Our phones are where we keep so much of life—snapshots, screenshots, and messages that pile up faster than we can sort them. That convenience comes with a cost, creating clutter that makes finding one special photo feel more like a chore.
In our survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, we found that overflowing camera rolls, unorganized files, and rarely printed photos are a shared experience.
The results show how people manage (or avoid managing) their digital memories compared to their physical spaces, and what emotions come with scrolling through endless photo libraries. The data also highlights the growing gap between capturing moments and preserving them in meaningful ways.
Key takeaways
- Nearly half (48%) of Americans have more than 1,000 photos saved on their phones, with 4% holding 15,000 or more.
- Americans are almost twice as likely to declutter their physical space regularly (42%) compared to their digital spaces (25%).
- Only 18% printed a photo in the last three months, while nearly a third (31%) have never printed a smartphone photo.
- Scrolling through a camera roll stirs mixed emotions—joy and gratitude lead, but stress, overwhelm, and guilt are common, too.
Nearly half of Americans have 1,000+ photos on their phones
Finding a single photo can mean swiping past thousands, a hunt that feels more exhausting than exciting. Smartphones have made it effortless to capture everything, but the result is an overflowing digital archive that’s harder to manage by the day.
Our survey found that nearly half (48%) of Americans have more than 1,000 images saved on their smartphones—a reflection of how digital clutter can build up.
For many, the collections stretch far beyond a thousand:
- 26% store more than 2,500 photos
- 15% keep over 5,000
- 4% hold 15,000 or more
Just 22% keep their photo libraries under 100 images, making them the exception to the rule. Most fall somewhere in between, with 20% storing 101-500 photos and 13% keeping 501-1,000.
With so many photos piling up, many Americans find their libraries overwhelming. That’s where simple strategies can help. Raffi Apelian at Mixbook suggests breaking the task into smaller steps:
“If you’re in the thousands, the trick isn’t to print everything, but to curate. Start with one year, one event, or one person. Create a wedding photo book from your special day or a year-in-review book with highlights. Suddenly, 15,000 photos become 50 great ones that actually get enjoyed.”
As photo collections grow, the line between special memories and digital clutter blurs. Organizing and finding specific moments has become an increasingly daunting task, and digital disorganization is now a shared experience for many Americans.
Photo overload trends cut across age and gender
Younger adults are the heaviest photo savers: 1 in 8 (12%) 18-to-34-year-olds report storing 10,000+ photos, compared to just 4% of adults 55 and older.
Older adults are more likely to keep it light, with 29% storing 1-100 photos, while only 13% of younger adults do the same.
Gender differences are just as sharp. Men are more likely to have fewer photos, with 26% storing only 1-100 photos compared to 18% of women. Meanwhile, women are more likely to amass larger collections: 6% of women report 15,000+ photos compared to just 2% of men.
That said, managing an ever-growing photo library is a challenge many Americans face, regardless of age or gender.
1 in 5 adults feel overwhelmed by the number of photos they store
For most, scrolling through their camera roll sparks positive emotions. More than two-thirds (68%) say their photos bring them joy, and 53% say they feel grateful for the people in their images.
But joy often comes with baggage. Over one-fifth of adults (21%) report feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of photos they’ve accumulated. Just as many (22%) feel stressed about needing to clean or organize them, while 16% carry guilt for not turning their digital images into albums, prints, or keepsakes.
Women are especially affected: 73% say their photos bring them joy, but they’re also more likely than men to feel stressed (26% vs. 17%) and guilty (18% vs. 14%).
Men, on the other hand, are more likely to report no emotions at all (18% vs. 8% of women).
Stress and guilt hit younger adults hardest
Younger adults feel the emotional weight of digital clutter most strongly.
A quarter of 18-to-34-year-olds (25%) say they feel overwhelmed by digital clutter, compared to 17% of those 55 and older. Stress about organizing is even higher among young adults (28% vs. 16% of older adults).
Younger adults also report more guilt for not organizing their photos in some way—like printing, saving them in an album, or framing them (17% vs. 13%). Older adults, by contrast, are the least likely to report negative feelings when scrolling through their photo libraries.
This difference connects back to photo volume: 12% of younger adults have 10,000+ photos on their phones, while 29% of older adults keep just 1-100. Fewer photos to manage could be one reason older adults are less likely to feel the same stress or guilt when scrolling.
What should feel like a moment of gratitude can quickly turn into scrolling stress. And if you’ve ever promised yourself you’d finally clean it up on a weekend that never comes, you’re not alone.
The good news? Starting small makes a difference. A photo calendar with 12 favorite shots or a lay flat photo book from one vacation, for example, can ease the weight of guilt and turn those swipes into something you’ll actually revisit.
Mixbook Studio™ makes the process even simpler—and with Auto-Create, you can save time while giving your photos the home they deserve. Easy to make. A joy to open.
Only 18% printed a photo in the last 3 months—31% have never
Despite overflowing camera rolls, turning digital memories into physical keepsakes is surprisingly rare.
