I talk to people every day who are overwhelmed by the challenge of keeping their massive photo collections organized. For many, those photos span decades, a mix of old prints tucked away in boxes and thousands of digital images scattered across phones, computers, and cloud accounts.
The first goal? Get all those memories organized and in one place. And honestly, that’s already enough to keep most of us busy for years!
But what happens when, on top of that, you inherit your parents’ massive photo collection? Suddenly, you’re not just managing your own memories, you’re the keeper of an entire family history.
So… how do those inherited photos fit into your own collection? Do we have a moral responsibility to preserve them? Or maybe your family is deep in the “who gets the photos?” debate. It’s a big, emotional topic and you’re not alone if you’re feeling stuck on where to even begin.
I’ve recently found myself in the middle of this very relatable dilemma with my own family. My parents are making some major downsizing moves. For years, they were snowbirds, splitting their time between homes in Pennsylvania and Florida. But now, thanks to a few health challenges, the Florida trips are off the table which means my sister and I have been tasked with completely emptying their Florida home.
Meanwhile, back in Pennsylvania, my mom has gone on a cleaning frenzy, prepping the house for all the stuff they’re shipping up from Florida. To be honest, she probably doesn’t need to get rid of as much as she is, but she’s on a mission and there’s no stopping her.
Apparently, there comes a moment in life when you look around at all your things and just feel an urge to start letting go. I first witnessed this with my mother-in-law when she downsized. Every time we visited, she tried to send us home with something – sometimes a random trinket, other times an important piece of family nostalgia.
There were moments when my husband and I would be blindsided with, “Do you want these old slides from when you were little, or should I just toss them?” So, home we’d go, toting something we didn’t expect… because, of course, my husband wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye. (I have an actual 1960s toboggan in my garage as proof. And for context: I live in Florida.)
Eventually, my mother-in-law downsized her entire four-bedroom home into a 600-square-foot assisted living apartment, and that mostly put an end to the waves of nostalgia giveaways. So when my own mom recently tried to offload my great-grandmother’s Bible on me, I knew exactly where this was headed.
Having walked this path twice now, I can honestly say: I still have no magic answer for what to do with all the random nostalgic “stuff.” I convinced my mom to keep the Bible (for now), and I fully expect our kids will be scratching their heads over that toboggan one day. Maybe they’ll ask, “Why the heck do Mom and Dad have a toboggan in Florida?” Or maybe, as we get older, we’ll guilt them into keeping it by weaving some dramatic tale about how that toboggan shaped my husband’s character (stories I’ve yet to hear, but I’m sure he has them). Odds are, it’ll still end up in the trash but hey, maybe that’s just part of the cycle of stuff.
While I haven’t cracked the code on what to do with all the downsizing dilemmas, I do have some thoughts on one piece of it: the photographs.
One thing my mom has been eager to eliminate is the boxes and boxes of old pictures. There are a few albums, but mostly just unorganized piles of prints. Every time I visit, she pulls out more photos and hands them to me, as if I’m somehow the official family photo keeper responsible for every picture our family has ever taken.
Thankfully, I was prepared for this. I talk to people all the time, many of whom have just lost parents, and they often ask me: “What should I do with all these old photographs?”
Helping parents downsize is tough. Coping with the loss of a parent while figuring out what to do with their things is even tougher. And when it comes to the photographs, the emotional weight can be overwhelming.
So, here’s the advice I share with others mixed in with a little firsthand experience from my own journey through my parents’ downsizing.
Step One: Sort through the photos.
You don’t have to keep everything. You’ll likely find a lot of random scenery, blurry shots, or people and places you don’t recognize. It’s okay to let those go! Focus on the photos that tell your family’s story, the ones that matter most. Once you’ve narrowed down the collection it will seem a lot less overwhelming!
Step Two: Digitize the important ones.
Once you’ve narrowed it down, get those special photos backed up. For big stacks, the Epson FastFoto is fast and even scans the notes on the back. For delicate prints, a flatbed scanner like the Epson V39II gives you beautiful, high-quality scans. And an app like Photomyne will give you a quick simple scan.
I love this scanner because it has a photo feeder. It allows you to scan stacks of photographs at one a time. I have found it to be the quickest and easiest way to get digital copies of old photographs and to get photo organized!
Step Three: Curate a smaller, display-worthy collection.
If you want to enjoy the photos, it’s okay to take apart old, crumbling albums and create a new, smaller album with your favorite highlights. That way, the memories can be part of your life not just tucked away in a box.
Step Four: What if everyone wants the photos… or no one does?
Select a handful of the most meaningful images and create a small curated album or digital collection that everyone can access. You’re not just preserving the past — you’re keeping the family story alive for future generations.
Step Five: Build a family history folder.
I keep a running family folder that holds everything from this year’s pictures all the way back to my daughter’s great-great-great-grandmother! As you inherit old photos, start building a digital folder just for your family heritage. You can easily share copies with relatives — even load them onto customized flash drives so everyone has their own piece of the family story.
How are you organizing the photographs you’ve inherited? I’d love to hear how you’ve gone about this project too. There really is no right or wrong answer to how you do it, as long as you’re doing it! I hear too many stories of regret when those old photographs were accidentally thrown out, lost or somehow destroyed. If you’re organizing and digitizing those pictures, no matter how you do it, you’ll be thankful you did!
And if you’re looking for even more help getting the most enjoyment out of your photos, check out the other ways we can connect:
👉 Grab my free Photo Resource Guide – it’s packed with tools, apps, and simple steps to get started.
👉 Check out my book, Beyond the Storm – a powerful blend of true stories and practical advice for safeguarding your photos.
👉 Want to join the photo organizing CRUISE? Every Picture Person is invited to join! Check out The Great Photo Voyage and be sure and sign up soon, space is limited!
Or follow along on social media! Check out Instagram and YouTube to get my latest information.