Steal My Easy Organization & Back Up System for Your Photos!
Fall, back-to-school start-over szn > New Year’s Eve start-over szn, and you cannot change my mind. Bring on the school supplies. ✏️
Step 1: Download the Google Photos App to Your Phone
Alright, here’s your first step—and trust me, it’s so easy. Go ahead and download the Google Photos app on your phone and start backing up those photos. There are two big reasons why I do this. First off, I love being able to hop on my computer, log into Google Photos, and easily download and organize my favorite phone snaps into folders on my computer. It’s seriously the best feeling to clear space on my phone and keep things clutter-free. If you’re like me and love a clean and tidy digital life, you’re going to appreciate this!
The second reason? Well, let me just say—I don’t totally trust the cloud. My sister-in-law had all her photos backed up on Apple’s cloud, and she still lost everything. I mean, can you even imagine?! Customer service couldn’t help, and it was devastating. So even if you don’t go all in with saving your photos on your computer, at the very least, download the Google Photos app as a backup for your phone photos. It’s free, takes literally less than a minute, and hey—it can’t hurt to have a backup plan, right?
Oh, and if you’re a tech nerd like me (or even if you’re not!), I’ve got a great article for you to dive into all the cool things Google Photos can do. Give it a peek—you won’t regret it!
Step 2: Log Into Google Photos on Your Computer & Save Your Faves to Folders
Yep, I know I mentioned this in Step 1, but trust me—it’s worth repeating! There’s something so satisfying about logging into Google Photos on your computer and seeing all your photos and videos from your phone beautifully organized by month and year. It’s like a mini time capsule! This is where I take things up a notch—I download my favorite photos straight onto my computer.
Call me old school, but I just love the peace of mind that comes from knowing my important memories are tucked away on my computer, ready to access even if I don’t have internet. (Okay, maybe I’m showing my age here!) Plus, it’s a win-win—you get to free up space on your phone, knowing everything’s safely stored and clutter-free on your computer. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
I organize my photos in folder by Year – Month – Date and store all of them on a back-up drive that is plugged into my computer.
Step 3: Use Backblaze
Okay, now for my favorite part—Backblaze! This is the ultimate backup system for your photos (and all your files, really) on your computer and/or any external drives. It’s only $7 a month, and let me tell you, it’s saved me so many times! You can log in anytime, download your files and photos from any date, and just breathe easy knowing your memories are safe.
Seriously, it’s the BEST backup system I can recommend. And their customer service? Top-notch! No, I’m not an affiliate for Backblaze—I just love them that much. They’ve come through for me three times in the last 8 years (yep, three major photo recoveries!). The most recent one? Just this past spring. So, trust me on this—it’s worth every penny!
Okay, now that I’ve walked you through my process for backing up and organizing photos, let me drop a few final thoughts:
The reason I don’t rely on OneDrive or Apple Cloud (or similar services) is pretty simple—I just don’t trust them. I’ve seen way too many stories (remember my sister-in-law from Step 1?) of files disappearing into the digital void, and the customer service is beyond frustrating. Nope, no thank you!
Now, I know I’m a little extra when it comes to protecting my photos. I love documenting our family, and the idea of losing even one photo breaks my heart. Plus, as a family and branding photographer, my business is photos. If I ever lost a client’s gallery or any files I’ve poured my heart into, I’d be devastated.
I get it—organizing your photos might feel overwhelming, but here’s the thing: I only do this 3-4 times a year. I save it for those slower months like late August, February, and June when I actually have time to breathe. So don’t stress about doing it every month—just focus on getting caught up when life gives you a little more space.
But here’s my biggest piece of advice: even if you’re not ready to dive into organizing, at least set up the systems to back up your photos. Installing Google Photos and Backblaze will take you less than 20 minutes, and trust me, the peace of mind is so worth it!
So go on, —start with small steps. Your future self (and your photos) will thank you!
