Caring for valuabledocuments

Valuable documents include a wide range of items such as landtitle deeds, certificates, letters, photographs, newspaper cuttings andmemorabilia. The longevity of these items can be threatened by numerous factorssuch as light, moisture, insects such as silverfish, and physical damage.  By taking these simple precautions outlinedbelow, you can preserve your valuable documents and keep them for posterity.

1.Valuabledocuments should be stored off the floor and away from external walls orwindows, to protect them from dramatic fluctuations in temperature andhumidity. Storage areas must remain dry to prevent mould growth and waterdamage.

2.To avoidunnecessary wear and tear on original documents, make several copies forreference and circulation. Avoid continual copying of original documents. Whenphotocopying, save an extra copy to make copies from in the future.

3.Ensure thatequipment such as scanners and photocopiers are clean before placing yourdocuments on them. Alternatively, copying them inside a plastic sleeve willkeep the documents clean and help to support fragile documents during copying.

4.Valuabledocuments should be stored in protective plastic sleeves. Use well-fittingenclosures as folding weakens the paper and rolling can make it difficult toview the item without damaging it.

5.Do notlaminate your valuable documents. This is an irreversible process thatpermanently embeds the document in plastic and adhesive. Documents treated inthis manner will become permanently disfigured.

6.Never usemetal paperclips, staples and pins. These can rust and cause irreversiblestaining to paper items. Sleeves are available that contain pockets of varyingsizes so that diverse materials can be placed together in a binder or a safebox.