If you want to improve your memory the science is clear you need to be organised and you need to  master mental imagery .

Ebbinghaus forgetting curve predicts without interventions we forget fast

70% of detailed information  is lost inside 24hrs .  

With the right techniques you can reduce  reps but never eliminate them entirely 

Repetition X 4  

1. Review Right after learning  
2. Take a Break 15 to 20 minutes
3. After 6 to 8 Hours
4. 24 Hours later

LONG TERM

Repetition X 5

1.     Review  After Learning
2.     Review  After Break  [ 20 – 30M]
3.     After 1 Day
4.     2 to 3 weeks
5.     2 to 3 months

In a peer reviewed research published by the journal of experimental psychology on the subject of human learning and memory RS Nickerson presented 600 pictures every second to his subjects .

Two images were then presented side by side , one from the earlier test pool of images and one fresh image . Tested immediately afterwards the recognition rate was a staggering 98% . Nickerson then expanded the experiment to 10000 images making sure the images were vivid [ mnemonic] the success rate expanded to 9996 correct answers . Lionel Standings concluded

‘ Our memory recognition capacity for pictures is almost limitless

The main experimental findings were:

(1) memory capacity, as a function of the amount of material presented, follows a general power law ;
(2) pictorial material obeys this power law and shows an overall superiority to verbal material. The capacity of recognition memory for pictures is almost limitless, when measured under appropriate conditions;
(3) when the recognition task is made harder by using more alternatives, memory capacity stays constant and the superiority of pictures is maintained;
(4) picture memory also exceeds verbal memory in terms of verbal recall; comparable recognition/recall ratios are obtained for pictures, words and nonsense syllables;
(5) verbal memory shows a higher retrieval speed than picture memory, as inferred from reaction-time measures.