Family photo sorting checklist

Prepare a small batch0/6

• Choose one box or album to work through
• Clear a clean dry work surface
• Wash and dry your hands before handling prints
• Keep food and drinks away from the work area
• Prepare separate groups for identified and unidentified photos
• Set a manageable time limit for the session

Identify and organise0/6

• Handle photographs by their edges
• Group prints by a known event or approximate period
• Record names you can identify with confidence
• Mark uncertain dates as approximate in your notes
• Ask relatives about unidentified people or places
• Keep related captions or envelopes with their photographs

Preserve the results0/6

• Choose suitable photo-storage sleeves or boxes
• Avoid forcing apart prints stuck together
• Scan selected photographs without discarding the originals
• Give scans clear names linked to your notes
• Store originals in a dry stable place away from direct light
• Back up the scans separately from the working device