What Photos Should You Keep? - Your Weekly Checklist

This past June, my husband and I traveled through Colorado—exploring Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes, and Colorado Springs. I took over 600 photos. As beautiful as the landscapes were, I knew I wouldn’t keep them all.

This brings up a common question: "What photos should I actually keep?"

My Guiding Principle:

The goal of saving photos is not to keep every moment captured by the camera, but rather
to preserve the essence of life — the people who mattered most, the places that shaped one's journey, and the moments that reflect what life was like.

This works well for everyday photo collections as well as for vacation photos.

What Photos to Keep

Focus on photos that tell the story of you, your family and your life. Depending upon the occasion and your photo taking habits, here are some ideas on what pictures you'll want to keep.

✅ People you were with — both casual moments and a few nicely posed group shots.

✅ A selfie here and there is okay too! 

✅ A few photos that show where you were — at home, by friends or family, landmarks, signs, etc.

✅ Key landscapes that feel meaningful or unique

✅ The best versions of any repetitive shots (like multiple takes to get the best shot)

✅ Anything you truly love and want to remember

What Photos to Delete

Eliminate what doesn't add value or memory:

✅ Repetitive photos that don’t stand out

✅ Bad photos — blurry, overexposed, or accidental

✅ Screenshots of shopping, travel details, home decor ideas or other information you no longer need

✅ Informational images that were useful in the moment but aren't needed long-term

How Many Photos To Keep

In today’s world, it’s easy to take hundreds—if not thousands—of photos in just a month.
Setting loose guidelines can help you keep your collection manageable and purposeful.

Here’s a simple formula to guide your photo-taking and saving habits:

✅ Take 200–300 photos per month 

✅ Keep about 80–100 photos per month 

✅ That gives you around 1,000 photos per year 

✅ Favorite about 25 per month — about 300 per year

✅ Those 300 can fill a 50-page photo book with 6 photos per page

✅ Use 12–36 of your favorites for a family calendar or annual photo gift

This formula isn’t rigid—it’s meant to help you see why having a photo routine makes everything easier down the road. It also keeps your photo projects realistic and achievable

What About Vacations?

The same idea applies to travel—just adjust it based on the length of your trip:

✅ On our Colorado trip, I took over 600 photos and kept about 180

✅ For a two-week trip to Spain in 2019, I took 4,000 photos and kept around 1,200

Vacations are prime photo-taking times, but they’re also the easiest way to end up with a bloated camera roll. Sorting them soon after the trip helps you hold on to the best moments while they’re still fresh.

The Bigger Picture

This weekly checklist is here to encourage you to take photos with purpose, delete the excess, and thoughtfully save the images that truly reflect your life. The more intentional you are, the easier it becomes to enjoy, share, and preserve your memories for the future.

Need help in staying motivated and on track with your photos? Check out The Pix Plan by clicking here.