Today, there are billions of smartphones around the world, many of which have a high-quality camera for taking pictures and videos of whatever you want. However, it wasn’t always that easy to capture the antics of your friends and family on video. In the past, people had to rely on bulky video cameras.

Many of us grew up without our parents constantly following us with these cameras to document our birthdays and various other family get-togethers. These old home movies are a great way to take a trip down memory lane and remember the past. Unfortunately, over time, these old home movies can deteriorate and make it impossible to enjoy and view them any longer.

With that in mind, this article is going to go over a few ways to preserve your old home movies and ensure that they are kept in good shape for years to come.

Digitise Your Old Home Movies

If you truly want your old home movies to last a lifetime, it is a good idea to digitise them. This is essentially taking the old film itself, and converting it to something like a DVD or digital file. These can last much longer, and ensure the quality of the video doesn’t worsen over time. This can also save you a lot of space in your home.

While this might sound like a ton of work, that isn’t the case. You can simply visit Just8mm or another service and they will be able to quickly and easily convert your old movies for you. They are very convenient, and ensure the job is done right to preserve the quality of these important videos. 

This can give you peace of mind knowing that these old movies are now safe and sound, and won’t continue to deteriorate over time. Of course, be careful not to accidentally lose the DVD or delete the file.

Store Them Carefully

If you decide against digitising your videos, you need to learn how to properly store them. In general, you want to keep these old tapes in a place that is relatively cool, and dark. Direct sunlight and too much heat can speed up the deterioration process your tape will go through.

As for how they should be stored, look to store them in cases or boxes that can ensure that dust, moisture and other debris can’t easily find their way into your film. Also, magnets have the potential to damage tapes, so be sure to keep them away. They can damage the quality of your tape, and may even completely erase their contents in some cases.

Handle Them Gently

The storage of these videos is crucial, but so is how you handle them. While the outer shell of old video tapes might seem strong and durable, this isn’t always the case. This is especially true if the tape is very old. If you are transporting them anywhere, be sure to package them up safely. Always treat them with care from the second you move them, to the second you put them back.

Either put them in a plastic case, or wrap them in a material to keep them safe. If you simply throw them loose in a bag, they could end up hitting up against other things, which could potentially break them. Also, when putting them back, ensure that they are securely in place, and put in the correct position.

In conclusion, there are many different ways to preserve your old home movies and ensure they can be viewed and enjoyed for years to come.