DIY Photo Organising

Revisiting Golden Rule 4 of Photo Organising: Sort and Organise

You've backed up your photos and given them a home in Golden Rule 3. But can you actually put your hands on the one you want?

In this episode, Chantal condenses what was originally two full episodes, digital photos and printed photos, into one, and walks through how to sort, structure, and cull your entire collection so any photo is just a search (or a flick through a labelled pile) away.

In this episode:

• Why sorting and organising matters, and what actually happens if you skip it.
• How to deduplicate, structure, and cull your digital Photo Hub.
• A step-by-step way to sort, declutter, and (if you choose) digitise your printed photos.
• Whether adding metadata is worth your time, and how AI is already changing that answer.
• A simple way to make this step feel far less overwhelming.

Mentioned in this episode:

Episode 005 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 1 –Digital Photos)

Episode 006 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 2 –Printed Photos)

Download folder structures here and make it yours

PhotoSweeper (Mac)

PowerPhotos (Mac)

VisiPics (Windows, free)

Duplicate Cleaner Pro (Windows)

PhotoMove 2.5 (Windows)

Big Mean Folder Machine (Mac)

Photo Organising Courses

Online class: Organise and Preserve your Printed Photos

Live classes for Apple, iPhone & Mac users

Got a topic you'd love covered? Add it to the wishlist

Ready to hear more about photo management? Join Chantal's free webinar on 27 August 2026 for a high-level walkthrough of getting your photos backed up, organised, and under control. Details and registration here.

Golden Rule 3 of Photo Organising: Create a Photo Hub

Your photos are probably scattered across your phone, an old laptop, a few USB sticks, and who knows where else. In this episode, Chantal shows you how to fix that for good, by creating one central home for every digital photo you own.

In this episode:

• Why a photo hub matters, and what happens if you skip it
• The three places your hub can live, and which one to choose
• How to track down photos hiding across every device and account you have
• A simple, repeatable way to copy everything in without losing anything

• Answers to the questions listeners ask most about this step

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 121: Is Your Photo Backup Actually a Backup?

• Episode 122: Why Your Photo Project keeps stalling

• Free checklist: where to find your photos
• DIY Photo Organising course

• Bonus class: organising your printed photos

• Live classes for Apple, iPhone & Mac users

• Got a topic you'd love covered? Add it to thewishlist

Ready to hear more about photo management? Join Chantal's free webinar on 27 August 2026 for a high-level walkthrough of getting your photos backed up, organised, and under control. Register here!

It's not about time, or software, or how many photos you have, it's about the step that you might have skipped when you started your photo organising project. In this episode of the DIY Photo Organising Podcast, Chantal moves on to Golden Rule 2 of the 5 Golden Rules of Photo Organising: Know Your Why.

Episode Summary

Chantal explains why knowing your Why matters so much. Unfortunately, it is often skipped despite this step having a massive influence on whether a photo project actually gets finished. She breaks down the real difference between a Why and a goal, shares practical examples and walks through how to turn a vague reason into a clear, motivating plan.

What You'll Learn

• Why Knowing Your Why is so important.
• The real difference between your Why and your goal.
• Real examples of a Why versus a goal, from yearbooks to family legacy collections.
• How to turn your Why into SMART goals you will reach.

Resources Mentioned

• Episode 121 - Golden Rule 1: Back Up

Next Steps

Ready to get clear on your Why and build a plan around it? Join Chantal's free webinar on 27 August 2026 for a high-level walkthrough of getting your photos backed up, organised, and under control. Register here!

Got a question or topic you'd like covered? Pop it on the wish list here.

The DIY Photo Organsing Course covers everything, step by step. It is a pre-recorded, self-guided course that works no matter what devices you use.

And if you are in the Apple world, iPhone and Mac, live classes start mid September and registrations will open soon. Simply go on the waitlist here to be the first to know and find out more here.

It is not a matter of if you'll lose your photos, it is a matter of when!

In this relaunch episode of the DIY Photo Organising Podcast, Chantal goes back to basics with Golden Rule 1 of the 5 Golden Rules of Photo Organising: Backup.

