Organizing the Past

The first wedding I was ever in, my best friend’s from high school. I’m second from the right.

Prior to the digital photography age I was all about film. There’s something so lovely and unpredictable about it because you only have so much control over the outcome and the subject matter. And who can forgot waiting for it to be developed or finding an old mystery roll?! If it was an exceptionally promising set you might even spring for the one hour service.

That’s not to say I don’t love digital photography, too. We’re a society of instant gratification which makes it a great fit, and it’s always nice to be able to retake a wonky photo instead of waiting days only to see the moment was lost. But what to do with all of those prints?

On my first trip to San Francisco, senior year of college. At a college advertising competition in Austin, TX. With my cat, Peanut.

Last week I spent an entire afternoon figuring that out with the help of Kolo‘s Havana photo boxes. I separated all of my photos – even the ones that had been in the cardboard Lion King box since the dawn of the mid-90s – into time frames. High school, college, portfolio school, and family photos. Each one was delegated a box, with the exception of college which took up two. It was definitely time-consuming, but so much fun looking back through those periods of my life. I used the plastic dividers that came with each Havana box to roughly separate major events, though I definitely need to back through and do a better job at some point. I also tossed extremely blurry photos and what can only be described as awful shots from many a photography class right into the trash.

My Grandpa and I riding on a ferris wheel. Photos of Europe taken by my Mom’s godfather.

Older family photos went into a larger, flatter Havana box to accommodate the crazy sizes of some of the shots. I’m still tracking down errant photos that have escaped the confines of my prior “system,” but that’s half of the fun! I love how easily accessible my collection is now, and also that it’s perfectly suitable for display. Each box is covered in gorgeous Indian Yellow fabric that goes perfectly with my mid-century decor. I’m hoping my next home has built-ins so that I can show off my memories.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Kolo. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush going!