Photographs capture
moments in time and can last beyond a lifetime. Photos are often the
most treasured possessions one accumulates, and they remind us of
things we would otherwise forget. Unfortunately, photos can fade or
warp with time if they're not stored correctly. Follow these
strategies to more safely pack and store your pictures.
Remove Photos
From Peel-and-Stick Picture Albums
Mainstream photo
albums from box stores and discount shops are often created to allow
people to easily put a photo on a page and secure it in place on a
sticky background with a plastic cover. Unfortunately, many of these
albums contain basic glue, cardboard, and plastic, which are not good
for archiving photos for long-term storage.
Remove pictures from
any magnetic or peel-and-stick photo books so they won't be further
damaged. If removed photos have residue on the backs, be sure not to
stack photos on top of each other. Otherwise, the harmful residue on
the back of one photo could ruin the picture it's placed on.
Choose Photo-Safe
Containers
Whether you're
storing your photos for a few days or several years, don't just stack
pictures side by side in boxes. If you want your photos to stay in
pristine condition, put them in photo-safe containers prior to
putting them in packing boxes.
Look for photo-safe
storage containers that are made of materials that pass the
photographic activity test. Also known as PAT, this test is often
utilized by makers of photo storage containers to show how safe their
products are. Placing pictures in containers that have passed the PAT
will help protect photos from oxidants and other damaging things.
Never Leave
Exposed Photos Unattended
If you have hundreds
or even thousands of photographs, you may have to spend a lot of time
sorting and packing them. Be sure to start the project in a room you
can secure. Never leave photos out in the open if you live with
animals or young children. Even a well-behaved dog may see photos and
be tempted to chew, and young kids may unintentionally do some
serious damage to pictures.
Keep food and
beverages out of the room when you're packing photos. Also, don't
leave photos near open windows where they will be exposed to direct
sunlight. Try to keep curtains closed and the temperature stable even
while you sort and pack the photographs. If the room gets hot and
humid, the photographs can be damaged before you have the chance to
place them in storage.
Store Negatives
in Separate Archival Boxes
Protect your film
negatives and store them separately from your photos. Keep in mind
that negatives are far more delicate than prints. But as the first
generation of an image, they are necessary if you later want to have
larger, high-quality prints made of the photos. Remember, you may not
need to use the negatives again for years, so think in terms of
long-term storage and preservation.
If possible, wear
cotton gloves when handling negatives. Hold the negatives by the
edges and make sure no dirt or debris is on any negatives before you
store them. Don't stack negatives directly on top of each other.
Instead, place them in protective sleeves. Be sure to lie the
negatives flat when placing them in boxes that have passed the
photographic activity test.
Back Up Your
Photos
Before packing each
photo for storage, use a high-quality scanner to digitize the
picture. Next, save that file in multiple places. Digital photos can
be saved on hard drives, memory cards, USB flash drives, and cloud
storage services.
Nothing can
substitute for hard copies of photographs. However, having a digital
backup of your images can give you peace of mind. It's a smart way of
securing your pictures in multiple locations.
Finally, if you have
a lot of photographs, the best long-term storage strategy is a
climate-controlled storage facility. Contact Tysons
Self Storage
regarding all your storage needs. Our team of experienced and caring
professionals can help you find just the right storage space to fit
your budget and meet all your requirements for optimal photo storage.
