5. Print it

No matter how many digital copies you have of your photo collection, also make paper prints of your most prized images. Prints can last for decades, if not centuries.

For do-it-yourselfers, Lefkowitz recommends Epson printers loaded with Durabright pigment inks. "Whatever brand of printer you choose," he says, "use the manufacturer's own paper and their best inks, listed on their websites. Don't mix paper and ink brands."

The easier route, as with scanning, is to let someone else do the printing. All three of the major online processing labs—Snapfish, Shutterfly, and Kodak Gallery—use long-lasting archival papers and inks, with Snapfish claiming its prints will last over a hundred years in "typical home display" without fading.

Or forget about prints altogether and showcase your Hawaii vacation in a custom-published book. Layout options have become more refined in the past couple of years, with themed templates, including travel, and even branded designs, including, yes, Martha Stewart. The three online photo finishers listed above will step you through creating a soft- or hardbound book from your uploaded photos with prices starting at $6.

Or design a coffee-table book at Blurb or Lulu, and you can also sell it to the public through their online stores. This three-pronged strategy—scan, back up, and print—will make your picture collections more or less permanent. "Unlike in the old days," says Lefkowitz, "you've now got the tools to preserve your travel pictures for many generations into the future."