How to store pictures

Google Photos is a great resource for both organizing and editing photos that requires little to no work on your part. The Google Photos app — available on iOS and Android — can back up your photos to your Gmail account.

Plastic bags and large envelopes are other photo storage disasters to clear to steer of. … In fact, the acid in these envelopes can actually discolor photos, so be sure to move your pictures to a safe place as soon as possible.

Scan a few of your old favorites and send them to family members. Frame your favorite prints and create a gallery wall in your home, or place a few in frames around your house. Once you’ve scanned your photos, purchase modern photo albums to scrapbook your favorite family memories.

If you’re looking to store the images individually, purchase PVC-free plastic sleeves or use plastic sandwich bags. 4. If you want to store a stack of photos, layer them between sheets of acid free paper in a metal box. If you use a cardboard box, make sure it’s acid-free.

The Ziploc website, for example, says that all of its bags are BPA and dioxin-free, which are some of the chemicals that most people are afraid of when using plastic. … To be on the safe side, stay away from any brand name or generic plastic baggie made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Choose boxes that are big enough that you do not have to bend the photos, but small enough that the photos don’t shift around too much inside the box. For added protection, put dividers or sheets of acid-free paper in between photos to ensure they do not stick together.

Step 3: Seal Loose Photos

It’s best to keep photos in archival-quality photo albums, but you can still protect loose photos by placing a piece of cardboard, plastic, or wood between each photo. It’s also a good idea to add a piece of tissue or archival paper between each photo to keep them from sticking together.

It is important to store all photographs in a cool, dark and dry place. Humidity and moisture will cause more mold and damage. The temperature should also be a consistent temperature. Fluctuating temperatures can damage photographs.

Put your albums in spine-down and pack them tightly. Anything with a cover made of fabric, leather, or loosely bound with string should be wrapped in linen or acid-free paper and placed flat. Don’t let oversized albums bend over anything. If you’re going to stack them, make sure the biggest ones are on the bottom.

Large Frames

Wrap each frame in heavy, plain white or brown paper to keep the frame and artwork clean. Don’t use newspaper, as it will tear over time, and may transfer inks to your possessions. Fold the paper in the back, as if you are wrapping a present, and use a good quality tape to secure it closed.

Make albums accessible.

If you’re someone who prefers to flip through photo albums often, you can always display them around the house. Consider making a digital photo album with the scans and storing the original photos in a safe place. Bookshelves are common places to store your albums.

Start by sorting the photos chronologically. Any other sorting option is just too confusing and crazy-making. Think big picture by dividing first into two piles according to century. Next sort each pile by decade—even if that requires a wild guess—and so on until you have them in general order.

The first and easiest way to avoid UV light exposure is to keep your framed photographs, artwork or documents out of harm’s way by placing them on walls or shelves where they will not be exposed to sunlight through windows or skylights, or to overhead florescent lighting (see photo above).