Episode Summary

Chantal kicks off the solo relaunch of the show by revisiting the single most important step in getting your photos under control: backing them up. Drawing on real stories, she explains why photo loss can happen to anybody, and why backup has to come before any sorting or organising.

She breaks down the crucial difference between synchronising and a true backup, and walks through the industry-standard method she recommends for keeping your photos safe for good. She also shares the exact backup setup she uses at home, what should be included in a backup, and a few simple habits that prevent future headaches.

What You'll Learn

• Why backing up photos is Golden Rule # and the most important of the five.
• The real difference between syncing and backing up (and why iCloud, Dropbox and OneDrive aren't true backups on their own).
• The simple, industry-standard method Chantal recommends for backing up your photos properly.
• What to include in a backup (hint: it's more than just your Pictures folder)!
• Simple habits to build in to save you from future stress.

Resources Mentioned

• Episode 120
• Backblaze (cloud backup service)
• Time Machine (Mac) / File History (Windows)
• Related episodes: Episode 13 and Episode 42 (digitising prints, slides and film reels)

Next Steps

Ready to get your photos backed up and organised? Join Chantal's free webinar on 27 August 2026 for a high-level walkthrough of getting your photos backed up, organised, and under control. Register here!

Got a question or topic you'd like covered? Pop it on the wishlist here.

If you're interested in the self-paced online DIY Photo Organsing Course, find more details here.

Go on the waitlist here to be the first to know when the live-classes for “Mastering Apple Photos” will be ready.

Every season has an ending, and today we have one of our own to share. This is our final episode together as co-hosts, and it marks the end of one chapter for this podcast, and the beginning of a new one.

Fiona's own path has grown in a new direction. She went back to university to study counselling, and her focus is now on helping people through counselling and psychotherapy with Counselling Memories. It is the right time for her to step back from co-hosting and put her energy into that work.

Here is what is staying exactly the same:

• Every past episode, right where you have alwaysfound it.
• The podcast wishlist, where you can askquestions or suggest topics.
• The 5 Golden Rules, including the DIY PhotoOrganising Course built around them, are still at the heart of everything we teach.

Chantal will keep hosting the podcast, with the same practical tips and conversations you know, plus some new formats ahead.

Today, we also want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for letting us into your life and letting us be part of your photo organising journey. It has been a privilege and a joy, and we hope it continues with future episodes.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The DIY Photo Organising Course, feel free towatch the free introduction
• Episode 119: The DIY Photo Organising Course

Related episodes:

Episode 002 Golden Rule 1 - Backup

Episode 003 Golden Rule 2 – Know Your Why

Episode 004 Golden Rule 3 – Create a Hub

Episode 005 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 1 – Digital Photos)

Episode 006 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 2 – Printed Photos)
Episode 007 Golden Rule 5 – Do Something!

Episode 023 5 Steps to get you Started NOW

Episode 033 5 Golden Rules Highlights

It’s no secret that we’re passionate about helping people organise their photos.

After years of working with hundreds of clients, recording over 100 episodes of the DIY Photo Organising podcast, and refining our framework, we’re so excited to officially launch our DIY Photo Organising Course!

In this episode, we share why we created the course, what’s included, and how the 5 Golden Rules provide a clear, flexible, and timeless structure to help you move forward with confidence.

Over the years, we kept seeing the same patterns: People overwhelmed and unsure where to start. People organising without backing up first. People jumping in without knowing their “Why.” People getting stuck and giving up.

We realised most people weren’t lacking motivation - they were lacking clear principles.

That’s why we created this course.

What you'll hear in this episode

• Why we decided to turn the 5 Golden Rules into a structured course
• The common photo organising mistakes we see over and over again
• What’s included in the 8+ hour pre-recorded course
• A walkthrough of each of the 5 Golden Rules: Back Up, Know Your Why, Create a Photo Hub, Sort & Organise, Do Something.
• What the 40+ page workbook includes
• Details about the two bonus lessons: Organise and Preserve Your Printed Photos and When Organising Photos Feels Hard
• How the Live Intensive Workshops work - and who they’re for

Why it Matters

Organising your photos can feel overwhelming - until you have a clear framework. The 5 Golden Rules are timeless principlesthat work whether you have 500 photos or 50,000, helping you protect what matters, reduce the fear of loss, create clarity, and move forward at your own pace.

