Paper Storage Tips
Paper preservation and paper storage go together hand-in-hand. You need to prepare your paper collection properly, in order to store it properly! If you haven't already, we encourage you to read through our page on paper preservation. We also strongly encourage you to review how you currently have your paper collectibles stored. Maybe it's time...
Now, we are not going to just dump all of that paper back in the box...are we? It's all out there, sorted, identified, and cleaned up! How about we keep it that way? You'll surely appreciate it the next time you want to look at your collection.
Useful Items For Paper Storage!Let's start with a few items that will come in handy when storing your paper collection.
See any patterns here? Archival? Acid-free? Yep! It's crucial that you protect your valuable paper goods with quality Archival, acid-free products. Look for Museum Quality or Conservation Grade when making your selections.
Final Steps for Proper Paper Storage...putting things away!It's time! Let's put some of those paper treasures back in the box. For smaller items, consider buying a scrapbook or a three ring binder. You can store a ton of your smaller paper items all in one place. This is also a good way to display them as well.Archival quality scrapbooks can be found in most any scrapbook supply store. Plan on spending around $15.00-$20.00 for a nice sized scrapbook and about 50 cents each for additional pages. Slightly larger items, in the 8" x 10" range, can also be stored in a three binder. Or, you can buy an appropriate sized storage box. These come in a variety of sizes and quality levels. Plan on spending $15.00 and up for one of these. Old newspapers and magazines are best left "as-is", or as you found them! Use a good quality sleeve protector and stack them flatly into your heavy-duty box. If you have a lot of newspapers to store, then this is where you really need those heavy-duty boxes and a steel shelving unit! Look for the same features in the larger boxes as you do in the smaller ones: Heavy-duty, Archival quality, metal corners, acid-free backer boards for separation and support, and the proper protector sleeves. Storage Items to Avoid!You may be tempted to cut costs if you have a lot of items to store. Don't do it! At least not for the long run!Chosing cheap plastic bags or sheet protectors may look fine in the beginning. But as time marches forward, they will gradually ruin your valuable paper collectibles by speeding up the fading process. Avoid paperclips and staples. File your paper items loosely using buffer paper to separate them. And obviously, cheap glue and tape are a no-no! Use Archival quality accessory products for this purpose! The Dark Room...
Additional InformationHere's a couple of sources for you to seek further information on paper preservation. Contact either of these excellent sources: American Institute for Conservation (AIC) or The National Archives.(NOTE! Make sure to read this article near the bottom of the page. Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler's Preservation of Archival Records: Holdings Maintenance at the National Archives. Fantastic information!) Or, you can try the Paper Preservation Department at any local university. Ask for the Preservation Officer.
Random Notes...We realize that it is not practical to preserve every last shred of paper that was ever produced! Our Advice? You need to pick and choose the items that are most valuable to you! And, don't forget those valuable photo's! Here's a great service for protecting those memories.
Are they indeed valuable? Of course they are! Then, why not set up a suitable storage area specifically for those paper items and photo treasures? Start small! Start with a few items, (the most treasured) and preserve them! Think Bigger! Expand your storage area. Buy bigger boxes! There's no limit!
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