As we discussed in “Going Paperless at Home”, a large part of the process is taking photos of your important personal documents. When going digital it is also important to keep your media files organized on your phone and desktop.

We know you are ready to get rid of all that clutter on your phone or desktop, and we are here to help! Organizing your media files will help eliminate the digital clutter your paper clutter is causing.

10 Tips for taking photos of personal documents and keeping them organized

1.   Cloud storage systems

Cloud storage systems help free up space on your phone or desktop. You can access any files in the Cloud with ease and it is a great way to store and find files when you need them.

2.   Name your media files

Naming files is often overlooked but makes a huge difference in digital organization of media. You can name files based on the content, type, and date. That way they are easily spotted when looking in your storage files.

3.   Date and categorize your folders

Organize your folders by the year and then categorize them within the year.

For example:

Main Folder name:
2021 Personal Media Files
            Identification
            Home/residence
            Personal Items
            Business Items

4.   Tag your content

Using specific tags and keywords will help with finding files in a search. You also can search for files based on how you named them.

5.   Use an archive

Don’t get rid of old content. When it’s time to put it away, store it in an archive instead of your recycling bin. Buy an external hard drive link like this one on Amazon and make sure to keep a backup file of EVERYTHING on your external hard drive.

6.   Stop using on-camera flash in your pictures

Using flash can oversaturate your pictures and add unwanted glare. Find a spot in your home with natural light and photograph your documents there.

7.   Make sure to get both sides

Don’t forget to take a photo of the entire document! Front and back, and even the sides if necessary. You even can add them to one document after you take the image to have it all in one media file.

8.   Make sure the background is clear

When taking your document photos, find a spot with little distraction in the background or better yet get yourself a white or black poster board and take the photos of the documents and items on that. This will make the images consistent and keep any unwanted content out.

9. YouTube video!

There are so many videos and classes out there to help you take the best photos of your personal documents and even yourself. Check them out.

10. Move in closer and stay in focus.

Last but not least, get closer to the document! However, when doing so make sure the entire document is in focus. Having blurry images won’t do any good when the time comes to use these photos.

We hope these tips help you to become more organized in creating photos used for going paperless with your personal items. If you think you still need some help, NAPO Georgia members are ready and able to assist you. Find one near you today: https://napogeorgia.com/Find-Your-Professional-Organizer