How to Store Photos

[weewuvvdisney]

I have recently scanned all our family pictures and slides. I would know like to store them properly.

I don't really want to use photo albums as I already have so many of them and they take up a lot of rain.

The pictures are all different sizes. Any suggestions? I'd really appreciate it! Thanks......

 

[klmall]

You've already done the most important step, scanning the photos and slides!

The next important thing is to store them in acid-free containers away from sun and moisture etc. and to back them up somewhere outside of your home. If you simply want storage use inexpensive photo-safe boxes or plastic containers available from Michaels/Hobby Lobby etc. or you can buy expensive professional storage containers online.

Here is some information I found online when I searched using Google.

https://www.thespruce.com/properly-store-old-photographs-148003

http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/storing-pictures.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Photographs

https://www.archivalmethods.com/

http://www.ccaha.org/uploads/media_items/storing-your-photographic-collection.original.pdf

After scanning, I sorted my thousands of family pictures into various categories and placed them into different sized photo-safe plastic containers such as these:

http://www.michaels.com/recollections-photo-box-16-cases/10174559.html

http://www.michaels.com/-iris-scrapbook-case/10373070.html

You can also use acid-free cardboard boxes, photo-safe envelopes and plastic sleeves.

Currently I have all my photos stored in containers, uploaded online, and backed up on portable drives since I am the unofficial family historian.

In the past I have prepared cds with photos for family members, used digital photo frames and made photo books for others using places like Shutterfly. Don't let all your work and your family history sit in storage!

 

[manning]

Back them up ( I like to use several) DVD, external hard drive ( Use several as they can crash at any time. Had it happen right out of the box) Thumb drive. This is one place where Murphy (law) likes to visit. Don't know much about cloud.

 

[weewuvvdisney]

You've already done the most important step, scanning the photos and slides!

The next important thing is to store them in acid-free containers away from sun and moisture etc. and to back them up somewhere outside of your home. If you simply want storage use inexpensive photo-safe boxes or plastic containers available from Michaels/Hobby Lobby etc. or you can buy expensive professional storage containers online.

Here is some information I found online when I searched using Google.

https://www.thespruce.com/properly-store-old-photographs-148003

http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/storing-pictures.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Photographs

https://www.archivalmethods.com/

http://www.ccaha.org/uploads/media_items/storing-your-photographic-collection.original.pdf

After scanning, I sorted my thousands of family pictures into various categories and placed them into different sized photo-safe plastic containers such as these:

http://www.michaels.com/recollections-photo-box-16-cases/10174559.html

http://www.michaels.com/-iris-scrapbook-case/10373070.html

You can also use acid-free cardboard boxes, photo-safe envelopes and plastic sleeves.

Currently I have all my photos stored in containers, uploaded online, and backed up on portable drives since I am the unofficial family historian.

In the past I have prepared cds with photos for family members, used digital photo frames and made photo books for others using places like Shutterfly. Don't let all your work and your family history sit in storage![/Q

"Thanks so much! I will be getting started soon. Sorry I didn't respond before this, the time seems to have gotten away on me. I was wondering ... if you store pictures in an acid free container (like Michaels), should a piece of acid free paper be placed between the pictures?

Thanks again!

"

 

[weewuvvdisney]

Back them up ( I like to use several) DVD, external hard drive ( Use several as they can crash at any time. Had it happen right out of the box) Thumb drive. This is one place where Murphy (law) likes to visit. Don't know much about cloud.

Oh I have them on two EHD's. At the moment, they are both here as I am working on them together. Eventually one will go to my brothers for safekeeping.

Even info that are stored on flash drives - they are done in duplicate...... just in case.

Thanks!

 

[disney_bob]

Follow the 3-2-1 strategy.

3 copies
2 of those copies should be local but on different mediums (e.g. one on hard drive, one on dvd)
1 of those copies should be remote

Personally, I don't consider it remote unless its at least 20 miles away. For most people, that's probably going to be a cloud backup of some kind (e.g. backblaze, crashplan). Having all of your copies in the same house does nothing to help with a fire or flood. Having all of your copies within the same local area (within 5 minutes) can easily be devastated by a natural disaster. I'm not trying to be all doom and gloom but I'd rather someone not lose their memories.

 

[msummers]

For the digital copies, I'll second what Bob said about making 3 copies and keeping one at an offsite location. However, I'll caution against using DVD's as storage since most are not archival quality and can go bad over time. Personally I have 3 copies on external hard drives and no more than 2 are in the same location at any time.

As a professional photographer once told me, "any digital data you have less than 3 copies of, you don't care enough about."

 

[Skywise]

All the blu-rays and DVDs I've made over the years have gone bad within 5 years (some faster) (These weren't archival copies but just videos of trips). I've kept the generated files from the DVD authoring so I've "reburned" videos several times.

I keep a backup on an unattached hard drive (used to use backup software but I've taken to just copying the files over as the backup apps I've used have been flakey at times or only read from old backup copies and write new ones. I also upload all my photos to cloud storage (amazon).

So I've got my active drive, a backup drive and cloud storage. I tend to update my hard drives about every 3 years and the "old" drives become the new backups.