Links referenced

Link to the DIY Photo Organising Course and the Live Intensive

Related Episodes

Episode 002 Golden Rule 1 - Backup

Episode 003 Golden Rule 2 – Know Your Why

Episode 004 Golden Rule 3 – Create a Hub

Episode 005 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 1 –Digital Photos)

Episode 006 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 2 –Printed Photos)
Episode 007 Golden Rule 5 – Do Something!

Episode 023 5 Steps to get you Started NOW

Episode 033 5 Golden Rules Highlights

Episode 049 How to Stop Procrastinating about your Photos

Episode 110 Roadblocks in photo management and how toovercome them

If you have any photo-related questions we haven't answered yet in one of the previous episodes, please don't hesitate to share them with us via the Wishlist for Future Episodes!

We invite you to have a look through our DIY Photo Organising Courses so you can decide which of these courses might be what you need to help you move forward with your photo organising projects.

If you’d like to learn more about us, go to: www.diyphotoorganising.com.au

Fiona McLauchlan’s website: www.counsellingmemories.com.au or

Chantal Imbach’s website: www.photosinorder.com.au

If you are not in Melbourne and would like to explore having a Photo Manager help you, check out ww.thephotomanagers.com to find help closer to home.

As the year comes to a close, we’re inviting you to pause and reflect on what truly mattered. In this final episode of 2025, we share a simple, meaningful photo challenge to help you capture the heart of your year in just twelve images. It’s gentle, creative, and surprisingly powerful. Plus, we give you a little sneak peek at what’s coming next for DIY Photo Organising in 2026. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode 

• A simple end-of-year photo reflection: 12 for ’25 – Your Year in Photos 

• How to choose one meaningful photo from each month 

• Ideas for adding words, captions, or reflections to your images 

• Creative ways to enjoy or share your 12 photos (if you want to) 

• Easy tools and apps you can use (including a free Canva template) 

• A preview of our upcoming DIY Photo Organising Course launching in early 2026 

Why It Matters 

Photo organising isn’t just about clearing clutter — it’s about connection. This episode helps you slow down, notice the moments that shaped your year, and honour them in a way that feels achievable and meaningful. By choosing just twelve photos, you create space for reflection, gratitude, and story — without overwhelm. It’s a beautiful way to close the year and step into the next one with intention. 

Mentioned Links 

Click here to be notified about the launch of the DIY Photo Organising Course 

Click here to access the FREE Canva template to make your own 12 for ‘25 - Your Year in Photos 

Related episodes 

Episode 008 Create a Yearly Photobook 

Episode 012 Fabulous Photo Gift Ideas 

Episode 027 Photo Gifts for Christmas 

Episode 032 New Year’s Resolutions with your photos 

Episode 054 How to Design your 2020 Year Book 

Episode 061 Photo Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day 

Episode 067 DIY Photo Organising Courses 

Episode 082 Planning Photo Projects 

Episode 104 Photo Project Ideas and a Real Life Example 

If you have any photo-related questions we haven't answered yet in one of the previous episodes, please don't hesitate to share them with us via the Wishlist for Future Episodes! 

We invite you to have a look through our DIY Photo Organising Courses so you can decide which of these courses might be what you need to help you move forward with your photo organising projects. 

If you’d like to learn more about us, go to: 

www.diyphotoorganising.com.au  

Fiona McLauchlan’s website: www.counsellingmemories.com.au or 

Chantal Imbach’s website: www.photosinorder.com.au  

If you are not in Melbourne and would like to explore having a Photo Manager help you, check out www.thephotomanagers.com to find help closer to home. 

*affiliate link 

Do you ever look at your photos and think, “I really need to sort these… but not today”? 

