Organizing Photos to Present to a Friend Upon Retirement?

I think you should go ahead and organize them as best you can and actually put them in something more permanent and a little nicer than a notebook and sheet protectors. He probably would not consider a notebook tacky, but I doubt very seriously that he will "work" on re-organizing them after you have presented them and I think it would be nicer if you gave him something like a completed scrapbook that could be used as something he can show off your work as an excuse to show off his accomplishments. You know guys don't want to brag about some things of their own, but your work, now that's another story.

I have done several Retirement Scrapbooks for our local Sheriff's Department Retirees and I did not know how to sort the photos and momentos, but I did the best I could and just tried to sort them by the apparent vintage based on the hair styles and by guessing the age of the recipient. Don't forget that photos usually have a date on them. If you can't tell - sort by Color and/or size. I know it's tough, and you won't get it perfect, but it will be much nicer and I think, in the long run, you will be much happier with the product afterwards. Think ahead that you might with later that you had done a little extra.

If you don't have much time, use one of those white 3-ring binders where you can slide paper or cardstock behind the clear back and front covers and maybe decorate the front with his name and dates of work or just the date of the Retirement. Then on the inside just attach the photos to some nice cardstock or some printed papers and some embellishments, even it it's just some strips of paper - like paper ribbons - to decorate the pages just a tad. If you want to tell him later that he can slide the cardstock out and re-arrange the pages, do each front and back on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet or cardstock and then you have accomplished both of your ideas.

I think the hard part of sorting through and collection the items is really the hard part. Good Luck and Have fun. Its a Great idea. Good Luck.

Lynne