Family Archive Consulting
Because you need a roadmap and a personalized plan.
Family Archiving Can Be Daunting
You may feel overwhelmed by the volume of materials.
You may feel uncertain about best practices for preservation and organization.
You may feel you don’t have the expertise to create a meaningful and coherent family archive.
I’m here to help you with all that!
When You See Your Boxes of Old Photographs and Documents—
Do you wish you knew how to take better care of them?
Do you wonder who the next caretaker will be?
Do you worry that they will get tossed out?
Do you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start?
Do you even know what’s inside the boxes?
Do you want an expert to tell you what to do?
Transform Your Collection into the Family Archive
You’ve Always Wanted
What Lies at the End of the Road
PURE JOY!
The feeling you get when you look at your beautifully organized and boxed collection!
LESS CLUTTER
Your collection is organized and stored together in a designated space.
IMPROVED STORAGE
Your photos and documents aren’t crumpled and fading.
FREED UP SPACE
You can reclaim space around your house because your collection is condensed.
NEW SKILLS
You’ve learned new methods and techniques that you can use now and down the road.
MORE CONNECTION
Your collection keeps memories and family history alive.
EASY ACCESS
You can find the exact item you’re looking for — no more rummaging around.
POPULAR DEMAND
The next caretaker of the collection will be willing and eager to take it.
CONTAINER UPGRADE
Your collection looks important and official. It won’t be discarded.
The top three reasons cited for not preserving family archives are lack of time (37%), lack of knowledge (25%), and lack of proper storage materials (18%).
The Experience:
Consulting with Pam
01 | Personalized Guidance
02 | Step-by-step Approach
03 | Best Practices (and which rules you can bend a little)
04 | Organization Strategies
05 | Access to Tools and Resources
06 | Focus on Preservation, Organization, and Connection
I’ve Got What You Need:
Expert guidance, personalized strategies, and step-by-step plans
You can conquer that overwhelm and have the confidence to create a well-organized and cohesive family archive.
You don’t have to feel awkward about the current state of affairs, because I operate in a no-judgment zone.
My goal is to help you improve the condition of your materials.
My philosophy is Progress over Perfection.
It’s important to just get started!
You Choose How We Work Together
We’ll talk about the overall contents and condition of Your Collection.
We’ll talk about your goals for preserving Your Collection.
I’ll give you an overview of preservation methods and best practices.
I’ll recommend general supplies and vendors.
$200
Everything in the Two-Hour Consultation PLUS:
A written Collection Survey describing the overall size, materials, and location of Your Collection.
A Personalized Action Plan with suggested steps and supplies based on your goals — so you can create Your Family Archives.
Starting at $400
Everything in the One-on-One Assessment PLUS:
One-hour weekly check-ins with me.
Additional guidance and suggestions.
Starting at $400 / $150 each coaching session
Professional archiving support (10 hours) — available on a limited basis.
Working side-by-side with you.
May be used all at once or over time.
$1200
Professional archiving services for a defined project — available on a limited basis.
Starting at $2000
Three Elements of Archiving
01 | Preservation
Transfer your collection to archival-quality containers and store it in an appropriate location.
02 | Organization
Organize the collection and create a guide.
03 | Connection
Connect photographs, documents, or mementos to someone on your family tree.
You Choose the Level of Archiving that Works for You
There are three levels of preserving and organizing family collections:
01 | Big Picture Level—
Addresses the care of your collection in a holistic way. Archivists refer to this as collection level preservation.
Only want to move your collection to archival boxes?
Great! Choose the Big Picture Approach!
02 | Nitty Gritty Level—
Addresses the care of individual items in your collection. Archivists refer to this as item level preservation.
Want to identify & protect every item in your collection?
Awesome! Choose the Nitty Gritty Approach!
03 | Something-In-Between Level—
You can do that, too! You get to choose!
Only 15% of families have a designated family archivist or historian responsible for preserving the family’s legacy.
I’m Pam Mayer
I archive through a family history lens.
What better way to bring family history to life than by preserving the stuff our ancestors left behind? Those generational items can be beautifully organized to add some serious context to the names on your family tree.
Oh, by the way, I’ve been there before! I created archives for this tiny non-profit pre-K through 12 private school from scratch, and you know what? I did it all on a shoestring budget! So, rest assured, I know how to balance risk and expenses like a pro. I’m here to design a plan that fits your priorities, concerns, and budget to a T. Whether it’s just a single box or a whole bunch more, I’ve got your back, guiding you every step of the way to create that awesome family archive you’ve been dreaming of!
How to Get Started
Step 01 |
Schedule a complimentary 1-hour appointment to talk about your project and see if it is a good fit for both of us.
Step 02 |
You choose one of the options for working together.
Step 03 |
Schedule time to work together.
Get This FREE Resource!
I’ll send you a complimentary copy of the guide
3 Basic Steps to Take NOW
Discover 3 basic steps to get you on your way to creating your extraordinary family archive.
By subscribing, you agree to receive emails from Keeping the Past. I’ll let you know about my latest blog posts & free resources—like checklists, cheat sheets, and how-to guides. Unsubscribe at any time.