Whether it’s thousands of images on your phone, boxes of inherited photos, or unfinished photo book dreams — procrastination can sneak up on all of us. 

In this episode, we explore the hidden reasons behind photo organising procrastination and why getting started often feels hard. From emotional weight and overwhelm to perfectionism and fear of doing it wrong, we look beneath the surface to understand what’s really going on. 

Together, we talk about how procrastination is often a protective response, not laziness — and why your brain might be gently saying, “Not right now,” even when your photos truly matter to you. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode 

• The psychology of overwhelm: why your photos feel “too big to start” 

• When memories get heavy: how emotion, loss, and life transitions quietly fuel avoidance 

• Perfectionism’s trap: the invisible pressure to get it “right” before you begin 

• Pro-level procrastination moves: the everyday behaviours we all use to delay photo organising 

• The creative side of avoidance: tea-making, pantry-organising, and other classic detours 

• Your nervous system at work: why your brain sometimes says “not today” 

• The mental health lens: how avoidance protects your emotional energy 

• A gentle reflection: uncovering your hidden reason for putting it off 

Why It Matters 

Knowing why you procrastinate replaces frustration with compassion. Avoidance is often protection. With that awareness, your next steps become clearer and more manageable. Photo organising becomes an act of caring for your memories. 

Related Episodes 

Episode 003 Golden Rule 2 – Know Your Why 

Episode 023 5 Steps to get you Started NOW 

Episode 031 What to do with inherited photos 

Episode 032 New Year’s Resolutions with your photos 

Episode 049 How to Stop Procrastinating about your Photos 

Episode 064 Prepare for Emotions 

Episode 074 Dealing with photos that are difficult to look at! 

Episode 080 5 Essential Photo Management Tips 

Episode 106 How to move forward and stop procrastinating 

Episode 110 Roadblocks in photo management and how to overcome them 

If you have any photo-related questions we haven't answered yet in one of the previous episodes, please don't hesitate to share them with us via the Wishlist for Future Episodes! 

We invite you to have a look through our DIY Photo Organising Courses so you can decide which of these courses might be what you need to help you move forward with your photo organising projects. 

If you’d like to learn more about us, go to: 

www.diyphotoorganising.com.au  

Fiona McLauchlan’s website: www.counsellingmemories.com.au

Chantal Imbach’s website: www.photosinorder.com.au  

If you are not in Melbourne and would like to explore having a Photo Manager help you, check out www.thephotomanagers.com to find help closer to home. 

Do you ever scroll through your photos and wonder why half of them are screenshots? From recipes and outfit ideas to reminders and funny memes — they pile up fast!

In this episode, we share practical ways to manage screenshots and “reference photos” on both iPhone and Android, so your camera roll stays clear for the memories that truly matter. 

We dive into Golden Rule #4: Sort and Organise, focusing on one of the biggest culprits of digital clutter — screenshots and random note-to-self images. Whether it’s a book you want to read, a recipe to try, or a receipt to keep, we’ll show you how to decide what to keep, what to move elsewhere, and what to delete. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode 

• Why screenshots and reference photos don’t belong in your main photo library 

• How to find, review, and tidy your screenshots on iPhone and Android 

• Simple steps to delete or relocate images you want to keep 

• Where to store screenshots

• Tips for hiding or securing albums you don’t need in daily view 

• How to copy text from screenshots instead of saving the image 

• Quick actions to stop screenshots from cluttering your library in the first place 

Why It Matters 

Not every photo deserves a permanent spot in your library. By managing screenshots and reference photos with a few simple habits, you’ll keep your collection easier to browse, lighter to manage, and more meaningful to revisit. It’s all about curating the memories that matter most. 

Resources Mentioned 

• Chantal’s Get-It-Done Work Sessions – online co-working sessions to help you stay on top of your photo tasks 

• Apple Photos Course for iPhone and Mac Users – a 3-session online program for simplifying your photo management 

Related Episodes 

Episode 005 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 1 – Digital Photos) 
Episode 039 Photos that DON’T belong in a Photo Collection 
Episode 063 The Magic of Maintenance 
Episode 087 Transferring Android phone photos to a computer 

Episode 115 The AI Evolution of Apple Photos: What You Need to Know 

If you have any photo-related questions we haven't answered yet in one of the previous episodes, please don't hesitate to share them with us via the Wishlist for Future Episodes! 

