate those bags with 5 pennies, 2 q-tips, a bottle of lotion from Madrid and 3 ballpoint pens at the bottom.
L.L.Bean's Personal Organizer toiletry kits, available in 4 sizes & 8 colors- $20- $40. Also check out their Universal Packers and little bottles. Go to> Travel> Accessories
The Container Store has great packing items including small bottles, and a variety of small pouches. Go to> Travel.
Sportsac. Wide variety of mini pouches. Go to> Accessories.
Other types of mini-containers:
- Use those pillowcase pouches to pack underwear and socks in your suitcase it will keep it neater, and you won't be rifling through your suitcase to find something. Or check out the Container Store or L.L. Bean for packing accessories.
- Keep your gym bag fully stocked, so you can just pull out the dirty clothes- but leave the necessities in place.
- Writing gear: Keep a plastic envelope with a pen and an address list of people you want to send postcards to. You can keep it in a travel file with maps, or in your suitcase.
- Keep your maps & directions to friend's country houses in a plastic envelope in the car.
Check out:
Gorgeous floral file folders are great for these desk top files that you need to keep out - but hate to look at.