Photographs have been a way of passing down history from one generation to the next for nearly 200 years. Preserving old family photos is one of the best ways to ensure that your family history can be passed down to future generations. Preserving images stops stories and memories from getting lost as the years pass.

But how to store old photos and preserve those precious digital images to avoid loss and damage?

How to Store Old Photos the Right Way

Anyone who's looked through old albums and noticed the foggy, faded, damaged that old photos sometimes develop through handling or exposure to sunlight, will know that there are some ways of storing them that are better than others. Nowadays, you can digitise, restore, or even recolour old photos to refresh their quality, enhance their colors, and save them from further deterioration. You could then order new prints, but how can you stop them getting that way in the first place?

Best Conditions for Storing Old Photographs at Home

The best conditions for storing your old family photos depend on what you're using them for. If you want to display them, you'll have to treat them differently from those that can be stored in photo boxes or albums

For those that you want to preserve for posterity but don't want to have framed, a good-quality photo box is your best choice. These archival boxes allow you to organise and organise your images for long periods.

For the best results, keep photo boxes in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and humidity (both of which can be damaging to old prints). Basements are prone to damp conditions, so it's generally best to store them in a cupboard somewhere in your home.

If you want to frame old photographs, make sure they’re in display condition or have them restored and reprinted for the best results. Go for a frame that will protect the precious image from harmful UV. Even frames with protective glass should be positioned carefully to avoid direct sunlight, as this will fade the image over time.

However you opt to store photographs, you're going to have to handle them occasionally, whether that's organising their photo albums, placing them in the frame, or putting them in photo boxes. Ideally, you should wear white cotton gloves while doing this and be careful only to handle them by the edges. This prevents grease from damaging and fading the pictures you're trying to protect.

You should also carefully remove any glue, staples, or tape from old printed photos to avoid staining or scratches marring the image during storage. It's also worth considering mounting them on acid-free paper or in envelopes, enveloping them into long-term storage.

Lastly, consider writing names, dates, and locations on the back of the photos using a soft (No. 2, for example) pencil. This means that when future generations come to look through the boxes of images and old photo albums, they'll have the context needed to preserve the history.

Should You Use Photo Boxes or Albums for Family Photos?

While there's certainly something special about leafing through old photo albums and sharing stories, when it comes to preservation, good, archival-quality photo boxes are hard to beat.

Good-quality boxes will be made from archival-quality paper and cardboard. This means that they're acid-free and will help to prevent atmospheric damage that can cause fading over time. You can add extra layers of protection by placing each old photo into its own acid-free plastic sleeve or envelope. Even just simply putting as many old photos into a box, it's worth taking a little time to organise or organise. You could use dividers to create a photo organisation, separating your archive into categories, making it easier to find the pictures you or future generations are looking for.

If you've got a particularly large collection of old photos, consider storing your photo boxes in a larger plastic container. This will not only keep things nice and tidy, but it can also offer an extra layer of protection against water damage.

If you do want to use an album or scrapbook, make sure that you go for one that will preserve your paper prints in the long term. This means choosing acid-free materials and storing it in a safe place like a fireproof safe or another secure location.

How to Store Old Photos Digitally

Of course, not all photographs are paper prints these days, and digital photos have been around for a lot longer than you might think. Even old analogue images are now routinely digitised, offering new opportunities to share and preserve them for posterity.

Scanning and Archiving: The Best Way to Store Old Pictures

If you're lucky enough to be the custodian of those precious old family photos, it's worth considering scanning them and creating digital archives to save them from the march of time. As digital images, your old photos can be endlessly reproduced, saved in many locations (like an external hard drive or on the cloud), and shared at the touch of a button.

Just like with paper archives, it's a good idea to spend a little time organising images that have been scanned. This not only makes it easier to find a particular picture, but it also helps avoid duplication, taking up space on your hard drives and memory cards. Use a naming system that will help give future generations some context when they go through your files so that they can enjoy them for years to come.

As with any important files, it's always a good idea to create a backup or two. Computers can and will break down, risking your precious images, so remember to save them in multiple places. It's often worth setting up a cloud-storage account as well as saving your photos to external hard drives to avoid data loss.

What to Do with Old Photos in Poor Condition

Unfortunately, part of the reason for this guide is that many people don't store their old photos with preservation in mind. This means that most people who have a collection of older paper print pictures will have at least a few that are showing their age.

While there's something quite charming about old photographs that are slightly faded, they're not the best way to preserve family history. Luckily, digitisation provides a solution.

Firstly, a digital image can be reprinted on archival-quality paper using the proper ink. These photographs should be far more resistant to fading from exposure to light and grease from handling, especially if you store them carefully.

If the prints are faded, torn, or even water-damaged, you could consider restoration. This is something that you could attempt yourself using a scanner and photo editing software, but for a larger collection or more badly damaged pictures, it's often worth bringing in the professionals. Photo restoration experts like Pixels Photo Art can improve old photos by restoring and enhancing them through techniques such as recolourisation.

How to Preserve Old Photos for Future Generations

Keeping family photographs, especially those precious pictures of family members who have passed on, in good condition is a way of ensuring that family stories aren't lost to the ravages of time. Keeping those important photos safe really does preserve more than the images themselves.

Smart Storage Tools That Help Keep Old Photos Safe

The key takeaway from this blog is that it's worth investing in archival-quality storage solutions, whether that's photo boxes, family albums, or even digital solutions.

Always opt for the best quality, acid-free sleeves, UV-resistant frames, and boxes possible. If you do decide to scan and digitise your pictures, ensure that they're backed up and stored in a few different locations.

Ensure that any paper prints are stored where they're safe from moisture and decay, and that albums and archive boxes are kept in a space where direct sunlight isn't a concern.

Don't forget to write labels for albums and boxes, and ensure that digital photo files have names that include the people, places, and dates featured in the image. This not only makes it easier for you to find what you're looking for when going through your archives, but it can also help add context and meaning for those who come after you.

Avoid These Common Mistakes When Storing Old Family Pictures

Keeping your family photos safe for the future isn't just about what you do with them; it's just as much about what you avoid doing with them. Some conditions will cause old paper prints to deteriorate, and you'll run the risk of losing those important photos forever.

In particular, don't store photographs in places where humidity and temperature shifts are a concern. This means that basements, attics, and garages are not a good idea. Instead, put your archives in a cupboard or on shelves somewhere in the house.

When choosing how to store old photos, avoid using regular plastic bags and non-archival containers. These can trap moisture and humidity, leading to water-damaged photos and decay.

Conclusion: Proactively Protect Your Photos

A photograph is more than paper or digital files; it's a window into the past. Photos allow us to reconnect with old friends and get a little insight into our family history. When we don't look after them, we lose more than a simple image.

Preserving old photos could be as simple as investing in a good-quality photo box to store your memories in or creating a digital archive. Whatever steps you take, you'll be doing your part to share those stories with those who come after us.