Getting Rid of Old Photographs

Suzie_Q_2

Hi I'm new to this site as in posting threads and replying etc. I have been reading this site for almost 12 months and have finally plucked up the courage to post a thread. So bear with me if this is the wrong place please move to the right one.

Anyway I have large box of photographs which I no longer want they include pictures of past boyfriends. Any tips on who to dispose of them without shredding. I don't particualr just want to through them in the bin.

Ticklemouse

I can't really help, other than to say that I once heard that photos contain silver and there are places to take them for recycling purposes. I don't know where you are or how much yo would have to take to these places,but I found this:

http://www.recycle.mcmail.com/photo.htm

Maybe we could all club together and recycle all our "old boyfriends"

henhog

I think photos are meant to be kept - when you look back it doesn't matter who is in them , it's your past. I have ones with university boyf in, (big mistake, that relationship) but I still wouldn't get rid of them because they are so evocative of an era that is long gone and at the time they were happy days (I suppose if they weren't I would have got rid of them long ago regardless of anything else)

Still, on another note - I am in the process of emailing my MP about the crap recycling facilities we have where I live. If 60% of household waste is meant to be recycable (including photos) why isn't it really obvious how to do it?

skintscotsman

I am a great believer that photos should never be destroyed. Unless they contain incriminating evidence lol

BWZN93

I agree with Skintscotsman personally, I have a large shoebox (that once contained thigh high boots!!) that contain all my photo's, and are bunched together (i.e first year at uni, second year at uni, New York Hols, etc) in case I ever feel the need to go back to them. And I have gone back to them, even though they contain some good, bad and really really ugly moments.... But I know that when I have kids, they will look at them and think, my god, mom was actually cool once...


Jo xx

culpepper

silver has virtually no value now anyway
Put them in an album and put them away somewhere.One day you'll want to take a look.
My Aunt threw her family pics in the bin when her hubby died and her daughter fished them straight back out(they should have gone to my mum as they were nearly all pics of their mum and dad,brother and sisters and ancestors).My mum had loads of pics of ex boyfriends and pupils she had known years ago when she was a teacher,they were so interesting as there was mum too,looking much younger.

SnowyOwl_2

I have processed and printed photos by hand...the only silver I am aware of is in the negative, rather than in the paper the photo is printed on. The paper itself has a light sensitive coating on it which is fixed with chemicals after the picture has been made and which are then washed off. I would have thought it would be OK to recycle photographs.

If you really, really must get rid of your photos then perhaps hang on to your negatives and perhaps just keep one or two from each set as a quick reminder? If in the future you need/want to see a photo from the past then you can always get it printed from the negative.

grunnie

I inherited loads and loads of old photos when clearing out three relatives homes. I decided the photos had been in boxes long enough. I bought 2 large picture frames from Ikea and made 2 collages one for my husbands side of the family and one for my side. I included pictures of my children when they were yougher with their grandmas. I'v hung the photos above the computer so I can enjoy them all the time instead of taking up so much room in a cupboard. :T

Suzie_Q_2

Firstly thank you for all your replies. You are all so helpful and kind on this site.

Having thought about it your all probably right and I should keep them. All I have to do now is find some photo ablums that don't cost the earth. Any ideas?

Thank you so much I could have thrown out something that I could have regretted later on. (these are in replace of smileys, haven't worked that one out yet). It just shows that it helps to discuss things with other people as they can see if from a different perspective.

Cheers

And thanks again.

Murtle

Just to mention the throwing them away side, I always believe you should never throw away photos, and they should certainly never be torn up.

However, following a rather negative point in my life, I found great relief in going through my photos and taking out the ones that didn't make me smile or bring joy, tore them up and threw them away - I felt alot better for doing that!!!

I now beleive that photos have a life span, and while they make you happy you should keep them, preferably keep the ones that make you the happiest on display for as long as they make you happy then change them. The ones in photo albums, again keep them as long as they make you happy and remember good times, chuck 'em when they are being kept for the sake of being kept!!! It's always nice to have a few photos for any kids etc, but when there are just so many of them and you open the album and think oh it's them not oh great it's them, then it's time for the bin!!!!

Hope that made sense!!!!

culpepper

you can make your own photo albums with dark paper all cut to the same size,2 pieces of board for the covers,make a fold along one side about 1" in on all of them then punch 2 holes in that edge of all of them using a paper punch and tie with embroidery silk or cord. Then go to a photo shop and buy some photo corners.That way you havent stuck them in permanently and it doesnt matter if your pics are all different sizes.