Whether you have photo albums or containers of loose photos that you want to put in self-storage, the right preparation is key. Without the proper storage procedures, these treasures from the past could suffer irreversible damage. Review the following do’s and don’ts to ensure your photos remain in excellent condition during their storage run. 

Do: 

Organize the photos and take digital copies. 

To prevent confusion when you retrieve the photos from self-storage, create categories. Use whatever type of categories serves you best, such as ‘year’, ‘special event,’ ‘people,’ and ‘size.’ 

Take digital copies as you organize with your smartphone camera or a digital scanner. You can also bring the images to a photo scanning service if you prefer. Creating backup digital copies is suggested not only for organizational reasons, but in the event of photo damage and losses. 

Use acid-free paper.

Placing acid-free paper between the photos keeps them from sticking together and sustaining damage. This paper is recommended because it does not transfer dye to what it is preserving or contain corrosive chemicals like alkaline paper. 

Lie your photos flat in a shoe or photo box between the sheets of paper to prevent them from bending or getting scratched. You’ll also want to place your selected boxes in sealable plastic bins to avoid pest and element-related damage. 

Don’t: 

Store the photos on the ground of your unit. 

While plastic bins provide optimal protection, keeping them on the floor of the self-storage unit is not a good idea. The photos can still become damaged in the event of a flood or from concrete-related moisture accumulations. Put all bins containing photos and other fragile items on pallets so they are not in direct contact with the unit floor. 

Use “sticky” photo albums. 

Photo albums with adhesive on the pages keep the images in place, but the sticky stuff can melt in storage. If you need to remove photos from a “sticky” album, do not attempt to pry them off by hand, as doing so can cause the images to rip and bend. Place a piece of dental tape, floss, or thin string behind the photos to carefully lift them from the album(s). 

Keep photos and other precious belongings safe in American Self Storage. This storage facility provides climate- and non-climate-controlled storage units, as well as RV and boat storage. All units are clean and the premises are well-lit. Learn more about storage solutions online today.