Long term digital document storage for dummies

Post date: 2024-03-22 06:28:21

Disorganized person here! I'd like to set up a system for the long term storage of important family documents (mortgage agreements, visas, that kind of thing). I plan to keep physical copies only when absolutely necessary, and to digitize the rest. Please help!

(1) Are there specific documents that should always be kept as hard copies?

(2) How should I name, label, or tag digital documents for efficient retrieval?

(3) What file formats are most likely to remain accessible over the long term? I suppose that very simple file formats (e.g. txt, bmp) will always be readable. I guess that pdf files are safe too: because so many important documents are saved in pdf format, there will always be a need to read pdf files even if the file format becomes archaic.

(4) Is storing backups both on a local hard drive and in the cloud adequate for redundancy? Should I have two cloud copies, with different providers?

(5) For cloud storage, what encryption software ensures future access, avoiding issues with discontinued products? I'm not very savvy when it comes to computers, so I want something simple.

(6) How can I regularly check and ensure that digital copies have not become corrupted over time?

(7) Errm, what am I forgetting?

Thank you!

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