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    Memorabilia Preservation

    Save the memories. Toss the boxes.

    Photo digitization services

    • Legacybox — most popular. $200-700 box. Mail-in.
    • iMemories — $0.50/photo. Cloud + DVD.
    • Costco Photo Center — $20/100 photos. Cheapest reliable.
    • ScanCafe — $0.30/photo. Quality.
    • DIY scanner — Epson V600 ($300). 100s of photos.
    • Photo to Cloud apps — Photomyne, Google PhotoScan. FREE.

    VHS, film, slides

    • Costco/Walmart kiosks — VHS to DVD/digital. $20-30/tape.
    • Legacybox — all formats one box.
    • iMemories — slides + 8mm + VHS.
    • Local video transfer shops — Google "[your city] VHS digitize".
    • Tape degrades after 30 years — DON'T DELAY.
    • Get duplicates — give to siblings.

    Documents + letters

    • Adobe Scan — phone app, FREE. Auto-crops.
    • Genius Scan — alternative.
    • Acid-free archival boxes for originals worth keeping.
    • Donate historic letters to local historical society.
    • Diaries — type up most important entries, scan rest.
    • Newspapers — yellow + brittle. Scan + recycle.

    Storage + sharing

    • Google Photos — FREE 15GB. Auto-faces, search.
    • Apple iCloud Photos — 50GB $1/mo, 200GB $3/mo.
    • Amazon Prime Photos — UNLIMITED with Prime. Best value.
    • Backblaze — $7/mo unlimited backup.
    • External hard drive — $80 for 2TB. Keep at family member's home.
    • Use 2 storage methods (cloud + drive).

    Heirloom items

    • Take photos of items + write story.
    • Family meeting — let family pick what they want.
    • Use Photo Books (Shutterfly) for photos of objects.
    • Donate special items to relevant museum.
    • Sell collectibles via specialist auction.
    • Don't force kids to keep things they don't want.

    Story preservation

    StoryWorth — $99/yr. Weekly questions. Year-end book of your life. StoryCorps — FREE. Record family interview, archived at Library of Congress. Voice Memo on phone — record stories yourself, family treasures forever.