How to Protect Your Photos and Film Negatives During a Move

Three Tips for Protecting Photos and Film When You’re Moving

Many people have a collection of photos of their ancestors, photos from their youth or film negatives from cameras that no longer work. Many of these items are fragile, and they could easily be harmed if they were exposed to too much light or heat. These tips will help you to protect your heirloom family photographs and irreplaceable rolls of film when you are working with moving companies in Las Vegas, Nevada, to move into a new home or apartment.

 

Wrap the Photos and Film

Whenever possible, rolls of old camera film should be kept in their original black containers with lids. These lids and film canisters are designed to be dust-proof, moisture-resistant and impact-resistant. Photos that are already printed should be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper or placed into an acid-free photo album in order to prevent them from getting warped, torn or bent. After the film and photos are properly wrapped, they can be put into the moving boxes.

Talk With the Movers

Explain to the movers that you have antique photos or rolls of film. They are likely to have experience handling items that are sensitive to heat and light. Because it can get hot in Las Vegas, items such as these might be placed by the movers in a cool and shady part of their moving truck.

Make Copies of Your Photos

If you have the copyright to your photos, consider making an extra copy and storing them elsewhere, such as in a bank’s safe deposit box. If this is not an option, consider scanning your photos digitally and storing them on a portable hard drive or thumb drive that you can keep on your person.