What’s the best way to store printed photos and photos on your phone for long-term?
An online article on CNET says you don’t need to pay a monthly subscription for cloud storage.
Instead, this writer uses an external hard drive instead of keeping photos stored on a phone or paying a subscription to store in the cloud.
The best part of using an external drive is that you can save files across multiple devices. You can also keep using it long after you’ve upgraded to a new phone.
Using an external drive requires more effort than backing up everything to the cloud. You need to wait for your files to transfer from your device to the drive, and then sort everything into folders. Then, after the file transfer is complete, you must delete those files from your phone or computer.
Fortunately, once you’ve figured out the process and done it a few times, it becomes quite straightforward.
The link to the full article is at the end.
Here’s my view as a photo coach.
I’m not a champion of cloud storage companies just for the sake of cloud storage. Many aren’t long-term storage solutions because you could lose your account for many different reasons.
Using your external hard drive or other electronic device isn’t a solution, either. Hard drives and laptops can break, get lost, or get stolen.
Instead of thinking about long-term storage, think this instead:
Permanent Storage
What it is
Permanent storage means your photos, videos and other important memories are accessible for the next several generations and beyond.
How would you like your grandchildren’s grandchildren to learn about your favorite hobbies, your life’s milestones, and how you overcame the challenges that you faced?
Benefits of permanent storage
I can store my printed photos and outdated media in the same place as my newest digital photos and videos.
Here’s how I do that.
I use the services of FOREVER® to:
Digitize my printed photos and all my outdated media like VHS tapes, CDs, audio cassettes, slide shows and more. FOREVER® is the only company I know of to digitize entire photo albums.
Store all my memories in one place and organize them into digital albums.
Print my most meaningful memories in keepsake photo books and on gifts.
FOREVER® is an excellent tool for researching and writing my family’s history. It’s easy to digitize and store newspaper clippings, old photos, and mementos like artwork that once hung on refrigerators.
Every image and video you upload and store has an area where you can write a brief or highly detailed description. You can write a few lines or a book length chapter like I did in this photo of me and my siblings from 1962.
Imagine having 20 photos and videos and writing a chapter about each one. This way, you’re making your family history available for descendants who you’ll never meet.
Own your storage
FOREVER® makes you an owner of your storage and digital home. You’re not paying a monthly fee without having any control.
Your content belongs to you and won’t be used for data mining or marketing purposes.
Guaranteed permanent storage
FOREVER® guarantees that your content is safe and accessible for a lifetime, plus 100 years. The goal is having your images and other memories available beyond that time frame.
The company guarantees that files are migrated to the latest technologies because it’s set up funding similar to how university endowments and insurance companies set aside money for the future.
This is for your peace of mind. You know that your memories are secure and you don’t have to worry about them becoming damaged, lost, or destroyed.
I’ve been a photo coach since March 1995 and this is the best digitizing solution I’ve seen and the only permanent solution that I’ve come across.
Do you need to declutter?
My passion has always been helping families declutter their photos, videos and all their memories and store them so they can tell their stories and pass them along to future generations.
If you need help decluttering let me know.
I can help you develop a personal photo plan and guide you from having a closet full of memories to digital albums where you can find and share your memories in seconds.
Check my Events page for helpful virtual classes.
This coming April, I’m publishing a book to help you:
- take your scattered memories,
- bring them into one place,
- and keep them safely for many generations to come.
Stay up to date on the book’s release here:
Declutter Your Photos, Secure Your Legacy
Here’s the link to the CNET article:
You Don’t Have to Spend Money on Cloud Storage to Save All Your Photos and Videos