I'm looking for ideas to keep "retired" large portraits (8 x 10, 11 x 14) stored, organized, etc. Inexpensive and easy ideas would be GREAT, but anything is better than my current system of keeping them stacked in their large cardboard envelopes! Thanks in advance!
Thank you so much for all of your great ideas! I ended up kind of "merging" a couple of ideas with a great find from Target. They've really expanded their picture preservation aisle, and I actually found a cross between a binder and a scrapbook, with archival paper, sheet protectors, and even refills. They fit up to 8 x 10 pics, and I'll just have to trim down my 11 x 14's. The best news to me was that I got mine on clearance...just $6.98 for a leather-bound album. Yee-haw! I liked the idea of not only storing my "retired" pictures, but also being able to flip through them pretty easily and still enjoy them.
I would go to michaels and get a portfolio for photographers or painters and keep them in there.
HTH
A. J
I am sorry to say I don't have any ideas either but would love to hear from anyone who does have some good thoughts on this. I keep mine stored in the cardboard folders all stacked up as well.
Hi L.,
For storing photos from wallet sized to 11x14, I use decorative boxes that can be found at Garden Ridge, Ross, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and other crafts stores. They come in a variety of sizes. I use them for storing recipes, receipts, and in my bathroom (to match my bathroom decor)as additional storage. I also label them and use them for storing cards from my family and friends--Valentine's Day, Christmas, Birthday, Mother's Day, Easter, Graduation/Party/Wedding invitations, etc. I store them under my bed and pull them out whenever I need them.
I just recently purchased a portfolio on Amazon.com for less that $20. They have several sizes available to suit any size you wish to store. It holds large photos/posters in acid free sleeves, has a nice black leather-look cover and holds all my large photos nicely. Search "portfolio."
It depends on what you mean by large portraits, are they just photos or are they on canvases? If they are photos go to Micheals or Hobby Lobby and purchase a portfolio that art or architecture students use to store their work. They come in various sizes and costs. Both stores regularly run sales so just wait until you see them on sale if cost is an issue. We bought the largest one they had for our son for Christmas for about 25$. It was one of the better quality ones and much larger than you would need according to your sizes listed.
I found something last month in the Michaels in Southlake. It is the Generations Art Portfolio and has sleeves for items up to 11x17. I got them to save my kids preschool "keepers". I haven't seen them anywhere else and I can't seem to find anything about the company online. Generations by Hazel makes a lot of scrapbook supplies, but may be out of business? Guess I better see if I need any more of them!
For the 8x10 and smaller pictures you can buy a box of acid free sheet protectors and insert the pictures within. Then put those in a 3" three-ring binder which holds a lot and sits nicely on any bookshelf. This way you and the family can leaf through them over and over without damage to the photos.
8x10 could go in an album - maybe get 1 album just for these pictures. I'm not sure about the 11x14, I don't know of any albums that big. My only thought is to have them scanned and save them on the computer?
Dear L.,
Hello! I would recommend keeping them all in the same frame and putting the newest out to be seen in front. If you are tired of them and just want the image, but not the large paper, take a photo of the picture. Put the picture, once developed in your photo album for easy storage and get rid of the large ones you no longer need. Good luck! B. P. of Organization Unlimited. www.OrganizedByBecky.com
Have you considered doing a scrapbook album with them? It wouldn't have to be as complex as many of the pages you see these days, just a simple background paper that coordinates with the pic behind the portrait and slipped into an appropriate sized album. You could have one huge album (see the Martha Stewart section in Michaels) for the 11x14, and one 12x12 for the 8x10s and be done with it at least for a while!
A.
i have quite a collection of 8 x 10 photos so I take the older ones and put them on a scrapbook page and just incorporate them into my scrapbook. It makes a nice mix of large photos, and mixed photos. Also, a lot of the photos were taken at Christmas time, so I have a special Christmas album of all of those 8 x 10 photos (as well as other Christmas photos). We set that album out over the holidays and everyone loves to look through it.
I put 8x10's & some of the larger 10x13's that can be cut down in a 12x12 Creative Memories album. Even some of the 14 in. ones can be cut down by cutting out some of the background. At one time CM also had 12x15 albums which is where I stored my really large pictures, but I've heard they had to stop making those due to low sales.
Hi L., you can just store them all in one frame with the newest one towards the front.
for just storage use an art portfolio (huge folder) within their envelopes...they have dividers and you can keep them under your bed or behind a dresser
I have the same problem.
GL
How about a Power Sort Memorabilia Box? It's dimensions are 14.75 x 13 x 5.25, and it's photo-safe. It has smaller compartments for smaller items but space on top so you could stack your larger photos.
Click on link below, then click on
"Traditional Scrapbooking," then
"organizers," then
"power sort system" to get to the "Power Sort Memorabilia Box." Hope that helps!
I don't know if this is something that would work for you. I always keep my large pictures in their original frames and just put the updated one over it.
Acid free photo box.
Archive boxes come in many sizes and are acid free. They are sturdy and stack easily to hold all sorts of memorbilia: letters, photos, artwork, newspaper clippings, etc. Use acid free tissue to separate photos.
Every time I change out the pictures in a frame I usually just put the new on on top and leave the old ones behind it in the frame.
But I like the art portfolio idea too.
Blessings,
P. <><
I have a friend that made a scrapbook from all her portraits that were no longer in frames. I don't know if they still have a large enough size for them or how large she went with the picture so it may take some looking. Pls post back as to what you will do. I'm looking for ideas too.
I liked the older photos as well as the newer photos. So I would just keep adding pictures to the wall. But, after 7 kids and 6 grandkids, there was no more room. Therefore, I took all the pictures down. I then went to Michaels and got 4 of the largest frames and mats available. Then I mounted all the pictures in collage fashion. Everyone loves to look at them and see, side by side, all of the changes. I made sure there was room left over to add new ones too.
For all of my 8x10's and 5x7's I made a photo album. I am not a scrap booker but I just got one of the albums for my daughter and used the photo sticks to stick the picture on a single sheet. I also decorate the page with the appropriate background paper and write the month and year the picture was taken. (Christmas themed paper for a Christmas picture, Easter, Birthday, etc.)I bought the 12x12 album, you could even by one for each daughter. It sits on my coffee table for display since I cannot put all of them in picture frames.
Cardboard actually contains acid which will deteriorate your photos. My advice would be to buy an inexpensive scrapbook (12x12) and slide them into the clear plastic pages.
Another idea would be to scan your larger prints into digital files. You could even print smaller versions (4x6)of your images and display them somewhere in your home.
take a look at art portfolio's they can act almost as an album
