Better way to move photos?

August 18, 2023 7:46 AM

I'm moving across the country, and I'm flying rather than taking my car. Bearing in mind that I do not have time to get photos scanned, what should I do about photos?

I realize there are no guarantees that my photos won't be lost, but I'm reconsidering my options and would like to hear thoughts on this.

I was originally going to drive and take them in my car, but I'm flying instead. Taking more than one bag is a real hardship for me, and I can't take a carry-on larger than my backpack, which will already be at (my) capacity with my laptop, iPad, and Kindle.

I could also pay to ship them via UPS.

Or they can just go in the moving truck.

Thoughts?

posted by FencingGal to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

How many/what amount of space do they take up? Are we talking a few albums or several office file boxes? Or more?
posted by sagc at 7:55 AM on August 18, 2023 [1 favorite]

Ship them UPS rather than taking a chance movers will lose them.
posted by beagle at 7:57 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think it depends on how they are stored. Are they just in boxes? because this time of year, high humidity in a hot moving van might cause them to stick together. You can buy silicon packets to try to mitigate this.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:57 AM on August 18, 2023

If someone you know and trust is driving your car, you could put the pictures in the car. UPS, the movers, or the airline could all lose or damage them. So could the person driving your car, but that person will at least be personally aware at all times of where they are and if you trust them to deliver the car, you can probably trust that the photos will still be in it when it gets there.
posted by Redstart at 8:05 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

Depending on the amount and room they take up, I would consider leaving them with a trusted friend until such time as you can either take them or arrange to have them sent or arrange to have them scanned.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:07 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I'd say we're talking maybe three book-size boxes. They are mostly not in albums.

I'm having my car shipped.
posted by FencingGal at 8:18 AM on August 18, 2023

definitely do not check them on the airplane. my father lost a box of original family photos that way one christmas twenty years ago.

i'd vote for UPS.
posted by noloveforned at 9:09 AM on August 18, 2023

To ship something that absolutely must not be lost, the only sure way is USPS Registered mail. The package is kept separate from the rest of the mail and there is a chain of custody kept for the whole trip. It is not expensive.
posted by fritley at 9:25 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

Actually, I think checking them on the airplane these days is probably the most reliable and quickest way to get them to your destination. Despite noloveformed's experience 20 years ago, these days, luggage always has a bar code sticker that gets scanned at multiple points. There is a chance that it might not arrive with you (especially if there are flight delays involved) but it is very unlikely to be lost.

I am also assuming that a transit time measured in hours instead of days is far less likely to expose the photos to excessive heat or humidity than shipping via UPS or USPS in a truck (or possibly a plane) over a period of days.

The downside is the cost. Your first two checked bags aren't too expensive ($35 and $45 on United) but the additional bags would be $150 each if under 50 lbs.
posted by metahawk at 11:26 AM on August 18, 2023

Can you securely place them in your car that's being shipped separately?
Then to loose the photo boxes they'd need to have lost the car too, and so long as there's no reason the boxes could need to be taken out of the car, they'll all stay together.
posted by many-things at 12:05 PM on August 18, 2023 [1 favorite]

No matter which method you use, include airtags and tiles with them so you can track them.
posted by Sophont at 2:45 AM on August 19, 2023 [1 favorite]