Label the box, never the photo. Put a short, consistent name on the outside of each storage box, keep adhesive away from prints and negatives, and use a simple code to track what is inside. That keeps your collection findable and your pictures untouched.
The Golden Rule: Adhesive Stays Off the Photos
Tape and glue can mark or damage prints over time. Apply labels only to the outside of boxes, album spines, and divider cards. If you need to name a print, write on the border or back with a soft pencil, or place it in a sleeve and label the sleeve.
Build a Naming System
- Choose a main unit: year, event, or person.
- Add a second detail: month, place, or album number.
- Write the order consistently, such as “2019 – Summer trip”.
- Number boxes if you have more than a few, for example “Box 3 of 8”.
Where Labels Go
| Item | Label location |
|---|---|
| Archive box | Front face and narrow end |
| Album | Spine, near the top |
| Divider card | The tab, using a small label |
| Sleeve or envelope | Outside flap |
| Shelf | Edge, as a zone marker |
Choosing Tape
- Choose a width that matches the box’s labelling area, usually medium to wide.
- Choose clear contrast, such as dark text on light tape.
- For boxes you may reorganise, use removable tape.
- Check the box material; the maker’s guide for the tape notes which surfaces it suits.
Keep It Maintainable
Create a simple list, on paper or in a notes file, that matches box numbers to contents. If you move things, update the list first and the labels second.
If you are working through a large pile, label as you sort rather than afterwards. Take one box, fill it, label it, add it to the index, and only then move to the next. This avoids a stack of unmarked boxes that all look the same and need opening again. Keep the label text large enough to read from a step back, since boxes are often on high shelves.
Think too about the room where the boxes live. A cool, dry, dark shelf is kinder to your collection than a loft or a damp cellar, and labels last longer there as well. Follow the guidance from the box maker on storage conditions. When you place a box on a shelf, turn the labelled face outward and keep the numbers in order from left to right, so a gap in the sequence is easy to notice at once.
FAQ
Can I label archival boxes?
Yes, on the outside. Check the box maker’s guidance on adhesives for storage materials.
What about slide trays or negatives?
Label the case or tray, not the film, and keep adhesives well away from the images themselves.
The Short Version
Label outsides only, use a clear naming order, number the boxes, and keep a matching index. Choose removable tape for anything that might move.