ORGANIZED PHOTOS: HOW TO FINALLY GET THEM!

Try the Virtual Family Photo Keeper Co-Working Workrooms, an easy way to go from disorganized chaos to enjoying and sharing your memories.

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You love your family, and you love your family photos

And the reason is because of the stories and memories associated with them. You know you want to get them organized, curated, downsized and more, and you really do plan to do it someday. Someday.

But somehow, someday never comes. At least not a someday with a big chunk of time, because you know it’s going to take more than a day. And not only that, you aren’t sure of what the best way to deal with parts of it are. You have printed photos, digital photos, slides, videotapes, and maybe even old home movies on film. Where do you start?

And you know you MUST do something. In the future you may need to downsize. What will you do with all those boxes of photo memories then? And your kids may have even told you they don’t want them… or you’re afraid it’s true even if they haven’t said anything. It all makes you want to give up and not think about them at all.

And yet, they are still there. In the closet. In the back room. Under the bed. Lurking. It’s a problem.

So What’s the Solution?

Keep reading and I’ll tell you exactly how you can finally get your photo collection into shape so that you can both enjoy your memories now and leave a meaningful collection for future generations. And you don’t have to give up a stretch of weeks or months to do it.

WHY PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH ORGANIZING THEIR FAMILY PHOTOS

Fancy has helped me become more computer literate.  I don’t know a lot about technology and have some trepidation about it.  But she has helped me learn new things and taught me in ways that I can understand and incorporate into my knowledge base.
Ellen N.
Registered Nurse, Retired

Managing a large, varied, and often outdated photo memory collection takes time and commitment. No one ever did it in an afternoon or even a weekend.

It also takes up space. Who wants to spread things out all over the dining room table or the spare bedroom and leave them there indefinitely?

And what do you do with all the outdated formats like slides, videotapes or film, or even old floppy disks and CDs, or devices such as computers and phones?

And speaking of technology, there’s the technology! For those of us who didn’t grow up with computers and cell phones, it can sometimes present a huge challenge and make us feel dumb and clueless.

It’s no wonder people keep putting off the inevitable. And the sad part is that often, when older generations pass on, younger generations just throw the boxes of photos and memories out. They find it too much to deal with themselves in the midst of everything else they are dealing with.

So it’s important to get started now. Before it’s too late.

You Invested in Creating the Photos So it Makes Sense to Invest in Organizing and Preserving Them

When I started teaching people to manage their photos and memories in 2002, everyone still printed their pictures. Even those who had digital cameras did so, and smartphones were yet to be invented.

I ran work sessions and classes in my home as well as in clients’ homes where I taught them how to organize and curate their photographs. I also taught them how to put them in albums and write the stories so the memories wouldn’t be forgotten. Photos without stories tend to get discarded when no one is left alive who knows the story.

I knew how to do all this because for the previous 9 years I had also attended classes and workshops in photo management while working on my own family photos.

camera against backdrop of multiple film cartridgesPin

These sessions offered several benefits:

  • They met regularly and often so I always knew when I would be able to work on my photos. I couldn’t attend every single event, but I made it a point to attend as many as possible because my family photos were important to me, and I found it difficult to work on them in the midst of my busy life. I needed to make a regular commitment to others to make it happen.
  • They offered a community of people who also valued their family photos as much as I did. We shared pictures that were funny or that we loved. We asked for and offered advice to each other. We didn’t have everything in common, but we were able to bond around one shared value that we held dear.
  • They included a leader, a teacher – an expert to whom I could turn to for advice or answers to questions I couldn’t figure out on my own. And later, when I started running classes and work sessions of my own, I became that expert who helped others.

You CAN Have Organized Photos & Memories

I know, from my own experience as both a participant and a leader, that co-working work sessions help people get their photos and memories organized and preserved, and they help make them available for celebrating and sharing. And I believe my co-working workrooms can help you meet your own photo memory management goals, too.