We invite you to have a look through our DIY Photo Organising Courses so you can decide which of these courses might be what you need to help you move forward with your photo organising projects. 

If you’d like to learn more about us, go to: 

www.diyphotoorganising.com.au  

Fiona McLauchlan’s website: www.counsellingmemories.com.au or 

Chantal Imbach’s website: www.photosinorder.com.au  

If you are not in Melbourne and would like to explore having a Photo Manager help you, check out www.thephotomanagers.com to find help closer to home. 

*affiliate link 

From recognising faces to sorting memories, AI is quietly transforming how we interact with our photos. What once felt like a chore can now feel intuitive, even enjoyable, if we understand how to make the most of the tools we already have. 

In this episode, we take a fresh look at Golden Rule #4: Sort and Organise, exploring how AI is reshaping the way we manage our digital photo collections, connect with our memories, and tell our stories through images. 

Our focus is on Apple Photos, and we’re joined by special guest Paul Einarsen, an expert in helping people organise and share their photos using Apple’s tools. 

Together, we unpack how artificial intelligence is transforming photo management within the Apple ecosystem, what’s new, what’s quietly powerful, and how you can work smarter, not harder, to enjoy your photo library. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode 

• How AI is making it easier to curate and enjoy your photo memories 

• Apple’s privacy-first approach to processing your photos 

• Simple ways to get started with People & Pets tagging 

• How Apple Photos finds and merges duplicates while keeping the best version 

• Why keywords are becoming less relevant, and captions matter more for storytelling 

• Seeing your photo collection as a “living document” that evolves with you 

• How automatic collections can ease photo overwhelm 

• Practical tips to build enjoyable, sustainable photo-management habits 

Why It Matters 

AI is changing more than the way we sort photos — it’s reshaping how we connect with our memories. The good news? Your iPhone and Mac already have powerful tools built in. With a little know-how and small, consistent habits, you can keep your photo library organised enough to enjoy, because it’s about reliving memories, not chasing perfection. 

Mentioned Links 

5 Minute Photos - https://5minutephotos.substack.com/ - Weekly newsletter with tips and insights about photography in 2025 with a focus on the Apple Photos ecosystem.  
 
Bluewater Imaging - https://www.bluewaterimaging.com/ - Consulting, coaching, and done-for-you photo management services. 
 
Bluewater Imaging Photo Workshops - https://learn.bluewaterimaging.com/ - Do-it-yourself online courses for professional photo managers and everyday photographers 
 
New Course - FIND YOUR PHOTOS FAST: How to use the new Apple Photos on iPhone - https://learn.bluewaterimaging.com/p/find-your-photos-fast-using-the-new-apple-photos-on-iphone-1  

Related episodes 

Episode 004 Golden Rule 3 – Create a Hub 

Episode 005 Golden Rule 4 – Sort and Organise (Part 1 – Digital Photos) 

Episode 009 Understanding Photo Metadata 
Episode 018 Manage your photos using your iPhone 

Episode 063 The Magic of Maintenance 

Episode 096 The Apple Ecosystem with Paul Einarsen – Blue Water Imaging 

Episode 102 Is using only a folder structure outdated? 

If you have any photo-related questions we haven't answered yet in one of the previous episodes, please don't hesitate to share them with us via the Wishlist for Future Episodes! 

We invite you to have a look through our DIY Photo Organising Courses so you can decide which of these courses might be what you need to help you move forward with your photo organising projects. 

If you’d like to learn more about us, go to: 

www.diyphotoorganising.com.au  

Fiona McLauchlan’s website: www.counsellingmemories.com.au or 

Chantal Imbach’s website: www.photosinorder.com.au  

If you are not in Melbourne and would like to explore having a Photo Manager help you, check out www.thephotomanagers.com to find help closer to home. 

*affiliate link