I keep all of my stuff in folders on my computer and then I have all those inside one folder simply labeled pics. I use descriptive names for each folder. Like Max (pics of my dog), Holiday's and then what year, Vacation and the year, So and So's wedding, etc. Of course I don't have 24000 photos either. I have like a 10th of that. I don't use any of my programs to keep them organized I do it myself on my hard drive. My system works for me because I remember specific events and things. I really think it comes down to filing them in a way that helps you remember them.

Don't keep every photo you have shot. (smile) only the suitable for framing.

I have over 32000 digital images. I have set up individual files in my computer using names that fit the different types of photography that I do, quite a few of them to be honest.
When I look at the images I have shot, after deleting the rejects I do a select all and the using the first image I rename them with the date they were taken ~ ie. 11 22 11 (the computer will not accept / - or other symbols so I simply use a space). Each date is unique and will never reoccur so images shot today and stored in the birds file will be placed under the images shot on 11 20 10 ect.
This system works well for me, the only thing I have to remember is whether I saved an image taken of a landscape on a road as a landscape image or a road image. If I can't remember then I just look in both ☺