According to a recent study by Sparefoot and APPO, the average person has 10,000 to 15,000 photos. While it’s amazing that smart phones have allowed us to capture our every day moments so easily, I constantly hear people complain that they can’t find a picture when they need it. Similar to those boxes or bags of photos you never put in albums way back when, digital photos can cause you stress and frustration if they’re not filed properly. So here’s what can you do to organize your digital photos. . .

1. Delete any photos that are unfocused, unflattering, or unwanted in the moment. If you take four to five photos of the same subject, be disciplined, and save only the best one.

2. Download pictures from your camera to your computer immediately upon your return from vacation or as soon as you return from the event you photographed (if you use a traditional camera). Make sure your phone is synched to your computer and that photos are backed up on an external drive.

3. Create and utilize a digital filing system. Using iPhoto on the Mac, I create folders for categories of photos. For example, I have a folder labeled “Hamptons.” Within this folder, I have multiple albums: Summer 2016, Summer 2015, Summer 2014, etc. Similarly, I have a folder for each of my children, and albums within those folders for each year or special experience they have.

4. File pictures in their digital albums every day or two, if not as soon as you take them. This is the type of task that can be done while you’re waiting on line or when you’re a passenger in a car.

5. Create albums immediately after returning from vacation or an event. If you don’t do it within 48 hours, chances are it will get relegated to the bottom of your to-do list and never get done. I use iPhoto to make my photo albums (below is a picture of my Summer 2016 album), but there are many online options today.

6. Email or text photos you want to share. Good intentions of mailing photos to parents and in-laws often fail, and you’re left with a pile of pictures that just get moved from place to place. Only print photos you intend to frame.