Hi, I’m Kathy, a retired Professional Photo Organizer.
For years, I helped clients make sense of their overflowing boxes of photos, albums, and keepsakes — turning chaos into order, and memories into something they could share and celebrate. Now, through this Substack, I offer tips, ideas, and gentle guidance to help you do the same.
Whether you're overwhelmed by where to begin or just need a little inspiration to keep going, you’re in the right place. This isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. It’s about finding the stories hidden in your photos and treasures, and finally bringing them into your life in meaningful ways.
Because your family’s story deserves to be told — and you're the one who can tell it.
I’ve also had the privilege — and challenge — of helping people recover photos and keepsakes damaged by floods, fires, and other natural disasters. These experiences taught me how fragile our memories can be, but also how resilient they are. Even when items are damaged, the stories behind them still matter. I’ll be sharing practical advice and encouragement for anyone facing that kind of heartbreak — because you’re not alone, and there are ways forward.
Along the way, I’ll recommend tools, products, and services that I’ve personally used and trusted throughout my career. Whether it’s for organizing, digitizing, storytelling, or preservation, I only share what I believe can truly help you.
Here, you’ll find practical how-tos, creative project ideas, and reflections to spark your memory-keeping journey. My goal is to help you feel encouraged, capable, and connected every step of the way.
Won’t you join me? Just click on the button and drop your email.
Why here?
I came to Substack with @Projectkin as the Kathy behind Kathy’s Corner, a popular monthly session that focuses on a challenge for every family historian: Sorting and digitizing collections of inherited family photos and artifacts. I love Substack as a place to share my thoughts on organizing and preserving photos, old media, ephemera, and stories.
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About Me
I am a lifelong memory keeper and storyteller. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, through photos, videos, audios, documents and the "stuff" we collect and inherit. I have been helping people tell their stories through photos since 1999, when I joined Creative Memories. In 2012 I founded Calgary Photo Solutions, and joined The Photo Managers and became a Certified Professional Photo Manager. During severe flooding in Southern Alberta in 2013, I saved thousands of photos for several families. I am a Certified Adult Educator, An Emeritus Member of The Photo Managers, A Certified Forever Ambassador and a Privacy Advocate through The Photo Managers. I presented a variety of topics at The Photo Managers Conferences in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In 2022, I decided to retire from organizing other people's photos and focus on organizing my families photos, ephemera and stories. I am here to help you organize your photos and stories by offering advice, coaching and recommendations of products and services I use and love. I am not a professional genealogist, but enjoy using genealogy to help tell my family’s stories.
The “Rules”
Be nice. Share generously. Respect each other. Read to understand. No hate, threats, or fear. Support don’t antagonize. Don’t advertise stuff you sell or spam my comments section. I may make mistakes in what does or doesn’t violate “The Rules” - please be patient with me, we can always discuss privately.
If you would like to chat directly, you can find a time for a Zoom or call on my calendar.
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