Have a TightKnit™ account but aren’t sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions to begin sharing memories and get the family banter going!


One easy consideration is this: Do you have any digital photos (ideally vintage ones of family from decades ago)? By digital, we mean photos that have already been scanned and you have them on your computer. Whether you do or do not, you can still start using the TightKnit™ platform. Here is how.


Have digital photos?


Already have some family photos from “back in the day” that have been scanned or are in digital format? Perfect! Here’s what to do next:

  1. Select photo from your computer. Choose one or more photos that you think would pull your family members in and trigger some great stories and memories. Alternatively, choose a photo that you have questions about or is a rare photo of one of your ancestors. Remember, you only need a single photo to get started!
  2. Upload your photo to the TightKnit™ platform. The process is simple. In the TightKnit™ platform, select “Create Story” and give it your story a name - for example, “Life on the farm” or “Jones Family 1940s”. Don’t know what to name it? Give it a temporary name like “New Story June 25th, 2019”, as you can come back later to change it. Your new story will then be placed on the “Story Albums” page. Click on your story to open it, and then click on “Add Photos” to upload your photo to that story. If you know the date and location, enter those. If you are not sure, you can guess – for example “The 1940s?” or “Southeast Iowa” and that could serve as a prompt to someone else who knows more specifically.
  3. Say something about the photo. This is one of the greatest benefits of the TightKnit™ platform! Imagine you’re sitting at a real kitchen table with your family and you pulled out the photo. What would you say as you showed it? Most of the time, it’s what you know about it or what questions you have. Questions such as “Do you remember when…?” Or “Do you know…” or “I wonder what..” are fantastic ways to get the conversation going. Just do the same thing, but on the TightKnit™ website instead! Open the story, click on the photo, and add your comments. We recommend adding your comments before sharing with family, as it’s a great way to “prime the pump” and pull them into the conversation!
  4. Invite family to join the fun. Every story you create is private by default. That means, until you decide to “share” it with a family, nobody but you can see it. Is this a story you want others to view and build on? If so, it’s time to put some people “around the table”, share the story with that table, and get the conversation and banter going! The TightKnit™ platform gives you a simple and private way to involve family members. From the “Stories” page, click on your story and then the “Share” button. Next, click on “Create New Family" and start naming the people you want to join in on the fun by providing their first name and email. We will then send them an invitation email from the TightKnit™ website. If you need to add more than four people, you can do so by going to the “Families” page to add additional names. From there, all they have to do is click the link in the email, create an account, and voilá - they’re viewing and commenting on your story!Who knows, they may even have some related photos they can add and together you can build the story further!


Don’t have digital photos?


Just because you don’t have any digital photos now doesn’t mean you can’t get things going and participate in the fun. We have a saying that “Everybody has something but nobody has everything.” In many families, photos and memorabilia are scattered amongst many people. Is that your situation? If so, the TightKnit™ platform is perfect for you! Here’s what to do:

  1. Send an email to family members you want to involve. Give them a heads up that you want them to look for and scan in old family photos, and to be checking their email for a message from the TightKnit™ website, a private online space where they can safely share photos, memories, and stories with others in the family.
  2. Get the ball rolling. One of the best features about the TightKnit™ platform is the ability to create private “kitchen tables” for your family to share and tell stories. It’s easy - just go to the “Families” page and click on “Add Family”. Give your family a name (such as your parents’ name if it’s intended for you and your siblings). Enter the first name and email of the family members you want to join, click on “Add”, and we’ll send them an email invitation from the TightKnit™ website. All they have to do is click the link in the email, create an account, and they're all set to start adding photos so everyone can start building a story!


Have fun with the banter! Regardless of how you started, TightKnit will let you know via email when new comments, photos, or stories have been added. You can go back in at any time to review the new content, participate in the banter, and even add photos if you’re able to find some fun old photos of your own! Just like around the kitchen table, make comments, tell stories, and ask questions. The more the better! By doing so, you are discovering and learning with your family and friends – all while you are connecting stories to the photos so that they will be there for you and future generations to enjoy.