What is the state of your photo collection? Almost everyone has piles or boxes of photos waiting to be put into albums.

Using a common definition of organizing, “;being able to find what you need when you need it,”; could you find a certain photo if needed? This was my challenge last month when my California cousin told me that her younger brother had died unexpectedly. Her shock was compounded by sadness that she couldn't find a recent photo of him.

I knew that I had one, but where in my box of unsorted photos could it be? While most of my earlier photos are organized and categorized, those of recent years had been dumped into a large plastic bin — a project for the future. Amazingly, I found the picture I wanted. There he was, smiling, with the rest of us, at a restaurant in Los Angeles where we'd met for lunch. I had a copy made and sent it off to her. Curious to see what other treasures were in the bin, I spent parts of three days sorting. I put my photos into shoeboxes by categories: immediate family, relatives, friends/events, and house/yard. A separate shoebox held my organizing photos. It was tedious, but the reward was a refreshing walk down memory lane.

If you, like me, have put off getting your photos in order, here are some simple steps for getting started:

» First, gather all your photos into one place.

» Put the photos or photo envelopes roughly in chronological order and mark them with the date, event and/or subjects. Hopefully, you noted this information on the photo envelope when it was first received.

» The more information you write about the photo, the more meaningful it will be in the future. A client showed me a 100-year-old photo of her ancestors. She could identify exactly who they were as the date and names were clearly noted on the back.

» Begin by sorting the most recent, as they are fresher in your mind. You can leave the photos in chronological order or divide them into categories, depending on how you will be retrieving them.

» For optimum preservation, use acid-free boxes.

» If you never seem to get around to putting your photos into albums, consider using mini-albums — the ones that hold 24 or 48 photos.

Last year, a good friend and I went on trips at about the same time. Upon returning, we met for lunch. She asked if I'd like to see her pictures and brought out a mini-album with her trip photos neatly tucked inside. I brought out a jumble of loose photos. Now I, too, promptly put photos into simple mini-albums!

» Frame and display your favorites. I've made annual collages using 16-by 20-inch frames with cutouts for multiple photos. Friends and family enjoy seeing themselves and the highlights of the year on my wall.

“;Pictures are the story of your life!”; writes Ronni Eisenberg in “;Organize Your Home!”; I encourage you to take the time to sort and enjoy your photos!

See you in three weeks!