Storing your Historic Documents & Other Files in Local Self Storage

Happy Birthday America! Independence Day is here, along with hot dogs, hamburgers, the beach, cold beer, and fireworks  –  but what is this holiday really about?  To find out, let’s do what all proud Americans would do to answer this question – Google it!  According to Google, July 4th, or Independence Day  is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation. So where is the original Declaration of Independence stored now?  Let’s start with where it’s been.

During the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence was rolled up like an old road map, and toted around from town to town for the people of this great country to view – (these guys could have used a lesson in document storage). Less understandable is the haphazard way in which it was stored after the Revolutionary War. Water was spilled on it while it was being copied in 1823. It was even tacked up on the wall at the U.S. Patent Office for about 40 years, where it was subjected to a strong northern light causing it to fade permanently. In 1903 it’s curators finally decided that maybe it  would be a good idea to get it out of the sunlight. It wasn’t until 1951 that the first modern preservation efforts began.

Today the Declaration of Independence is displayed in a case made of titanium and bullet proof, light filtering glass, filled with inert argon gas.

So how do you store your important documents?  Well, good news – You don’t need a titanium, bulletproof, argon filled case. All you need is a file cabinet!  And for those files that you need to keep handy for years to come, such as tax returns, bank and credit card statements,and medical and Insurance records, you may want to consider renting some space at your local self storage facility. A small rented storage space can provide you with a clean secure space to store your document for easy retrieval when needed.   Document storage tip  –  organize and place your documents in file folders, inside a cardboard file box. Place the cardboard file box inside of a sealed plastic tub with the contents clearly labeled on the side of the container. They’re not The Declaration of Independence, but they may be important some day. Gotta go – the fireworks are starting!