Storing Photographs so They Don’t Get Damaged
Photographs are one of the most precious items that we collect over the years. From the day you said “I do” to the toothless grin of your child’s first few years of schools, these moments are special and near to the heart. That’s exactly why you want to make sure that you’re storing them in a way that ensures they don’t wind up damaged.
In today’s blog post, the team at EZ Storage®, located in Pittsburgh, is going to go over a few of the things that you can do to ensure your photographs aren’t damaged when they’re being stored. Let’s jump right in.
Handle Pictures Carefully
Ensuring that your photographs are stored carefully starts long before they’re actually placed in storage. The means by which you’re handling these photos is something that absolutely needs to be taken into consideration when it comes to their preservation. As you prepare pictures for storage, make sure that you’re not eating or drinking while looking them over and that you’re cautious of where fingers are being placed. Food, beverages, and the oil from our hands can easily be transferred over to the picture, damaging it before it even makes it into the storage container.
Organize Images
As you’re going through the images that you’re going to have tucked away in storage, start to organize them into piles or collections. While this isn’t exactly a method of protecting your images, it is a way of creating an inventory of images and ensuring they’re all together. In the case that you need to find a particular image or something does happen to the area that you were storing your photos in, you have a better idea of the collections that are being stored.
Invest in Quality Storage Materials
As we’ve mentioned, pictures are special items that you want to ensure are taken care of, but they’re also incredibly fragile. When exposed to moisture, a picture can be completely ruined. This is exactly why you want to make sure you invest in quality storage materials for your pictures rather than the standard cardboard box. Though it might be a bit more expensive to purchase a tub that is used solely for storing photos, you’ll be thankful that you did if a spill occurs or if there is some sort of exposure to water.
Label the Container
As with anything that’s going into storage, you want to label the container. Not only will this make it significantly easier to find pictures in the long run, but labeling can ensure this particular container doesn’t wind up in the wrong place. Knowing that there are pictures inside can reduce the chances of this particular tub being placed in a humid location or near a pipe or drain in the basement.
Consider Storage Location
The last thing that we’re going to talk about in today’s blog is incredibly important to preserving your photos while in storage: location. Even with a high-quality container holding your photos, you are still going to need to be cautious with where you decide to store your photos. Given that they are quick to damage when exposed to water, you want to keep your photos in a space where they will remain dry and the chances of them coming in contact with water is slim to none.
This particular factor in storing pictures is something that you want to take the time to do. As easy as it is to stack the tub of photographs in your basement, it’s not easy or affordable to re-create prints of images — for some photos, it’s impossible. So take the time to find a safe space to store these images, and if you can’t find one in your home, look elsewhere.
Trust EZ Storage® With Your Pictures
If you have tubs of pictures that you need stored, EZ Storage® in Pittsburgh is the place to go. Our storage units provide nice, dry storage areas that are secure. Whether you’re on the move, looking to clear up some space in the basement, or simply looking for a safe location to store your pictures, you can count on EZ Storage®. Contact us today to learn more about the different sized storage units that we have available or with any questions you may have — our team is always happy to help!
