6 Tips to Safely Store Old Photos

Have you recently been going through family photo albums and missing the good old days given how faded they now appear? There is nothing to worry about as you can easily save your precious pictures by following several storage recommendations we prepared for you. In this article, you’ll find 6 simple steps to preserve photographs for future generations. Now let’s get right to it – every second counts when you deal with old photos. 

1. Consider the Temperature Conditions

If you want pictures to last a long time, make sure to keep the temperature low in the room where you store your old photos. The degradation of paper and ink will significantly slow down if the room temperature remains below 68–75° F. It is also important to avoid sudden changes in temperature, as they might affect old photographs. 

2. Be Sure to Avoid Humidity

A high level of humidity is another no-no for old photographs. Moisture can cause fungus, mold, and decay that will destroy the prints over time. To protect your photo albums from the harmful chemical reactions, move them from the basement to another room.

3. Keep Pictures Away from Light

You will find photos kept in frames in almost any house, however, such pictures will fade very soon due to the light. But it doesn’t mean you have to throw away all the frames you have at home – just place them in a darker place so that sunlight doesn’t reach and discolor the photographs. We also recommend you make a copy of the picture you’re going to display before putting it in a frame. 

4. Archive Photos in Proper Containers 

Even though it’s very common to store prints in boxes and photo albums, it’s actually not the only and not the best way to preserve them. There’s nothing wrong with using an album – the problem is that the majority of albums sold in shops are of rather poor quality. For starters, we suggest using photo albums with non-acidic and lignin-free paper. Alternatively, you can go for acid-free envelopes, sleeves, bags, or folders. 

5. Make Digital Copies

Once you have figured out a place to store the printed pictures, scan them to always have a copy at hand. This way, it will be much easier to share the images and show them to younger generations. What’s more, you’ll be able to fix tears, scratches, and other damages that old photos usually have and generally enhance their quality. For this task, you can use photo editors or special programs for restoring old pictures. 

6. Upload Pictures to a Cloud Storage 

When you’re done digitizing old family photos, you might wonder where to keep the new copies. You can back up photos using online services like Dropbox, Apple iCloud, Google Drive, or Shutterfly. In case you are concerned about privacy risks, use a USB drive or simply keep images on your laptop or computer. 

Final Thoughts 

In this post, we shared 6 photo preserving tips that we believe will be helpful to you. To learn more, open the link and read the guide on how to store old pictures. Now that you’re a guru in photo preservation, it’s time to reconsider the place where you keep your old photographs and give them a new life.