How Often Should You Create a New Lightroom Classic Catalog? Here’s What I Recommend

If you’ve been in Lightroom Classic long enough, you know the feeling: everything was running buttery smooth in spring… and suddenly by late fall you’re sitting there watching the little spinning wheel like it’s part of your editing process.

Yep — the infamous November Lightroom lag.

As a full-time photographer, I’ve tested different workflows over the years, and one thing I’ve learned is this:your Lightroom Classic catalog needs regular maintenance, just like any other part of your business.But how often should you actually create a new one?

Let’s break it down.

My personal workflow: A new catalog every January

At Kimberly Reynolds Photography, I create a fresh Lightroom Classic catalog at the start of every new year.

This keeps my workflow clean, organized, and fast. The beginning of the year is usually a quieter season, making it the perfect time to declutter and start fresh.

But here’s the truth:By the time late November rolls around, my catalog starts to feel heavy and sluggish — even though I only use one catalog per year.

Why?Because that single catalog holds thousands of RAW files, previews, metadata, edits, and history. Lightroom Classic can handle huge catalogs… but just because it can doesn’t mean it should.

When is it time to optimize or create a new catalog?

If you’re experiencing:

• Slower loading times

• Delays switching between images

• Hesitation when rendering previews

• Lag when using brushes or masks

• Freezing during export

…it might be time for some catalog maintenance.

Here are two solid options:

Option 1: Optimize Your Catalog (Quick Fix)

Lightroom has a built-in “Optimize Catalog” function that can help clear out unnecessary clutter and reorganize your data.

How to do it:File → Optimize Catalog

This alone can give you instant speed improvements, especially late in the year when everything feels bogged down.

I usually optimize a few times a year — and definitely every time I notice lag.

Option 2: Create a New Catalog (Best Fix for Heavily Used Catalogs)

If optimization isn’t enough, or your catalog is overflowing, creating a new one can genuinely transform your editing speed.

This doesn’t mean you have to lose your organization!You can transfer only the albums/collections you still need into the new catalog and leave the rest archived.

Lightroom lets you export specific collections as their own mini-catalogs, then import them into the new one. It’s much cleaner than carrying over the entire year’s workload.

This frees up:

• Preview file size

• Backup bloat

• Metadata history

• Unused collections

• Cached adjustments

…and gives you a fresh, snappy workspace.

But what about the people who create a new catalog per session?

I’ve heard of photographers who create a separate catalog for every single shoot.

And listen…If that works for them, great. But for most of us?That’s insane. 😂

That means hundreds of catalogs, thousands of preview files, endless switching, organizing, and backing up.It becomes chaotic instead of helpful.

Most photographers don’t need that level of fragmentation. A single catalog per year (or per quarter if you’re extremely high-volume) is more than sufficient.

So what do I recommend?

Here’s the sweet spot for most professionals:

✔️ Create one main catalog per year

It keeps things organized, tidy, and predictable.

✔️ Optimize your catalog whenever performance drops

Don’t wait until it’s crawling — a quick optimize can work wonders.

✔️ If November hits and you’re feeling the lag? Start planning the next catalog early

Create a new one, pull in only the collections you actually need, and give yourself a clean workspace again.

Final Thoughts

Lightroom Classic is powerful, but it runs best when it’s not overloaded. Starting fresh each year and keeping things organized behind the scenes can save you hours of frustration — and preserve your editing sanity.

If your catalog is starting to feel like a dial-up modem by Thanksgiving…you’re not alone. 😂

Give it a tune-up — or simply start your next year’s catalog a little early — and watch your editing speed bounce right back.

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