Tips For Keeping Your Scrapbook Safe

Edited by M. B. Aria

Learn how to store your scrapbooks properly and you will have them for many years to come ...

You have put a lot of time and effort into creating the work of art that is your scrapbook. Now that you have made a scrapbook, there are still some added steps you need to take to ensure that the book lasts. If you make time to take a few precautions, your scrapbook will stay safe for many years to come. Ever wonder how museums keep historical documents and paintings intact for so long? Everything is mounted on acid-free archival paper and kept in rooms where the humidity and room temperature is monitored very closely. You don't have to go to quite that extreme; however, there are some protective measures you can carry out that will work just as well.

The next tip to keeping your scrapbook safe is to keep it dry. Humidity and liquids will ruin your scrapbook, photos, and negatives. Always store these items in a dry, sealed container. Avoid placing them in a damp basement or attic where they will be subject to severe humidity. Also, when scrapbooking, keep your drinks away from your materials and photos.

Remember that direct sunlight will damage both photos and negatives. Too much sun will even fade the cover of your scrapbook. To keep your memories safe from fading, store them where they will not be in direct sunlight often. For photographs that you want to display in a frame that will need to be in direct sunlight, consider having a copy made that you can keep in a safe album out of the sun. Having this copy will preserve the photograph even if the framed version becomes faded.

A good rule of thumb to follow when storing your scrapbooks is to think how comfortable you would be if you were the book. Books like to live where you do and if it's too hot or cold for you; chances are that it's too hot or cold for the photos in your book. Excessive heat can cause warping and sticking and the opposite will occur with extreme cold. Never store your scrapbooks in the basement or the attic.

One thing that many scrapbookers do not realize is that the oil from their hands can cause damage to their photographs over time. It is important to keep your fingerprints off your photos as much as possible. You will need to handle your photos while creating your scrapbook, but do so as little as you possibly can. Some professional scrapbookers will wear cotton gloves to work with their photos. Washing your hands frequently will help protect your photos as well.

Your scrapbook is history in the making. Everything you do, every photo that you add is a bit of family history for the next generation and the generations that will come after them. Along with aesthetic considerations, there are longevity issues to keep in mind. You have invested a lot of time and effort in your scrapbooking project and you want it to last, so take the time to store your scrapbooks properly and you will have them for many years to come.

Next article: Overcoming Scrapper's Block

Email this page to a friend

Featured Scrapbooking Product:

Ultimate Fast Start Scrapbooking Video Guide image

Ultimate Fast Start Scrapbooking Video Guide
A step by step video guide to creating beautiful layouts. "The Ultimate Fast Start Scrapbooking Video Guide" promises to teach you proven secrets for producing flawless, pop-off-the-page scrapbook layouts ... first time, every time!

Click here for more details ...

More Articles About Scrapbooking ...


Creating Scrapbook Pages That Truly Stand Out
Do you want to bring your scrapbook to life? One way to jazz up your book of memories is to add some pizzazz with 3D embellishments. There are plenty of other ways to have your scrapbook pages look fantastic...

How To Create A Genealogy Scrapbook Album
Creating a genealogy or heritage scrapbook is one of the most important endeavors a scrapbooker can undertake. A genealogy scrapbook is a memory book designed to trace the family tree through pictures...

Spend Quality Family Time Scrapbooking With Your Children
What mom doesn't want to spend quality time with her children doesn't involve a television? Today's busy world sometimes makes it difficult to find ways to sit down with your children and be creative together....

Recommended Resources

My Scrapbooking Secrets. Make stunning scrapbooks in a matter of minutes and impress your friends at the next cropping party! Learn to make stunning scrapbooks in true classroom style training using My Scrapbooking Secrets course. Click here for more details: My Scrapbooking Secrets Course.

The Most Incredible FREE Digital Scrapbook Gift... EVER!

For more information about Scrapbooking-related resources, see our Crafts resources section, subscribe to our Crafts Newsletter containing news, updates and insider tips, or go to more articles about Scrapbooking Tips.

***

Related Topics ...

***

Search for more information on "scrapbooking tips" below:

Google

You are here: Home » scrapbooking » Tips For Keeping Your Scrapbook Safe

The owner, contributors and/or advertisers may derive financial benefit from sales of items advertised, reviewed or linked to from this site.