Taking the steps to preserve family memories is not only great for your genealogy research, but it also helps to preserve objects with sentimental value. There are several ways that you can help to protect family memories. Here are a few of our top tips for protecting family memories and preserving your valuable belongings.
Common Causes of Photo Deterioration
Understanding the most common causes of photo deterioration can help you to avoid these things and aid in the preservation of your photos. High temperatures often cause photos to deteriorate far more quickly. Humidity can also cause photo deterioration. It is important to keep your photos in moderate temperatures and dry climates. Pollutants in the air can also cause photos to deteriorate. Ultraviolet light is another common cause. Finally, natural disasters, such as fires, can cause damage to your photos.
Proper Storage
It is important to ensure that you use the appropriate storage solutions to protect your family memories. Keep your photographs away from extreme temperatures and humid climates. The area in which you store your photographs will have a substantial impact on how well preserved your photographs stay.
Make Copies
While you may be sentimentally attached to the originals, it can still be extremely beneficial to make copies of all of your documents and photographs. This will help to provide you with backups in case anything happens to the originals. Making copies can often help you to preserve your critical information.
Electronic Storage and Backups
Electronic storage can help to provide additional protection to your documents and files. When you scan these documents and save them electronically, you can help to keep them protected. Keeping both physical and electronic copies are essential in preserving your family memories.
Use Containers
When you store your personal belongings in containers, you will be able to keep them collected and in a single location. For example, storing your aging photo albums in a container helps to keep all of the pieces together. You should also consider wrapping the photo albums in undyed cloth. This helps to provide additional protection to the object.
Record Interviews
If you interview your relatives, you will likely want to take a video recording of this interview, if they are comfortable with it. This will aid in the preservation of memories. Recording interviews can also be especially valuable because it will enable you to view time that you spend with your family members.
Use Sleeves for Photos and Papers
Sleeves can provide extreme protection for photos and papers. These sleeves can help to prevent deterioration in a variety of ways. They can prevent harmful external elements from causing damage to your family memories. By using the right protective sleeves, you can help to implement the best protection that will aid in preserving your important memories.
Keep Heirlooms in Safe Places
Heirlooms can be both sentimental and incredibly valuable. It is important to keep all of your heirlooms in safe places in order to keep them protected and in good condition. For example, a curio cabinet can be a great place to both keep your heirlooms safe and to display them. When you keep your heirlooms in a safe place, you will be able to preserve them and eventually pass them on to your own children. This can be especially beneficial in preserving your beloved family memories.
Stay Organized
When you are incredibly disorganized, especially when you are doing your genealogy research, you may misplace or lose important documents or photographs. When you focus on staying organized, you can minimize problems that can cause you to lose your valuable files. It is important to stay as organized as possible whenever you do your genealogy research or handle your important files. This can help to prevent them from becoming misplaced.
Preserving your family memories can go a long way toward preventing issues from arising. These steps can help you to keep all of your heirlooms, files, documents, and photographs safe. Starting your genealogy project early on can help you to adequately preserve your various memories. For example, you will have more resources the sooner you begin your genealogy project. To learn more about the best ways to preserve your family memories, contact us at Heritage Consulting today!