Only 18% of Americans have printed a photo from their smartphone in the last three months, and nearly 1 in 3 (31%) say they've never printed a single smartphone photo—a sign of just how many moments stay locked in the digital world.
Even among those who do print, it’s not a frequent habit. Among respondents, 17% printed photos in the past year, while 14% say it’s been more than a year, and 12% haven’t printed in over five years.
“When everything lives on your phone, it’s hard to know what really matters. Printing makes that clear—you’re left with the photos that mean the most.”
—Leslie Albertson, Director of Brand and Creative
For Jordan, a Mixbook customer who creates scrapbook-style travel photo books, printing is how she keeps her memories alive. “Though technology runs our world, I think it’s always a great idea to have actual prints of our greatest memories,” she shares.
Inspired by time spent with her grandparents flipping through albums, she now hopes to create the same legacy for her grandchildren.
Creating physical photo products has become the forgotten step in memory-keeping, yet it’s the one that turns clutter into something lasting. And with Mixbook, giving your photos a second life is easier than ever. From photo books to cards to wall art, it’s how your photos move from endless swipes to something you can hold onto.
Women lead in turning digital photos into prints
Women are far more likely than men to print photos from their phones. In the past three months, 22% of women have printed smartphone photos, compared to just 14% of men.
And when it comes to never printing, the divide is even starker: 39% of men say they’ve never printed a smartphone photo, while only 23% of women say the same.
One reason women may be leading is the emotional weight: They were more likely than men to feel stress and guilt about overflowing photo libraries. Printing a few favorites can help ease that pressure—and it’s a habit anyone can benefit from.
Americans are twice as likely to declutter their homes as their phones
When it comes to clutter, Americans focus more on the physical than the digital.
Our survey found that 42% often declutter physical spaces like laundry piles, papers, and household objects, while only 25% regularly organize digital spaces like photos, files, and emails.
This split highlights a persistent challenge: Even as our devices fill up with digital mess, tidying up at home is still the priority.
Decluttering frequency underscores the gap:
- Physical clutter: Often (42%), sometimes (39%), rarely (13%), and never (3%)
- Digital clutter: Often (25%), sometimes (41%), rarely (22%), and never (7%)
Physical decluttering is a routine for most, but digital messes are easier to ignore. More than twice as many Americans “rarely” or “never” declutter their devices compared to their homes.
Age plays a role here as well. Older adults (55+) are most likely to often declutter their homes (47%), compared to just 34% of younger adults ages 18-34.
When it comes to digital clutter, however, the difference is smaller: 28% of older adults say they often clean up their devices, versus 22% of younger adults.
Women prioritize physical clutter while men lean digital
Gender reveals another divide. Nearly half of women (47%) say they often declutter physical spaces, compared to just 36% of men.
Men edge ahead in digital decluttering, with 25% saying they often declutter their devices compared to 24% of women. Women are more likely to do this occasionally, with 46% sometimes decluttering their devices versus 41% of men.
Still, for both groups, keeping up with the digital mess remains a bigger challenge than tidying up around the house.
5 ways to fix photo overload
Smartphones make it effortless to capture every moment, but without a system, your camera roll can quickly turn into clutter.
Thankfully, you don’t have to tackle photo overload all at once. Here are five practical steps to help you clear digital clutter and make your favorite moments easier to find:
- Set a regular “photo clean-up” reminder: Block out a few minutes each week or month to delete blurry, duplicate, or unnecessary images. Small, regular sessions make the task less overwhelming.
- Create albums for special events or people: Sorting photos into simple albums (vacations, birthdays, family, pets) makes it easier to relive important memories and share them with others.
- Back up and archive older photos: Move images you want to keep but don’t need to access daily over to cloud storage or an external drive. That way, your camera roll stays lean, and your memories are safe—ready whenever you want to revisit or print.
- Favorite your best shots: Regularly use the “favorite” or “star” feature on your phone to mark your top photos. This creates a quick-access gallery and helps you easily find your most meaningful moments.
- Print or create photo books from your favorites: Turning digital memories into physical keepsakes, like photo albums and travel photo books, can help you cherish your best moments and motivate you to curate your collection.
Even small steps like deleting duplicates or starring your best shots can ease the weight of digital clutter. And when you’re ready to celebrate your favorites, Mixbook makes it simple to turn them into printed memories.
Bring your memories to life with Mixbook
Photos capture life’s best moments, but they deserve more than a spot on your phone. Turning them into something tangible makes those memories part of your story—and gives you one less source of digital clutter.
Printing your favorites as photo books, cards, or calendars can lighten the load of managing thousands of images. Fewer photos on your phone means more mental space, and the moments you do keep are easier to enjoy.
With Mixbook, it’s simple to design keepsakes that reflect your style and let you relive your memories in a meaningful, organized way.
Methodology
The survey of 2,485 adults ages 18 and over was conducted via YouGov Audience for Mixbook on September 10, 2025. Data is unweighted and the margin of error is approximately +/-3% for the overall sample with a 95% confidence level.
