Though we lack the money, skills, products, equipment, and storage space that these projects and professional archivists have, we can take several simple steps that will help preserve our own family records and heirlooms. The more of these we apply, the longer and better our records will last. First, we can get smarter about how long different items really last. You might want to take a couple of minutes to take a quiz about the lifetime of assorted family records. Perhaps you'll learn which of your own records are most at risk.
Storage is an important factor as well.
It's worth a small investment of your time to learn about safe storage places . Perhaps most important of all, watch out for red flag moments for family records. Too often, those who close down a house are too efficient at house cleaning and discard valuable records. Records that are organized in files or boxes and clearly labeled stand a much better chance of being saved than records that look like disorganized clutter. And when a relative dies or moves to a different residence, you or someone who cares about family records should be involved in the decisions about what to throw away, what to save, and who should receive what.