Physical reminders of your family are precious and fragile, meaning they can get lost or severely damaged in an instant. When some of these memoirs are gone, they are lost forever without any way to replace them. Protect these photos, videos, or antiques before it’s too late with these ways to preserve old family memories that will save your family from the tragic loss of history.
Store Them in a Safe Location
Think of where your precious memories are right now. Are they in the basement? Do you keep them in a cardboard box or a plastic container? The last place you want to keep your family heirlooms and photos is in a damp cellar or basement. Water damage or flooding can wash away decades of history in less than a day. Even if your home is not in danger of flooding, leaking pipes or appliances can pose a threat to photos and paper documents.
If you must keep your belongings in a basement, protect them in a sealed plastic container and keep each photo in a plastic envelope. When possible, store the most important physical memories high up in a closet or on a shelf that’s far away from potential water damage.
Keep Digital Backups of Everything
Technology provides many people with the reassurance they need as physical memories begin to degrade or decay. Getting your fragile photos, negatives, or documents scanned or reprinted by a professional photo scanning company is an excellent way to ensure your family’s history is safe and easily accessible to any family member who wants to see it. If possible, put the files onto several different forms of digital media, such as DVDs, USB drives, or even phones. You can scan each photo or document yourself, but a professional will ensure high-quality scans for your favorite images.
Don’t forget to back up your old family videos too! Home videos that are stored on film or tapes can still be digitized so you can keep them safe on your computer or storage device. If you haven’t watched your home videos in years due to a lack of proper technology, this may be an excellent opportunity to transfer your old videos to a Blu-Ray or DVD that you can sit down with the family to watch for a movie night.
Take Pictures of Heirlooms
Losing an heirloom such as a great-great-grandmother’s old necklace or wedding ring is not only expensive but also heartbreaking. You may have plenty of photos of family members wearing these artifacts, but do you have any pictures of the heirlooms themselves? Taking pictures of family memorabilia can help you locate the item if it ever gets lost or stolen. With the internet at your fingertips, you can upload a detailed image of the jewelry or antique that will spread across the country in an instant. Keep these images safe on your computer and a USB drive to maximize the efficiency of this way to preserve old family memories.
