Hobbies And Interests
Sort and categorize
Begin by sorting out the clippings by date. This is very beneficial because the newspaper the clipping had come from can be looked up in reference to the specific clipping, just in case certain information was lost or missed. Separate your clippings by the year and then by month and day.
Once you have them organized by date, alphabetize the articles by the first letter of the headline, or by a key word in the headline. For example, if the headline reads "Hotel closed after fire" then you should place it under "H" for hotel or "F" for fire. The word that will make you remember where to find the article quicker is the one you should use.
Another method altogether is to categorize your clippings by occasion. If you collect birth announcements and wedding announcements, for example, categorize your clippings by title. Archive the papers by category birth, category wedding, and then by the date.
File safely
To protect your delicate paper clippings from the elements of nature, water and pests in particular, you should place them into acid-free alkaline folders and into a sealed plastic container. The alkaline within the folder will ward off certain pollutants from anything that emanates heat, including exhaust systems. Each folder should represent either the date, category or letter of the alphabet the article is placed under. With all of the clippings placed into files and sorted properly, place the folders into the sturdy container.
Use a plastic container that comes with a lid that presses and locks tightly. Do not use lids that are meant to interlock with each other because they do not seal out moisture. Use a container that has a removable lid that can be firmly pressed into place.
Keep your container in a dark, dry place that remains beneath 72 degrees F. The humidity should not go past 35 percent or the paper may develop brown spots known as foxing, as well as mold.