Every family has documents and papers that were needed to be preserved for a long time. It includes birth certificates, property papers, aged photos, lot titles, and so much more. You can just take those papers, store them in an envelope and put it inside your cabinet. That is the traditional way of storing documents.
However, this way of storing documents is not secured. There can be unfortunate times wherein it may be destroyed by unwanted instances like your papers being shattered by the rats, being spoiled in water, and even stolen or lost. What you probably miss out on is that there are other ways that you can store this information and important papers more securely and safely. If you are interested in these tips and tricks, keep reading because we will explain it all for you!
- Scan Your Important Documents
Maximize the use of technology and make sure that you always have a backup of all those important documents you have. It is nicer if you have a personal scanner at home and scan all of your important documents and pictures. After that, we also highly recommend that you convert those papers into Portable Document Format or PDF so that they will be compact and layout preserving. You can also convert that PDF to PDFA to ensure that the layout will be the same after many years. If you are not familiar with what a PDF/A file is, it is a layout-preserving format that will remain constant despite the continuous technological change. Here is a quick guide on how you can convert your PDF files into PDF/A:
- Visit the GogoPDF platform that is accessible with any devices and operating systems at hand.
- Upload your chosen PDF file.
- Just wait until the newly converted file pops up.
- Download your newly converted PDF/A file.
If you are worried that your important documents will be leaked to the system, do not worry because they have a privacy policy that promises to remove all uploaded files on their server! This is the safest website that you can use for your files.
2. Save Your Important Documents on Cloud
After you have converted your scanned documents into PDF or PDF/A, another way that you can be assured that it will never be out of hand is by uploading a copy of it on your cloud storage like Dropbox and Google Drive. Instead of just storing it on your device storage that may be destroyed anytime, you should opt to have a backup copy of it. You have to be mindful of your passwords on your drive to avoid encountering problems in the future. Keep in mind that it is better to be prepared than sorry afterward.
3. Use Acid-Free Paper for Your Important Documents
This might sound traditional, but if you need to re-print your important documents so that you will still have a hard copy of those on paper, we highly suggest that you use acid-free paper. Using normal printer paper is a common mistake because photos can fade when printed on typical papers. Acid-free papers are sometimes referred to as archival papers, which somehow explains that these papers are the best papers for archives. Also, consider using genuine ink when printing these important documents rather than settling with cheap inks that never offer good printing quality.
4. Do Not Put Those Important Papers Just on Your Family Cabinet
When storing these important papers, do not ever just put them on your cabinet. It is better if you will invest in a storage box may it be plastic or stainless steel. Make sure that the one that you will be purchasing has an airtight lead. Much better if you buy a storage box with passwords or biometric encryptions. Putting those acid-free papers in this kind of storage will ensure that even after so many years, they will still not be touched by anyone. It will also remain as confidential as possible. This protective environment must also have the ability to deal with any weather conditions and has a blackout feature that can serve as a barrier to the sun’s rays that can damage those papers in the long run.
In a Nutshell
In storing important documents that you want to preserve for many years, you have to be strategic and take all the precautions. One way that you can do it is by scanning those important documents, converting those into PDF, and afterward, into PDF/A. You can also make a backup copy of it on your Cloud storage. If you insist on having a hard copy of your documents, you may re-print it on acid-free papers and store it in a protective environment. By doing these things, you can be assured that your papers will last for many years!
