How To Store Old Photos

December 12, 2021

The optimum atmospheric conditions for storing old photographs is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit with 40 degrees relative humidity. Digital photography seems like such an elegant solution to the old problem of those boxes full of photos we used to see in our grandparents closets.

How To Store And Preserve Your Old Photographs

Keep the temperature below 75 degrees Fahrenheit F.

How to store old photos. I keep in a box my old photos. The fluctuating temperatures and humidity in these areas can be harmful to photos. Store old photographs at constant temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Handle your images with care or theres no point in storing them. Plastic sandwich bags are a good inexpensive alternative to plastic sleeves if special supplies do not fit into your budget. To store photographs individually place them in plastic sleeves void of PVC.

Store items at a low temperature and a low relative humidity Different storage conditions changed how these two photographs aged. In addition to preserving the photos removing them from old magnetic albums also will make the prints easy to distribute copy and store digitally. Smithsonian Archives Conservation Fellow Anna describes how to store your photographs for safe-keeping.

Damp conditions cause mold to flourish which stains and eats photographs while heat can cause them to become brittle. Avoid storing your photos in damp and excessively-dry conditions. Storing Old Photos.

This is a follow-up to the video on how to safely r. I mean after all my grandfather left them in an old department store box on the top shelf of his closet for close to 40 years. Keep the humidity levels in photo storage areas between 15 and 65.

They should be all but decrepit. To label a newer slick-backed photo use an archival. The reality of it is weve replaced those piles of scattered prints with unnamed digital folders and jumbles of semi-cloud-synced albums from every smartphone weve ever owned.

To be sure you dont harm the print wear clean cotton gloves if possible. Use a pencil never use ballpoint pen to mark the names dates and locations for each picture in the margins on the back of the photo. If you only have boxes filled with.

Place old photos on the ground in a storage unit even if they are packaged up in boxes or containers. As for where to store your photos skip the basement attic or garage. The lower the temperature the longer your items will last because cooler temperatures slow the rate of chemical decay and reduce insect activity.

This can lead to mold chemical decay or brittleness. Avoid storing old photographs in attics basements or garages where temperature and humidity tend to fluctuate. These can be purchased at photo supply stores and some craft stores.

It is possible to store and preserve old pictures so theyll last for generations to come but there are a few important tips and tricks for doing so successfully. Keep old photographs away from areas that are prone to insects. Instead keep them in.

Consider using a wire rack or pallet to keep boxes off the ground in case of flooding. 75 degrees or cooler and low humidity are the best conditions for photo storage.

How To Store Old Photos And Preserve Precious Memories