What do you do with old pictures?!?

barb40 · ‎03-09-2010

I have several framed photographs that I have just stacked in boxes...I am trying to decide what to do with them. Mostly 5 x 7, and 8 x10 size...so they don't really fit in a photo album.

Also...my mother in law has bins of old photographs...What does one do with those? She has not gone through them, and I doubt she will. Do things like this just get thrown away?

Any helpful suggestions and organization tips are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

software · ‎06-08-2016

I scanned many of mine to a CD rom.

I have many albums too, my grown kids like looking at the pictures

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@barb40 wrote:
I have several framed photographs that I have just stacked in boxes...I am trying to decide what to do with them. Mostly 5 x 7, and 8 x10 size...so they don't really fit in a photo album.

Also...my mother in law has bins of old photographs...What does one do with those? She has not gone through them, and I doubt she will. Do things like this just get thrown away?

Any helpful suggestions and organization tips are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

if we dont know who they are we have thrown them away. if they are people that meant something to my parents we still throw them away. if they are people we know but dont want the photos, i have asked the people or their relatives if they want the photographs. if the kids want them they are welcome to them. if they are special to us they are kept.....photos and slides.

we have done the same thing with greeting cards that have been saved. almost all of them have gone into the trash.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

One of the few things I am obsessed about is labeling all my photos. Every photo has an acid free label that states the date it was taken, where, who is in the photo, and the occasion (if there is one).

For your mother in laws box of photos, I would go through them and ask her NOW who is in the photo and any other info she may have, such as when and where. You may not care, but maybe other relatives for future generations would like to see photos of their long past relatives. You could lightly write on the back of the photos in pen.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

Azcowgirl · ‎04-10-2012

Over the years we moved many times and I always wondered what to do with the boxes of framed pictures.

Now that we are retired and just have the one home, I created a picture wall in the office by removing the old frames and buying all black frames of different shapes and sizes, and arranging them on the wall along with the words family, love, and memories. It turned out quite nice. I left space to add to it if I want to.

LindaSal · ‎05-15-2014

My mom was always so good at pictures and labeling them. I tried to do the same over the years. We have storage bins full of old photo albums, some my brother has scanned onto cd's but I would never have the heart to part with them since she has now passed away and they meant so much to her. Hopefully my kids will feel the same or at least finish the scanning project!

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

Last year I had the same issues. I had a stack of albums plus envelopes (stacks of them) w/photos inside.

This is what I did.......

Went through all the albums. I divided them all up & shipped to my daughter & baby brother to do whatever they wanted w/them. I also included all the photos that were framed. Frames were shipped too.

Went through the photos in the envelopes. Half of the folks I didn't even know or recognize, in the trash they went.

What was left I burned onto discs, made a slideshow called "Memory Lane" & mailed them to family & relatives as "gifts."

The only thing I kept was a huge portrait of my parents wedding day which is currently hanging in my hallway. My mother is still alive but my father has passed. The portrait was left in my car when my mother moved 3 yrs ago. She told me to keep it. For four years, it was stored under my bed.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

suziebee1 · ‎12-28-2015

I have the same problem. I have my parents photos and have no idea who most of the people are. I have my photo albums, and then albums of my children. What do you do with them all? I could fill an entire wall with just albums. My kids aren't going to want all those albums. I am going to follow this thread to see what great ideas you all are coming up with. thanks!

barb40 · ‎03-09-2010

Thanks for all these great replies! Please keep posting your wonderful ideas! They are inspiring!

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@suziebee1"My kids aren't going to want all those albums."

Mine didn't either. My daughter is the oldest. I wrote a short note telling her "if you & your siblings do not want your baby albums, trash them. I already know what ya'll looked liked through the years."