Plastic Bins Can Help Save Precious Documents

Writing in the Tampa Bay Online web site and the Tampa Tribune newspaper, Sharon Tate Moody offers some sound advice about disaster planning for genealogists. She writes: 

I have a zillion paper files and notebooks full of old correspondence (from pre-e-mail days) and copies of so many deeds and wills that I'll be 90 before I find time to scan all of them.

She continues with her solution:

So here is the plan I devised: After doing some house (I mean drawer) cleaning, I moved all the files from the metal file cabinets into plastic filing boxes. These are inexpensive, readily available at office supply stores, and easy to grab and toss into the car trunk.

The full article has a lot of common sense advice, complete with links to web sites that sell archival quality storage bins. You might like to read the full article at: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jul/20/tr-plastic-bins-can-help-save-precious-documents.

Comments

[Albert]

Bonbjour,

I have an old chest freezer in the cellar where I store my precious photos and documents. It's unplugged, of course, and I have place in there some crumpled up newspapers to absorb and humidity that might enter when I open it. It provides a"safe" place that a fire will not reach, as well.

Albert

[Janice Meredith]

My Norton Security just blocked this as a fraudulent site w/ "Phishing Suspected." What is the deal?

[Dick Eastman]

Contact Norton Technical Support. They can help you fix that.

- Dick Eastman

[L. Johnson]

I can't get to the web site with the archieval quality storage containers. Help

[Suzia]

I also had trouble getting to Hollinger's archival products site. Here's the correct link:

http://www.genealogicalstorageproducts.com/

Of course there are other companies, too, such as Light Impressions.

[Patty]

I understand the need to review disaster planning and this is a good reminder that we all need disaster preparedness plans. I've reevaluated my families disaster plan after going through Hurricane Lily in 2002, Hurricane Rita in 2005 and again with Hurricane Humberto in 2007. All with varying degrees of affect to our area.

When we evacuated in 2005, I thought I had taken with me all our precious mementos, information, etc. After we didn't come back right away because of the damage sustained to the area from Hurricane Rita, and were waiting to allowed to get back in the area I started remembering all the things I left behind and wished I had. Since then I started making/updating a priority listing of things to take and/or leave behind if necessary keeping in mind the available space with our vehicles. Whatever area of the country we live in, we all face the possibility of disaster and the preparation/planning can help when faced with the reality of the event even though I plan with the hope I will not have to utilize my plan again in the future. This also helps keep me from scrambling and ultimately forgetting something important because my mind is on the disaster at hand and getting my family to safety.

[Peter H.]

Albert,

I don't think you should store old newspapers along with archival documents. The newspapers are extremely acidic and if they absorb moisture, they could raise the acidity of the environment inside the freezer chest. It is far better to use another product like silica gel which is used for flower drying. This can be bought in large craft stores and put in gauze bags. You can gently heat it up in the oven once or twice a year to drive off the moisture. Putting some baking soda will help to reduce odors. If there is a flood, don't forget to tape the lid shut.