We recently talked about Organizing Your Photos. Remember, your photos didn't become unorganized overnight and they aren't going to get organized overnight so keep at it. Schedule some time in your calendar (or it won't happen!) and stick to it. Seriously, you can accomplish lots if you set an egg timer for 15 minutes and just go. Do this every day or even 4 days a week and you will see a difference!
As you organize your photos, you need to figure out how you are going to "store" them in an archival manner so they can be enjoyed and loved for years to come(not just stuck in a drawer, never to see the light of day). Here are some options for you, pick and choose the ones that work for YOU. By the way, a shoe box is a very unsafe place to store your photos.
Storage products should be acid-free, archival, lignin-free, and PVC-free. Acids in some papers, cardboards and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products will literally eat away your photos over time and should be avoided.
Photos should also be stored away from humidity and not in direct sunlight. Depending on what you plan on doing with your photos, and how many photos you have, you may have more than one storage system. The most common type of storage system is a photo album, which can be a traditional pocket album, or a scrapbook album. A scrapbook doesn’t have to be fancy with lots of fancy papers and embellishments - it can be as simple as photos on a page with photo corners and a little bit of journaling or it can be elaborate. The choice is yours. An album is the easiest way to share your photos with others. You will find a huge selection of albums at Photo Express and the knowledgeable staff to help you choose the right one for you.
Photo Boxes are another great option for storage, especially if you want to do something with the photos at a later date but can’t get to that right now. Make sure to label the outside of the box so you know what is inside. Choose archival boxes made for photo storage. Actual shoeboxes usually have a lot of lignin in them, which will deteriorate your photo, and acid that will eat away at your photos.
Large file boxes are great for storing larger photos or memorabilia. Again remember to make sure that they are safe for your photos. When you store larger memorabilia away from the photos they relate to, post a note with the photo as to where you can find the item. If you have larger items such as children’s artwork, you can reduce the size by making a colour copy (make sure the paper and toner is acid free like at Photo Express) or by scanning them and printing a smaller version from the computer. This also works for bulky items or you can take a photo of the bulky item.
Archival envelopes come in many sizes and are a convenient method of storage especially for those larger items. They can be used to store papers, certificates or photos.
Here is a challenge for you - go and find 24 photos that you like - no particular theme or order and put them into a little 24 pocket photo album. Leave them out on a coffee table or counter. You will be amazed at how often they will get looked at and enjoyed, which is what taking photos is all
about!
Negative Storage
As you are sorting through your older photos, you have two options to sort your negatives. Deal with them as you deal with the photos, or set them aside to deal with later. If you aren't sure you will ever do anything with them, my suggestion is not to spend a lot of time on them. Put them together in "decades" and leave it at that. If you think you will be going back and printing some, organize them into "years" and store them - they don't have to be in perfect chronological order.
The most effective system for storing negatives is to place them in PVC-free plastic negative sleeves and store them in a 3 ring binder. This protects them from dirt, scratches, and the oil on your fingers. Most sleeves also have an area at the top to label the subject and the date. If you have an index print, you can put it with the negatives.
It is also best to store your negatives in a separate location from your photos - not together. For example, store your photos at your house, and your negatives at a friend or family member’s house. Hopefully, if a catastrophe happens in one location, the other location will still be safe and you will be left with either photos or negatives, but won’t lose both. The other option is a safe deposit box. The fire safes for homes will usually not protect your negatives.
Remember to choose a system that works for YOU! Your system will be different than mine and different from your friends. It has to work for you so you will actually do it, and maintain it (which is even more important than the actual getting organized).
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