We all have a little extra time these days, and you may be eyeing your closets full of memorabilia and wondering what to do with it all. Here at the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park, we have a little experience in taking care of old stuff, so we thought we would share a few ideas with you that won't break the bank.

Let's start with your old photos.

Chances are you have old shoe boxes full of photos of your family and friends reaching back years, even decades. How can you keep these safe for future generations, and yet still pull them out for occasional viewing?

The first thing you can do - and it's free! - is scan them to create a digital copy. If you don't have a scanner with your computer, you can take a digital photo with your phone. Download them to a flash drive or CD for posterity. You can then print out copies onto photo paper to frame or to place in albums - that way you are preserving the original while still enjoying the memory.  Don't forget to also scan the backs of the photos as well to preserve the metadata - the Who, What, When and Where  - so you can remember all the important details.   

Always wash your hands before handling your photographs and just hold them by the edges. You can invest in a pair of cotton or nitrile gloves to ensure you don't leave fingerprints on the originals.

If you want to be able to view them and don't have the time for scanning, you can place them in a photo album, but be careful when shopping for one. The old magnetic ones or any that use adhesive will cause your photos to become brittle and discolored, and you may not be able to remove them. If you have old photos already in albums like this, you can try to remove them by using dental floss or a spatula to break the bond between photo and album page - but be sure to get a photo of the photo first, just in case damage is done. Be careful of any fasteners on your photos. If you have them in old photo albums, you want to remove them - those adhesives can bleed through the photos and damage them. If you have any paperclips or tape, remove those as well, because they can rust and leave lasting marks on your photos.

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on museum-quality storage boxes, but you can make a few easy fixes. First, don't keep your boxes in your attic, garage, basement or any other space that is not climate controlled. The humidity fluctuations and pests in those spaces will leave lasting damage. Be sure to keep them away from any direct light source to avoid fading, and keep them away from windows and vents. The best place to store your photos is in a cool dark area of your house - on a shelf in a a closet that doesn't have an exterior wall is ideal.

Store large photos flat to avoid curling and bending of edges. .

If you decide to invest in storage boxes, there are a couple of things to consider. Make sure it is acid-free and lignon-free, meaning less wood pulp. Acids in some papers and cardboard can react with your old photos, discoloring and fading them. It's pretty easy to find appropriate products if you know what to look for. There are a number of archival companies out there, and some big box stores now carry the archival materials - check the scrapbooking area.

You can organize them with photo index cards - again, look for the words archival. Consider organizing by size so as to give adequate support.

Keep in mind the 3 "P"s - polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene. These materials will not harm your photos and can be used as sleeves, protectors and storage containers. These can be found at any craft store and many discount box stores.

Finally, don't plan on doing this in a hurry. If you're like me, you'll have fun just rediscovering all your old photos and the memories they bring back - so take your time - getting there is half the fun!