Like probably most on the forum, I have boxes and boxes of negatives and prints from all of our pre-digital days. I've recently embarked on a project to load some images onto a digital picture frame to give to my wife for our anniversary. This means I have pulled out all of these boxes and am reminded of just how many we have, how unprotected they are, and what a colossal unorganized mess it is.

I had given brief consideration to scanning ALL of the negatives into digital format but that is just not realistic given the volume and the fact that not all of the images are going to be displayed all the time. At the same time I can't bring myself to discard the negatives even if they were all in digital format.

I'm wondering how you store your negatives and prints? In particular, what is the best method to store the negatives so that they are preserved, take up the least amount of room, and can be somehow labeled for future reference?

It seems like the focus should be on the negatives as if the prints are destroyed in a fire new prints can be made from the negatives, and negatives should take up less storage room. The vast majority of our negatives are in 5 image strips instead of full rolls, I don't know if that makes them easier or harder to store. If I could get all the negatives into some sort of compact storage container(s) such that these containers could be put in one of the fire-resistant personal safes, that would be the way to go?

Thanks

I scatter twenty years worth of prints, slides and negatives all over the house in a random assortment of boxes and envelopes!

I recently filled a computer video card box with negatives I want to try to scan. Everything else is dumped into other boxes or the envelopes from the developers.

I've stayed on top of my shots with an Epson 700 scanner for my slides and B&W. I'm sure you know but for those who don't. see B-H Photo. They have a bunch of storage options and they are an honest bunch. I'm not connected with them in any way.

Storage for slides and negatives must be:
a) airtight
2) light-safe
and finally... dry and cool, but between approximately 45 to 55% humidity.

Tupperware, Large Plastic Bins, Safe Deposit Boxes, Humidors, Gun Safes, Caves... you get the idea.

go to the b&h photo site...its in NYC and a pleasure to deal with...order the negative pages...your negs.slip in (5 to a row) and the pages can be dated etc.i have tens of thousands of negatives and store in this manner...put these pages into a 3 ring notebook...these pages come in various sizes...35mm/med.format etc.inexpensive and i still use them a lot as about 50% of my photography (i own a photography studio) is still film

I store mine in boxes in various closets, waiting for someone to throw them out when I depart this mortal coil.