How to store physical photos

[helptheold]

I've been informed that my mother was going to throw away all her physical photos after she scanned them in and I had a mini-heart attack. Told her that I would take them (involves a 12 hour one way drive so it won't be anytime soon) but once I actually do I'm not sure how to store them properly.

Some are loose, some are in really old photos albums (like where the overly plastic is crumbling and you have have to gently peel the photo off the page old) and some are in frames.

Any ideas?

[craftytam]

I would definitely scan them before storing them. That way if they do crumble, you at least have the scan.

Personally, I scan photos and then discard them. BUT...I do keep the really old, black & white photos from my grandparents, and negatives.

[helptheold]

I would definitely scan them before storing them. That way if they do crumble, you at least have the scan.

Personally, I scan photos and then discard them. BUT...I do keep the really old, black & white photos from my grandparents, and negatives.

That's part of the reason I want them, my Mom said she's scanned them but she was doing so many I'm a little worried that she missed some. I want to double check and make sure!

[kristalund]

Good question. I have photos in boxes like these:
https://imgs.michaels.com/MAM/assets/1/5E3C12034D34434F8A9BAAFDDF0F8E1B/img/F905DFAD6702422F8B631264ACE0662A/10493867_1.jpg?fit=inside|1280:1280

[Saar]

I store them the same way Krista does. I have lots of photo boxes as well.

[craftytam]

That's part of the reason I want them, my Mom said she's scanned them but she was doing so many I'm a little worried that she missed some. I want to double check and make sure!

I can appreciate that. I would probably do the same thing!

[HavaDrPepper]

I had always used a couple different types of Creative Memories sort boxes that had little compartment boxes in them but had too many photos for them. So now I use an underbed storage container (Sterilite 41 Qt. Underbed) that has a lid. I have put some of compartment boxes in it to keep the photos sorted.

Long before I did this I had sorted all my photos into envelopes with a description of the event with a year if known. I also made envelopes for various people. I still have all the envelopes and those are in the little compartment boxes. When I scanned the photos, I wrote "scanned" on the envelope.

I actually have 2 of the underbed storage containers and one has memorabilia that is oversized in it.

[Robin Carlton]

This is not exactly what I have (https://www.containerstore.com/s/iris-16_case-4%22-x-6%22-photo-and-craft-storage-carrier/d?q=iris%20photo%20storage&productId=11004246), but I have something similar with a bunch of little 4x6 cases in a bigger case.

I think I'm all for scanning them and disposing, but I'm not much of a packrat so I get rid of stuff pretty regularly and then wonder where it went months later, so maybe don't listen to me. Then there's the argument of hard drives failing, so is digital storage safe, etc.

[craftytam]

Then there's the argument of hard drives failing, so is digital storage safe, etc.

Definitely have several backups! I use Backblaze, but there are a few other companies.

[AmieN1]

I use the same photo boxes that krista posted and then some are in albums too. All of those are then inside big clear plastic totes in our basement storage shelves. I have scanned a number of them, but probably should put that on my todo list in the future. I also use Backblaze as a backup and the also upload to google photos as a back up back up! ;)

[aussiegirl]

I also use photo boxes like Krista. I only throw away photos that are blurry or not good quality. I know there is a company that you can send them your photos and they will send you a digital copy? I don't remember what it's called, but have a friend who uses them and have seen ads on Facebook.

A couple of my girls want to create their own Creative Memory actual scrapbook albums of their photos from when they were little. A friend passed all her old supplies to us, plus I still have all my supplies and could probably get ones that were my mom's also. That is my next step is to talk the girls through how to do the albums, and get their old memories actually scrapped!

[craftytam]

I use the same photo boxes that krista posted and then some are in albums too. All of those are then inside big clear plastic totes in our basement storage shelves. I have scanned a number of them, but probably should put that on my todo list in the future. I also use Backblaze as a backup and the also upload to google photos as a back up back up! ;)

I LOVE Google Photos! They make it so easy to find photos!

[angiekey]

I think it's a question of, what do you want to do with the original photographs? Do you simply want to keep them, or do you want to make them easy to look through?

If it's the former, photo boxes are a great way to go. Just look for the words archival-quality and/or acid- and lignin-free when you buy cardboard/paper boxes. If you go with plastic boxes, you want to ensure they're PVC free. It'd be a shame to save the photos only to have them deteriorate thanks to the container they're stored in.

However, if you want to be able to look through the photos - and have other people look through them as well - invest in some archival-quality, acid- and lignin-free photo albums with PVC-free page protectors. The oils on our hands are damaging to photos, so if people will be looking at them, it's best to have them behind plastic.

For albums, I recommend Pioneer Photo Albums. My library is made up of the BDP-35 model. You can find them at B&H Photography here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=Pioneer%20Photo%20Albums%20BDP-35&sts=ma

[craftytam]

I think it's a question of, what do you want to do with the original photographs? Do you simply want to keep them, or do you want to make them easy to look through?

If it's the former, photo boxes are a great way to go. Just look for the words archival-quality and/or acid- and lignin-free when you buy cardboard/paper boxes. If you go with plastic boxes, you want to ensure they're PVC free. It'd be a shame to save the photos only to have them deteriorate thanks to the container they're stored in.

However, if you want to be able to look through the photos - and have other people look through them as well - invest in some archival-quality, acid- and lignin-free photo albums with PVC-free page protectors. The oils on our hands are damaging to photos, so if people will be looking at them, it's best to have them behind plastic.

For albums, I recommend Pioneer Photo Albums. My library is made up of the BDP-35 model. You can find them at B&H Photography here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=Pioneer%20Photo%20Albums%20BDP-35&sts=ma

Very good points, Angie!

[tjscraps]

I use photo boxes, and something similar to what Robin shared - a Costco special from years ago, it's plastic, with a blue lid and has a million 4x6 holders in it so you can keep groups of photos together. My mom separated all her photos to piles of 'who they should go to when I die' and has their name on the envelopes inside the big thing, and said when she dies just take that to her funeral and pass them out lol She gave my sister and I our photos years ago.

[kristalund]

I use the same photo boxes that krista posted and then some are in albums too. All of those are then inside big clear plastic totes in our basement storage shelves. I have scanned a number of them, but probably should put that on my todo list in the future. I also use Backblaze as a backup and the also upload to google photos as a back up back up! ;)

I need to look into Google Photos
My back ups are Ext HD, Crashplan and Smugmug

[TraceyM]

Whichever of the above methods you choose, just be sure they are in acid free covering and the other stuff Angie mentioned.

Get them out of the old albums. For photos that are stuck there are a couple ways to try... gently see if you can run dental floss under the photo or buy this Undue as it does not harm the photos and is a frick'n miracle worker product!
https://www.un-du.com/

[HavaDrPepper]

Get them out of the old albums. For photos that are stuck there are a couple ways to try... gently see if you can run dental floss under the photo or buy this Undue as it does not harm the photos and is a frick'n miracle worker product!
https://www.un-du.com/

Un-du is fantastic! I used it over 20 years ago to pull lots of photos out of the old magnetic albums. That's when I put them in envelopes with a description on the outside. A few years earlier before I even knew about using dental floss or un-du I tried to get some photos out of a magnetic album belonging to my grandpa (would have been in 1995 before he died). There were a few that ripped so I was very thankful to find out about un-du 4 years later!