Step 1: Gathering Photos

The Perfect Gift:
Step 1: Gathering Photos

You know when you're attempting to get into a Workout routine, after not doing it for a while, and you're TOTALLY Out of Shape!? It is SOOOO Hard at first! You get so overwhelmed on obtaining your goal that you probably give up 3 times even before you start! Well, I hate to break it to you but this is probably what this project is going to be like. It will be Excruciatingly hard at first, but as you go through the steps, each step will get easier and easier! And so The first step, I would have to say, is going to be the hardest step. Sorry! But I thought someone should warn you! At least you know you're not the only one on the planet going through this difficult process, I'm here with you!

So before you get overwhelmed with the vastness of this project just take a deep breath and relax a little. It's OK! Let's just take one step at a time. This isn't a race! It's OK if you don't hit "the Deadline!" because you know what, missing a deadline won't be the end of the world. You want Quality, and you want to do it right! (Photo Top Left: My Grandmother with Walt Disney behind her. Little Boy trying to get an autograph).

So get to work! Gather ALL those photos! You need to find every Photo Album you can find. Negatives, Pictures in frames on your wall, photos in boxes, photos in journals, Photo's in Family History Books that your Grandma keeps on her shelf. Get them ALL! Call up your Family members and tell them what you're up too or send them a mass e-mail. Ask them to send you copies of the photo's Via E-mail or to mail them to you. Or have them gather up everything they can find at home and set it aside for you to come pick up. Or even better, have them gather, scan and give you a mini USB with the files, that way it's less work for you in the long run. Just get those photos!

One thing that might help you, is to have a large plastic tub (or a box) to set all the pictures in. That way you can keep everything together without making a huge mess in the house. Every time you find something hiding away, just set it in the Box/Tub. You can also Organize WHILE gathering. You can set all the old black and Whites in one area, The old photos form the 70's in another area and so on. Keep everything as organized as possible as you are doing this or it might get overwhelming faster than you think. Do your best to group Events and Years together as much as possible! It will save you a LOT of pain later because you probably have a LOT of photos to go through!

And if you feel like, "I have no idea when this was taken." Don't worry. As you look through more and more photos, your memory will start kicking in and you will also be able to tell where a picture goes just by the way it looks. If you think, "this photo looks like it goes here" you're probably right. Just go with your gut through this, don't over think things, and just make sure your at least clumping the photo's as much as possible, and getting the photos Out Of The ATTIC!

Remember, for most of you, this will not be a 5 minute Task. It might even take some of you weeks to get ALL the photos you're looking to get Just because Most of the photos are probably spread throughout other Family Members houses! That's OK though. Make it a point in your schedule to visit or call the members of the Family you know have what you're looking for. Don't forget to ask those Family Members for Referrals. You know, ask if anyone else in the Family might be a photo culprit! Even if it's only 1 hour a week you can spare for this project, do it! Or Run around the house during the commercials of your favorite TV show. Make it a point to actively be looking and Gathering All those precious photos! If you have enough desire to complete this project, it WILL get done. YOU CAN DO IT!!! Now Go DO IT!

If you have any other tips on Gathering Photos, or just want to share your Experience, write a comment below. I'd LOVE to hear from you!