Every summer, families take vacations which yield a mountain of photographs. These pictures are important because they remind us of all the fun we had together.. yet we rarely turn them into something tangible that we can enjoy year after year. Having vacation photos sit on our iPhones isn’t the same as picking up a vacation album to flip through with our children. Those images are guaranteed to be forgotten about, unless we actually DO something with them! And that’s the part that’s hard.

Which is why I’m so excited that I got to sit down with Paige from Blue Pencil Company (local here in Greenwich, CT) for her tips and suggestions for what to do with family vacation photos. Paige has a true passion for keeping memories alive through digitizing, sorting, organizing, and creating with family photographs and videos. She helps Moms who don’t have the time or the expertise for these types of projects.. and if you’d like to know more, you can learn more about her company on her website here: bluepencilcompany.com

Make a Vacation Album

Creating an album using your vacation photos is a fantastic way to preserve and enjoy the memories from your trip. This does take some time, but companies like Artifact Uprising, AdoramaPix, and Shutterfly have easy and robust online software to help you put your album together easily and quickly. It might take you a few tries to find the service you like best, as they all range in quality and price.. but one thing’s for sure, you will LOVE seeing your photos printed in a book!

Order fun photo blocks

There are several companies offering acrylic photo blocks and they’re definitely a lot easier to order than putting together an album. The quality of these blocks isn’t the best (they are just photos glued to a thick acrylic rectangle), but they are fun to have around the house.

Create a Video Slideshow

While it does take some effort (and a bit of pre-planning), a video slideshow is a fantastic way to enjoy your trip memories. You can use iMovie or sign up for an easy drag-and-drop online application like Animoto. Combine both images and video into the slideshow, with title screens and captions too, if you want to get fancy. Additionally, with the option to convert image to video, you can seamlessly integrate your photographs into the slideshow, creating a dynamic visual experience. Best of all, a video is easy to share online with family and friends!

Invest in a Digital Frame

Digital frames have come a long way since their introduction in the 1990’s. Nowadays, companies like Nixplay offer digital picture frames in all types of styles, and they can wirelessly sync to your cloud account, too. Imagine using your phone to upload all your vacation photos to the Nixplay app and instantly enjoy them on your digital frame. This solution is perfect for families that want to enjoy lots of photos without having to print and allocate more space for them.

Decorate your Home

Nothing brings me more joy than a printed photograph. Still, with the advent of technology and digital devices, there’s something truly special about printed portraits. And while it makes sense to have a digital display for some vacation pictures, a few truly standout photographs might deserve a printed version in the home. Not only will a printed photograph bring back lovely memories, but it can also enhance the interior design and coziness of your house. Be sure to look at colors and artistic quality of the image as you find the best spot for it in the home, and pair with a frame that will enhance the presentation, too.

It was such a pleasure to work with Paige on this article and get some amazing tips from her about all the ways we can enjoy our vacation photos after the fact! And don’t forget the following when enjoying your next vacation..

1. Go through your photos on the flight home and delete any duplicates you have on your phone. Often we keep so many images that are essentially the same thing that it bogs down our ability to actually use them later on, not to mention taking up a bunch of space on our phone.

2. Plan out what you’d like to do with your images before you actually leave on vacation! This will allow you to get the exact pictures (or video!) you need for your project.

3. Backup your photos. Always in the cloud, but also on a local hard drive.. in at least in TWO places, just in case.

And.. 4. Set some time aside specifically for your project after the trip. We often have the best intentions, but unless we actually prioritize and dedicate some real time to that album or video slideshow, it will probably never happen.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Be sure to visit BluePencilCompany.com to learn a bit more about Paige and her amazing photo organizing services!