Issue 37: The other kind of paper clutter

… but is seldom read?

Back on issues 19 and 20, I talked about another kind of paper clutter: print photography. Depending on which generation you fall into, you may have a ton of photos taking up space in albums, frames, boxes, nooks and crannies within drawers, envelopes, and more.

This week, I continue my decluttering journey with a look at preserving and purging old print photos. There’s a third “p” that’s an aspirational goal. Hopefully by accomplishing the first two, it will encourage you to peruse them more often.

-John

Moving Forward 486: Decluttering series: print photos

Print photos are a peculiar form of clutter and one that is very generation-specific. As a proud Gen Xer, I went through arguably the greatest technological shift in recent decades. We grew up with print photos, including rolls of film, and the little plastic drums that they came in. Taking photos was an involved process requiring trips to a photo developing place, and the hit or miss of getting your pictures developed in 4” × 5” or 5” × 7” prints; plus the time and money involved. This was a custom I followed well into my college and grad school years. As my generation moved into the 1990s and early 2000s, I, and many of my contemporaries moved slowly into digital photography; first with digital cameras, then into the modern smartphone era.

Thus, I am part of that “sandwich” generation that has a lot of physical prints and a phone full of digital images. For the Millenials and Gen Zers who grew up only knowing their phone’s camera, cloud storage, and social media, you may have never seen a physical print outside of your parents’ and grandparents’ homes. The reality though is that every generation eventually has to deal with physical photos whether as holdovers from one’s youth or future inheritances from past generations.

Last spring, as I was underway with purging document clutter, I dipped the toe into transforming the physical photos that I had amassed into a digital format. As you may recall from issues 19 and 20, I discovered a preservation station at one of the library branches in Baltimore County.

I booked two sessions, each three hours long, but as they only had a flatbed scanner, I barely made a dent in the 10,000+ prints that I had to get through. Ironically, as I was teaching my fall decluttering class, I discovered two additional boxes, increasing the population of prints from a small town to a decent sized metropolis.

As the library proved impractical for my digitization needs, I decided to research more efficient ways of getting the job done. Ultimately, this came down to two options: outsource the job or do-it-myself with special equipment.

As the former proved prohibitively expensive, I opted for the latter. After close to a year of researching mobile app and equipment solutions, I settled on a top-loading device: the Epson 680 FastFoto scanner.* It’s compact and scans prints at a rate of a photo per second.

In the short time I’ve had to play around with it, I’ve been able to scan more than double the amount of photos compared to what I was able to at the library. Now that I’ve finished document decluttering, I’m ready to settle in this winter for my long overdue photo digitization and decluttering.

Catch this week’s episode on Spotify.

Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart, CastBox, Pocket Casts, Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor), and Audible.

^{*Affiliate disclosure: these are links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.}

Hacks

Photo preservation and purging

The library

Most libraries will have a branch with special media equipment, including scanners. Check your local library to see what resources they have for this task. Bonus: some branches will have specialty equipment to convert other media types, including VHS, negatives, and 35 mm film reels.

Limitations:

• Equipment: This will vary depending on where you live. Most libraries will have flatbed scanners, which produce high quality scans but take time.

• Learning curve: If you’ve never used a scanner or scanned photos before, check with your library. Many will have knowledgeable librarians that can teach you how to use the equipment properly and safely. Remember, prints and negatives should be handled with care.

• Time: You may have to book an appointment ahead of time. Availability will depend on popularity, demand, and operating hours.

Overall:

This is an excellent option if you have a tight budget, a limited set of prints or are only scanning negatives.

Third party services

There are many big and small companies that offer photo scanning and media digitization. These will vary in price. Some price per photo, others by a “box” pricing method, in which anything that can fit into a box will be digitized at a fixed price.

Limitations:

• Expense: Whether by individual print or “box” pricing, expect to pay a lot for digitization. While the turnaround time is usually quick, the more you have to digitize, the more expensive it is.

Overall:

If you have a reasonable number of photos, and / or the discretionary funds, this can be a quick and efficient way to get your photos digitized.

DIY

Finally, you can do-it-yourself by mobile app using your phone’s camera or by investing in a high-speed personal scanning device.

1. Mobile apps: If you decide to convert your phone’s camera into a scanner, there are lots of specialty apps that can assist you. You can even use your free Notes app to do some basic scanning. One app that recent guest Jordan Lieberman recommends is Photomyne, which is available for IOS and Android and offers both a free and premium version.

2. Scanners: There are many scanners on the market that range in price, quality, and features. I recommend do some research and find one that fits your needs, and budget. The one I settled on is the Epson 680,* which was highly rated among many professional photographers and hobbyists.

Limitations:

• Expense: DIY may require you to invest in an app’s premium features or to buy special equipment, which can range in price. Generally, if you want a machine that can produce high quality scans at a fast pace, you’ll have to pay more.

• Learning curve: DIY will also require you to learn how to use equipment and software properly.

Overall:

If you don’t have the budget to outsource this but too many photos to utilize free services / equipment at the library, it’s worth looking into a mobile app or a device that will allow you to do this at home quickly and efficiently. You may have to invest some time and money, but if you have thousands of photos, it will be far less expensive than outsourcing it to a third-party service. Bonus: you’ll learn a new skill that you can turn into a side hustle.

DIY resources:

Check out Wayne Fox’s YouTube channel to learn more about photo preservation and his reviews on different scanning equipment.

^{*Affiliate disclosure: these are links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.}

Available now at my bookstore on Pangobooks

Speaking of great photos of old places …

Quirky reads 📚

Speaking of good books, here are some titles I’ve been reading lately.

[Affiliate disclosure: these are affiliate links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.]

• Christine by Stephen King (****).

Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations and to see what else I’m reading.

Upcoming (Jan 2025)

Speaking of decluttering, start off 2025 with less clutter and more home.

Resources

Teach a man to fish, you know the rest (if you don’t, check these out).

• Book a coaching call with me on Clarity.

• Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations.

• Check out one of my favorite daily newsletters Morning Brew (affiliate referral link).

Books

I wrote most of these so spruce up your home library and look smart in the process.

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Paperback, Kindle, Audible) 

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Apple audiobooks)

• The Poshmark Journal for Individuals and Small Businesses

• The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book

• I Am a Professional Metalhead (audiobook) (Audible affiliate link) written by Angelo Spenillo, narrated by John Lim

Support the newsletter and podcast

“What are you selling?!?” -actual quote from a b-school classmate

• Books! Check out my used bookstore on Pangobooks.

• Try out Audible (affiliate paid link).

• Try out Amazon Prime (affiliate paid link)

Affiliate disclosure

Note: Links to Amazon and Audible products are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.