What You Should Do With Old Film Negatives sitting in storage
BY ALEX TOWNASTALLI
Do you have boxes of film negatives in storage that youโre unsure what to do with? Weโve got some ideas! Explore these tips on what to do with old film, from craft ideas to digitization and more.
If you consider yourself artsy or creative, donโt let useful material like film negatives go to waste. There are many opportunities to turn your old film or photo negative collection into fun and exciting art pieces.
There are plenty of things people have made with old films, including candle holders, ribbons, lampshades, and even unique earrings. The only limit to what you can create is your imagination!
To ensure your old film negatives donโt become damaged or faded, you should get them digitized immediately. There are many reasons to digitize your film negativesโthis process ensures they wonโt fade, tear, or get lost in the future. Youโll always have a backup digital copy!
Additionally, once you have digital copies of your films, thereโs so much more you can do with them. Store images on a cloud storage system and easily share them with friends and family; this way, everyone can look at them any time they want from their phone, computer, or tablet.
Even if you donโt have any use for your old films anymore, that doesnโt mean that someone else doesnโt! Recycle artists and crafters are always looking for new materials to turn recycled items into new crafts.
Take your boxes of old negatives to a thrift store or flea market and see if anyone would show interest in taking them off your hands for a reasonable price. Or, if youโve got some rare film, you can sell it onlineโthere are always collectors looking to get their hands on rare film.
If youโve run out of optionsโor youโve already digitized your collection and are ready to free up some of your storage spaceโyou can always recycle your film negatives. However, municipal recycling sites wonโt accept film or photo negatives due to their unique makeup and chemical composition.
Your best bet will be to use a certified service like GreenDisk or another company. You can drop off or mail your negatives, and theyโll ensure that theyโre recycled safely and responsibly.
We hope weโve given you some good ideas regarding what to do with your old film. What will you do with your old collectionโsell them to another collector or create some unique crafts?