Introducing the Virtual Family Photo Keeper Co-Working Workrooms

mature woman in online meetingPin

The Virtual Family Photo Keeper Workrooms came to be during the COVID-19 lockdown. They have continued, though, because we have attendees from all over the world who keep coming back. They come for the commitment, the community, and the help they receive from myself and other family photo keepers on the online video call.

The 4-hour workrooms are scheduled twice a month. They are structured this way: We chit chat for 15 minutes and share our goals for the next hour. Then we work for an hour. We leave our cameras on (unless we’re eating) and mute our microphones. If someone has a question they are welcome to break in and ask it. When the hour is up, she share our progress, our next hour’s goals, and deal with any problems or questions. Wash, rinse and repeat until the 4 hours are up.

It’s come-when-you-can and leave-when-you-have-to. Some people stay for a couple hours, and some stay for the whole time. It’s designed to work with your schedule. If you need to eat, stop and eat. If you want to enjoy an adult beverage, by all means do so. We like to have fun while we do this important project for our families.

We have had participants work on any of the following activities:

  • Sort, curate and organize printed photos (get rid of duplicates, bad shots, etc)
  • Sort, curate and organize digital photos
  • Create scrapbooks
  • Create photo books
  • Inventory and label videotapes for conversion to digital files
  • Transfer digital photos from CDs and other outdated media to their Digital Photo Hub
  • Go through kids’ artwork and other paper memorabilia in preparation for digitizing it
  • Scanning photos and papers for long-term preservation.
  • And more!
Happy 60s mature woman drinking wine video calling friend on laptop at home. Smiling old middle aged lady holding glass waving hand talking by online social distance chat meeting sit at kitchen table.Pin

Go from Disorganized Chaos to Joyful Memories

Imagine you knew exactly when you would work on your photo collection and for how long. Imagine that each time you worked, you’d make progress – AND you’d have time to get set up and put it all away, if necessary. Imagine that you could get any question answered as it came up, so you’d never be stuck trying to figure things out on your own, or having to wait for an answer.

Imagine having all your photo memories curated, organized, preserved and in one place – whether you want to digitize everything or keep the physical mementos. Imagine being able to find any photo or memory quickly and being able to share it with anyone anywhere.

Imagine knowing that should a disaster befall your home, your memories would be protected from loss even if the physical copies were destroyed. Fires and floods are getting more and more common these days, and it’s important to be prepared.

Imagine knowing that even if your kids don’t want the albums, scrapbooks, or boxes of physical photos, that you have a digital version they are likely to welcome, or at least not throw away when the time comes for you to downsize or leave this earth.

Imagine how good it will feel to no longer have this huge project hanging over your head, waiting for someday to come.

If you want these things, the Virtual Family Photo Keeper Co-Working Workrooms can help you get there.

Family gathered together looking at photographsPin

Let’s Recap

  • The Virtual Family Photo Keeper Co-Working Workrooms are held online. When you sign up you’ll receive the Google Meet link. You’ll also receive a reminder email before the workroom with the link. (If you haven’t used Google Meet, it works just like Zoom, but in the browser if you’re on a computer.)
  • You sign up for each one separately, so if something comes up, you’re not on the hook for anything. And if you sign up and then find you cannot attend for any reason, simply contact me and I’ll give you a coupon code that will apply your full payment to a future workroom. So there’s no risk to signing up early.
  • You don’t have to attend for the whole 4 hours, although you may. It’s designed to be flexible across time zones and personal schedules.

Click the button below to see when the next workrooms are scheduled. Scroll down to Upcoming Events. Choose which date works best for you and register.

FAQ

I do. I’m Fancy Ruff-Wagner, a professional photo manager who has been helping people manage their photos and memories since 2002. I’m a family photo keeper myself, and a former teacher, so I know how to explain technology in understandable terms.

People who want to work on their photos and memories in the company of other family photo keepers. People who don’t know where to start or know they will have questions while they work.

People who don’t plan to work but to only pick my brain or get questions answered. For that I recommend purchasing a Pick My Brain session which are offered as short as 15 minutes or as long as 1 hour. In a Pick My Brain Session I am devoted totally to you, not everyone else and my own photos.

