Because of the way videos are often treated at home - as disposable and with little regard - its easy not to give their storage too much thought. The thing to remember is that with your work, there are probably only a few copies in existence, and no larger external reserve. It's important then to store and look after your work carefully.

Tapes
All videos should be fully rewound or fast forward, so that all the tape is all on one reel. This reduces strain and prevents the tape from warping.

Tapes should be stored in robust hard plastic storage cases. These are not expensive but keep tapes secure and reduce damage from accidents.

You should store your tapes vertically and not flat on their side. Vertical storage helps the tape inside lie flat and even, an effect that reduces the chance of damage. Depending on how much material you have, you might want to use shelves. Moving image archives tend to use metal shelves for storage but you need to be careful they're not magnetised. Wooden shelves are not recommended. Not only are they a fire risk, they can also retain moisture and produce gases. For practical purposes, make sure the tapes are accessible and not packed too tightly together.

Labelling
Both the video box and the cassette should be clearly labelled. This label should include information about the title, maker, its length and when the piece begins on the time code. It would be useful to include the date when the copy was made. This could help with judging when the tape may begin deteriorating. See the damage and maintenance section for more information.

If the tape is unplayable and needs restoration, information about its content may help you decide on whether it's actually worth restoring .

You should keep all information concerning transfers and copies. If your copy becomes very deteriorated, the knowledge of another copy elsewhere could be very helpful.

Also take a look at the general information on documentation , in the Issues for consideration section.

Space and Environment
Like film, video has quite particular conditions in which it is advised that it be stored, roughly 15 to 20°C and 20 to 30% humidity. These precise temperature and humidity levels are, however, going to be difficult to maintain outside of a purpose built environment

In the absence of these conditions, the important thing to aim for is stability. The easiest way to achieve this is to create a separate space, just for storing video. This space should avoid heaters, any sort of plumbing, and windows. The space should be clean and as cool as possible. Keep the videos away from any magnetic fields that might damage the magnetic signals on tape. Magnetic sources include speakers, video players and televisions. You should also allow for circulation within the storage area.

If you do manage to arrange some sort of cold storage, make sure you give tapes a chance to adjust to room temperature before you play them.