Maintaining Family History: Tips for Storing Documents and Photos
Preserving Family Papers and Photographs for Long-Term Storage
In a bid to safeguard precious family memories, it's essential to store papers and photographs correctly. Here are some recommendations to ensure their longevity.
Storage Environment
To minimize deterioration and mold growth, maintain a storage environment with temperatures between 59°F (15°C) and 77°F (25°C) and a relative humidity (RH) of 45-55% ± 5%. Avoid fluctuations in temperature and humidity, as well as exposure to direct light and pests.
Packaging Materials
Use archival-quality, acid-free folders, sleeves, and boxes to protect papers and photos from acidic damage and dust. Plastic sleeves should be made from stable plastics like polyester (Mylar), polyethylene, or polypropylene; avoid PVC plastics which can off-gas harmful chemicals. Place documents flat in folders or boxes, and photos can be sleeved individually for protection.
Handling Materials
Papers and photographs should be stored flat rather than rolled, to avoid curling or distortion. If rolling is necessary for large format items, use a large diameter acid-free tube and interleave with acid-free tissue to prevent abrasion. Use polyester or polypropylene sleeves to individually protect photographs and smaller documents. Store albums that are archival quality with acid-free pages and covers; avoid magnetic photo albums or those with PVC plastics which can cause delayed damage.
Additional Tips
- Keep storage boxes or albums off the ground and away from exterior walls to reduce the risk of moisture.
- Regularly monitor for pests and dust, and keep the storage area clean, cool, and dry.
- Consider digitizing irreplaceable documents and photos to preserve content even if originals degrade.
Summary
To preserve family papers and photographs for the long term, store them in a cool, dry, dark place, off the ground, and monitor for pests and dust. Use archival acid-free folders, boxes, and polyester or polypropylene sleeves for storage. If rolling is necessary, use a large acid-free tube and tissue interleaving. Use acid-free and lignin-free pages in albums, and avoid magnetic or PVC albums. Store items in containers that are the right sizes, made of board or folder stock that is lignin-free and acid-free or buffered, and have passed the PAT if storing photographs. Use corners made from acid-free paper or stable plastic films such as polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene.
By following these recommendations, you can best preserve family papers and photographs for the long term, protecting them chemically, physically, and environmentally.
[1] Preservation of Family Papers and Photographs [2] Caring for Your Collection: Family Photographs [3] Digitizing Personal Archive Collections [4] PAT Testing for Photographic Materials [5] Caring for Your Collection: Papers
In the pursuit of long-term preservation of family memories, it's prudent to store family papers and photographs in home-and-garden storage areas that maintain optimal conditions, such as temperatures between 59°F (15°C) and 77°F (25°C) and a relative humidity of 45-55%. Additionally, adopting a lifestyle that includes using archival-quality, acid-free materials for storage, such as polyester or polypropylene sleeves and boxes, will help safeguard these precious items from deterioration.