People work on all aspects of their photo and memory collections. They can get my help – as well as the groups’ help – while they are working. But the primary activity is working on their own photos and memories. I am also working along on my own photos at the same time. We alternate working silently for an hour with 15 minutes of sharing, questions, and conversation.

They take place on Google Meet, so a computer, phone or tablet with an internet connection is required to participate. You are sent the Google Meet link when you register, and you’ll receive a reminder email the day before the workshop.

They are currently on a Thursday or Friday afternoon/evening, twice a month. This is so family photo keepers “down under” can attend. However, I periodically poll the regular participants to see what days and times work best for them. If you live in Europe or Asia, be sure to reach out to me so we can schedule something when you can attend.

They are offered to give people an easy and affordable way to commit to their photo memory collections while also getting questions answered while they work. They also offer the value of community – working with other people who value their families, family photos and stories.

Less than the cost of a panini sandwich at your favorite coffee shop – just $5 USD whether you come for 2 hours or the full 4 hours.

The workrooms are not free for me to put on. I have costs associated with Google Meet, my website, my email software and my booking software. In addition, I devote more than the 4 hours to each one, although I do work on my own photos between questions. A half day of my time one-on-one for my devoted attention would cost $320. So at $5 the workrooms are a steal!

I always have at least the next 2 workrooms on my booking page, so you can register for any listed workroom any time. You can register up until the event begins.

I don’t give refunds, but I’ll apply full credit to the future. Simply contact me and I’ll send you a coupon code within a week that will apply your full payment toward a future workroom, so there’s no risk to signing up early.

Absolutely! Simply share this page with them or forward one of my emails to them so they can get the link. And when both of you show up, I’ll send you each a coupon code for half off your next workroom.

If you come and bring a friend new to me, you will each receive a coupon code for half off your next workshop.

Simply contact me and I’ll be happy to answer any questions. Or hit that pink button in the lower right corner.

Are You Ready to Finally Commit to Organized Photos?

Now you know how the Virtual Family Photo Keeper Workrooms can help you meet your goals for your photo memory collection. Ask yourself how much of a difference it will make to finally have this huge project off your someday list so you can really enjoy your memories again and leave a meaningful collection for future generations.

I love hearing how much people’s lives change when they finally commit to getting this done. I’ve had more than one client say to me that it was life changing, that it felt a weight had been lifted. I’d love it if you got to experience that, too.

You can make progress, one step at a time, one session at a time. All you need is a regular commitment, a little guidance, and a supportive community.

Click the button below to see when the next workrooms are scheduled. Scroll down to Upcoming Events. Choose which date works best for you and register.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

I absolutely believe taking the time to attend the workshops is a form of self care. I enjoy spending time with my friends, and friends-to-be at workshops.

Interacting with those in my social network who also enjoy photo keeping makes me feel connected to them. As well as catching up in our personal lives, we share our memories and pictures.

We also provide each other support whether it be socially, emotionally or technically…in regards to traditional or digital photo keeping.

Attending workshops has been even more of self care in the time of COVID-19.
Laurie W.
IT Application Developer
I have worked on a variety of projects during the workshops. I’ve done traditional scrapbooking, downloaded digital content, organized digital photos and completed several projects. It kept me working consistently on my projects.

The biggest benefits for me are being accountable and enjoying the company of friends as we work together. I really look forward to these monthly Zoom events!

Working on my photos brings me joy and makes me feel happy as I remember good times spent with family & friends. So taking the time to do something that makes me feel good is a priority. While I can and do work by myself, connecting with others is a bonus.
Ellen N.
Registered Nurse, Retired




“It was nice to see I wasn’t the only one who is behind.

The biggest benefit is dedicating time to the project and knowing other people are also dedicating time to their stuff as well.

Well worth the price!”



Lisa F.
Foreign Service Officer

Click the button below to see when the next workrooms are scheduled. Scroll down to Upcoming Events. Choose which date works best for you and register.