Here are some important tips for storing or archiving your photos:

Always make more than one backup copy of your photos.

Keep at least one of the backup copies off-site, or use an on-line or internet storage provider for one of the backups.

Use different physical media for backups (eg. optical and hard disk) and use media from more than one manufacturer.

Index or tag your photos with keywords so that specific images can be recalled easily.

Store photos within folders organized by date and then by event for easy access.

Save both the original and the edited photos on your backup.

Expect and plan to replace your backup media every 3-5 years due to technology obsolesence and the remote possibility of hardware failure.

Don't hesitate to delete inferior photos that you will never use again to keep the msot efficient backups.

Schedule a regular time to backup your photos and stick to it.