Preserve the Past Photo Tour

Do you have some family heirlooms that you’re not willing to pass on just yet?  They might be a framed photo, grandma’s teaspoon collection, or grandpa’s war medals.  

Most of us have some!  I have little pocket diaries from my Civil War ancestor, Tilton Eastman Smith, old photos, grandma’s china, grandma’s handmade ceramics, a quilt, ancestors’ wedding rings, etc. 

The challenge is preserving them.  It would be nice to have my own archives in my home with different size boxes and shelves because one size does not fit all. 

I don’t want everything tucked away in a box, however.  Some things I want to have on display for others to enjoy. 

Since there’s usually only one of these items, we run the risk of losing the memories of them:

• A natural disaster may destroy them.
• Unknowing family members may toss them when you are gone.
• Family members may not be able to identify who is in the photo, who owned the object, or where the object came from.

We need to protect family heirlooms from these kinds of losses. 

Here’s an idea:  Take a photo or video tour of your home.  Start with the framed photos on the wall, then hit the hutch with grandma’s china, and end up with the boxes of heirlooms you have stored away.  If you choose the video option you may narrate the information about the items. 

When done, compile your tour on a CD or DVD and make extra copies that you distribute among family members for safe keeping.  For the photo tour you may print an album and write descriptions for each photo attached.  Then store the album offsite someplace. 

This assures the memories will live on, and in the event of a disaster, you’ll have a record for insurance claims. 

So here’s my challenge for you while we have this quiet week between Christmas and New Years:  Take a photo or video tour of your home today!