Hey, I'm Mel!
and IÂ can help you enjoy your photos again.
ABOUT MEL
How I Got Here...
I have always had a passion for photos, keepsakes, and preserving family memories. My kids can tell you that I was that Mom who always had her phone camera ready, and I don’t think there was a day of their childhood that I didn’t snap at least one pic.Â
Despite my love for my own family photos, my path to photo organizing as a career was completely accidental. After a 20+ year career in nonprofit management, I started a business as a professional organizer in 2022. Shortly afterwards, I suffered two joint injuries -- I had surgery on my right ankle, then 8 weeks later I needed surgery on my left knee. While recovering from surgery, I looked for ways to earn income through organizing that was easier on the joints than decluttering people’s basements and garages. I found digital photo organizing and never looked back!
Now that my kids are grown and flown, I’m using my professional training as a photo organizer to organize and preserve tens of thousands of my own family’s photos so we can share and enjoy them even though we’re not living under the same roof anymore. Â
When I’m not helping other families clean up their digital disasters (or working on my own), I enjoy knitting, reading, and watching too much television. I also like being outdoors enjoying the beauty of Northcentral Wisconsin’s forests and lakes, although you’ll never find me camping because I require A/C and wifi after a day spent in nature. I live with my husband Shawn, our three cats – Paddy, Seamus, and Doug – and our college-aged kids Emma and Owen when they come home for laundry and food.
Having Too Many Photos is a Sign of a Life Well-Lived.Â
Often, my clients come to me overwhelmed and embarrassed by the sheer number of photos and videos they have. I always encourage them to change their thinking -- after all, we tend to take photos of happy moments and everyday joys. If you have a ton of photos, it's a clear sign you're living a joyful, blessed life. Celebrate your photo chaos!Â
Save First, Organize Later.
I've heard far too many tragic stories of families who've lost some or all of their family memories in ways that were completely preventable. That's why my process always starts with creating one comprehensive library of all of your photos and videos, then creating two backups. Everyone wants an organized photo library, but if you never get farther than this step that's OK!  At least you'll know your memories are safe. You can always organize them later. Â
Searchability is Everything.
Many people have their photos sorted into little yellow folders on their computer. Sure, it looks organized but every time you want a photo, you have to remember which folder it's in. Imagine if you could just type in what you're looking for and the  photo pops up in literally one second? The key to a well-organized photo library is adding as much information as possible to your photos so they're searchable.
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6 Essential Things to Know About Storing Your Photos in the Cloud
Everything you need to know to keep your photos safe in the cloud.
