What Is The Best Way To Store Photo Albums?

Do you have a photo album that is close to your heart? Are you wondering how you can best store your photo album to keep it lasting for years to come? Photo albums are a great way to organise photos and have all of your best memories kept in one place. 

While everyone loves to take photos and keep them in photo albums, not everyone knows how to properly store and maintain them. You can’t just leave them in your closet and expect the photos to remain blemish-free after a few years. You need to take careful steps to preserve the photo albums and keep photos safe. In today’s blog article, we will discuss a few tips to help you properly store your photo album for many years to come.

Maintain Proper Conditions

The biggest enemy of photos and photo albums are light, temperature, and moisture. All three of these can ruin the quality of your photo and, ultimately, the precious memories they hold for you. Here’s what you need to do to keep your photo albums safe:

1). Light Exposure

Any kind of light exposure is bad for your photos. This means you need to ensure your photos are not constantly exposed to light, including UV light which is also a part of the natural light spectrum. If you plan to keep your photo albums outside or sitting on a shelf, keep them away from direct sunlight to prevent discolouration and fading.

2). Temperature

Make sure to keep your photo albums in a place at room temperature. Any place that is likely to get too cold or too hot is not good. Similarly, high-temperature fluctuation is not good for the health of your photos and photo albums. It is best to store your photo album in room-temperature spaces where the temperature is consistent and not too harsh for your photos.

3). Humidity

Extremely dry environments are bad for the photo paper and areas with high humidity are equally as bad. This is why you should never store your photo albums in a damp basement or in a place that is too dry. This could damage the quality of your photos through discolouration or fading.

In addition to these conditions, you also need to keep your photo album safe from rodents, pests, and other such dangers that could physically ruin your pictures

Storing Your Photo Albums

There are various ways for you to store your photo albums and keep them safe. Here are a few ways:

1). Keep Your Photo Albums On Shelves

Many people like to keep their photo albums on shelves because they can take them out and go through them every now and then. When keeping albums on a shelf, make sure the shelf fully supports the base of the album. If any part of the album is left hanging over the shelf edge, a part of the album is likely to bend with time. Many people also have this habit of putting something on top of the photo album which will further damage the album and the photos inside. Make sure to avoid this. 

2). Use Archival Boxes

One of the best options for long-term storage of photo albums is an archival box. Ask for acid-free boxes and make sure it has archival quality. These boxes are specially designed to preserve things stored inside for long periods of time away from environmental conditions.

3). Plastic Containers

Plastic containers are a great way to keep your albums safe. Since these are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, you should be able to find one perfect for your needs. While storing your album, make sure you keep the spine side down and pack the albums tightly. 

If you have a photo album that is covered in leather or fabric, or it is loosely bound with string, don’t forget to wrap it up in acid-free paper or linen and always place it flat. Additionally, make sure your albums never bend. Place the biggest ones at the bottom and stack smaller-sized albums on top of the bigger ones.

If you’re keeping your albums in a plastic container, make sure to label those boxes to help you remember which boxes contain which photo albums and memories.

General Tips for Handling Photos

Whenever you handle your photo albums, it is best to take due care to preserve the condition of the album.

For example, make sure your hands are always clean and dry before opening a photo album. It is also a good idea to wear gloves while going through the album to avoid staining the pages with oil. If you notice any photos sticking to the pages, it is best to remove the photos and store them in a new album or keep them separately in an archival box.

Final Thoughts

In summary, it is not that difficult to preserve your photo albums. However, most people are unaware of the proper habits they need to adopt in taking care of their photo albums for years to come.  You need to handle your photo albums with care and take appropriate steps to preserve your happy memories. The few simple steps mentioned above will allow you to keep your memories safe for future generations and help them connect with the people in the photos.

Contact Us Today!

Photoland is the premier frame and photo store in Sydney. We offer a wide range of photo albums including antique albums, engagement albums, slip-in albums, self-adhesive albums, and more. Our experts can help you choose the right album for your requirements.

Please call us today for your photo album choices at (02) 9235 1933 or leave an enquiry.