Catching up

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Well, I'm glad that you were able to retrieve some of the items, it's just a shame that happened.

Another method of preservation that I also use for photos/documents, especially fragile and deteriorating pieces is large zipbags. As any old paper material will eventually deteriorate the longer it is exposed to air, and if it's exposed for too long it will crumble into dust, especially if the paper already has damage to it.

Of course, depending on exterior conditions, it usually takes a few hundred years of exposure to air and other elements for that to happen to most paper, but if you're thinking long term, and you want to preserve them for generations to come, then I suggest acid free zipbags, if it says that they are made with PVC then don't get them, you have to specifically get the acid free bags. When you're sealing them just make sure that you gently press the air out of the bags before you seal them, you don't want to have any air trapped in there. This method will also prevent your documents from being damaged if there's a flood.

For any large items that don't fit in the bags, I wrap them in flame retardant blankets. These are some of the methods I do before placing them in a fire proof safe, where they will sit until I can determine which relative will be the right person to be tasked with their continued preservation.

I guess that's one of the great things about living in the digital age, I can make copies for everybody to enjoy without exposing the originals to potential harm, and since the younger generations are growing up in a ever evolving digital world, it's probably the only way that some of them will ever have access to their family history.

[Murfreesboro]

I'm actually very impressed that you can carve out time to do all these things for your extended family, while simultaneously building a successful business and raising a young family of your own. Well done you!