The majority of our most precious memorabilia is stored away out of sight and rarely looked at. If you are saving these items because of the fond memories, honor these items by putting them in places of honor around your home so everyone can enjoy them.
Pick a few precious items to display. Make decorative shadow boxes with the items. Hang the shadow box where it can be seen and appreciated regularly. Rotate the memorabilia on display in order to keep things fresh and interesting.
Start with the most current photos and memorabilia. Your most current photos and memorabilia will be the easiest to date and will be less discouraging to start with.
Sorting by chronological order first can be helpful in determining dates. Use old records, such as family bibles, journals; wedding, birth and death announcements to help with dating items.
Get family and friends involved in helping identify dates, people, and places that you don’t know or remember. Sometimes the kids will remember what grade they were in when a certain event happened, when you can’t remember. You could even make sorting memorabilia into a family project where everyone can exchange stories and the history of the items.
Labeling is crucial to saving time, and locating items once they are sorted. Use acid-free labels and pens. Labeling also prevents you from having to handle fragile items repeatedly.
Handling:
- Be sure your hands are clean, wash hands frequently, and use acid neutralizer spray or wipes on hands.
- Wear white cotton gloves, if possible for handling photos or documents. (Gloves that are colored may have harmful dyes.)
- Handle photos only by the edges.
Work Area:
- Be sure the work area is clean, dry, and climate controlled.
- Keep photos and memorabilia out of direct sunlight.
Containers:
- Use acid-free and lignin-free folders/boxes/binders/envelopes from reputable dealers. Acid-free means an object has a pH balance of 7.0 to 8.5.
- Use Mylar Type D, polyethylene, or polypropylene plastics.
- Label containers to minimize handling documents and to save time.
- Use gel packets in containers to reduce humidity.
Alternate Storage Options:
- Microfilm – last around 125 years.
- Compact Discs – last between 20 and 30 years, unless you use self-adhesive labels, then they last only a few years.
- VHS Tapes – last only about 10 years.
- Floppy Discs – last only about 3 years.
Tip:
Photo Safe: Containers or items marked with “Photo Safe” may not be. There is no industry standard for this labeling and its definition can vary by company or product. Some companies abuse this label.
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