Family history is so important as it instills people with a sense of self, and precious memories bring us joy and family connections. Older family members typically will have the most family memorabilia and it’s important to preserve it correctly. Artifacts can become damaged over time making it critical to utilize proper preservation methods. Here are a few helpful methods for preserving family history.
Preserving Home Movies
Older home movies that were not created with the latest digital technology will begin to deteriorate over time. You can digitize old films to improve their quality using convenient digitizing services. As a bonus, these films can then be turned into frameable stills that make precious photos.
Don’t Remove Photos from Your Photo Album
It’s likely many of your family memories are stored in a photo album with sticky pages that have since lost their stickiness. You may be tempted to take out loose photos and frame them. But doing so will take them out of context. Instead, consider wrapping your album in a piece of unbleached muslin. This strategy will keep all the pieces together, so they don’t get lost.
You may also consider placing your photos inside individual polypropylene sleeves with acid-free paper included stating information about the image. Store each photo inside an acid-free box to ensure preservation.
Back-Up Your Images
It’s important to have images backed up if something happens to them. Fortunately, technology offers several convenient digital storage options. For example, platforms like Ancestry and My Heritage allow you to share memorabilia so it can’t be lost and can be shared forever.
You can also use scanners to scan photos and documents or use an online service to do this for you. You can also back them up for safekeeping once they are on your computer.
Conduct Interviews
Not all memories are in photos and documents. Older relatives may have terrific memories they can share with others. You can find out their stories by conducting interviews with them. Get the interviews recorded through video and audio mediums so you can pass them through generations.
Design a Family Tree
A family tree allows your relatives to learn about their roots. Various apps and websites make it easy to learn about your ancestors and trace your family tree. Software programs can also be used for this purpose.
Be Careful with Hard Copies
Fortunately, there are many ways to store family memories online. But you must also be careful with your hard copies. Keep them off the floor to minimize the risk of them getting damaged n floods. Do not place them in basements, attics, and rooms with vents or outside walls that are susceptible to temperature and moisture fluctuations.
Family history is so precious, so don’t let your memories get destroyed. There are various methods you can use to create digital backups and keep originals protected. We hope these tips have been helpful to keep your memories safe!
