I meet so many people that want to digitize their home movies and photos, whether its their own collection or those of loved one. But the problem is that they get hung up on deciding what to digitize.

It’s understandable and very common.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some quick tips that will help you break ground on this important project.  

Find your “for sure” movies or photos.

I’m talking about your parent’s wedding or that first bike ride -- important family milestones and tear-jerkers. These are items you’ll want to digitize first.  

Separate out the movies and photos you’re not fond of.

Let’s be honest: there’s probably some home movies or photos you’re not terribly enthusiastic about. You may want to skip over these items and digitize them later.

Consider unlabeled movies – they may contain gems.

You may stumble upon unlabeled movies. I wouldn’t count these out -- they may contain some hidden gems. For example, I have an unlabeled 8mm reel from 1965. When I digitized it, I discovered it contained footage of my grandparents taking my newborn mother home from the hospital. It also had a clip of my aunt, then a toddler, holding her. So precious!

Set a budget and realize you can do more later.  

Take a look at our website, assess what you’re willing to spend, and choose which movies and photos you want to digitize first. Keep in mind you can always do more in the future.  

We also have a free online calculator where you can type in the amount of items you have and see the final cost.  

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