Storing Old Photos Removed from Photo Albums

Dear Donia,
Where should I store old photos that have been removed from their albums?

photos

Q. Dear Donia,

I just read that if one has old photos in the old photo albums with the sticy pages that they should be removed, but you don't say where you will then need to store them. Thanks, Barbara
 

A. Dear Barbara,

Great question! Storing photographs is similar to storing paper objects. First and foremost, the environment should be not too hot and not too humid—a bedroom closet is a great place, no basements or attics. The photos can go into photo sleeves and a three-ring binder or into a photo album with polyester photo corners if you want to easily view them in the future. Photo sleeves and corners can be found on the website of our sponsor Hollinger Metal Edge. Not all photo sleeves are preservation quality so be sore to look for polyester or polypropylene and not vinyl.

If you don't need to be able to view them, they can go into acid-free, lignin-free folders or envelopes and into a box for safe keeping.