The things that children make during their youth tell many stories. You may look back at a macaroni picture and think about how your son lost his first tooth the day before he made it and couldn't quite speak properly. You might look at the finger-painting that was made while you sat in the kitchen with your toddler, soaking in the joy that he expressed as he dipped his fingers in the goo and created something remarkable in his eyes.

There is no need to let these pieces go – instead, you can pack them all up and store them in a storage unit until your child is an adult and you want to sit and reminisce over them. Here, you will learn how to prepare, pack and store your child's artwork and crafts safely to ensure they will remain in good condition for many years.

Prepare and Pack for Storage

Before you begin to box things up, you must prepare each item to ensure that it isn't damaged while being stored. For the best results, look for acid-free tissue paper and boxes. Find some tube storage containers and some tape.

The first step is to take a picture of each piece before you pack it away. Storing images of each piece will allow you to look back at each one without having to dig them all out of storage. When you load the images onto a disk, hard drive or cloud storage site, enter the date and maybe a little back-story of how or why your child made it.

Once the pictures are taken, it's time to prepare the artwork for storage.

Large paintings and drawings can be loosely rolled and stored in storage tubes. If you are storing more than one in each tube, lay a sheet of acid-free tissue paper between each piece prior to rolling them up.

Smaller works can be stored flat in boxes. Again, layer acid-free tissue paper between each piece to ensure that the ink, paint or other materials don't bleed into the piece that it is rubbing up against.

Pieces, like macaroni art, will need a little extra support. Lay a sheet of cardboard underneath it and on top of it and wrap the entire thing with acid-free tissue paper. Making a sandwich out of the piece will ensure optimum protection while being stored.

Choose the Storage Facility

When you are working to choose the storage facility, look for one that is easy to access and that offers climate-controlled units. You don't want the art that you cherish to be exposed to high humidity or extreme temperatures. Maintaining a steady temperature will help to ensure that the works aren't damaged by mold, mildew or that the glue doesn't lose its ability to hold things together.

When you place the boxes in the storage unit, don't set them directly on the concrete ground. Instead, get a wooden pallet and place it on the ground or use shelving units. Although the concrete may look perfectly dry, it can introduce enough moisture for the boxes to wick up and destroy the things that you love.

Take your time and prepare, pack and store your child's artwork and it will be in wonderful condition when the time comes for you to sit and reminisce when your child is an adult. For more information about storage units, contact a company like Chestnut Mill Storage.