Although today most of our photos are stored on our phones, there are unique physical images of family members and ancestors that will likely never be digitized. Since there has been such a huge advance in photo printing over the last decade, it can lead to some confusion about how best to store physical copies for longevity.

To help demystify the process, we reached out to a few professional organizers for their photo preservation tips.

Set a specific time and pace

Sorting through years of printed photos can be a daunting task, but it’s a necessary step in preserving those that matter most. The best thing you can do is set aside enough time, ideally over a few days.

“It’s not a project that can be done in one sitting,” says professional organizer Liora Seltzer. “So pace yourself and make sure you get some rest after sorting.”

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Set a goal or intention for your photos

Whether you’re trying to downsize and make more space or want to create a new photo album, Seltzer suggests setting a goal for your photos before you start. This will help you best determine what can be saved and what can be thrown away.

Remove all duplicates

Once you’ve decided when and how to sort through your photos, professional organizer Diane N. Quintana says the next step is to look for duplicates or near-duplicates.

“Keep one and throw the rest away,” she says.

The same goes for anything that is blurry or too dark to see. Don’t throw away something you might regret, but if it doesn’t make sense to keep it (and that includes a duplicate), it can go.

Protect from damage

DIY influencer Laura Ascher says the three biggest threats to printed photos are sunlight, temperature and humidity. To avoid damage from these elements, she adds silica gel packets to her photo storage boxes and avoids storing photos in the basement, garage or attic.

“While that might be convenient, those locations are notorious for fluctuating temperatures and high humidity, which can lead to discoloration, distorted photos, and fading,” says Ascher.

For the same reasons, Seltzer says he prefers waterproof buckets. But if you must store your photos in a less than desirable location, avoid placing bins or boxes directly on the floor.

“There are many stories of people losing all their photos because they were in cardboard boxes that didn’t survive a flood or burst pipe,” says Seltzer.

Use acid-free photo boxes and albums

If you don’t need something as big as a waterproof bucket for your photos, or want extra protection, Quintana says acid-free boxes are essential.

“These boxes are specially made to keep photos safe,” she says.

Ascher agrees and says that, in addition to acid-free boxes, he also prefers acid-free albums.

“I find that simple acid-free albums, when labeled well, work well and are often economical,” she says.

These boxes and albums are usually stackable, making them easy to store in closets or cabinets, as well as inside waterproof bins.

Mark everything correctly

However you decide to store and save your photos, it’s crucial to tag everything. Be sure to label the outside of your bins or storage boxes, along with the back of the photos.

“Use a pencil to mark the back of the photo with all the information about the image,” says Quintana. “Who is shown in the picture, where it was taken and the date.”

Keep the digital copy

Now is a great time to scan your photos and turn them into digital copies so they can actually be preserved. This helps keep your photos safe and gives you the ability to create a beautiful photo book in the future.

Repeat this practice every year

To avoid another pile of printed photos, Ascher suggests repeating this process every year. You can even apply it to your digitally stored photos.

“As well as being the perfect excuse to revisit old memories, it’s a great opportunity to weed out duplicates, add tags and ensure your system is still working for you,” she says.

As your process evolves, you can also add a high-quality scanner, external hard drive and cloud storage to preserve your memories in multiple formats.