Sort prints into small groups and label the enclosures. Use a separate index to preserve names and uncertain dates while keeping the prints easy to find.
Keep clues together
Work with one envelope or stack on a clean, dry surface. Keep old envelopes and handwritten notes with their groups during sorting. An address or lab stamp may be useful later. Give a fragile print its own suitable enclosure so you can handle it less.
Label what you know
Use short IDs. F012 might mean Picnic by the lake, date unknown. F013 might mean School concert, probably 1994. Put the ID on the enclosure. In the index, explain why you think a date is approximate. Leave an Unknown group so difficult identifications do not stall the rest of the project.
Pick a storage system you can browse
Use photo-suitable folders, sleeves, or albums. Put an index with IDs, dates, names, and notes beside the collection. If a relative can help, share a reference scan and ask about one person or event at a time.
Check your labels
Ask another person to use the index to find the concert photos. If they have to open several groups, what description would point them to the right enclosure?
Start with a map of the box
Before separating anything, record how the box arrived. For example, write that the top layer held two envelopes labeled by your aunt, and the loose portraits were underneath. A quick overview helps if someone later remembers which envelope a picture came from. Sort on a table with space for only a few groups, so the sequence stays manageable.
Make the index easy to correct
Give the index one row per enclosure to start. For F013, write that the year came from a note on the envelope. If a relative later recognizes the concert as a 1995 event, record who suggested the change and what clue they used. You can revise an index entry while keeping the enclosure's ID stable.
Decide what to scan first
Choose the prints relatives are most likely to recognize or the ones you want to share without passing the originals around. Name a reference scan with the enclosure ID and an item number, such as F013-02. Then ask a question someone can answer from the image, such as which school had that stage curtain. You can return the answer to the right enclosure even after the files are shared.
